A brand new private social club called Privado14 Memphis hopes to get approval from the city to open in Memphis, located at 8342 Macon Rd.
Owner Chris Winton, who also serves as the Head of HR for Tesla, is scheduled for approval with the Land Use Control Board on June 8, 2023, according to an upcoming Shelby County agenda. The project proposed redeveloping an office into a new 900-square-foot private social club for an anticipated 50 guests, with an estimated 10-12 members being present at any given time, according to submitted documents. The club, which originates from a private social club in Pittsburgh under the same name, will feature cigar, wine, and spirit options.
This idea came to light after Winton visited the Pittsburgh location and spoke with Smokey Robinson and his manager, Bob Buzzelli, who are both members of Privado14 Pittsburgh. The trio insisted on bringing the concept to Memphis, where Smokey’s mother, Flossie, was a native there since being born in 1907. If plans are approved, Buzzelli tells the city officials in a letter they would be interested in having Smokey perform at the club when it opens.
“As members of Privado14 Pittsburgh, Smokey Robinson and I are very excited about the opening of Privado14 Memphis,” Buzzelli said in a letter. “Not only is the city a beautiful city, but it has such a rich cultural significance, especially in Music and the Cultural Arts. We are very excited to see Privado14 in Memphis. As I stated earlier, as members of Privado14, we look forward to frequenting the Memphis location and Smokey potentially performing at Privado 14 Memphis and hosting a meet and greet. We urge you to support Project MJR 2023-023.”