Bryan Young has a vision for Memphis; one befitting the diversity, culture, warmth, and charm of the city. He is working towards bringing that vision to life through Smooches-a blend of entertainment, dining, and community that is poised to become an area institution once it finds its permanent home.
Bryan was kind enough to speak with What Now Memphis about this bright and ambitious new project and what it will bring to the city. Smooches, he explains, is a true passion project he’s been cultivating for quite some time, however it took an unexpected cosmic u-turn to reach the next step. He says: “Smooches has been living in my head and heart for a while. I could picture the food, the cocktails, the shows, the music, the people laughing at the bar — the whole experience. But one of the biggest things that pushed me to finally say, ‘Okay, it’s time to really do this,’ was actually a major change in my own life. I was laid off from my longtime job, and after working for the same company for years, that really made me think about what I wanted the next chapter of my life to look like.”
Young chose to turn a potential setback into an opportunity. “Instead of only looking at it as something that happened to me, I started asking myself what I could build from it. And that brought me right back to Smooches.”
Young envisions Smooches as a truly wonderful fusion of Memphis’s strengths-he states: “Memphis knows how to eat, Memphis knows how to drink, Memphis knows music, and Lord knows Memphis knows how to put on a show! So why not put all of that together? I want Smooches to be the kind of place where you tell your friends, “We’re just going to grab dinner,” and five hours later you’re still there with a cocktail in your hand wondering how dinner turned into a whole night out. That’s the feeling I want.”
Young has not landed on the exact location for this exciting new endeavor yet, but he is very clear on what he is looking for. He details some of his search criteria and the neighborhoods he’s pursuing, saying: “I’m looking at a few places in Midtown, Sam Cooper, Cooper-Young, and maybe Downtown if the parking is right. Parking is a big deal for me. I want people excited about coming to Smooches, not circling the block for 45 minutes saying things about me that I can’t print in a restaurant publication! The biggest thing is finding a location that has the right personality and enough flexibility to support everything I want Smooches to become.”
Perhaps most importantly, Young wants to make sure Smooches feels uniquely of Memphis. He explains: “I also want somewhere that feels unmistakably Memphis. Smooches shouldn’t feel like a concept that could have been picked up and dropped into Atlanta, Nashville or Dallas. I want it to have its own personality and still feel connected to Memphis.”
While the menu is still in development, Young assures future regulars that the food will certainly keep them coming back. He states: “One thing I really want people to understand is that Smooches is not going to be a nightclub that just happens to have a fryer in the back. I want Smooches to be a restaurant people genuinely want to eat at. If somebody never watches a show, never gets on the dance floor and never stays past dinner, I still want them leaving saying, ‘That food was GOOD. We’re coming back.’”
His plans for the drink program are just as enticing; he says: “With a name like Smooches, I have absolutely no excuse for a boring cocktail menu. I want signature drinks with fun names, beautiful presentation, some dramatic moments and a few drinks that arrive at the table and immediately make everybody else ask: ‘Wait — what is THAT?’ The food should make you want to come back. The cocktails should make you want to take a picture. And the atmosphere should make you want to stay.”
Of course, whether you come hungry for great cuisine or great culture, Smooches will have you covered. Young describes his plans for the entertainment aspect of the establishment as: “I see Smooches having a rotating calendar that could include drag shows, live singers, bands, comedy, DJs, karaoke, open mic nights, brunch shows, themed parties, pageants, guest performers and special community events. Some nights might be a full production. Other nights might be a live band and cocktails. Another night might be karaoke — and if somebody’s auntie gets onstage after two cocktails and believes with her entire soul that she is Patti LaBelle, I want everybody in that room cheering her on! That’s the energy. Fun. Welcoming. A little unpredictable. And never too serious to laugh.”
Young has a GoFundMe campaign live, where folks interested in helping bring this special place to life can contribute. Donors can rest assured that their contributions are in good hands; Young is being meticulous in his planning for every aspect of Smooches, saying: “I don’t want to spend every dollar putting a pretty sign on the building and then realize we don’t have enough money to operate the business properly. I would rather take a little more time and build something that has a real chance of lasting. So the best answer right now is: as soon as we can responsibly make it happen.”
Smooches will truly be Young’s love letter to Memphis, open and welcoming to everyone. He is building something singular and special for is city, which he describes with great clarity: “I want you to walk in and hear music. I want you to smell good food coming out of the kitchen. I want cocktails moving across the bar. I want somebody laughing way too loudly at a table. I want performers getting ready backstage. I want somebody celebrating a birthday. I want somebody who had a terrible week sitting at the bar having a great night. I want employees who are proud to say they work there. And I want people from Memphis — and eventually people visiting Memphis — saying: ‘Where are we going tonight?’ And somebody at the table says: ‘Baby, we’re going to Smooches.’ That’s the dream.”
