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Jerry 'The King' Lawler, Joe Cooper To Open Downtown Memphis Business

Posted: Jul 15th 2010 By: CMBurnham

The timeless appeal of professional wrestler Jerry ?The King? Lawler will be the stock in trade of a new deli and retail shop planned on Downtown?s Main Street Mall.

Lawler has licensed his name and likeness to businessman Joe Cooper for King Jerry Lawler?s at 111 N. Main on the ground floor of the Claridge building.

Lawler compared it to the seasonal fireworks stands that bear his name around the Mid-South, only it will be a year-round promotion.

?I?m lending my name for something that?s going to be fun to visit and that could be profitable,? Lawler said.

Cooper was in the final stages Thursday of leasing the space, most recently a deli, at the southwest corner of Main and Adams. He said it should open between Aug. 1-15.

Cooper said it would be decorated with memorabilia, the overflow from the wrestler?s East Memphis home, and would feature sandwiches named for celebrities and politicians.

?One sandwich Jerry wants to have is The Piledriver. I don?t know why he wants something like that. It?ll have every kind of meat you can think of, piled up high,? Cooper said.

The location next to City Hall is purely coincidence, Lawler said.

He has made unsuccessful runs for Memphis mayor, most recently last October. But the wrestling business and taking care of the Lawler brand keep him too busy to think much about politics.

Lawler is a host of World Wrestling Entertainment?s WWE Raw programs on USA television Monday nights and pay per view. He started ?Jerry Lawler?s Memphis Wrestling? on Channel 50 (11 a.m., PAX). ?I just woke up one day and there was no wrestling on Saturday morning TV, and I said, ?This is just not right.?? He also draws comic book covers.

Lawler said Cooper came to him with the idea and is overseeing details.

Cooper was released from federal prison last October after serving a six-month sentence for a conviction on charges of laundering money for drug dealers in 2006 while working as a car salesman. He was placed on two years of supervised release.

Cooper said the store ?should be a real winner.?

?I think this place is going to be busy from the day it opens.? When he and Lawler stopped by to check on it Thursday, ?We couldn?t get out of there because of the people who wanted to get his autograph,? Cooper said.

Tags: Jerry Lawler, WWE