The Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit, in coordination with the City of Memphis and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, took action on November 4, 2026, to close two Memphis businesses following repeated criminal activity at both locations.
Community Grocery, also known as Castalia Market, located at 1701 Castalia Street, and Save a Stop #2, located at 2757 Kimball Avenue, were declared public nuisances under Tennessee’s nuisance-abatement law, and closure orders were issued.
Castalia Market – 1701 Castalia Street
Between October 18, 2024, and October 18, 2026, officers responded to 229 calls for service at Castalia Market. Those responses resulted in 71 reports and 24 arrests.
Reported incidents included:
- Homicide
- Armed robbery
- Aggravated assaults
- Multiple narcotics violations and firearm recoveries
On April 29, 2026, the responsible parties were issued written notice under Tennessee’s nuisance-abatement law. However, criminal activity continued.
Subsequent incidents included armed threats against patrons on May 6, a June 16 homicide inside the store, during which two stolen firearms were recovered, and an October 5 aggravated assault involving an armed convicted felon.
Save a Stop #2 – 2757 Kimball Avenue
Investigations and operations at Save a Stop #2 documented repeated incidents involving violent crime, narcotics, illegal firearms, and illegal gambling.
Incidents documented before the nuisance-abatement notice included:
- Shootings in January and May 2025, one of which left a woman critically injured
- Two suspects arrested in June 2025 while carrying firearms equipped with illegal machine-gun conversion devices commonly known as switches
- A search warrant that resulted in the seizure of four illegal gambling machines and cash tied to illegal activities.
- Narcotics investigations that led to the recovery of illegal and deadly drugs and a stolen firearm
On July 13, 2026, the responsible parties were issued written notice under Tennessee’s nuisance-abatement law. Criminal activity continued after the notice.
On July 25, officers seized cocaine, ecstasy, oxycodone, Xanax, and marijuana during a felony narcotics investigation. On October 3, an employee was the victim of an armed aggravated assault. On October 9, an officer-involved shooting occurred after a fleeing suspect fired multiple shots at officers. Gunfire also struck a nearby property.
Both locations have been the subject of repeated police responses, investigations, and enforcement actions. Despite prior notice and continued enforcement efforts, criminal activity persisted, creating serious safety concerns for the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.
The Memphis Police Department will continue working with our partners to address problem properties, hold those responsible accountable, and protect Memphis neighborhoods.
We will continue to Sustain the Gains through our Four P’s: People, Places, Prosecution, and Prevention.
