Poplar Tunes, located in downtown Memphis at 308 Poplar Avenue, is a must see for Memphis music history. Opened by Jonh Novarese and Joe Cuoghi in 1946, the record store later expaned throughout Memphis. Newer stores were named "Pop Tunes". In the early 1950s Elvis Presley often came by after to school to listen to the latest R&B and Gospel records. Poplar Tunes was the first store to sell an Elvis 45 RPM. The building was used at one time for Hi Records which was the record label home for Memphis artists such as Bill Black, Willie Mitchell, Ann Peebles, and Al Green.

Elvis Shopped Here Click here to see a photo of Elvis in Pop Tunes in 1958, and to read more about the store’s history.