Several weeks ago, one of my colleagues asked if anyone had ever “ask-vanced” me about the headstone in the woods at Shelby Farms that marks the grave of Robert and Mary Mann, who died in the 1890s. It was, she said, along a trail that runs close to an old barn that is falling to pieces and — another surprise — a couple of abandoned cars from the 1950s.
The truth is that in recent months, I have actually received several inquiries about this mysterious tombstone, the barn, and the cars. But I did nothing about it because delving into this would require superhuman physical effort — namely, walking in the woods — and the Lauderdales have never been known for their wilderness adventures. Also, none of the previous queries gave me the precise location of these oddities, and the idea of getting lost in the forest, covered with ticks and brambles, just made my skin crawl.

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On November 25, 1949, “Miss Memphis” Gladys Dye snipped a red ribbon and Memphians were treated to the grand opening of the city’s newest shopping complex — the Bomah Center at the southeast corner of Union and Cleveland.

According to an old Commercial Appeal article (which was also the source of the somewhat grainy photos here), “special activities are planned by some of the firms in the building.” Jenkins-Leach Appliance Store (shown below) would give away a new Frigidaire refrigerator as an attendance prize to some lucky customer, and Wallace E. Johnson — builders of the one-story L-shaped building — announced they would give away a brand-new Pontiac.

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The stories are true. I have produced a stunning, full-color 2009 wall calendar, featuring more than 100 of the most compelling images to run in Memphis magazine’s “Ask Vance” column over the years. (Click the image to enlarge the cover.)

Remember Sivad, the WHBQties, Happy Hal, Mr. Bingle, Lakeland, Fortune’s Jungle Garden, the King Cotton Hotel, and other fascinating people and places from the past? Well, they are all here, arranged in a sort of “scrapbook” pattern on each and every page.

Yes, if you are reading this blog, you WANT this calendar. There’s just one hitch: As they say on television, it’s not available in any stores. To get this calendar, you’ll need to purchase a gift subscription to Memphis magazine — 12 monthly issues for just $12, and the lucky recipient will also receive the calendar, along with a personalized gift notice from you.

And if you want the calendar for yourself, just purchase a gift subscription for yourself. It’s that easy. And considering how much other calendars cost these days, a bargain.

To order a subscription and get Vance Lauderdale’s 2009 Calendar, just call 901-575-9470.

In a December 1963 issue of The Commercial Appeal, Goldsmith’s actually ran this ad.

“Look Who’s Here for Toyland Opening!” shouted the headline. “Those Two Lovable, Laughable Clowns Bo Bo and Jo Jo.”

I’m sorry, but these guys don’t look lovable OR laughable. Why didn’t the store run their actual photos? Instead, we have DRAWINGS of hideous creatures who would give any kid nightmares.

“Come and give the young folk the time of their life,” continues the ad, “and reserve a good slice of fun for yourself, too! BoBo and JoJo, those two lovable, laughable clowns, are back . . . getting into mischief and having a grand time in Goldsmith’s Toyland, Fifth Floor.”

Uh, thanks but no thanks, Goldsmith’s. I think I’ll just stay home, and hide under the bed, where BoBo and JoJo can’t ever, ever find me.

On those nights when I find myself alone in the Lauderdale Mansion (that would be Monday through Friday, plus Saturday and Sunday), I often amuse myself by digging through the trunks in the attic, looking for loose coins and poring over the old scrapbooks compiled by my ancestors. Sometimes those contain the most fascinating stories — such as this account, reported in a December 1941 issue (I don’t have the exact date) of The Commercial Appeal, about the life-saving exploits of a mutt named Poochie.

Poochie, according to the paper, was a mongrel, one of seven puppies born to a mother who was a rat terrier and whose father was a German shepherd, so it’s safe to say he was not a particularly beautiful dog. His owner was a fellow named Faber Becton, who lived in north Memphis on King’s Road, and he gave away the other pups, keeping the ugliest for his own. The newspaper reported, “Like a weed in a garden, Poochie grew and thrived. The Becton children loved Poochie and he returned their love.”

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I recently purchased this colorful old decal on eBay, for a Memphis establishment called Rainbow Rollerdrome. Maybe that was the actual name of the roller-skating rink, but the entire complex on Lamar will forever be known as Rainbow Lake, which also included a huge outdoor swimming pool, fancy restaurant, picnic grounds, and more.

Rainbow Lake was opened way back in 1936 by Leo Pieraccini, when that stretch of Lamar (at Dunn) was on the outskirts of town. In the early years, it was mainly a place to swim; the skating rink wasn’t added until 1942. Read more…

In the September issue of Memphis magazine, I tell the compelling story of the little green cottage on South Front Street, which opened in 1939 as a Pure Oil Station (above). The building went through many owners over the years, and is now the property of a nice fellow named Kris Kourdouvelis, who lives next door and uses the old gas station for storage. The photo below shows how it looks today.

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By all accounts, Bob Berryman was a shady character. A rather notorious gambler and bootlegger, he served eight years in prison for murdering a bouncer at a downtown nightclub. Even so, his name brings back fond memories with many Memphians, for he was the owner and operator of the Silver Slipper, one of our city’s most popular nightspots before it burned in 1958.

In 1937, Berryman embarked on another venture, a motel complex on Highway 61 South he called Berryman’s Tourist Court. When it first opened (above), the Memphis Press-Scimitar commented on the 22 Read more…

For reasons that I can’t explain, two indoor sports in particular always used the best artwork to promote their virtues. I’m talking roller-skating and bowling. Roller-skating rinks across the country cranked out the most amazing decals, neon signs, and other advertising graphics, and let’s face it, few sports produced as many cool shirts as bowling.

Even the tiniest, thowaway objects had a certain class. Take a look at this fine-looking old matchbook that I discovered crumpled up in the bottom of a box of books I purchased at an estate sale. Promoting a Read more…

I’ve mentioned before that my job as a history scribe often takes me to local graveyards. Not because I am conducting any research there, but some days I simply long for the cold comfort of the grave. Anyway, over the years I have stumbled — sometimes literally — over some rather unusual tombstones.

Here are two examples. The first one is rather clever. James E. Rowe’s grave marker is inscribed with the succinct “THE END.” There is no death record, as far as I can tell, for Mr. Rowe, so it’s possible that he is still alive somewhere, though my half-hearted search through the telephone books didn’t turn up such a person.

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