Every day, on their way to work at their Memphis, TN-based coffee and gift shop, City & State, owners Lisa and Luis Toro would pass a charming building called The Liquor Store. The building operated as a woman-owned liquor store for decades. Once the former tenant had put her children through college, she closed the business […]

Every day, on their way to work at their Memphis, TN-based coffee and gift shop, City & State, owners Lisa and Luis Toro would pass a charming building called The Liquor Store. The building operated as a woman-owned liquor store for decades. Once the former tenant had put her children through college, she closed the business and the building was vacant for years. “The small liquor building sat empty and unused just down the street from our existing business, and we felt as though it was such a unique and underutilized bit of space for this district,” Lisa shares. “Driving past every day led to ideating about what it could be, and what would benefit the area. We ultimately landed on a diner/bar. Given the uniqueness of the building and all the neon signage, we chose to retain The Liquor Store moniker and embrace the fun it offered in the way of branding and experience.” The couple worked on the concept for the space for a year before construction even began. While working on the right funding path in that first year, they decided to look into an all-female group of mentors to back the project. “Through con...