Rendezvous restaurant owners defend Memphis’ reputation amid safety concerns

Whereas Memphis is getting ready for the arrival of the Nationwide Guard after the announcement of President Donald Trump on Friday morning on “Fox & Associates”, a restaurant within the metropolis middle is geared toward what it has at all times finished, with ribs of hungry native inhabitants and vacationers.

Rendezvous from Charlie Vergos, the legendary barbecue rib place that has been put in an alley within the middle since 1948, stays an emblem of stability in a metropolis that’s put into the nationwide spotlights.

John Vergos, co-owner and son of the deceased founding father of the restaurant, informed Fox Information Digital that Memphis “isn’t higher, not worse than another metropolis.”

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“I’m not saying that we’ve got no issues, however I do not know which metropolis does not,” he added.

Though headlines can paint a grim picture of Memphis, the one factor that smoking within the Rendez -Vous de Barbecueput is indicated.

The Rendez -Vous -restaurant has been serving barbecue ribs since 1948 from the identical location alongside an alley in Memphis in Memphis. (Rendezvous)

“We in all probability have half vacationers and half locals, and our firm has fallen barely,” stated Vergos. “I do not know if that could be a reflection of the restaurant firm that falls a bit nationwide. I feel tourism in Memphis is falling, however once more, we’ve got been crushed up within the media.”

Co-owner Anna Vergos Blair, who helps in managing the household enterprise, stated it’s the exterior notion of Memphis who worries her most.

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She pointed to the culinary identification of the town as proof that Memphis is far more advanced than the headlines counsel.

“Memphis has an ideal, virtually underrated meals scene,” stated Blair. “Memphis is understood for barbecue, which is nice for us, however Memphis has far more than barbecue.”

From the left, co-owners John Vergos, Anna Vergos Blair and Tina Vergos Jennings maintain plates within the rendezvous restaurant. (Stu Boyd II/The Industrial Attraction/USA At the moment Community)

Barbecue is maybe the headliner, however Vergos stated that the culinary scene of the town is deep, soulful and distinctive Memphis.

“Memphis is a good foodie metropolis,” he stated. “It is not a series metropolis. It has tons of household companies.”

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Vergoes served two intervals as a municipal councilor from 1996 to 2004. He stated he doesn’t really feel unsafe in Memphis and claimed that there was “by no means” a violent incident in or across the restaurant.

Nonetheless, statistics of the White Home present that Memphis had the best violent crime determine final 12 months and on the third highest homicide in the USA. In line with the White Home, there have been 149 murders within the metropolis this 12 months.

“I’m grateful for the non -repellent help and dedication of the president to supply all of the means wanted to serve Memphians, and I’m wanting ahead to working with native officers and legislation enforcement to proceed to ship outcomes,” wrote Tennessee Gov. Invoice Lee on X after the announcement of Trump.

“As one of many American cities of world class, Memphis will proceed to be on the way in which to greatness, and we is not going to cease something.”

Vergos stated that Memphis is a “resilient metropolis” that has overcome tumultuous moments in American historical past, specifically the homicide of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

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Barbecue – and the Rendez -Vous – performed a task in serving to to vary the general public notion of the town, the house owners stated.

“I feel my grandfather referred to as it the Rendez -Vous [because] It means “a gathering place,” stated Blair. ” And I feel meals does so much. I feel eating places do so much, they usually preserve doing that in Memphis day by day. “

The Rendezvous Restaurant is a gathering place the place individuals can come collectively to take pleasure in barbecue and neglect their issues, the co-owner informed Fox Information Digital. (Bob Fila/Chicago Tribune/Tribune Information Service through Getty Pictures)

The aim, she stated, “is to make individuals blissful and let individuals take pleasure in consuming and having fun with firm and to exit of their homes and to have an evening off.”

Vergos stated that guests to the town and his restaurant “ought to really feel protected”, however he admits that the detrimental headlines about Memphis could make prospects a bit reluctant. “

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He added: “If they’re decided to ship the nationwide guard down, I hope it’s finished in a constructive means, and I hope it’s prepared [in coordination] With native and authorities officers. “