Before the sizzle on the grill, the first sounds of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest heard in Tom Lee Park are hammers and nail guns.

2. Grizz Claw Into Conference Finals - Thursday, May 16, 2013

His team had just overcome a 17-point first-half deficit and beaten Oklahoma City in overtime to win Game 4 and take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. So someone asked Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins if he was impressed.

3. River Infrastructure Fee Tough Sell in DC - Thursday, May 16, 2013

U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher told a group of business owners and others who work on the Mississippi River that the political environment in Washington is changing.

Fincher is a member of the Congressional Mississippi River Caucus that is pushing for continuing funding for infrastructure along the river.

4. Grizzlies Take Down Thunder in Overtime - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Moments before Game 4 of the Grizzlies-Oklahoma City playoff series tipped off at FedExForum Monday night, Tony Allen, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol stood at midcourt to be recognized for making the NBA’s All-Defensive teams (Allen first-team, Gasol and Conley second-team).

5. Reality TV's New Stars: Small Businesses - Thursday, May 09, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – There's no business like small business.

Mix the high stakes of running a small business with a dash of family drama and throw in a camera crew and you get hit reality television shows such as "Pawn Stars," ''Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" and "Duck Dynasty."

6. ‘Real Big Decisions’ Looming for Grizzlies - Friday, April 26, 2013

The Grizzlies returned from Los Angeles down 2-0 to the Clippers, the idea of “Believe Memphis” being put to the test.

Thursday night, April 25, the Clippers and Grizzlies were to play Game 3 at FedExForum, and then Saturday, April 27, Game 4.

7. Corporate Contribution - Monday, April 22, 2013

On a beautiful spring morning last week more than 100 local FedEx employees came together along the banks of the Wolf River to do a beautiful thing.

It was the 40th anniversary of FedEx, whose employees volunteered with the Wolf River Conservancy to pull up invasive privet, plant wildflowers and trees, paint sewer vents and build nesting boxes for indigenous birds.

8. Pilot Flying J Raid Focuses on Incentive Practices - Friday, April 19, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – When Pilot, the country's largest truck stop chain, bought its nearest competitor Flying J out of bankruptcy in 2009, federal trade officials worried the combined entity owned by the powerful Haslam family could corner the market on diesel fuel.

9. In Need of Relief - Saturday, April 13, 2013

Perhaps it is only too appropriate that baseball is played without a clock. For securing the future of the Memphis Redbirds may require extra innings, not to mention extra effort.

The ballpark was on the leading edge of revitalizing Downtown when it opened in 2000 at Third and Union. This, of course, was “B.G.” in Memphis – Before the Grizzlies. Also, before FedExForum. The city was ready for something big and bold – something that showed Memphis could overachieve, not underachieve.

10. Tigers Prepare for Life After Black, Thomas - Friday, April 12, 2013

Wading in with some thoughts on several topics, starting with Adonis Thomas and Tarik Black leaving the University of Memphis basketball program:

• First off, the Tigers will be fine without them. The No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country is on the way and while the Tigers still want another big man to replace Black, the truth is that both Thomas and Black were disappointments this past season. This is also why I wish Adonis and Tarik were staying; odds are it would be better for them if they stayed.

11. Cock Fighting Bill Dead This Session - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Senate sponsor of legislation to make cock fighting a felony says he believes his bill failed Monday evening because of strong support for the practice in rural parts of Tennessee.

12. Schools Begin Front Office Layoff Process - Monday, April 08, 2013

When Shelby County’s two public school systems went to a single superintendent in March, interim superintendent Dorsey Hopson emphasized that his first priority is a budget proposal later this month for the school system that merges formally with the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

13. Vance Albitz: A True Web Gem - Friday, April 05, 2013

Occasionally, the brilliance of an idea is captured in its name. So it is with “Gloves 4 Troops,” the brainchild of Memphis Redbirds infielder Vance Albitz.

Back in November, Albitz read about a deployed solider who said the one thing he really wished he had from back home was a baseball and a glove. Normalcy – always the goal for soldiers in harm’s way – was a game of catch. Albitz understood because as far back as he can remember, holidays at home in Torrance, Calif., meant him, his older brother and father playing catch and having a little informal BP.

14. Secret Sauce - Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Twenty years ago this month, a trio of businessmen opened a new pizza shop in Overton Square.

And one year after Memphis Pizza Cafe opened its doors, Memphians were hungry enough for the business’ signature thin-crust pizza that a second location soon was in order.

15. Grizzlies Proving Their Brand is Winning Games - Friday, March 22, 2013

The long-term benefits of the Grizzlies’ 90-89 overtime win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, if there are any, won’t be known for a while. The Western Conference playoff standings are ever-changeable.

16. Coffee, Beer Bar Coming Downtown - Friday, March 22, 2013

Downtown residents and visitors will soon be able to grab a cup of joe, locally brewed beer and a fresh sandwich or salad in one convenient spot.

Taylor Berger, partner in YoLo Frozen Yogurt & Gelato, and partners Mitch Buckner (of Bella Café in Pink Palace) and Daniel Flanagan (of Chiwawa, the newly opened Southern-inspired eatery near Overton Square) have signed a lease for 2,755 square feet of retail space in the ground floor of Van Vleet Flats, 122 Gayoso Ave.

17. GPAC Names Main Theater in Honor of Duncan-Williams - Thursday, March 21, 2013

The next time an art lover heads to the Germantown Performing Arts Centre to take in a world music concert, watch a ballet or enjoy any of the host of other acts lined up for GPAC’s new season, they’ll be doing so inside the Duncan Williams Performance Hall.

18. Coffee, Beer Bar Slated for Downtown - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Downtown residents soon will be able to grab a cup of Joe, locally brewed beer and a fresh sandwich or salad in one fell swoop.

Taylor Berger, partner in YoLo Frozen Yogurt & Gelato, along with partners Mitch Buckner (of Bella Café in Pink Palace) and Daniel Flanagan (of Chiwawa, the newly opened Southern-inspired eatery near Overton Square), have signed a lease for 2,755 square feet of retail space in the ground floor of Van Vleet Flats, 122 Gayoso Ave.

19. Reappraisal to Impact Office Market - Monday, March 18, 2013

For the first time in history, the property value of the once-every-four-year reappraisal is going down, and it has some commercial real estate property owners concerned.

Although how much the value decreases won’t be official until April 20, the first formal notices of 2013 Shelby County property values for taxation purposes were mailed at the beginning of this month to owners of commercial and industrial cost properties.

20. The Last-Second Madness - Monday, February 25, 2013

Many people in the relatively danger-free world of modern white-collar workers seem to be stressed out these days. Perhaps this is because they are ill-equipped to function in the modern world. I’ve been playing around with mathematics and time to help explain what is going on.

21. Ending of Schools Talks Still Rankles Both Sides - Monday, February 25, 2013

When all sides in the school merger court case gather Monday, Feb. 25, before federal court Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays, they will have lots of time to talk over municipal school districts.

The status conference is the only item on Mays’ calendar Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

22. Changeover - Saturday, February 16, 2013

It was almost 40 years ago, but Nancy Smith remembers the one year the men’s pro tennis tournament was held at the Mid-South Coliseum; her father had box seats. But even more memorable is that not long after the tournament moved to The Racquet Club of Memphis, a young and unknown Czech player came to town and, in that far simpler time, stayed at her parents’ house.

23. Soul Fish to Open in Wolf Camera Spot on Poplar - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Soul Fish Café has selected a prime piece of real estate in East Memphis for its third location.

The catfish and Southern-inspired restaurant has signed a lease for the old Wolf Camera space in the Poplar Avenue/Perkins Road corridor. The 3,100-square-foot freestanding building at 4720 Poplar Ave. will mark Soul Fish’s third location in Memphis, behind its original spot in Midtown’s Cooper-Young district and its Germantown location near Forest Hill-Irene Road.

24. Soul Fish to Open in Old Wolf Camera at Poplar and Perkins - Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Soul Fish Café has selected a prime piece of real estate in East Memphis for its third location.

The catfish and Southern-inspired restaurant has signed a lease for the old Wolf Camera space in the Poplar Avenue/Perkins Road corridor. The 3,100-square-foot freestanding building at 4720 Poplar Ave. will mark Soul Fish’s third location in Memphis, behind its original spot in Midtown’s Cooper-Young district and its Germantown store near Forest Hill-Irene Road.

25. Memphis Investment Firm at Odds With Dell - Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Following Memphis-based Southeastern Asset Management’s public opposition to Dell Inc.’s proposed $24.4 billion buyout, the Texas-based tech company is trying to reassure shareholders that the deal will be beneficial.

26. Expert: Memphis Has Big Story to Tell - Monday, February 11, 2013

Memphis area commercial real estate brokers were not only brought up to speed on the latest numbers and trends Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Property Forecast Summit – they were also briefed on how to tweak their marketing strategy to recruit business by a former executive with the Federal Reserve.

27. Southwest Adds Memphis Flights - Monday, February 04, 2013

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, announced Monday, Feb. 4, that it is adding four new Memphis flights to three new AirTran routes. And Memphis International Airport officials said they were told by Southwest executives last week that all AirTran flights in Memphis probably will be converted to the Southwest brand by November.

28. Ravens’ Cox Long Snaps Way Into Anonymity - Friday, February 01, 2013

There’s more than one way to reach the big game.

For Briarcrest Christian School graduate Michael Oher, his journey was storybook and he’ll start on the offensive line for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Feb. 3, when they play the San Francisco 49ers at the Superdome in New Orleans.

29. Loeb: City Should Increase Investment in Urban Core - Thursday, January 31, 2013

The relevance of Overton Square is that it’s one of many initiatives the city has in place to make Memphis a better place and a city of choice for the millennial generation.

Seventy-seven percent of those born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s want to live in the urban core and to drive less.

30. Racing Time - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Next month, a siren song in the form of a 420-plus horsepower engine roar will beckon all manner of car enthusiasts, speed demons and adrenaline junkies to Memphis International Raceway in Millington.

31. Appraisal Institute President Pushes for Appraiser Education - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Kids aren’t the only ones with “back to school” on their minds this week. Members of the Appraisal Institute in Memphis are responding to a leadership push to develop the education of Memphis-area appraisers by seeking special designations.

32. By the Numbers - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

John Hollinger is a familiar sight at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the event Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has jokingly described as Geekapalooza.

Hollinger was a panelist this past March at the most recent conference, when he was still an ESPN columnist and a few months away from being offered a job in the Memphis Grizzlies front office.

33. Time for Solutions, Not Political Football - Saturday, January 05, 2013

It turns out the edge of the fiscal cliff, strictly speaking, would have been reached at about noon Thursday, Jan. 3, not at one minute past midnight New Year’s Day.

The markets, however, probably would have reacted as soon as the markets opened the day before.

34. Restaurants See Plenty of Activity in 2012 - Thursday, January 03, 2013

There were new restaurant openings, expansions and major milestones celebrated.

Alliances were formed, events were debuted and, of course, a few joints were shuttered.

In most respects, 2012 was a banner year for the Memphis food scene, and 2013 could be even more promising, said Patrick Reilly, owner of Majestic Grille and president of the Memphis Restaurant Association.

35. Grizzlies Proving Life After Mayo Just Fine - Friday, December 28, 2012

It seemed only fitting that on the night O.J. Mayo returned to Memphis with the Dallas Mavericks – averaging 20 points a game and leading the NBA in 3-point shooting – that Mike Conley would break the Grizzlies’ franchise record for career assists.

36. Midtown Momentum - Saturday, December 22, 2012

The Midtown real estate market has long been an anomaly compared to its Bluff City counterparts, with fundamentals as diverse as its demographics.

“The types of real estate that you’ll find in Midtown can be some of the most expensive or some of the most modest when it comes to prices and facility,” said Gary Myers of Gary Myers Co. “Retail in particular.”

37. School Board Divisions Resurface - Thursday, December 20, 2012

Countywide school board members already had a lot on their agenda Tuesday, Dec. 18, when they were surprised by an internal ethics investigation.

Near the beginning of this week’s meeting, school board member Martavius Jones offered a resolution calling on board member David Pickler to resign over money put aside by school districts under the Tennessee School Boards Association to cover the liability of other post-employment benefits (OPEB).

38. It’s Past Time to Start Over - Friday, December 07, 2012

START. STOP. START SOMETHING NEW. There we were in our shirtsleeves, playing golf on a 70-degree Saturday in December, when my old friend, cart mate and Republican said, “I could get used to this global warming stuff.” Unable to resist the smart-ass opening I had just been provided, I replied, “Must be tough on you guys these days – not only do you have to admit to global warming, you have to throw Grover and the pledge under the elephant.”

39. Champ, Don’t Chomp, at Your Bit! - Thursday, December 06, 2012

In a recent newspaper article, a basketball coach is quoted: “I think our guys are champing at the bit to get back on the court.” The context was aptly suggested by the lead: “It’s been a long break between games … .” The team hasn’t played in nine days. They’re eager to get back into competition. They are champing at the bit. Congrats, coach! Your usage of the phrase is perfect!

40. Calls Come to Change Schools Merger Process - Wednesday, December 05, 2012

As suburban mayors were scheduled to meet this week to talk over their options, the consolidation of all public schools in Shelby County that begins in August began to show signs of a shift.

The shift might be to take at least some of the decisions about the schools merger out of the hands of just the countywide school board or to junk the process the board is using. The mayors of the six towns and cities have all indicated they intend to push on for their own school districts, although several have said it is highly unlikely they could form them and open them for classes by August.

41. Board Votes to Close, Convert Schools - Monday, December 03, 2012

Countywide school board chairman Billy Orgel warned school administrators that they may be pushed aside if they don’t come up with recommendations that produce more efficiencies and save more money for the soon-to-be-merged school systems.

42. School Board Starts Process on School Closings-Transformations - Friday, November 30, 2012

Countywide school board members voted Thursday, Nov. 29, to begin the process of considering the closing of four elementary schools in western Memphis and the conversion of two other inner city schools in what amounts to a move to compete with the Achievement School District.

43. Grizz Nation Grows With Every Convincing Victory - Friday, November 30, 2012

Joe McDuffie was just another fan in a Kobe jersey, glancing around FedExForum and pointing out patches of purple and gold.

44. Lawsuit: FedEx Fires Driver Over Russian Accent - Thursday, November 29, 2012

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A Utah truck driver alleges FedEx fired him because of his Russian accent, even though he offered to appear before corporate higher–ups to demonstrate his English–speaking abilities.

45. Ethics, Equity, Whatever - Thursday, November 29, 2012

I’m a sucker for a tale about justice and ethics, even if it involves football. Issues stemming from a now-weeks-old football game between the Wyoming Cowboys and the Air Force Academy Falcons have been in the news.

46. Grizzlies Ramp Up Charitable Efforts as Holidays Begin - Thursday, November 22, 2012

On the court, the Grizzlies have given away next to nothing. They reeled off an eight-game winning streak. Night after night, 48 minutes at a time, they have been stingy – selfish, even.

But off the court, the Grizzlies have embraced this holiday season of giving as though it, too, were a competition. This month, they haven’t just been making baskets but giving them away hundreds at a time: Zach Randolph distributing food baskets to families from Carver and Booker T. Washington high schools; Rudy Gay passing out foodstuffs at The Pursuit of God Power Center; and Quincy Pondexter’s food basket give-away at New Direction Christian Church/Power Center Academy as part of his ongoing “Random Acts of Q-Ness.”

47. This Den of Grizzlies Players Doesn’t Bluff - Friday, November 16, 2012

They were three words that were perfect for summing up Zach Randolph. Three words that were perfect for describing the Memphis Grizzlies seven games into this NBA season.

“I don’t bluff,” Randolph told reporters when asked about his exchange of unpleasantries with the Thunder’s Kendrick Perkins after the Grizzlies’ 107-97 victory on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Oklahoma City, and on national television no less.

48. This Den of Grizzlies Players Doesn’t Bluff - Thursday, November 15, 2012

They were three words that were perfect for summing up Zach Randolph. Three words that were perfect for describing the Memphis Grizzlies seven games into this NBA season.

“I don’t bluff,” Randolph told reporters when asked about his exchange of unpleasantries with the Thunder’s Kendrick Perkins after the Grizzlies’ 107-97 victory on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Oklahoma City, and on national television no less.

49. Treating Customers Well Top Priority for First South Financial - Monday, November 12, 2012

Nice guys may finish last, but nice financial institutions grow steadily over time. First South Financial Credit Union stays competitive by reacting quickly and treating members well.

“I think for us there’s plenty of room for us to grow,” said Delynn Byars, senior vice president of marketing for First South. “When you look at surveys by the American Bankers Association, by Gallup, by other organizations, unfortunately there are a lot of financial institutions, but not a lot of them are doing a very good job taking care of their customers.”

50. ‘Let’s Do This’ - Monday, November 12, 2012

There was just something about FedExForum. Something about touring the more than 800,000-square-foot arena for the first time that made him think it’s “just awesome, being inside here.”

51. Tigers: Wake-Up Call Comes Early - Friday, November 09, 2012

A few weeks ago, an ESPN blogger asked University of Memphis sophomore Adonis Thomas about what the Tigers had learned from their dreadful performance against Saint Louis in last season’s NCAA Tournament loss.

52. Seminar Underscores Commercial Sectors’ Highs, Lows - Monday, November 05, 2012

Memphis’ commercial real estate market for the most part appears to mirror national trends, with all four sectors boasting challenges and bright spots so far this year.

That was a message a room full of real estate professionals received when The Daily News hosted its second annual Commercial Real Estate seminar Thursday, Nov.1, at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, sponsored by Magna Bank and Evans Petree PC.

53. ‘Character on Line’ as Season Draws to Close for Tigers - Friday, November 02, 2012

The University of Memphis football team had lost its third straight game and its seventh in eight tries. But that wasn’t what inspired a team meeting that, by all accounts, was much closer to a lecture from first-year head coach Justin Fuente.

54. Cohen, Fincher Discuss Issues at Krone - Monday, October 22, 2012

U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen and Stephen Fincher couldn’t be more different.

For starters, Cohen is a Democrat and Fincher is a Republican. Both are the congressmen who represent Shelby County in Washington. Cohen’s district is entirely within Shelby County. Fincher’s district is rural West Tennessee for the most part, with a part of East Memphis and East Shelby County included.

55. Growing Together: Synthetic Teamwork - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

In Henry Mintzberg’s 1994 landmark book, “The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning,” the author calls for a new method to create effective strategies. He notes that “Strategic planning isn’t strategic thinking. One is analysis, the other is synthesis.”

56. Tigers Weather Elements, Past to Give Fuente First Victory - Friday, October 12, 2012

If the first victory of the Justin Fuente Era proves to be something of a turning point for the University of Memphis football program, it will be remembered differently in the days and years ahead.

57. We All Have a Right to Rights - Friday, October 05, 2012

BENDING EVERYBODY STRAIGHT. I know a guy who’s into shoes. And into colors, theater and rearranging furniture. He majored in art, and can spend hours hanging one piece in the only two square feet of wall space he has left– robin’s egg blue and Chinese red walls, I might add. He wrote and directed musical satire in college. Johnny Mathis is all over his iPhone, iPad and iPod along with Judy Collins singing “Danny Boy” and way too many original Broadway casts singing their showstoppers, all of which he incessantly hums. He makes tomato aspic. He wears a lot of purple and pink, liberally sprinkles words like fabulous and spectacular in general conversation, has a couple of precious matching dogs, and has the legs for cross dressing. He’s a lifelong Memphian, but he doesn’t hunt or fish.

58. Logistics Background Helps Stewart Thrive as Attorney - Thursday, October 04, 2012

Paul W. Stewart not only represents third-party logistics companies in his law practice, but he has even served as chief legal officer to three national logistics companies and CEO of a fourth logistics company.

59. Entrepreneurial Ecosystem - Monday, October 01, 2012

Maybe you’re a startup founder who wants to rub shoulders with your peers, pitch investors in the hope of landing venture capital and talk to a lawyer about drawing up paperwork.

Maybe you’re a veteran researcher who’s got a side project that looks like it could turn into something big. Or maybe you’ve got little more than an idea on the back of a napkin.

60. DeWitt to Steer Council With Passion for Real Estate - Friday, September 28, 2012

Greg deWitt’s history degree doesn’t necessarily come into play during his day-to-day leasing of office space, but it speaks to his early-on fascination with the built environment and the movers and shakers who helped to create it.

61. Armstrong Disagrees With Wharton’s Department Assessment - Friday, September 28, 2012

The fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy by an off-duty Memphis police officer who claims he was being robbed has become the backdrop for a politically saturated controversy over what it says about the way the Memphis Police Department is run.

62. Police Union Slams Wharton in Armstrong Dispute - Thursday, September 27, 2012

A fatal police shooting Monday evening in Wooddale is turning into a question about whether Toney Armstrong will remain as Memphis Police Director.

Michael Williams, president of the Memphis Police Association, said Wednesday, Sept. 26, that Armstrong – director of police for a year and a half – “hasn’t really been given the opportunity to be the police director” by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.

63. Commission Delays Vote on Air Monitoring Station - Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The Shelby County Commission deferred for two weeks Monday, Sept. 24, a vote on accepting a $200,000 federal grant for the construction of a new air monitoring station. Some commissioners want to negotiate for a new site for a station that monitors “near roadside air pollutants.” The site proposed is near interstate traffic.

64. Election Reform Advisory Board Approved - Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A new Election Reform Advisory Board approved Monday, Sept. 24, by the Shelby County Commission is to report its recommendations by the end of March to the Shelby County Election Commission.

And the Election Commission is under no obligation to act or even accept the recommendations, although election commissioners Steve Stamson and Norma Lester are also on the committee of 12.

65. Commission Approves Pera Group on Forum Lease - Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners approved Monday, Sept. 24, a change in the lease for FedExForum to the new Grizzlies ownership group headed by Robert J. Pera.

But the 9-4 vote came after commissioners criticized Pera’s representatives for not providing basic financial statements about Pera or his ownership group.

66. New Panera Underscores Midtown’s ‘Tipping Point’ - Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Panera Bread Co. is coming to one of Midtown’s busiest streets following years of site selection in the area.

67. Free People Set to Open in Saddle Creek - Friday, September 14, 2012

Free People, a high-end women’s retailer of apparel and other items, will open at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown on Friday, Sept. 14.

The Philadelphia-based retailer fills part of the space formerly occupied by Gap, in between the new Brighton Collectibles and Anthropologie. The location marks Free People’s second boutique in Tennessee, after a location in Nashville.

68. Free People to Open in Saddle Creek - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Free People, a high-end women’s retailer of apparel and other items, will open at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown on Friday, Sept. 14.

The location marks the Philadelphia-based retailer’s second boutique in Tennessee, after a location in Nashville. The 2,000-square-foot space will feature a “Blacksmith Cottage” concept, the brand’s second store with this design, and the first of its kind in the U.S.

69. Free People to Open in Saddle Creek - Thursday, September 13, 2012

Free People, a high-end women’s retailer of apparel and other items, will open at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown on Friday, Sept. 14.

The Philadelphia-based retailer fills part of the space formerly occupied by Gap, in between the new Brighton Collectibles and Anthropologie. The location marks Free People’s second boutique in Tennessee, after a location in Nashville.

70. People at Heart of Patterson’s Dominance in 3PL Industry - Monday, September 10, 2012

Founded in 1856, Patterson Warehouses Inc. is one of the leaders and most respected players in Memphis’ robust third-party logistics (3PL) industry.

71. Delayed Deliveries - Monday, September 10, 2012

In Memphis several weeks ago for a breakfast with a dozen truck line owners, Dave Huneryager, the president and CEO of the Tennessee Trucking Association, took his own informal survey of the shortage of truck drivers.

72. ‘More the Merrier’ - Thursday, September 06, 2012

Following a shaky last few years for Overton Square, the area has finally seen tangible evidence of change in recent weeks and the area’s long-term tenants appear to be waiting in anticipation of its new neighbors.

73. Festival Seeks Best Memphis Burger - Monday, August 27, 2012

Seth Agranov is a burger guru with a big vision.

He’s lived in Memphis since 1994 and up until a year or so ago, thought that Huey’s was the only solution to his hankerings. But upon being introduced to the griddle-fried, grass-fed beef burger at Three Angels Diner, that mindset quickly changed.

74. Midtown Eateries File Building Permits - Friday, August 24, 2012

Two Midtown eateries in the greater Overton Square area have filed building permit applications with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

75. Diamond Adapts to Changes in Trucking Industry - Friday, August 24, 2012

Richard Sweebe came to Memphis for International Harvester 30 years ago – when the machinery giant was a significant presence in Memphis manufacturing, something it soon would dramatically decrease.

76. Kickstarter Projects Generate Millions of Dollars - Monday, August 20, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – A funny thing happens on Kickstarter, the website where people ask for money to finance their projects. Sometimes, they get more money than they ask for.

Sometimes, they get millions more.

77. Government Turns Heat on Employers Over Job Bias - Friday, August 17, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – It started with allegations of hangman's nooses, graffiti and racist comments targeting a handful of black workers at a trucking company warehouse in Chicago Ridge, Ill.

78. Packed Week for Entrepreneurs Draws to Close - Friday, August 17, 2012

The week that’s now drawing to a close is Exhibit A for why a national tech media site co-founder said he and his partner are relocating their operation to Memphis.

Nibletz.com co-founder Kyle Sandler said other cities made strong offers – some of them even willing to pony up more incentives than could be matched by Memphis entities wooing Nibletz, which bills itself as “the voice of startups everywhere else.” But Sandler said he wants to be where the action is, and as he sees it, the entrepreneurial and startup action is in Memphis.

79. Tech Media Site Relocating To Memphis - and Bringing Conference Here - Thursday, August 16, 2012

Nibletz.com, which bills itself as “the voice of startups everywhere else,” is moving its base of operations to Memphis, after considering a few other cities – and what reportedly were sweeter incentives elsewhere.

80. Market Entrance - Thursday, August 16, 2012

The quick-service food concept Panda Express has entered the Memphis retail market on the city’s highest-trafficked surface street.

The Chinese restaurant chain will open a 2,665-square-foot new prototype store in Cordova in early September at 577 Germantown Parkway in front of Walmart Supercenter.

81. National Tech Media Site Relocating to Memphis - Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Nibletz.com, which bills itself as “the voice of startups everywhere else”, is moving its base of operations to Memphis, after considering a few other cities – and even sweeter incentives elsewhere.

82. Breakaway Finds Success Going the Extra Mile - Monday, August 13, 2012

Breakaway Running is a small business with the steady, even stride it takes to endure for more than three decades.

Begun in 1981 by a handful of area running enthusiasts as an outlet to get their own gear and to accommodate the legions of Memphis runners, the shop has come full circle, having recently been bought by Barry Roberson, the shop’s first manager.

83. Patterson’s Fly Honored as Leader in Logistics - Friday, August 10, 2012

Before there were traffic counts and computer models and the specific concept of supply chain management, there was a map of the continental United States and maybe some concentric circles with Memphis at the center and most of the 48 states within those circles.

84. Pitch Perfect - Friday, August 10, 2012

The fact that Memphis-based Goner Records is now in its eighth year of existence – well beyond the point when digital innovation has snuffed out so many other players amid the physical media landscape – is a testament to the wisdom of some basic business principles.

85. Archer-Malmo Grows as Business Surges - Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Archer-malmo has added more than 20 people to its professional staff this year, and the growth outlook is positive.

By the end of this year, the city’s largest advertising agency’s total employee roster will have expanded to about 120, marking its peak in professional staff. Archer-malmo had that high of a headcount briefly in late 2006 and early 2007, but this growth is distinct, said CEO Russ Williams.

86. Biz License Filings Rise in Q2 - Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The number of business licenses filed with the Shelby County Clerk’s office increased 2.7 percent to 1,397 in the second quarter of 2012 from 1,360 for the same period last year, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

87. Architecture Inc. Finds Formula for Success - Monday, July 02, 2012

Having a staff of just six employees hasn’t affected the ability of Architecture Inc., 88 Union Ave., to maintain a diverse catalogue and high volume of projects, many of them high profile.

88. Metal Museum Kicks Into Busy Season - Friday, June 22, 2012

The start of summer is a busy time of year for the Metal Museum, 374 Metal Museum Drive, which has bragging rights to some of the Bluff City’s most magnificent views of the Mississippi River.

89. Jud Strunk Made Me Cry - Friday, June 15, 2012

A DAISY A DAY. “He remembers the first time he met her, He remembers the first thing she said,

He remembers the first time he held her,

And the night that she came to his bed.”

90. Trial, Error Led Local Writer to Gray Man Series - Friday, June 15, 2012

In the modern American thriller, the good guys don’t come much tougher than Court Gentry.

He is an ex-CIA super spy forced to elude waves of hit teams, survive a shoot-on-sight sanction from the CIA and tussle with crime bosses, drug lords and plenty of other baddies thanks to the hyper-kinetic imagination of Memphis writer Mark Greaney.

91. AIRfair? - Monday, June 11, 2012

Two frequent-flyer businessmen booked side-by-side seats on Delta Air Lines flights from Minneapolis to St. Louis last month, with one of them getting charged a higher price than the other each time they tried booking it.

92. City’s Music Hitting Some High Notes - Friday, June 08, 2012

THE MEMPHIS SOUND HAS A NEW GIG. Memphis has had plenty of superstars, but the beat behind them and underneath and around them, the bass they stood on, the lead they followed, the brass that announced them and made them royalty – that beat was a superstar all by itself.

93. 150 Years Later: City’s Role Remembered - Friday, June 08, 2012

The 150th anniversary of the Civil War arrived in Memphis this week with plans to return cannons to Confederate Park and lots of contemporary views about the battle of Memphis in which no cannons were fired from land.

94. Everything’s Possible, Even a 58 - Friday, June 01, 2012

WHAT THESE GUYS DO ISN’T PROFESSIONAL. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE. The other day, I played in a golf scramble – a format where four players hit every shot, pick the best, and turn in one score at the end. And we had two mulligans each (do-overs) and a toss (a throw yourself out of trouble when you’ve just hit a shot so nauseating you want to toss). We played well, making putts and clutch shots, using our mulligans and tosses wisely, and turning in a score two or three strokes better than we thought ourselves capable of – 62, 10 under par.

95. Memphis-Based MRI Interventions Goes Public - Wednesday, May 23, 2012

This week marks a milestone for Memphis-based MRI Interventions Inc., which began trading as a public company Monday, May 21.

96. Facebook Stock Climbs in Public Debut - Monday, May 21, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Facebook updated its status to "public company" on Friday.

After an anxiety-filled half-hour delay, its stock began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market for the first time as investors were finally able to put a dollar value on the company that turned online social networking into a global cultural phenomenon.

97. Five Guys Opens New Locale in Bartlett - Friday, May 18, 2012

Five Guys Burgers and Fries opened its second Memphis-area restaurant this week in Bartlett’s Stage Centre, 6600 Stage Road, suite 137.

98. Grizzlies Must Answer Many Difficult Offseason Questions - Friday, May 18, 2012

In the world of sports talk radio, improving the Grizzlies would be easy. As easy as, say, “Eddie from East Memphis” calling in and suggesting the Grizzlies ship Dante Cunningham, Jeremy Pargo and Quincy Pondexter to the Oklahoma City Thunder for James Harden.

99. Local 'Diners' Filmed for Food Network Series - Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri was in Memphis last week visiting a handful of the city’s budding eateries for his Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

The show features Fieri traveling the country in his red 1967 Chevy Camaro convertible for classic “greasy spoon” restaurants, bars and roadside shacks based on viewer suggestions.

100. Bookend Disasters Plague Grizzlies in Playoff Series - Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The pain flashed in the redness of Marc Gasol’s eyes. The hurt was evident in the pauses and head shaking of Zach Randolph.

And the reality was clear in the few words on the dry erase board in the Grizzlies’ locker room: “Exit Physicals 1 p.m.”