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A. Schwab Dry Goods Store
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Garage, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
8 reviews for A. Schwab Dry Goods Store
To be completely honest, I wish this place had an online store, so I could do all my holiday shopping here. Alternatively, I wish I would have had the foresight to drop a couple hundros and buying out the whole store.
Notably, this shop carries commemorative plates, novelty headgear (e.g., pizza hats, cheeseburger hats, wide-brimmed pimp hats with leopard print brims), ninja swords, spoon rests and various other hoosier knickknacks, Memphis- and Beale-oriented shot glasses, old candy, creepy stuffed animal dogs and cats that "breathe," and much, much more.
This was easily the highlight of my Beale street experience, and I didn't even end up buying anything. But I love those stores where you constantly feel like yelling out, "OMG, LOOK AT THIS!", and holding something up to someone across several aisles.
If I lived in Memphis I would probably go here once a week and make everyone that ever visited me go here with me. And you know this.
Tourists think the wares are unique kitsch, but it's really just a lot of the same stuff you can get at a truck stop. The cool thinG about A. Schwab is that it's on Beale St rather than being off the interstate.
The merchandise is fun for browsing, but nothing I have ever been tempted to buy. I wish they would mix in some higher-end stuff with the junk.
Reminds me of a garage sale, but not a very good one. Such random stuff. I was looking for souvenirs and didn't find a thing but I guess the store is unique and it's been around for a while so it has some charm to it.
Beale Street is a sad state of affairs. A century ago the Blues were born and bred on its corners and in its saloons, but now it's not even a shell of its former self. It's just an avenue for exploitation. I spent years of my life working down here and I learned a lot about how icky the inner workings of this area are. Sketchy.
That is why the continued existence of A. Schwab's is so refreshing. It's the only thing on the street that hasn't really changed much over the years. I first went here on a field trip in second grade; we were all allowed to bring two dollars to spend. I came back with a pink bunny foot charm and a pair of plastic sunglasses that were about a foot long, yet somehow fit on my head perfectly. We were guided through the museum on a tour by Mr. Schwab himself, who, up until he passed away a couple of years ago, still spent most of his day manually doing the books in the back and handing out goody bags of postcards and pencils.
Do you need an umbrella hat, a plastic copy of Elvis' driver's license, redneck gag gifts, a jar of pickled jalapenos, a beaded, guitar-shaped Memphis coin purse, an iron skillet, overalls, a flap-eared hunter's hat, a white cotton slip, voodoo candles to keep the cops out of your house, and a washboard? I've needed all of these things from time to time, and A. Schwab's has never let me down. And when I bought the washboard all the ladies who have worked there for a trillion years hoo hoo hoo-ed at me and started calling me "Washboard Willie", even though I was desperately trying to explain that I needed it to wash my delicate lingerie.
If you are in Memphis, do yourself a favor. Hit up A. Schwab's during the day. You won't be disappointed.
Cheapest Elvis sunglasses in town!
plus tons of sweet stuff for dirt cheap. Stop in to buy souviners that won't break your pocket.
A True Memphis Original!!!
You'll swear that you've entered a time warp when you step into this Beale Street institution. It hearkens back to the days of the 'real' Beale Street, as a place of common trade and commerce-back in the 1920s, 30s & 40s. More of a museum than store, you'll nevertheless find great little gifts and oddities worth a look and sometimes a laugh.
Be sure to check out the hanging 'Big-Boy' overalls, in the men's department on the first floor.
The Elvis souvenirs are cheaper here than anyplace else in the city, including the Graceland shops.
Be sure grab a voo-doo good luck candle before you leave!
A Shwab is by far my favorite store in Memphis. My family used to make whole days of going downtown, eating lunch, and picking out our favorite cheap goods here. If you want to find something you never needed (like a hat with flamingo feet) or if you want great, cheap kitchen-ware and underwear, this is the place to go! I can spend hours here. The staff is so friendly and I just get lost in the old wood building with the tackiest, most enjoyable stuff ever.
oh my gawd! this place is so much fun! there are so many knick knacks, and for shits and giggles you can take pictures with the crazy hats and assorted items. the prices are definitely decent.. check out the HUGE granny slips on the top floor.. they are pretty damned awesome. a true memphis tradition!
