Growing up in Memphis from 1948-1957, my
parents used to take my brother and sister and me
to Leonard’s BBQ. I remember to this day the
special smells that emanated from inside the
place. I remember that the waitresses and waiters
who came to our car and took our order, never
wrote anything down. They always remembered the
order and probably never got it wrong.
We moved to Florida in 1957. One day I hope to
return to Memphis and have some good ole Memphis
BBQ at Leonard’s.
-- Barry White
I was born in Memphis in the early 50s, and my
whole family enjoyed Leonard’s when we lived
there. Within a few years we moved to KC, but
always longed for Memphis BBQ . My dad’s job
required him to travel nearly every week, and one
memory we all have is him stopping at Leonard’s
whenever he was on his way to the airport in
Memphis to pick up BBQ to bring back to KC on the
plane. I remember the brown paper bag (with just
a bit of sauce staining the bag), the smell and
taste of the meat (the smell must have driven the
other folks on the plane crazy), and how happy we
all were to have fabulous Leonard’s BBQ.
-- James Mueller
I live in Oklahoma, but my parents came from
around Dyersburg. During WWII, or perhaps shortly
before, my dad proposed to my mom AT LEONARD'S
(the original drive-in site, of course). When my
brother and I were young, no matter what time it
was when we drove through Memphis on the way to
visit our grandmothers, IT WAS TIME TO EAT AT
LEONARD'S! I still remember the Silver Dollars
installed in the floor!
Our parents are gone now, and my father was under
the impression that there was no more Leonard's,
I suppose because the original location is gone.
Anyway, tonight, I was watching Diners,
Drive-Ins, and Dives, and they mentioned
Leonard's in Memphis. I jumped up and ran to the
computer! Brother and I might just have to take a
road trip soon!
Leonard's has had such importance in our family
over the years that "Mr.Leonard" once shared the
slaw recipe with Mom. We still cherish it.
So glad to know LEONARD'S BARBECUE still dishes
up that incomparable barbecue!
Thanks for the memories.
-- Janet Mills
