A long-standing and beloved Memphis institution is continuing its legacy with a brand-new location. Dixie Queen, celebrated for its hearty portions of made-to-order comfort food, is setting up shop in a converted Poplar Avenue storefront-and it’s nearly ready to serve guests.
Dixie Queen is making its newest Memphis home in the 844 Poplar Avenue storefront that previously housed Checkers. A commercial alteration permit filed with the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development shows that the storefront will give the restaurant 900 square feet in which to greet and serve customers.
Family-owned Dixie Queen has been delighting Memphis diners since the first location opened in 1949. Owner Joe Raffanti was kind enough to speak with What Now Memphis about bringing the family business to a new neighborhood. He explains: “We really liked the fact that it’s next to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. We have some plans for the kids as we get open.” Dixie Queen’s heritage and history is tied to Memphis, and Raffanti and his team are excited to still find new horizons to explore. “Memphis is our home-Memphis has been great to Dixie Queen.” he says, adding: “We’ve been around for 77 years and we’ve never had a location in the heart of downtown.”
Locals who already know and love Dixie Queen can anticipate more of the food and service they’ve come to value. Raffanti explains that the new location will maintain the standards that have made Dixie Queen such a success. “It’s going to be just like all the other stores, staying true to the quality that we’ve been serving for so many years.”
The uninitiated also have ample reason to be excited; they can look forward to savoring made-to-order fare, prepared with fresh, local ingredients. The menu consists of a variety of comfort food favorites, including plenty of burger options, chicken tenders, hot dogs, and chili.
Old fans and new will be able to satisfy their hunger relatively soon; speaking of the opening, Raffanti states: “It’s close. We’re just about up to the hiring process. We’ve got to get a couple loose ends tied up with some equipment we’re waiting to come in. We should be open within the next 2 months.”
Even though Dixie Queen’s legacy is already secured, the chain has no intentions of resting on its laurels. Raffanti has hopes for expansion in the future, but that is still over the horizon. He explains: “We want to continue growth. We would love to start doing territories in other cities- we’re all in the Mid-South-my goal is to branch it out even further. There’s been talk about Nashville, Jackson, Atlanta, but we are staying at home for the moment.”
