About Us

Who is Pappy?

We get this question a lot.

Our namesake Lehman “Pappy” Sammons made a name for himself when he joined two houses on Madison Avenue and opened the Lobster Shack, one of our city's most famous historical eateries. The Lobster Shack quickly became a well-known landmark that stood on Madison for almost half a century. Anyone who lived in Memphis from the 1940s through the 1980s remembers Pappy's Lobster Shack at 2100 Madison, a unique and quirky ramshackle establishment created by a man who became known as "The Mayor of Overton Square," and — considering he was still working at age 100—"The Oldest Active Chef in America."

Despite Pappy’s humble beginnings that made him move to Memphis because his fam ily couldn’t afford to feed him, he found a way to thrive in his new hometown. He quickly established himself on the restaurant scene with his first hamburger stand in 1910. From there, he went on to start Pappy’s and Jimmy’s (you might remember the sign—two lobsters with Pappy’s and Jimmy’s face as the heads), and then finally the famous Lobster Shack.

Memphians loved Pappy, and Pappy loved his customers. According to the Memphis Press- Scimitar at the time, “Long before there was an Overton Square, Madison near Cooper was known throughout the country for Pappy's Lobster Shack. It was here that movie stars, celebrities, and just plain folks all dined when they were in Memphis. And regardless of who they were, Pappy Sammons greeted them individually and made them feel special."

Pappy’s reputation as a fun-loving, hard-working entrepreneur made him a Memphis legend. Pappy's grandson, Scott Sammons, began Pappy's Coffee Service with the same spirit of entrepreneurship and twinkle in his eye.

Scott’s mission is to provide Memphis and the Mid- South with delicious coffee and excellent customer service. In honor of his grandfather, Scott carries on the family tradition by taking care of our customers, providing excellent coffee, and having fun in the process!