Entry No. 14 — the Memphis file — filed under: hoodoo
A. Schwab / Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum
Memphis's oldest continuously operating store (since 1876, at this address since 1911) still sells cast-iron skillets and hoodoo supplies on the ground floor, but climb to the third floor and the century-old general store gives way to a genuine cabinet of curiosities: the Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum, built around a 'Curio Gallery' of rootwork artifacts, mojo materials, and photographs documenting Memphis's spiritual healers and conjure tradition.
The story
A. Schwab was established in 1876 and has occupied 163 Beale Street since 1911, making it the last remaining original business on the strip. For over a century, the ground floor has functioned as an unvarnished dry-goods emporium, slinging cast-iron skillets, denim overalls, and vintage sodas at the fountain alongside authentic hoodoo supplies, mojo bags, and devotional candles.
In October 2025, the store formally opened up its top floor as the Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum. Built around a Curio Gallery, the third-floor space archives the mid-South's conjure traditions, displaying historical photographs of Memphis spiritual healers, rootwork artifacts, and physical mojo materials. It draws a clear line between the practical folk remedies sold on the retail floor below and the deep-rooted cultural history behind them.
What it's like
You step off the neon-soaked pavement of Beale Street into a wide, wood-floored general store that smells faintly of candle wax, old timber, and fountain syrup. Pass the novelty souvenirs and cast-iron skillets downstairs, or grab a drink at the soda fountain before taking the stairs to the third floor. Upstairs, the noise of Beale Street drops off into a quiet gallery of framed photos, rootwork artifacts, and spiritual archives. Keep in mind that while the general store stays open all week, the top-floor museum operates on tighter hours—typically 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.
The move: Browse the eclectic dry-goods floor (voodoo dolls next to overalls and Elvis souvenirs), then head up to the third-floor Hoodoo museum to trace the real history behind the mojo bags and candles for sale downstairs — cap it with a soda at the store's fountain.
- 📍 Beale Street, Downtown Memphis
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 163 Beale Street, Memphis, TN 38103
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Withers Collection Museum & Gallery — Walk a minute down Beale Street to view six decades of Civil Rights and Memphis history caught on film by photojournalist Ernest Withers.
- The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange — Head three blocks north to stand on the historic trading floor that drove the mid-South's commercial engine.
- Earnestine & Hazel's — Head half a mile south into South Main for a Soul Burger at a legendary, multi-story dive bar steeped in local lore.
Good to know
When did the Hoodoo Museum open?
The Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum officially opened on the third floor of A. Schwab in October 2025.
What are the operating hours?
A. Schwab's retail store is open daily (Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.). The Hoodoo Museum on the top floor generally runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.
Can you buy hoodoo and spiritual supplies on site?
Yes. The ground-floor general store stocks mojo materials, spiritual oils, candles, and traditional rootwork supplies alongside general hardware and dry goods.
Where is the store located?
It is located at 163 Beale Street in Downtown Memphis, between 2nd and 3rd Streets.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Atlas Obscura · dailymemphian.com · downtownmemphis.com
last checked: 2026-07-20