After serving the Memphis community with hearty meals and warm welcomes for four decades, Mrs. Girlee's Restaurant is saying its final goodbyes. Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery is set to honor the legendary soul food spot led by Jimmie Mae Cotton Leach with a Proclamation this Friday. The respected local establishment at 629 Chelsea Ave., which has filled the bellies and touched the hearts of locals since its transformation from a bakery to a full-service restaurant, will be closing its doors for the last time on December 20, 2024, as reported by Shelby County's official website.
The founder, Jimmie Mae Cotton Leach, forged a vital part of Memphis with Mrs. Girlee's, which stood as a testament to Southern hospitality and the culinary traditions that bind a community together; behind the restaurant's legacy, there's a story of commitment that intertwines with the city's own history especially as Mrs. Leach's late husband, Baxter Richard Leach, played a significant role in the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike that's marked a pivotal moment in Civil Rights history. According to Shelby County's announcement, Commissioner Lowery acknowledges the deep-seated significance of Mrs. Girlee's, underlining its status as "a family, a community icon" that has served as a beacon of culture and fellowship.
The forthcoming closing event not only signifies the end of an era for the Leach family but also marks a change in the culinary landscape of South Memphis. During the commemorative proceedings, Commissioner Lowery is expected to present an expression of gratitude for Mrs. Girlee's 40 years of dedicated service. Shelby County officials and community members alike recognize the establishment's role in fostering a sense of belonging and contributing to the city's vibrant history.
Emphasizing the legacy left by Jimmie Mae Cotton Leach and her family, Commissioner Lowery's sentiments capture the community's sense of loss mingled with gratitude, as he comments, "Their contribution to our city will never be forgotten." These words echo the feeling many Memphians share while they prepare to bid farewell to a cultural cornerstone, a place that was more than just a business but a symbol of the collective identity found in the soul of Southern cooking and the power of shared tables, according to the Shelby County statement, they will all come together to close this chapter and celebrate the indelible mark Mrs. Girlee's has left on Memphis.
