Newby's is open again on the Highland Strip, nearly nine months after the 50-year-old college bar shut its doors near the University of Memphis. The venue closed permanently on November 30, 2025, ending five decades as a campus-area hangout, before reopening this year under new ownership with a revamped menu and a sharper focus on Memphis sports.
The reopening is detailed in a report from The Daily Helmsman, which describes the bar's new owner, University of Memphis alumnus Sam Stalnaker, working to reposition Newby's as, in his words, the official University of Memphis sports bar. According to the outlet, Stalnaker wants the space to double as a low-key study spot during the day, telling the paper he wants students to use Newby's as a relaxed place to bring laptops and do homework.
That daytime pitch is a notable shift for a bar that built its reputation as something rowdier. Newby's was established in 1975 by David “Newby” Harsh, originally under the name The Bull Shotte before the rename that helped cement its local nickname as the college bar you never graduate from, according to The Commercial Appeal. Over its history, the venue built a regional reputation as a concert hall, hosting acts including John Mayer, Creed, Rufus Thomas, Funkadelic, Better Than Ezra and Kid Rock, and it once incorporated an adjacent 1950s movie theater for shows, as Hoodline previously reported.
A Simpler Menu and a Basketball Wall
Inside, the new Newby's has revamped its menu around familiar sports-bar food rather than upscale dining, per the Helmsman's report. Stalnaker described the approach bluntly: “It's just simple. It's a good, simple sports bar menu.” The bar added four cooks with restaurant experience to run the kitchen, and the menu includes chicken wings with honey gold sauce and ranch made in-house.
The signature item is a grilled chicken sandwich based on a 1980s recipe, marinated in teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice for 48 hours and served on an onion roll, the Helmsman notes. Stalnaker has said he wants to preserve Newby's identity while changing its food and service, and part of that effort includes a wall dedicated to Memphis basketball memorabilia, with plans to add more pieces over time.
Live Music, Trivia and a Return to Regular Programming
Newby's plans to feature live music and sporting events Thursday through Saturday nights, with live music specifically scheduled for Thursdays and Saturdays, according to the same report. Saturday performances may be adjusted during Memphis football season, when game broadcasts are likely to take priority on the bar's screens. The bar is also introducing recurring events for students and alumni, including trivia night on Tuesdays and music bingo on Monday nights.
Stalnaker is also working with local athletes on a potential interview series, part of a broader push to make Newby's a destination for University of Memphis athletics. He has said he wants the bar to have a very chill atmosphere, aiming to serve students, alumni and Memphis sports fans who want a place to watch games, socialize or study, per the Helmsman.
A First-Time Owner Taking Over a Storied Address
Stalnaker took over the business this year with no previous bar management experience, partnering with hospitality veteran Alex Murley, who previously worked at Newby's, to help lead operations, according to WhatNow. The Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development issued an official certificate of occupancy for the 4,650-square-foot space at 539 S. Highland St. on May 20, confirming that no major structural construction was needed before the bar could reopen.
The address at 535 and 539 S. Highland St. has changed hands before. Real estate firm Loeb Properties Inc. purchased the 10,200-square-foot property for $450,000 out of foreclosure in December 2014 to anchor its broader Highland Strip redevelopment, after buying it from Paragon Bank, per High Ground News. Loeb Properties later built out adjacent bays into a complementary nightlife hub, including The Bluff, an 8,000-square-foot music venue and sports bar with three bars and a main stage located directly next to Newby's, according to LPI Memphis.
Surviving Bankruptcy, Renovation and a Decade-Long Run
Newby's has weathered financial trouble before. In November 2014, former owner Todd Adams closed the bar after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with more than $433,000 in debt to over 20 creditors, including more than $104,000 in back sales and liquor taxes, The Commercial Appeal reported at the time; Adams had operated the bar for 17 years after buying it from Harsh in 1997. The bar underwent a full interior renovation in 2015 under former bartender Larry Thompson and partner Sara O'Ryan, who gutted the building and installed a new kitchen and roof before reopening in January 2016 and operating for a decade until their lease expired on November 30, 2025, according to Memphis Magazine.
That loyalty has shown up in dramatic fashion before. During a previous closure in late 2014, roughly 200 regular customers gathered inside the building after its power and water had been disconnected, for a final farewell that patrons described as saying goodbye to a Cheers-style neighborhood bar, per the Memphis Flyer.
Reopening Amid a Changing Highland Strip
Newby's return also lands amid broader upheaval along the Highland Strip. The 399-unit Serenity Towers complex at 400 S. Highland St., which sat empty following a 2025 chronic-nuisance shutdown, was listed for sale in February for potential student housing or mixed-use redevelopment, Hoodline reported earlier this year. Whether a 25-year-old first-time owner can balance daytime student appeal with late-night sports-bar business, and how Newby's competes with neighbors like The Bluff amid that ongoing redevelopment, remains to be seen. For now, Newby's is betting that its new menu, weekly events and basketball memorabilia wall are enough to keep the character that made it a Highland Strip staple for half a century.
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