Vice & Virtue closes its Tom Lee Park location. Here's what is taking its place.

Jennifer Chandler, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Updated ·3 min read

Since Tom Lee Park opened Labor Day weekend, there have been some changes made to the food and beverage offerings within the park.

Memphis-based Vice & Virtue closed its coffee stand on Oct. 4.

“We love Tom Lee Park and we are so excited about its impact on the city. But our business just wasn’t the right fit for the space,” Vice & Virtue owner Teri Perkins said. “We’re planning to stay in touch with the Partnership to offer our support to find the best long-term solution for park (food and beverage).”

George Abbott, Memphis River Parks Partnership's director of external affairs, said while they are disappointed about the change, they are using it as an opportunity.

Ashvin Peterson, 9, lounges on the playground in Tom Lee Park a day before the newly renovated park opens to the public in Downtown Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, September 1, 2023. The structures in the playground are based on the wildlife found in the Mississippi River.
Ashvin Peterson, 9, lounges on the playground in Tom Lee Park a day before the newly renovated park opens to the public in Downtown Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, September 1, 2023. The structures in the playground are based on the wildlife found in the Mississippi River.

The Tom Lee Park Welcome Center will be moving into the space that was formerly Vice & Virtue’s coffee shop.

“This location is so much more visible to the playground and the Sunset Pavilion than where we initially had the Welcome Center,” Abbott said. He explained that when they initially placed the Welcome Center facing Riverside Drive, they thought more guests would be using the various staircase entry points from the bluff.

DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS: How Tom Lee Park was transformed into a public space 'unlike any in the world'

The new Welcome Center will be a spot for guests to get more information about the park, including maps, park merchandise and the chance to speak with a park ranger. Plans are in the works for a grab-and-go option for beverages within the space.

There are currently two dining options within Tom Lee Park.

Located adjacent to the playground and the Sunset Pavilion, Paper Plate Pavilion offers savory dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Owner David Self serves signature dishes like his Pineapple Sunset (a pineapple stuffed with jerk chicken, rice and pineapple salsa), an Old School Smoked PB&J Sandwich on a cornbread waffle and a Mac Daddy Brisket Mac-N-Cheese.

Customers wait to order at a Ben and Jerry’s food truck in the newly renovated Tom Lee Park shortly after it officially opened to the public in Downtown Memphis on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
Customers wait to order at a Ben and Jerry’s food truck in the newly renovated Tom Lee Park shortly after it officially opened to the public in Downtown Memphis on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

Ben & Jerry’s “Cow Mobile” is parked near the Beale Street Landing entrance to Tom Lee Park. Painted with Ben & Jerry’s signature Holstein cows and clouds, the cow mobile features several flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as well as treats like waffle cones and a variety of toppings. In the winter, Local franchise owner Marc Tate said he plans to serve his popular hot chocolate ice cream floats.

Abbott added that they were surprised to find that most visitors are primarily using the North entrance to the park off Beale Street. There are a total of five entry points from Downtown Memphis into Tom Lee Park: the North entrance off Beale Street, the South entrance by Ashburn-Coppock Park and three staircase entrances at the Cutbank Bluff at Vance, Huling Avenue and Butler Avenue. He mentioned that the River Parks Partnership is working on better signage for the staircase entrances.

NEW MEMPHIS RESTAURANTS: Here are 5 Memphis-area restaurants opening this week that you should check out

Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer. 

If you want to keep up with the tastiest news in the Bluff City — like the story above, sign up for our Eat Drink Memphis weekly newsletter for a hearty serving of stories on everything from restaurants to recipes. You can sign up here.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis coffee shop closes Tom Lee Park location. Here's why.