Memphis Rox gym opening in Soulsville
Pay what you can
Monthly membership is $55, but Memphis Rox members will be asked to pay only what they can afford. If they don’t have the money they can compensate by volunteering somewhere.
“Our entire mission is serving everyone who comes through these doors,” Memphis Rox communications director Josh Cannon said Monday. “No one is turned away at this facility regardless of ability to pay. If you want to climb, work out or just hang out you are welcome through our doors.”
If the “No one is turned away” sounds familiar, know that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is in Shadyac’s blood. His late father, Richard Shadyac, helped Danny Thomas grow the hospital as chief executive of ALSAC, the hospital’s fund-raising and awareness organization, and his brother Rick Shadyac is ALSAC’s
Weather
High 63° Low 48° Sunny. Forecast, current chief executive.
Treating a different cancer
Memphis Mountaintop Media is now the name of Tom Shadyac’s entire five-acre complex of modern brick buildings at 879-915 McLemore, across the street from Stax Museum of American Soul Music.
“Having grown up watching my family help to found St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which seeks to cure the physical cancer that has plagued humanity, has long inspired me to try and build a campus that treats the spiritual, psychological, and emotional can-
cer that has infected society,” Tom Shadyac said in a prepared statement.
“Fifty years ago, not far from our campus, Martin Luther King told us he had seen the mountaintop. Our highest hope is to create a window into that mountaintop vision on our five-acre campus through storytelling, recreation, and education,” Shadyac said.
The filmmaker who directed such movies as “The Nutty Professor,” “Liar Liar,” “Patch Adams,” “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’’ and “Evan Almighty” bought the relatively new but bankrupt Town Center development at auction for $1.85 million in 2015.
The failed development included the 26,500-square-foot building designed for a grocery store that never opened. That structure now houses Memphis Rox’s colorful, 15-, 25- and 45-foot-high climbing walls, yoga and meditation studios, fitness areas, juice bar, study lounge and mentoring programs.
Hundreds of climbing routes
The climbing “holds” that jut out from the walls are color-coded to form different routes up. The cavernous room not only totals about 300 vertical paths, the holds will be moved every few weeks to form new routes.
Memphis Rox will employ about 10 full-time staffers and 20 part-time.
Just inside the front door is the front counter and behind that is a long row of climbing shoes and other climbing gear. Straight ahead and to the right are the shorter boulder climbs about 15 feet tall, each surrounded by an apron of twofoot-deep cushioned flooring.
To the left are the 45-foot-tall highclimb routes that form a canyon. That part of the building’s roof was raised to accommodate the higher climbs.
A second-floor mezzanine encircles the room. Up there, members can work out on exercise equipment while watching climbers or students can study or receive tutoring in a study lounge.
In one corner, are a meditation room and two glass-walled yoga rooms that offer views of the colorful climbing walls.
Film studio next door
Next door on the same, Memphis Mountaintop Media campus stands a 52,500-square-foot office building that will house Phase 2 of the redevelopment, the flm studio and art school.
Last year, Shadyac used the office building to house production for his latest film, “Brian Banks.” Thirty students – 15 each from LeMoyne-Owen College and University of Memphis – apprenticed under movie-making professionals.
For years, Shadyac has been teaching “Storytelling and Life” classes at University of Memphis and LeMoyneOwen College. The long-term hope is for Memphis Mountaintop Media to partner
Removing barriers
The Memphis Rox release also states: “Memphis is a tourist destination home to committed residents, but the city isn’t without obstacles. Job opportunities, access to fresh food, and recreational spaces are all lacking.
“Economic barriers leave kids playing in the streets, and those streets aren’t always safe. That’s why we’re planting our gym in Soulsville. We’ll be an access point to youth from all over the city. By removing the pay barrier for those who can’t afford it, all there is to focus on is climbing and community. ”
Jon Hawk, who’s worked in the climbing industry 14 years, moved to Memphis to become director of operations.
“Memphis Rox is the first of its kind and I hope that our model of accessibility will inspire others to increase the diversity in climbing,” he said.
Chris Dean, director of community outreach, grew up in the neighborhood and went to Booker T. Washington High.
“As a Memphian raised in an underserved neighborhood, I learned that it’s not where you are, it’s who you are. We want to unravel these kids’ potential,” Dean said.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will be 6-8 p.m. April 3, and include guided tours and a juice-bar tasting.
For more information about Memphis Rox or job opportunities there, visit facebook.com/memphisroxclimbing.