Every time someone asks where I work, I get the same reaction.
When I reveal that I work in Downtown Memphis, I am often met with a look of shock, followed by questions about how my parents allow me to work there and how I could possibly feel safe. This routine has become something I dread because I don’t want to have to keep defending a part of our city.
Now, it’s not to say that this doesn’t come from a place of care and concern. But why does downtown – home to diverse neighborhoods, million-dollar riverfront mansions and prestigious restaurants – get such a bad rap?
Downtown Memphis receives the brunt of the blame when discussing crime in our city. People tend to think of crime in Memphis and downtown as synonymous. But crime is actually a city-wide problem, and violent crimes specifically have been on the decline in recent years.
Often, when I hear about how dangerous downtown is, it is from someone who rarely ventures there, someone who potentially has never even been downtown.
Working downtown, more specifically in the Central Station Hotel on Main St., I have firsthand experience of what it’s like to be there, even at night. The idea that downtown is this dangerous place that’s uninhabitable after sundown is a myth. There are plenty of spaces to work in and visit that are just as safe as any other part of town.
Where I work, it’s well-lit and always populated with groups of people, even late at night. I use a parking lot that is covered and lit, and there are police cars that circle the blocks regularly.
Overall, I’ve never had any real issues working down there. Yes, I’m vigilant, cautious and always make sure I’m aware of my surroundings, but this isn’t out of fear of downtown. Rather, it’s the fact that I am a woman working alone.
Plus, exposure is helpful. The less we know about things, the more we fear them. Being downtown more often means people might be less afraid as time goes on.
According to a 2023 report from the University of Memphis’s Public Safety Institute, the perception that downtown is dangerous is in part due to the homeless population. People with mental health issues, substance abuse problems or people who are simply homeless often populate the streets of downtown. But being around them doesn’t have to be scary. Most of the time, they aren’t an issue, and they don’t want to cause any trouble.
Once, I had a scare when closing my shop downtown. I went to unlock the door to leave, but on the other side was a very tall man with a giant tree branch. He wasn’t aggressive, he just stood at the door. So I called my dad and waited for him to leave.
A few weeks later, two college girls came into my shop and struck up a conversation. One of them asked if I ever had any trouble closing by myself. I told them about the weird encounter and one of the girls excitedly exclaimed “Oh, that’s Bird!” She explained that she worked at Bell Tower Coffee, and he often came in to talk to the baristas and ask for stale croissants.
She went on to explain that the stick was actually for protection because he has mental health issues, and sometimes people — often housed Memphis residents, not other homeless people — would give him a hard time after dark.
This story broke my heart because encounters like this are what encourage people to fear downtown. At a glance, this is a scary encounter where I was trapped in my shop and had to call my dad. But, when you add some context, it’s just a man who needs some help and is probably hungry. If anything, he has more reason to be scared of me than vice versa.
And more is being done to improve downtown Memphis each day.
According to the Downtown Memphis Commission, in recent years the city of Memphis has done much to improve the more visited areas of downtown, with new shops and restaurants, increased police patrol and community spaces open to the public.
Some people haven’t seen the new and improved sections of downtown, and still think of it negatively, further encouraging this horrible depiction of the area. But this fear is taught, and it’s backed up by people speaking on something they know nothing about.
We can all do better.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young points to our negative perception of downtown as something that actually is less safe.
“There’s this perception… [that] if you go downtown you’re going to get hurt, so you don’t go,” he said. “What happens when you don’t go downtown? [What happens] is that the thing you perceive actually becomes true. If more people are downtown and more pedestrians are walking the streets, [then] it’s safer.”
And there’s plenty of reason to be down there.
Some of the most expensive fine dining restaurants in Memphis are located downtown. Flight, Itta Benna and Paulette’s are a few of the most highly-rated upscale restaurants in the city, and all of them are downtown.
Additionally, there are plenty of entertainment options and public spaces in that part of town. Everyone knows about the Orpheum and the FedEx Forum, and I guarantee most of you have been to one of them. Tom Lee Park is a gorgeous and recently renovated park downtown with spaces for all ages.
Downtown has so much to offer. This vibrant, cultured part of Memphis shouldn’t be overlooked just because of what is said. Rather, it should be revered for all it has to offer.
