Last weekend three new MemShops opened on Broad Ave., and while all of them are interesting (the other two are an art gallery and a soapmaker), I'm most excited about Five in One's new Social Club.

For the past few years, Alice Laskey-Castle and her husband, Michael Andrews, have operated Five in One (VINI) has operated their weekly art club out of their live/work/retail studio in Crosstown. Their MemShop is a new home for their retail space and Social Club meetings; one that will allow them to be open more regular hours and available to more people.

MemShop is an initiative from the Mayor's Innovation Delivery Team that works with entrepreneurs to bring new businesses to vacant storefronts in neighborhoods (like the Broad Ave. Arts District and Crosstown) that are staging comebacks. The new businesses have subsidized leases for six months, with the option to renegotiate them when the time is up. 

My favorite thing about the new Social Club is that with the new space, they're able to offer "clubhouse hours", which are times that anyone can drop in, pay $5 and use their space and supplies to work on art projects, create things or get work done.

If you'd like to get involved in Social Club, but need a little more instruction, VINI is still offering their traditional Social Club Nights where they provide group instruction and supplies for various craft (button making, shrinky dinks, rubber stamps, etc.), only now with expanded hours: Monday nights from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. and Saturday afternoons from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Also, if you've never checked out their retail shop, I highly recommend it, as it's one of Memphis' best-kept shopping secrets. They sell hand-printed Memphis-themed t-shirts, posters (VINI printed most of the Hi-Tone's show posters), postcards, knit items and other handmade goodies. 

Five in One Social Club has open clubhouse hours from 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. Their Social Club meetings are Saturday afternoons from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. and Monday nights from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. The retail shop is open during clubhouse hours and Social Club meetings.

Admission to Monday and Saturday Social Clubs is $10, and use of the space during clubhouse hours is $5, and includes access to supplies. If you're planning to be there a lot, you can buy a membership that gives you unlimited clubhouse hours and a punch card for Social Club nights ($50 per month, $80 for 10 sessions and unlimited lab hours, or $250 for the whole season). All Social Club hours are all-ages.

Before you go, check out this short documentary about all of Broad Ave.'s new MemShops.

Broad Ave - The Building of Business from Loaded for Bear on Vimeo.

Go there:

Five in One Social Club

2435 Broad Ave.
Memphis, TN 38112