Felicia Demik shops at The Palladio Group's Water Works.
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A garden fountain and hardscape specialty store nestled on 741 South Cox Street could be the venue for your future Memphis wedding.
The Palladio Group, a multi-faceted art company owned by native Memphis couple Frank and Mindy Roberts, began as a simple antiques and art showroom appropriately named Palladio. Now The Palladio Group also includes artist studio spaces, a local art gallery, café, architectural showroom, custom furniture workshop and more, all located in the Cooper-Young neighborhood. The decision to set up a Cooper-Young residence was unplanned, but TPG fits right into this community. “Cooper-Young is such a vibrant, urban part of this city, so it was a natural that we picked this area. We didn’t start any kind of art renaissance in this neighborhood. It had already been started,” Roberts said. Probably the most fascinating hat this company wears is that three of their shop locations double as wedding venues. TPG Venues is just one aspect of The Palladio Group. Events ranging from wine and cheese tastings, corporate banquets, Memphis Scottish Society gatherings, weddings and Southern Brides wedding photo shoots are just a few of the events they have hosted. Weddings and events can be held at Water Works, Café Palladio and Gallery Fifty Six. Though TPG Venues is not heavily advertised, Frank C. Roberts, owner G. Frank Roberts’ son, had something to say about that. |
“I think it should be publicized a little bit more than it is. We’ve got a lot of fish on the fryer, meaning a lot of things that we do, so sometimes good things fall on the back burner,” Roberts said.
When TPG Venues first began, they hosted only five events per year. Now they host up to a comfortable 18. TPG Venues wasn’t always around though. Owner Roberts said that a customer presented them with the idea.
“It’s kind of funny the way that happened. A girl came into Water Works one day and said, ‘This place is really neat. Do you ever rent it for wedding receptions?’ We kind of scratched our heads and said, ‘Yeah, all the time,’ Roberts said.”
Gallery Fifty Six, located at 2256 Central Ave., one of the TPG Venues locations, was handed over to The Palladio Group for free. The previous owner wasn’t making any money on her bohemian-esque gallery and decided to give up the building to TPG, Roberts said. Now the gallery features mostly local artists, but there is an occasional exotic artist such as Argentine Mariana De Marchi featured.
“It’s kind of like having children. To me, all aspects are interesting, but I guess Gallery Fifty Six is kind of a labor of love because it doesn’t make that much money. It’s something that I enjoy doing,” Roberts said.
For more information about TPG Venues, visit thepalladiogroup.com.
When TPG Venues first began, they hosted only five events per year. Now they host up to a comfortable 18. TPG Venues wasn’t always around though. Owner Roberts said that a customer presented them with the idea.
“It’s kind of funny the way that happened. A girl came into Water Works one day and said, ‘This place is really neat. Do you ever rent it for wedding receptions?’ We kind of scratched our heads and said, ‘Yeah, all the time,’ Roberts said.”
Gallery Fifty Six, located at 2256 Central Ave., one of the TPG Venues locations, was handed over to The Palladio Group for free. The previous owner wasn’t making any money on her bohemian-esque gallery and decided to give up the building to TPG, Roberts said. Now the gallery features mostly local artists, but there is an occasional exotic artist such as Argentine Mariana De Marchi featured.
“It’s kind of like having children. To me, all aspects are interesting, but I guess Gallery Fifty Six is kind of a labor of love because it doesn’t make that much money. It’s something that I enjoy doing,” Roberts said.
For more information about TPG Venues, visit thepalladiogroup.com.