MEMPHIS MUSIC Equipment that will shine and save

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

A lthough it’s now Beale Street’s iconic soul

music store, Memphis Music owner Malcolm

Anthony traces the store’s roots back to a

push cart where he and his father sold roses on the

street. “[We] eventually had the opportunity to move

inside,” he said. With the success of their first store,

Strange Cargo, the two acquired a second building

and made it into a record store.

With “extremely high utility bills” and lighting

that frequently burned out, Memphis Music

was constantly spending money on lighting

maintenance. The MainStreet Efficiency

program offered them the ability to lower their

utility bills, but to also have better performing

and longer-lasting equipment.

“The light bulbs that say two years last more

like six months, so just to have a bulb that

will last...is a big plus for a store like this,”

Malcolm explained. The benefits of

participation “were extremely attractive, so

we jumped on,” he added.

In addition to the $1,500 program incentive, Malcolm

decided to make a small out of pocket investment—

less than what he spends on replacement bulbs— to

upgrade all his linear fixtures. As a result, Memphis

Music is estimated to cut its yearly lighting costs in

half.

Given his experience with this program, Malcolm

said he would participate in similar programs. “I

highly recommend it,” he said. The process is

“extremely efficient and easy to deal with…[it’s]

definitely a plus for any small business.”

ABOUT MAINSTREET EFFICIENCY

The goal of the MainStreet

Efficiency program is to help

small business owners drive

down operational costs by

becoming more energy

efficient.

In October 2013, TVA and

program partner EnerPath

expanded the MainStreet

Efficiency program to the

Memphis Light, Gas and

Water (MLGW) service area,

which serves over 35,000

small businesses.

This lighting program is

offered to MLGW small

business customers with an

average monthly demand of

50kW and under.

The program aims to assess

and upgrade over 1,300 small

businesses in just one year.

“I have a lot of confidence that these [new lights] are going to save us money.”

-Malcolm Anthony, Owner of Memphis Music

MEMPHIS EQUIPMENT CO A big investment for big savings

THE NATION’ LARGEST

ABOUT MAINSTREET EFFICIENCY

T he fall of World War II marked the beginning

of Memphis Equipment Company, “the

nation's largest military vehicle and surplus

parts dealer.”

Memphis Equipment Company was just one of

founder Merle Strauch’s many businesses in

Memphis, but when he moved to California in the

late ‘70s, the dedicated employees came together to

buy the company to avoid its dissolution. It has

remained 100% employee-owned ever since.

Although the MainStreet Efficiency program wasn’t

the first time energy efficiency became available to

the company, it was the recommendation of a fellow

business that prompted Memphis Equipment Co.

Vice President and Secretary Doug Cummings to

take advantage of the opportunity.

Doug, who has been with the company for 20 years,

explained that after the recommendation and

receiving the program letter, he decided to take part.

After seeing the potential energy savings from the

business’ assessment, “the cost upfront was not a

main concern,” he said. Doug opted to invest above

the program incentive, spending over $11,000 for

new, more efficient lighting equipment. The business

has already realized savings on its first utility bill

since the upgrades. Doug is confident that the

business will recoup its investment in about a year

as well as save thousands in subsequent years.

Additionally, the upgrades promptly enhanced the

workspace. “These wood panel walls can get

dreary,” Doug explained. “Immediately…it was much

brighter.”

“The cost up front was not a main concern knowing that in a year or a little longer...we’re going to recoup that investment.”

-Doug Cummings, VP of Memphis Equipment Co

The goal of the MainStreet

Efficiency program is to help

small business owners drive

down operational costs by

becoming more energy

efficient.

In October 2013, TVA and

program partner EnerPath

expanded the MainStreet

Efficiency program to the

Memphis Light, Gas and

Water (MLGW) service area,

which serves over 35,000

small businesses.

This lighting program is

offered to MLGW small

business customers with an

average monthly demand of

50kW and under.

The program aims to assess

and upgrade over 1,300 small

businesses in just one year.

S