Memphis business owners are bracing for the arrival of the National Guard after President Donald Trump announced the deployment on a Friday morning broadcast of "Fox & Friends," while urging that any federal response be constructive and coordinated with local officials.
John Vergos, co-owner of the historic Rendezvous barbecue restaurant, said the downtown eatery is focused on what it has always done — serving ribs to tourists and residents — and sought to counter national headlines that he said have hurt the city's image and tourism. "I'm not saying we don't have problems, but I don't know which city does not," Vergos said, adding that the only thing smoking inside the Rendezvous is the barbecue pit.
The family-owned restaurant, founded in 1948 and tucked into a downtown alley, said business has been down somewhat as tourism declines and media coverage focuses on crime statistics. Vergos, who served two terms on the Memphis City Council from 1996 to 2004, said he does not feel unsafe and that there has "never" been a violent incident in or around the restaurant.
Anna Vergos Blair, a co-owner who helps manage the establishment, said she worries most about the outside perception of the city and highlighted Memphis' culinary scene as evidence of the city's complexity. "Memphis has an amazing, almost underrated food scene," she said. "Memphis is known for barbecue, which is great for us, but Memphis has a lot more than barbecue."
The White House has cited crime data showing Memphis had the highest violent crime rate and the third-highest murder rate in the United States last year. The administration reported 149 homicides in the city so far this year. Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee expressed support for the president's decision on X, writing that he was "grateful for the president's unwavering support and commitment to providing every resource necessary to serve Memphians" and that Memphis would not be held back.
Owners at the Rendezvous framed the restaurant’s role as part of the city's social fabric, saying food and local institutions help bring people together and counter negative narratives. "I think my grandfather named it the Rendezvous [because] it means 'a meeting place,'" Blair said. "I think food does that a lot. I think restaurants do that a lot, and they continue to do that in Memphis every single day."
While acknowledging the city's challenges, the owners invoked Memphis' history of resilience, including the national reckoning after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. John Vergos said he hopes any National Guard deployment is undertaken "in a constructive way" and synchronized with local and state officials to avoid undermining community trust and local efforts.
Officials have said the deployment is intended to support local law enforcement and public safety. Local leaders and law enforcement agencies and federal officials have not detailed timelines or the scope of operations publicly beyond statements tied to the president's announcement. The Rendezvous owners said they want visitors and residents to feel safe and for the city's broader cultural and economic life to continue despite heightened national scrutiny.
As the city prepares to receive additional personnel, businesses and residents said they will continue their routines while monitoring developments and urging coordination among federal, state and local authorities to ensure an effective and measured response.