MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit closed two Memphis businesses on November 4 after what police described as repeated criminal activity at both locations. The Memphis nuisance closures hit Community Grocery, also known as Castalia Market, at 1701 Castalia Street, and Save a Stop #2 at 2757 Kimball Avenue.
Police worked with the City of Memphis and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. Both businesses were declared public nuisances under Tennessee’s nuisance-abatement law, and closure orders were issued.
Castalia Market on Castalia Street
Between October 18, 2024, and October 18, 2026, officers responded to 229 calls for service at Castalia Market. Those calls produced 71 reports and 24 arrests, police said.
Reported incidents included a homicide, an armed robbery, aggravated assaults, and multiple narcotics violations and firearm recoveries.
The responsible parties received written notice under the nuisance-abatement law on April 29, 2026. Police said criminal activity continued anyway. Later incidents included:
- Armed threats against patrons on May 6
- A June 16 homicide inside the store, during which officers recovered two stolen firearms
- An October 5 aggravated assault involving an armed convicted felon
Save a Stop #2 on Kimball Avenue
Police said investigations and operations at Save a Stop #2 documented repeated violent crime, narcotics, illegal firearms and illegal gambling.
Incidents documented before the nuisance-abatement notice included:
- Shootings in January and May 2025, one of which left a woman critically injured
- The June 2025 arrests of two suspects carrying firearms equipped with illegal machine-gun conversion devices, commonly known as switches
- A search warrant that led to the seizure of four illegal gambling machines and cash tied to illegal activities
- Narcotics investigations that led to the recovery of illegal and deadly drugs and a stolen firearm
The responsible parties received written notice on July 13, 2026. Police said criminal activity continued after that.
On July 25, officers seized cocaine, ecstasy, oxycodone, Xanax and marijuana during a felony narcotics investigation. On October 3, an employee was the victim of an armed aggravated assault.
On October 9, an officer-involved shooting occurred after a fleeing suspect fired multiple shots at officers. Gunfire also struck a nearby property.
Police response
Police said both locations drew repeated responses, investigations and enforcement actions. Despite prior notice and continued enforcement, criminal activity persisted and created serious safety concerns for surrounding neighborhoods and businesses, according to the department.
The department said it will keep working with its partners to address problem properties, hold those responsible accountable and protect Memphis neighborhoods. It said it will “Sustain the Gains” through its Four P’s: People, Places, Prosecution and Prevention.
The source did not name the owners or operators of either business or say how long the closures will last.
