Memphis has a new gathering place, and it was built with a straightforward goal: give people somewhere to land. The Front Porch, located at 4688 Walnut Grove Road in East Memphis, officially celebrated its ribbon-cutting on May 4 after completing a $5 million capital campaign. It is the kind of investment that does not show up in economic reports but quietly shapes the fabric of a city.
The space includes Second Helpings Cafe, operated by Lauren Young of Sweet LaLa’s Bakery, serving breakfast and lunch with wraps, salads, soups, and Vinculo coffee. There is an all-glass event space for up to 99 guests, a private meeting room for up to 12, and Baptist Centers for Good Grief, Milla’s House, a dedicated grief support center. One of its newest additions is a wind phone, an unconnected telephone placed in a peaceful area where people can speak to loved ones they have lost.
Executive director Melissa Todd was direct about who The Front Porch is for: everyone. It is interfaith, open to the public, and not built for any one congregation or community. It was built for Memphis. In a city that outsiders often reduce to its challenges, spaces like this tell a fuller story about what Memphians are actually building for each other.
Second Helpings Cafe hours: Mon 7:30am to 1:30pm, Tue through Fri 7:30am to 5:30pm, Sat for events only.
Original reporting by Sophia Surrett, Daily Memphian. Photos by Mark Weber, Daily Memphian.
