In our city, “soul” isn’t just a word. It’s a feeling, it’s a movement, it’s a vibe. As Memphians, we wear soul with pride. Our city isn’t just the birthplace of musical icons or the city where food, music, and culture come to life.
Our city’s soul is described by generosity that knows no bounds and the thousands of Memphians building community with each other on the daily. It’s the activism that stirring in our hearts, pushing each other and the world to see better and do better. It’s in the limitless innovation fueling insatiable curiosity and so, so much more. Memphis has always been a place of big hearts and even bigger ideas, where the spirit of soul finds its home. So, when you’re seeing your fellow Memphians’ faces across the city, you’re seeing a mirror reflecting our collective pride.
We’ll be sharing stories of how your fellow Memphians connect with our city through food, fitness, music, and so much more! Be sure to keep an eye out for billboards across the city featuring some familiar faces!
Meet Pretty Useful co.
Pretty Useful Co. was founded in 2016 as a small goods collaboration between Allie Mounce and Clare Freeman that has grown into a creative studio serving brands large and small with the addition of Katie Mars! They excel at designing brands bursting with personality and creating illustrations and animations that delight and inspire. They have a deep toolbox of skills, but their greatest asset of all is that they’re a good hang and care deeply about what they do. You may know them for their playful pins, stickers, accessories and more, spotted at markets around Memphis, but they’ve also done several murals and even served as speakers at creative events around the country!
What are your top 3 places you love to visit in Memphis?
Katie: My personal top 3 places in Memphis that I frequent the most are probably Cameo on Union for cocktails, Acre for a nice dinner, and Quantum Antique Gallery for a fun afternoon of digging for cool stuff. Honorable mention to the Stax Museum cause it’s so well done, I just don’t go as often as I should!
Clare: In no particular order: The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, particularly when it’s tulip season, Hustle & Dough, the coffee shop in the Arrive Hotel lobby – I love the atmosphere, the dog watching, and the chai lattes. St. John Orthodox Church – aside from my love of the congregation and services, the entire church is covered in beautiful iconography that’s bar none.
Allie: My favorite places to go in Memphis are the gardens and museum at the Dixon, shopping at the farmers markets at Cooper Young and downtown, and walking all over downtown especially around South Main, along the river, or across the big river crossing on a bike. If I’m with someone from out of town my favorite off the beaten path stop is to grab breakfast at Sunrise East and then show them the crystal grotto at Memorial Park.
How does Memphis as a city inspire you or impact the work that you do?
Katie: Memphis is a city with so much soul and drive despite it’s imperfections, and I think that’s an inspiring way to be. We don’t have to be perfect, we just need to keep going. Keep improving. Keep the faith. I know that can be very hard to do living in a city with so many flaws, but learning how to grind and push through difficulties is something that can make you work harder, work better, make a difference. The history of Memphis is super impactful as well.
Clare: We collaborate with other agencies and artists in town, which is possible because of the connections and communities Memphis has to offer.
Allie: Whenever I travel I’m reminded that Memphis feels real in a way that other places can’t match. It feels different in a way that’s hard to describe, and I miss it when I’m not here. I like that Memphis is a weird place with a difficult history, and that it resists being made smooth and easily digested. Memphis inspires me to be true to myself.
What are you most excited to see happening in Memphis now?
Katie: The stuff going on over at St.Jude is really exciting. I think Memphians are so used to that organization being around and we really don’t fully understand how big of a reach and impact they have, and how many people they bring to Memphis! Also really excited for the Brooks Museum expansion and move downtown. I really belive they are going to put us on the map for the arts, and cannot wait to see it all come to life. Oh and the airport expansion!
Clare: The Edge District has me excited right now, I can see the arts and culture scene really beginning to flourish there – Rootstock Wine Merchants has an amazing series of wine classes going on and Sheet Cake Gallery is impeccably curated.
Allie: There’s been this growing wave of momentum for the last 10 years, this feeling like Memphis is on the edge of changing in some meaningful way. I see things happening in the Edge, I see the changes that have happened in Broad Ave and Overton Square, and lately I see more people at events and out and about than I have in a long time. Every time somebody puts on an event and it gets a great turnout I get excited.
Is there another Memphian who has inspired you, impacted the work that you do, or who you’d like to shout out?
Katie: One badass woman in this city that never really gets the spotlight is Ellen Zahariadis, the Executive Director at the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. She came to the organization at a really challenging time and the way she’s completely turned everything around is inspiring. She leads with such grace and I admire how approachable she is, and how well she handles stressful situations. I’ve learned a lot from her during my time on the board of directors of the organization, but I think the most valuable thing I’ve taken away is she knows when to ask for help. She does not see it as a weakness but as a way to keep moving forward. Also there’s a guy on Reddit regularly cleaning up trash around the city with this little robot buggie he built and I think that’s so great and try to support his efforts when I see opportunities. Here’s his info.
Clare: Anne Castrodale: She just moved away to be closer to family, but has been a Memphian for 30+ years. Anne is a champion of her community, does a lot of volunteer work, and finds joy in every day life. She stays curious, loves the arts, and knowing her has pushed me to be a better person.
Allie: Holly Whitfield has been out here banging away at the “Memphis is worthy of love” drum for a long time, and I so appreciate that she came here as a transplant and then dedicated so much of her time and attention to making Memphians aware of the best parts of living here. She’s written two books now, Secret Memphis and 100 Things To Do In Memphis Before You Die, both are really fun and are great resources for getting to know Memphis. I also want to shout out Paula Raiford as my personal patron saint of Memphis, there’s nobody that captures what Memphis is all about better than she does.
How do you hope to inspire change in Memphis?
Katie: I’m pretty passionate about the power of voting, especially in local elections. The lack of participation has been very frustrating for me, so I’m really brainstorming how I can help in a more meaningful way other than just sharing voting information within my internet circle. I’m currently looking for volunteer opportunities with organizations helping people register to vote before the election. I’m particularly interested in working with the youth on this – I just don’t think people realize how important it is and how much change it could cause if more people were less apathetic about it!
For a more vague, less specific answer: My biggest goal is to leave Memphis better than I found it, and it’s what motivates me to stay active on boards and with community organizations that matter to me. I never plan on moving or anything,I just want to have a meaningful impact once it’s time to expire lol.
Clare: I hope to inspire more collaboration, both within the city and with other cities. Amazing things can happen when we look outside ourselves.
Allie: I hope to do work that lifts up other businesses and organizations and helps them succeed. I want to be a part of the momentum, and I want to be a part of the visual landscape of Memphis. Memphis already has everything it needs, and I want to see more people acknowledging that and be a part of leaning into it instead of trying to mold it into someplace else. I want people to look around and be surprised at what Memphis can be, what we already are.
