The Peanut Shoppe to reopen Downtown. It's a new location with all the same traditions.

Jennifer Chandler, Memphis Commercial Appeal

March 8, 2022 at 6:25 PM·5 min read

For 72 years generations of Memphians have been stopping by The Peanut Shoppe in Downtown Memphis for freshly roasted nuts and candies.

It’s a beloved shop that is known for the freshness of its products and the friendly and welcoming customer service offered by its owners Rida AbuZaineh and his daughter, Nurah.

The Downtown location of The Peanut Shoppe first opened its doors in 1949 at 24 S. Main St.

Now, it has a new home down the street. On March 12, The Peanut Shoppe will reopen at 121 S. Main St.

While it has a new location, expect all the same offerings that have made this nut and candy shop a beloved Memphis institution.

Rida AbuZaineh, the owner of The Peanut Shoppe. This 72-year-old downtown Memphis business reopens March 12 at a new location on S. Main St.

Freshly roasted nuts, candies and more

When The Peanut Shoppe’s doors open at 11 a.m. Saturday, expect to find the shop’s vintage display cases filled to the brim with freshly roasted nuts and candies.

Cashews from Brazil, almonds from California, pecans from Alabama and, of course, peanuts from the best farms across the South. Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and pistachios are just a few more of the wide selection of nuts that will also be available.

AbuZaineh brings in raw nuts from across the United States and the world, and then roasts them fresh daily for his customers.

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Freshly roasted nuts at The Peanut Shoppe in Downtown Memphis. Nuts are roasted fresh daily at this 72-year-old shop.

“It’s all about freshness, quality and service,” he said on Tuesday as he was busy putting the finishing touches on the new store. “I pay extra for my products so not to hear anything negative from the customer. I am very, very proud.”

Guests can choose to have nuts dry-roasted or fried in peanut oil. You can get them salted, unsalted, spiced or tossed in a savory coating.

A large assortment of candies and chocolates, as well as dried fruits, will also once again be available to purchase by the pound.

“We have old-fashioned chocolates — milk, dark and sugar-free,” AbuZaineh said.

Freshly popped popcorn is also back. AbuZaineh has given his original popcorn popper a facelift with a new paint job, but he guarantees the popcorn is just as good as always. Choose from salted, salt-free, cheese or what AbuZaineh describes as “to die for” caramel popcorn.

The new shop

The iconic “Mr. Peanut” still welcomes guests as they enter the shop.

Built in 1947, “Mr. Peanut” sits atop the shop's roaster that dates back to 1929. The vintage roaster is still used today to roast nuts in the shop. (Fun fact: The American flag that is attached to the roaster dates back to Sept. 11, 2001, the same year that AbuZaineh became an American citizen.)

The Peanut Shoppe owner Rida AbuZaineh with his 1929 peanut roaster and the 1947 Mr. Peanut that sits atop of it.

AbuZaineh was able to use his original display cases in the new shop. Each has been given a bit of a facelift, with new lighting and repairs. The layout is a little different due to the slightly different configuration of the building. (The new shop is more square than the narrow rectangle sales floor of the original.)

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Photos of The Peanut Shoppe through the years line the walls alongside vintage photos and Planters memorabilia.

Look for the peanut wallpaper accents. AbuZaineh had the vintage wallpaper used in the original shop stored upstairs for 29 years. “When we moved, I pulled it out to see if it still worked,” he said.

A bit of history

AbuZaineh's The Peanut Shoppe was the second location opened by Planters in Memphis. It opened at 24 S. Main St. in 1949 and remained at the location until December 2021.

Memphis originally had three The Peanut Shoppe stores. Each was originally opened by Planters, but then eventually had individual local owners.

The Peanut Shoppe, a 72-year downtown Memphis institution, reopens Saturday at 24 S. Main Street.

The first location was at 134 S. Main St. and was open from 1929 to 1968.

As he stood at the front door of his new shop, AbuZaineh pointed across the street. “See the street numbers on the buildings across the street?” he asked. “We have moved across the street from the original Peanut Shoppe. Isn’t it ironic?”

A third shop was open from 1959 to 2017 on Summer Ave.

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AbuZaineh bought the Downtown location in January 1993 with his sister-in-law, Sue Lauck. Lauck was the reason he and his family moved to Memphis from California 29 years ago.

“My sister-in-law had the oldest restaurant in Memphis (Lauck owns The Little Tea Shop on Monroe Avenue, which is temporarily closed),” said AbuZaineh. “I was in the food business in California, and she encouraged the family to come to Memphis to work together." Lauck was a partner in the purchase as well as the neighboring hot dog shop, Obleo’s, the family owned.

Today, AbuZaineh runs the shop with his daughter, Nurah.

AbuZaineh said that if it hadn’t been for the support of friends and loyal customers, he may have closed years ago.

“I have a lot of passion for what I do. It’s in my heart. You give up a lot and sacrifice to keep going," he said as he proudly pointed to his heart. "It's all about my passion."

The grand opening celebration will be March 12-13. The shop will open at 11 a.m. both days. Complimentary popcorn will be part of the festivities.

Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.

At a glance

The Peanut Shoppe

Where: 121 S. Main St.

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Open March 13 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (Check social media for future Sunday hours.)

Phone: (901) 525-1115

Online: memphispeanutshoppe.com

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: The Peanut Shoppe to open new Downtown Memphis location

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Freshly roasted nuts, candies and more

The new shop

A bit of history

At a glance

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