On September 4, 2025, the Grand Lobby of The South’s Grand Hotel came alive with big band sounds, clinking glasses, and one very special parade of ducks. The Peabody Hotel officially marked 100 years on Union Avenue, a century of welcoming visitors, shaping Memphis culture, and making memories that ripple far beyond the city’s skyline.
Originally opening its doors in 1869 on Monroe and Main, the Peabody moved to its now-iconic Union Avenue location in 1925. Built for $5 million (nearly $90 million in today’s dollars) the hotel quickly became a stage for Memphis history. From Sam Phillips’ radio broadcasts on the rooftop in the 1930s, to Elvis signing his first record contract here in the 1950s, to Neil Diamond writing Sweet Caroline in the 1960s, the Peabody has always been a cultural landmark.
Of course, no story of the Peabody is complete without mentioning its most famous residents: the ducks. For decades, the March of the Peabody Ducks has drawn guests daily, delighting travelers and Memphians alike as the feathered celebrities strut across the red carpet to their marble fountain. They’ve even made appearances on Sesame Street, Oprah, and alongside Beyoncé in Sports Illustrated. (Fun fact: Chez Philippe remains the only French restaurant in the world that doesn’t serve duck!)
The 100th anniversary celebration was everything you’d expect of this Memphis icon: a Memphis Symphony big band performance, a replica Peabody cake crafted by the hotel’s pastry team, and cocktails garnished with floating rubber ducks. Most poignantly, Peabody President Douglas Browne, who has served the hotel for nearly 24 years, was honored as an official Duckmaster and inducted into the Duck Walk Hall of Fame.
“It’s great to come see the lobby, the ducks are cool, but at the end of the day, it’s the associates that created the memories, and it’s what people go home and remember,” Browne said, reflecting on the 450 employees who keep the Peabody’s heart beating every day.
This milestone also comes as the hotel wraps up a $30 million renovation of its lobby and guest rooms, ensuring that the Peabody continues to blend timeless tradition with modern comfort for generations to come.
From its 1975 closure and miraculous $25 million restoration in 1981, to its listing on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, to today’s centennial celebration, the Peabody’s story is also the story of downtown Memphis. A story of resilience, reinvention, and relentless hospitality.
So here’s to 100 years of ducks, rooftop dances, iconic cocktails, and Memphis memories. And here’s to the next century of the Peabody Hotel, still standing tall at the corner of Union and Second, ready to welcome the world to Memphis.
