In this installment of the "Still Serving" video series, the team at Mahogany Memphis Restaurant shares its pandemic story. 

Co-owners Carlee McCullough and Veve Yates describe Mahogany as "upscale Southern with a dash of Creole."

Sous chef Perrie Ware said the ox tails are the restaurant's signature dish; they slow cook them for 12 hours. Ware said customers come from as far away as Texas specifically for that dish. 

Mahogany Memphis is located at 3092 Poplar Avenue in the Chickasaw Oaks Village shopping center at the southeastern edge of Binghampton as it blurs into the University District.


Masters of The Pandemic Pivot
McCullough and Yates said the pandemic inspired business innovation.

When restaurants faced closure and heavy restrictions, they diversified their offerings to create new revenue streams. They finished their new Mahogany Memphis cookbook and developed a line of branded spices. Next up, they're introducing a lifestyle brand and releasing a candle.  

"It gave us an opportunity to kind of slow down and to think," said Yates.

Still, as soon as they were able, the team returned to doing what they do best—serving their customers. 

They created take-and-bake style family meals, began delivering to the elderly, and launched curbside pickup. 

McCullough and Yates say they're excited to see what the future holds for Mahogany Memphis.

Still Serving - Mahogany Memphis from High Ground News on Vimeo. 

More on "Still Serving" 
The "Still Serving" video series spotlights the stories of locally-owned restaurants and asks how they're faring after a year-plus of heavy restrictions on area eateries.

"Still Serving" is produced by Forever Ready Productions in partnership with High Ground News and with financial support from Epicenter Memphis. 

Now, more than ever, local businesses need their city's support. We hope this video makes you hungry and you head straight to Mahogany Memphis. 

Check out our other installments of "Still Serving" here:
"Video: Take a pandemic-safe trip to Venezuela with Sabor Caribe"
"Video: Paletas in the pandemic with La Michoacana"
"Video: Making healthy delicious with Inspire Community Cafe"
"Video: Barbecue and bouncing back with Cozy Corner"
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[High Ground's signature On the Ground series goes deep into Memphis neighborhoods with months of embedded coverage followed by ongoing check-ins. Check out more on Binghampton and the University District here.]