The Levitt Shell summer concert series opens Thursday evening, and the Memphis Italian Fest begins. IKEA shuns Nashville.
Two Memphis traditions return Thursday, with the Memphis Italian Festival opening its three-day run in the afternoon and the Levitt Shell's summer concert series beginning hours later.
Atop the list of civic celebrations that define the city's character would have to be the signature Memphis in May events, the conclusion of which we discussed in yesterday's 9:01. Riding close behind, near the top of the list of second-tier happenings, are shell concerts and the food/music that fill East Memphis' Marquette Park for one aromatic weekend each year.
The Italian Festival, which benefits Holy Rosary Parish, has had a sometimes-rocky relationship over the years with its Colonial Acres community. The event's success has come to flood Marquette, at the corner of Park and Mt. Moriah, with visitors and make it the bane of neighbors' existence for a few days.
For the most part, however, even inconvenienced neighbors have come to embrace the 29-year-old festival designed to benefit the Holy Rosary Parish School, located next door to the park. Growing from its original intent, it has morphed into a citywide celebration of Italian-American heritage with everything from grape-stomping to bocce.
Complete festival information, including times and ticket prices, is available at the Memphis Italian Festival website.
In another park, meanwhile, music lovers will be bringing their lawn chairs and picnic baskets to the Levitt Shell for the start of the venue's Orion Free Music Summer Concert Series.
Levitt Shell executive director Anne Pitts recently told The Commercial Appeal's Bob Mehr the shell has exceeded expectations since its rebirth 10 years ago as a destination for music and entertainment in Overton Park.
In the interest of transparency, I must note that I'm quite the Levitt Shell fan. It's a place to go with friends and melt away — not a hard thing to do in the humidity of a Memphis summer night — all your frustrations over a bottle of wine and a cooler of food.
Saxophonist/vocalist Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers kick off a busy schedule of nearly 30 concerts that will run through mid-July. The series then takes a break through the worst of the summer heat before returning with a fall lineup. All concerts are free (except for the ticketed Stars at the Shell on July 13), but donations are accepted.
For the complete concert lineup and other information, visit levittshell.org.
IKEA envy: After taking a Nashville city councilman to task in yesterday's 9:01 for trying to score points off Memphis' airport challenges, may a pox be upon me if I'm guilty of the same thing.
I say that so as not to be misunderstood when I point out the news that trendy furniture maker IKEA has scrapped its plans for a Nashville area store. The Swedish company last year announced a store there on the heels of its first Tennessee store that opened in Memphis in December 2016.
The Tennessean newspaper reports the Nashville store fell victim to a changing business model that will focus on online shopping as opposed to brick and mortar. That brings me to the reason for mentioning this at all.
If IKEA has figured out that less brick and mortar and more online is the way to go (one has to wonder what took them so long), does that portend bad things for the 18-month-old Memphis store?
Jesper Brodin, IKEA's new chief executive, told the Financial Times of London last month that the company has a three-year strategy emphasizing digital solutions in all countries, including home delivery, as well as a move away from stores on the outskirts of cities and more in center-city locations.
No talk of store closings, especially stores that only recently opened, but we'll keep a cautious eye on how a changing business strategy in Sweden affects a store off Germantown Parkway and Interstate 40 in Memphis.
Interactive bike classes: In an effort to help potential users take advantage of the city's new Explore Bike Share program, Revolutions Bicycle Co-Op is hosting a series of 50 free classes to get riders on the road.
The educational partner of Explore Bike Share, Revolutions will offer classes on how to use the Explore program (Bike Share 101) and, on a more basic level, classes on how to ride a bike safely on the streets. The street classes, divided into sessions called "How to Ride in the Street Part 1" and "How to Ride in the Street Part 2," will focus on things like signaling, traffic laws and hazards.
For a complete calendar of times and locations for each of the three classes, visit the Revolutions Facebook page.
What about JT? No, we didn't forget that Justin Timberlake was at FedExForum Wednesday evening. Don't worry, we'll have some commentary on the show in Friday's 9:01.
Mark Giannotto reports former NBA coach Sam Mitchell's plans to join the coaching staff of Penny Hardaway at the University of Memphis.
Jennifer Pignolet has details on the $1.05 billion general fund budget for 2018-19 approved by Shelby County Schools.
Here's more detail on the scrapped plans for the Nashville area IKEA store.
Sherra Wright gets a $20 million bond in the Lorenzen Wright murder case, Linda Moore reports.
Memphis Italian Festival, 4 p.m. until 11 p.m., Marquette Park at Park and Mt. Moriah, $8 admission.
Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers, Orion Summer Concert Series, Levitt Shell in Overton Park, 7:30 p.m. Free admission but donations accepted.
Reach Ron Maxey at maxey@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter at @rmaxey1.