Great Overnight Replacement: The Federal Express Decline and Fall of Collierville, TN
Revolver | October 27, 2025 | Karl HollywoodConclusion
The story of FedEx’s decline and Collierville’s transformation is a microcosm of a quiet crisis that has been unfolding across the United States for decades, though it has accelerated greatly in the past five years. What began with a change in leadership from founder Fred Smith to CEO Raj Subramaniam has culminated in a vote of no confidence from its pilots, an exodus of loyal customers, and a community in the heart of Tennessee that is now unrecognizable to its lifelong residents.
In addition to which, I think I’ll add “Karl Hollywood” to my list of Witness Protection names.
I used to live in Collierville, and while I don’t disagree with anything in the Revolver article, I have to point out that C’ville was in a slide before the FedEx changes.
When we left in 2009, Shelby County schools (generally quite good) and Memphis city schools (appalling) were being merged, despite the best efforts of Shelby County residents to prevent this
But worse yet, there had been a brilliant move to relocate people out of slums in Memphis to government housing in the suburbs, including Collierville. The theory behind this was purported to be that all the crime and dysfunction in the inner city were caused by the location and not by the people, and giving them nicer surroundings would instantly cause them to become upstanding citizens. Surprising no one reading this website, there were gang problems in the local high school and middle school within the year.
I heard they even had to relocate all the Lot Lizards out of East Memphis too.
“Thank you, come again…”
“I think I’ll add “Karl Hollywood” to my list of Witness Protection names.”
Other suggestions:
Richard Shennarry (my friends call me Dick)
Jim Naziem
Haywood Jablomy