The 10 Weirdest Memphis-Themed Souvenirs on Beale St.

The 10 Weirdest Memphis-Themed Souvenirs on Beale St.

Beale Street's quirky souvenir shops are a great place to pick up that perfect something from your visit to Memphis. Some of them are really cool only-in-Memphis items that will always remind you of your awesome trip. These are not those items.

Behold the 10 weirdest Memphis-themed souvenirs on Beale St.:

1. Musical toilet seats

Musical Toilet Seats

Those of you wanting to add a little class to your bathrooms should look no further than the Memphis Music store. They've got an entire window display of handmade musical-themed toilet seats. They range from simple guitar-shaped seats to elaborate, glittering paintings with "glow in the dark features".

2. Cow napkin and sponge holders

Cow napkin and Sponge holders

Memphis is a pork barbecue town, and as a result, there are a lot of pig shaped souvenirs on Beale. I'm a little confused by these sassy, sneaker-wearing cow napkin and sponge holders at the Memphis Music store. They're cute, but Memphis isn't exactly known for its cattle. (Though, I do love the way the cow is rocking its bell like a big piece of bling.)

3. King Weiner

King Weiner

I want you to know that I didn't christen this ceramic weenie dog Elvis as "King Weiner". That's what it said on his tag. He was part of a large collection of costumed animal figurines at Alley Katz. His costume is fairly accurate, but I think he deserves blue suede shoes on all four of his paws.

4. Stevie Ray Vaughn bobblehead

Stevie Ray Vaughn Bobblehead

Beale St. is all about the blues, and rightly so - it's where the first blues songs were written and played, and it's juke joints are legendary. Memphis has a ton of local bluesmen that are worthy of a bobblehead tribute. For all that Dallas, Texas native Stevie Ray Vaughn contributed to the genre, he's not exactly a Beale St. staple. You can, however, find a Stevie Ray bobble head at the Memphis Music store.

5. Elvis Notepad

Elvis 1970 notepad

Behold, this "Elvis in the 70's" note pad from the Memphis Music store. Its most defining feature is it's fuzzy, slightly velvety cover. Other than that, it's just a $4.99 notepad (and not a particularly thick one).

6. Wide-Eyed Piggy Banks

Creepiest thing on Beale

I totally get the Memphis-themed piggy banks. But do they have to be so completely creepy?

7. Somewhat inaccurate coffee mug

Inaccurate coffee mug

There are a ton of coffee mugs for sale on Beale St., but this one wins in the weirdness category. First of all, it's only half of a mug. Secondly, the pity slogan on the front is inaccurate - Memphis is super affordable, especially when compared with other, larger cities. Thirdly, why would anyone want to remember your vacation by its cost?

8. Beale St. hat

Beale Street Straw Hat

The first floor of A. Schwab is crowded with silly hats of all kinds (like a giant, pink, bejeweled cowboy hat), but this little straw hat was the only Memphis-themed one that I saw. There is absolutely no reason that this hat should say "Beale St.", which is what makes it so great.

9. TigerTini Towel

TigerTini Time!

These towels were the only Memphis Tigers themed thing I saw on Beale (given the street's proximity to FedEx Forum, I expected more). I'm not entirely sure what goes into a TigerTini, and the towel isn't giving any hints.

10. Elvis-themed...critter

Elvis Themed Critter

I'm going to be honest with you: I have no idea what this thing is, or why it's dressed vaguely like Elvis. I can tell you that it's weirdly soft and costs $9.99.

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Steve
Some truly... um... INSPIRED gift ideas here. But now you've got me curious -- what was #9?
September 14, 2010 3:42pm
Tiffany L.
I believe he is a lemur
September 14, 2010 4:09pm
Bob
#8 hat picture is awesome!
September 14, 2010 4:09pm
Adam
Tiger-tini appears to have blue curacao in it. Or possibly Windex.
September 14, 2010 4:20pm
Elizabeth
Wow - great job! Those itemes are definitely weird!
September 14, 2010 4:35pm
Candy
Awesome findings! Enjoyed your post :)
September 14, 2010 4:51pm
Drew
I'm surprised no items from Tater Red's were included! Not that St. John's Wort and chicken feet are all that weird in Memphis, mind you...
September 14, 2010 5:59pm
Kerry (admin)
I loved the selection at Tater Red's. While there were a ton of truly weird items, none of the really odd stuff was Memphis themed.
September 14, 2010 9:56pm
Claire
Terrific post!
September 15, 2010 12:43pm
M-M-M-Memphis …
[...] up in neon lights. On Beale Street, I bought some Elvis recipe postcards and considered buying a toilet seat that could have doubled as an art object. Then, we sat at Alfred’s patio bar, looking over [...]
May 9, 2012 7:41pm
Philip Baker
If you or someone on your behalf is still covering this beat I was looking for a (tacky( Elvis lamp which I saw on Beale street passing through but was closed at the time I was there... If there is a collectible store or then you that you may be able to recommend I will contact them- Politely- as I really need one. Thank you so much Philip Baker
April 29, 2018 4:16pm
Holly Whitfield
Hi Philip! You may want to call or contact A. Schwab or Strange Cargo - they might have what you're looking for!
April 30, 2018 9:22am