September 2019 - 6

IN FIRST SEAT
Moving to a new home

The term "bridge club" can have many different
meanings. Some are small, informal gatherings
of players at someone's home on a weekly basis.
Others are groups that meet in public spaces
such as libraries, while others take advantage
of space available in churches and synagogues.
More formal clubs will buy or rent a fixed location
dedicated entirely to playing bridge. Regardless of
the nature of the playing site, clubs are social organizations that provide
an important outlet for tens of thousands of people, many of whom treat
these spaces as a special, integral part of their lives.
The Bridge Bulletin occasionally publishes stories about communities
that choose to invest in building a new, permanent club structure after
years of playing in a temporary site or one that did not belong exclusively to the bridge players of the area. There is an excitement to such an
undertaking, and there are also risks - notably financial - but the love of
bridge drives these groups to take a chance and make a commitment to
the future of the game.
In my hometown of Memphis, there's another type of story unfolding. Earlier this year, the membership of the venerable M.A. Lightman
Bridge Club, which opened its doors in 1960, voted to move from its original location - which is near the geographic center of the city - to one
on the extreme edge of town, nearer the suburban, satellite cities. This
was not an easy decision to make. For almost 60 years, players had called
the building at 912 Kelley Road their bridge home, but a series of factors
caused the membership to approve the move by about a 2:1 margin.
The part of town where the club was originally located has changed
over the decades. The neighborhood is poorer, and crime is more of a
threat. Safety is important for everyone, especially for an older clientele, and the assault of a member in broad daylight two years ago fueled
discussion about a possible relocation.
In turn, the increasingly unattractive locale made the business of
bringing potential new members to the club a more daunting task. Not
only was Lightman saddled with the demographic and membership
challenges all clubs face, it had to do so burdened by a location that gave
some people second thoughts about attending.
In light of all this, the membership of the club voted to take the risk
and make the move. Even with the proceeds from the sale of the old
building, it was an expensive decision. But with the safety concerns
minimized, and with the club now located in a spot closer to many, many
more potential members, the Lightman club has taken its first step into
the future.
In an era when the game faces serious challenges, it's heartening to see
a group of players make the choice to risk change in the hope that others
will continue to enjoy the game in the future.
Paul Linxwiler, editor@acbl.org

6 Bridge Bulletin September 2019

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Bulletin
BRIDGE

Editor: Paul Linxwiler

Managing Editor: Sue Munday
Associate Editor: Chip Dombrowski
Graphic Design /Layout: Cindy Hill
BRIDGE BULLETIN (ISSN 1089-6376) is published
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September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2019