Sunday, March 28, 2010
People Charlie Vergos, 1926-2010
Posted by Vance Lauderdale on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 7:20 PM
- Charlie Vergos in 1968
I had just found an interesting old news tidbit on Charlie just a few days ago, and I guess there's no better time to share it.
Lots of people think that The Rendezvous has always been in that exact same location, just across from The Peabody, but that's not true. When Charlie started the place back in the late 1940s, it was originally in a different alley — the one with the unusual name of November 6th Street — a block away. They always say "location, location, location" is the most important thing in the restaurant business, and I guess Charlie just had a thing for alleys. A December 1968 story in KEY magazine told about the move to the new location and included the rather dark and grainy photo that you see here.
Here's the story:
NEW LOCATION FOR CHARLES VERGOS
The changing Memphis skyline has made many firms relocate. When plans were announced to tear down the building above him, Charles Vergos had to move his Rendezvous. He is now open just a block away from his old address in the alley called November 6th Street. His new address is the Downtowner Alley behind the Downtowner Motor Inn, between Monroe and Union. Enter the alley from Union, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, which is between the present Downtowner Building and its new high-rise addition. Charlie has retained much of the captivating atmosphere of the old place with many surprising new features of the new location. Specialty of the house? His nationally famous charcoal ribs, of course.
It would have been interesting, I think, to see the Rendezvous when it was brand-new. The place seems ancient and rather timeless, and I hope it always remains so. But don't go searching for it in the "Downtowner Alley." City leaders renamed the lane Charles Vergos Rendezvous Alley years ago in his honor.
Rest in peace, Mr. Vergos. You were quite a guy.
PHOTO COURTESY KEY MAGAZINE
Comments (3)
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I thought I heard Charlie Vergos "discovered" the BBQ pits, along with the whole restaurant, by accident. I'm not sure if it was the 1st or the 2nd. Either way, is that true?
Rest in peace, Charlie.
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RIP Charlie Vergos. A true gentleman who ran a top shelf restaurant. So many memories of going to the "Vous" after Tiger football games, and Charlie was always there, a true Memphis celebrity and icon who meant so much to downtown. He joins the heritage of outstanding Greek gentlemen (all departed) who ran great restaurants in downtown Memphis: Harry Zapatos-The Arcade and Sam Zambelis-The Bon Ton. RIP my friends.
Mr. Vergos will be greatly missed. My condolences to the family. His hospitality and support for the football players at (then) Memphis State in the late '60s was a tremendous thing and I'll never forget his personal touch to our frequent visits there.
