Broad Avenue Arts District
Broad Avenue is home to the famous Broad Avenue Art Walk where local artisans draw crowds each year!
If you grew up in Memphis, like me, you sometimes catch yourself marvelling at how quickly the city has remade itself in the last fifteen years or so. Areas of town that used to stand nearly vacant, are now vibrating with industry and excitement. Neighborhoods that were unsightly are now coveted real estate; entire “districts” now exist where before there was no definition of the area at all. The Memphis my family lives in is entirely unlike the Memphis I grew up in. And the progress that’s constantly humming around us makes city living so ideal for our little family. One of my favorite spots is about five minutes from my front porch and boasts my favorite boutique and some of the best coffee in town...the Broad Avenue Arts District.
A Farm Turned Town
The story of Broad Avenue starts way back in 1860 when William Henry Bingham immigrated to Memphis from Ireland at the age of 23. Henry worked in management at a hotel in downtown Memphis for thirty years before he decided to head East for the simpler life of farming. He purchased the property now recognized as the Binghampton neighborhood and founded a farm, which in turn founded a small community around it. Bingham became this small town’s first mayor and the “main street” of the newly chartered Binghampton was christened Broad Avenue. And that’s the beginning of the Broad Avenue Arts District.
A Colorful Avenue Gets Annexed
Like most communities, Binghampton experienced its ups and down over the years and the culture of Broad Avenue reflected those changes. In the late nineteenth century and early into the twentieth, the tiny town once boasted 11 saloons (at one time!), it’s own police department, power and water systems, bakeries, Piggly Wiggly, railway station, and even an electric street car line that took passengers to the nearby Raleigh Springs resort and spa. The community was flourishing and Broad Avenue was lit up with bustle and business. But by the 1920s, the community had incurred debt and was willing to be annexed by the City of Memphis in order to stay afloat. From that moment on, Binghampton and Broad Avenue faltered. The community got lost after a major highway was built nearby and the old, charming buildings on Broad were nearly all vacated. The main thoroughfare that had been was now a ghost town.
The Renaissance
Around 2010, positive energy started to gain momentum around Broad Avenue. The area had struggled for too long and the potential was realized. Murals started appearing on the sides of some of the empty buildings and the area’s iconic Water Tower...a throwback from the original community...was given a colorful facelift. Shops and both casual and fine dining restaurants began to move in. Bike lines were installed. A bicycle shop, yoga studio, florist, and one of Memphis’ most beloved bakeries (Muddy’s Bake Shop) leased buildings. Now art walks are sprinkled throughout the spring and summer, inviting neighbors from all over the city to experience the old and new charm of what is Broad Avenue...now a diverse community of local merchants and artisans who are helping this little area of the city thrive. Broad Ave has become its own district once again, engaging the city with a social flare we can only imagine it always had.
Broad Avenue has been transformed into a bustling street full of life, art, sweet treats, and local businesses.
My Broad Ave Faves:
For a tremendous cup of coffee, grab the Bon Bon at City & State (with Oat Milk).
For the perfect gift for her, duck into Falling Into Place and grab a hand poured candle, a kitschy tea towel, or a unique piece of jewelry.