Short on drive time, long on fun
Photographs by Richard Lawrence
It doesn’t take much to get me on the road—a cute coffee shop, a new-to-me farmers market, a brewery, a bowling alley, a plant store, antique and vintage shops, or any combination of the aforementioned. Turns out Jackson, Tennessee, just a short 70 miles from Memphis, has all of these and more.
Richard—my significant other, emergency contact, driver, and photographer—really only needed to hear “Hub City brewery has a four-lane Brunswick bowling alley inside” to get motivated for this installment of Road Therapy.
Fun fact: The nickname “Hub City” refers to Jackson’s history as a railroad town. But Wikipedia calls it “a modern-day, multi-modal hub.” Located between Memphis and Nashville along I-40, Jackson still has rail access, is just an hour from each of Tennessee’s major rivers, and has a regional airport.
Turntable Coffee
Stacey Greenberg
We set out to explore the Hub City on a recent Saturday morning, and before we knew it, we were walking into Turntable Coffee Counter. This third-wave coffee shop is a part of theLOCAL, a placemaking micro-retail development (similar to, but more permanent than Memphis’s Box Lot, formerly in the Edge District) in the heart of downtown Jackson. It immediately feels like home. The house roaster is Memphis’s own Ethnos Coffee, whose well-known coffee collaborations with Cxffeeblack (Guji Mane) and Black Girl Black Coffee (Be the Light) line the merch shelves. Ethnos does a special roast for Turntable called That’s My Jam, which is especially good as cold brew. The pastries are made by Eader House in nearby Brownsville. A pour-over, a Rockaberry Latte, a sausage pinwheel, a bag of coffee, a cute iced coffee sticker (designed by Memphis artist Erin Kim), and a little conversation later, we were on our way to a really fun day.
Stacey Greenberg
West Tennessee Farmers Market
Next stop: the West Tennessee Farmers Market just across the street. This is a huge outdoor market that’s open five days a week (though Friday and Saturday are the busiest days).
It’s amazing that just a short distance away I found so many new faces.
I only recognized one farm—shout-out to Falcon Ridge Farm! There were tons of fresh veggies, so many watermelons, milk, butter, bread, meat, mushrooms, hand pies, flowers, candles, crafts, and more. Food trucks served everything from turkey legs to eggrolls. We could not pass by The Donut Truck, where giant, freshly fried donuts were strategically displayed and a strapping young Mennonite man was at the ready with a squirt bottle full of chocolate sauce.
Hub City Brewing
Stacey Greenberg
Just a few blocks away is Hub City Brewing Company, where we had a bowling lane reserved. (The lanes are about half as long as standard lanes, but just as fun.) Hub City also has darts, Ping-Pong, cornhole, volleyball, and a huge shelf of board games, in addition to a giant outdoor event space and stage. They offer five flagship brews and plenty more seasonal ones on tap.
As for food, you’ll find the three Ps: pretzels, Polish sausage, and pimento cheese.
Since we arrived as the doors opened at noon, we had the place pretty much to ourselves, and, honestly, I’m surprised we’re not still there. Why would anyone leave?
Photographs by Stacey Greenberg
We did have to drive home and, therefore, could not drink beer all afternoon. At the recommendation of Anthony Kirk, co-owner of Turntable, we did some record shopping at nearby Third Eye Curiosities, the only brick-and-mortar record store between Memphis and Nashville.
We picked up a new house plant at Grounded Plant Company, where they offer “planterior design” and a build-your-own-terrarium station.
They also occasionally team up with other area businesses for special events, like a brunch they recently hosted in partnership with Turntable and Eader House. We also couldn’t resist hitting a couple of good ol’ antique stores on our way out of town. Yarbro’s Antique Mall and Carriage House Antique Market did not disappoint; the latter also has a cute cafe inside, along with a selection of chef-prepared frozen foods that you can heat in their microwave or take to go.
Anthony and his wife, Lauren, are also hosts of the Highland Park Studio on Airbnb, which definitely elevates Jackson from a day trip to a potential weekend getaway. When you go, I recommend you stay awhile. We feel as though we only kicked the tires on Hub City.
Where We Went
Carriage House Antique Market & Cafe
195 Carriage House Drive
Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cafe hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Closed Mondays
157 Airways Boulevard
Wednesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Closed Sunday-Tuesday
250 West Main Street
Wednesday & Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday 4 to 11:30 p.m., Saturday 12 to 11:30 p.m., Sunday 2 to 8 p.m., Closed Monday & Tuesday
116 East Baltimore Street
Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Closed Sunday
202 West Lafayette Street
Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Closed Sunday and Monday
91 New Market Street
Tuesday-Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Closed Sunday and Monday
350 Carriage House Drive
Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Closed Sunday
Stacey Greenberg is the editor of Edible Memphis. @nancy_jew
Richard Lawrence takes pictures in and around the city of Memphis and the Mid-South. @sundayinmemphis