#Loeb's Tennessee Pit Bar-B-Q

[memphisbarbecue]

STUFF'S HAPPENING, BUT SOME HOUSEKEEPING FIRST

The GPC staff has grown by one with the addition of Mr. Pig as general manager, in charge of the day-to-day activity around the home office. We weren't looking to expand, but he showed up earlier this year and made a persuasive case for his hiring. His early resume involves a stint as part of a pretty rowdy bunch of hand puppets for a few years, and then goes blank until recently.

His managerial skills are questionable, so we'll take it low and slow. On to the news . . .

MEMPHIS TOAST, 954 JACKSON: GHOST PIT IS REALLY BACK

We've been following the progress of this place for the past few posts. It's finally open, and it's a pretty neat little joint. The history of this long-time barbecue shop has been set out here several times. Now it's a breakfast/brunch place (open 6 am-2 pm, maybe every day, call 417-7817 to be sure), but also with some barbecue vibes. The transformation of the old place is impressive, as is the food.

We've been there three times since it opened last month, and enjoyed all of them. Perhaps the neatest part, from our perspective, is the replication of the old pit.

According to the Toast's exec chef, Carlos Scurlock, the mortar in the original pit was too deteriorated to allow any cooking. No problems with the new one, and plans are to use it -- no pork, but likely for wings and such. It's a great addition to the Smokey City neighborhood, and is becoming the breakfast place of choice as the future of the Barksdale seems bleak after a kitchen fire.

GET YOUR TEA TIME: 709 E. PARKWAY SOUTH Out with Subway, in with Boba Boba Life, at this former Loeb's barbecue restaurant that dates from the 1960s. It's close to opening. Not likely a place we'll visit, but it's good to see an old ghost pit back in business after the Subway closure. Interesting.

On the negative side, the old Cave's Soul Food and More on Jackson remains empty after its former tenant, a pasta restaurant, moved to Downtown.

ODDS AND ENDS Ebay just came through with this Little Pigs of America mask from the early/mid 1960s. First one I've seen, and I'm tickled to have it. Here's the listing for it from the LPOA Commissary Supply Catalog.

My daughter finds all kinds of Memphis barbecue stuff on the internet, and recently sent me this Loeb's piece that looks to be part of a newspaper ad. Never seen it. Don't know who the people are, but I'd guess their last name is Loeb.

It mentions pretty much all of Loeb's commercial ventures from the 1960s (including chicken) that you could find all on one corner -- laundromat, dry cleaning, market, barbecue restaurant.

Finally, from a friend's backyard, the remnants of a barbecue pit that was a fairly common feature of Midtown houses from the 1920s and 1930s. I have one, but it's covered in some type of nasty vine.

[memphisbarbecue]

"LOTS OF PIG ON EVERY SANDWICH"

     That has long been one of my favorite barbecue restaurant slogans, courtesy of Fracchia's Pit Barbecue Cafe, which operated at 2461-2465 Jackson Avenue from the late 1940s up to about 1970. It came to mind when I saw the obituary for John Thomas Fracchia Jr., 84, in The Commercial Appeal of June 25. The bulk of Mr. Fracchia's work life was spent in the marine industry, but he got his start by managing the family restaurant.     For most of the 15 or so years I've been dabbling in this, I have almost always sent letters to the people I've wanted to talk with. Surely I sent one to Mr. Fracchia, but I have not been able to find a copy in my research mess. If I did not send him a letter, that was a huge blunder on my part. If I did and did not get a response, well, that has happened a lot. I might try to contact the family later on.    Anyway, here are some phone book ads for Fracchia's. The oldest one, circa 1948, lists the 2461 address (and features a classic clip-art pig). Fracchia's was among several barbecue restaurants in the city from that era that also had Italian on the menu. At the time it disappeared from the phone book, circa 1970, a Loeb’s was practically next door, at 2451.

PROJECT UPDATE: 954 JACKSON     A post from last October led with the news of a $25,000 Good Neighbor grant from the Center City Development Corp. to Roosevelt Bonds, owner of Jazzy J’s Sports Bar, to renovate the site into a 1,430-square-foot restaurant to be called Jackson Cafe. Upgrades were to include a new facade, outdoor seating and improved landscaping, at a total cost of $32,550. March was the target for opening.     The interest here is that the location has a long history as a barbecue restaurant, at least back to the mid-1950s when it was known as the Bar-B-Q Center. Later names included Jones Smoke House, Beasley's Barbecue, and Jango's, which was a favorite around our house in the early 2000s.       I drove by a couple of months ago and not much had changed, but today's visit saw lots of progress. The west side has a spiffy mural, and the patio area is moving along (enclosed, in a departure from the design rendering). It all looks neat and inviting, and worth a stop when it opens.

PUT IT BACK     Tops, the venerable local barbecue chain, has been on a tear lately with new menu offerings and freshened facades on their older locations. All good, but I'm not a fan of the new look at the No. 6 shop at 3353 Summer. I have long considered it to be the most handsome Tops restaurant -- not even close -- and maybe the best-looking in the city. It has the neon pig (which is making a well-deserved comeback), but the real asset is the out-front placement of the pit, with a wall of windows to see it all. Fake flames now hide the real thing. Ugh. Put it back.

SERVICE ON THE ROAD    I've had the opportunity this year to visit a couple of West Tennessee barbecue treasures -- Helen Turner's in Brownsville and Sam's in Humboldt. I try to stop at Helen's any time I'm passing exit 56 on I-40, but Sam's is a bit farther off the beaten path, but definitely worth the drive. I hadn't been there in years. The barbecue is excellent, and be sure to take a “pie” with you. Sam's is a Thursday-Saturday business only, so keep that in mind.