$25M plan for former Houston’s and First Horizon site begins

By Andy Ashby – Daily Memphian

August 5, 2026

A local group is moving forward with plans for a $25 million mixed-use development in East Memphis, refining the project and giving it a working title: 5000 Poplar.

Local investors Darrell Horn and Brown Gill announced the project in February and plan to open it in early 2028.

General contractor Grinder, Taber & Grinder Inc. filed a $22 million construction permit this week for multiple buildings at Poplar Avenue and South Mendenhall Road. The permit covers a mixed-use building, a retail building and a restaurant building.

Crews are demolishing the 61,000-square-foot First Horizon building at 4990 Poplar Ave. to make way for a three-story, 50,000-square-foot building with 30,000 square feet of office space and 20,000 square feet of retail space. The property has a 57-space underground garage and 123 surface parking spots. It also will have 14 bicycle parking spaces.

The developers are also building a 6,300-square-foot, 170-seat restaurant called The Tradition on the former Houston’s restaurant site.