Summer, 2004PAGE 8

Peabody Place at center
of vibrant Downtown activity

Peabody Place has become synonymous with the resurgence of downtown Memphis and it is easy to see why. With eight blocks encompassing two million square feet of apartments, offices, restaurants, retail stores and a lifestyle and entertainment center, Peabody Place has sparked a downtown revival that only continues to grow.

Renovated historic buildings house luxury apartments, retail and office space. Restaurants sit on tree-lined streets and offer a wide variety of cuisines. Shopping abounds, from kitchen accessories at Viking Culinary Arts Center to the latest runway styles at Coco and Lilly. Historic trolleys glide through the center of it all - the largest mixed-use urban development in the South.

At the center of the rebirth is the Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center, featuring more than 300,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment. Original anchor tenants such as Muvico Peabody Place 22 and Jillian's Restaurant and Entertainment are thriving. The movie theater boasts 22 screens, as well as a 550-seat, six-story-tall large-screen theater. Jillian's includes a sports video café, dance club, bowling alley, pool tables and a bustling game room.

The Putting Edge, an indoor, glow-in-the-dark miniature golf facility, attracts everyone from children to adults. The black lights inside create dazzling effects as players make their way through the winding 18-hole course.

April brought the opening of Sports Avenue, a retailer of licensed sports apparel. The store, located across from Jillian's, offers licensed detailed reproductions of baseball, basketball, football and hockey jerseys. Other must-see places for shoppers include GAP, GAP Kids, Baby GAP, Ann Taylor Loft, Nandwani's, Bath Junkie, Coco and Lilly, Hot Topic, Claire's, Spencer Gifts, Victoria's Secret, Walsons Jewelers, Morgan Studio, AT&T Wireless and Sunglass Hut.

While Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center has an abundance of shopping and entertainment options, its variety of food choices alone make it a destination. The center is home to Isaac Hayes' Music · Food · Passion, a trendy restaurant that serves up soul food and sultry live music, with occasional performances by Isaac Hayes himself. Music is the heart of the restaurant, with menus that resemble album covers and food divided into "tracks", such as appetizers, salads and burgers.

The restaurant options don't end there. Portofino's Italian Restaurant and Ocean Club, a Mediterranean-themed eatery, Dan McGuinness Irish Pub, a genuine Dublin pub, and Texas de Brazil, an upbeat Brazilian steakhouse serve visitors a mix of great food and atmosphere. Other options include Starbucks Coffee, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Maggie Moo's Ice Cream, A&W All American Food/Long John Silver's, Mrs. Field's Bakery Café, Pretzel Maker and TCBY.

Built with a "city within a city" theme, the open and airy atmosphere of Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center provides visitors with the feeling of strolling through a bustling town.

The open atmosphere lends itself perfectly to one of the center's most unique features - a satellite studio for WREG Channel 3, Memphis' CBS affiliate. The station broadcasts two live, hour-long, daily news programs from the location.

The fresh feeling of Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center reflects the mood projected by the rest of Peabody Place. The area has grown to include renovated apartment buildings, unique shops, restaurants and offices for some of Memphis's top businesses.

Keeping with the theme of blending the past and the present, Peabody Place Museum houses the only regional museum collection dedicated to Chinese art. Located in Pembroke Square, the museum also features artifacts such as Judaica, Russian lacquer boxes, Italian mosaics and more.

Commemorating music history next door on Main Street is the Center for Southern Folklore. The center spreads the sounds of Southern music to visitors, while helping preserve the area's rich musical traditions.

Down the street, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, opening in June, will offer up tasty treats for residents and visitors. The famous doughnut maker definitely sweetens Peabody Place with its baked treats and specialty coffees.

Peabody Place continues to grow with a constant stream of new retail and businesses to the area. The area's success also has convinced others to invest in the future of downtown Memphis. For instance, FedEx Forum, the new home of the Memphis Grizzlies, is scheduled to open in September, and New Main, a block of historic buildings between Union Avenue and Gayoso Street, are being renovated into trendy living spaces for 500 residents. Both developments are only blocks from Belz's headquarters in The Tower at Peabody Place.

For leasing information, call (901) 260-7444.