Our History

On November 7, 1985, Taekwondo University officially opened its doors in the Apple Tree Center on Mount Moriah Road in Memphis, launching a legacy of community, discipline, and excellence. Growth came quickly. In April 1986, the school brought on Randy Edwards, who would climb the ranks over the decades to become an 8th Degree Chief Master and owner of Fayetteville Taekwondo. By 1988, the vision expanded with the opening of Bartlett Taekwondo, with Chief Master Edwards stepping in as its very first Chief Instructor to anchor the new location.

The early ‘90s marked a massive era of expansion and permanent roots. In 1990, Darie Burton moved to Memphis to manage the Bartlett school, beginning a journey that would see him achieve the prestigious rank of Grand Master. In February 1991, a major milestone was reached with the construction and opening of our dedicated facility at 3569 Hickory Hill (at Winchester), which served as a powerhouse of martial arts training for the next 17 years. The momentum continued into 1994 with the opening of Cordova Taekwondo, initially managed by Gordon Cummins and later purchased by Mark Metts. It was during this thriving era that Collierville Taekwondo was also launched, producing leaders like first manager Brody Wiggins—now a detective with the Memphis Police Department—and Thomas Oakes, who eventually purchased the location.

With established hubs running across Memphis, Bartlett, Cordova, and Collierville, the late 1990s became a golden era of consolidation, high-level training, and deep community integration. The Hickory Hill headquarters became a landmark for families in the area, consistently producing elite martial artists, regional competitors, and future instructors. The focus of this era was entirely on refining the curriculum, strengthening the branch schools, and cementing the school’s reputation as the premier Taekwondo institution in the Mid-South.

As Taekwondo University entered the new millennium, the long-term impact of its training became undeniable. The students who had walked through the doors as children in the mid-to-late ‘80s were now stepping into leadership roles themselves. The network of schools continued to thrive under the guidance of dedicated masters and instructors, proving that the family-owned business wasn’t just teaching martial arts, it was actively shaping the next generation of business owners, civic leaders, and high-ranking black belts.

After 17 incredible years at the Hickory Hill location, the late 2000s brought a period of strategic transitions and new neighborhoods. In 2008, the school established a strong five-year presence at the Walmart center at Shelby Drive and Riverdale. Simultaneously, the Bartlett location on Highway 70 continued to anchor the northern front, operating under the exceptional leadership of Joe Simon and Chad Connolly, ensuring that no matter how the regional landscape changed, the standard of training remained absolute.

This era was defined by agility, bringing martial arts directly to new pockets of the community. After wrapping up a successful run at the Shelby and Riverdale location in 2013, the school expanded its reach with a dedicated five-year tenure in Olive Branch (OB) near the Kroger center, alongside a three-year training presence at Hacks Cross and Route 302. These moves allowed the school to bring its rich heritage to a fresh generation of students across state lines.

In 2015, Taekwondo University found a beloved home on College Street, starting in the shopping center next to the Piggly Wiggly for two years before moving directly into the main complex, where it continues to thrive to this day. To accommodate growing demand and specialized training, an additional location was opened above Jason’s Deli in 2019, running alongside the long-standing Bartlett Highway 70 location, which continued its strong run under Simon and Connolly.

Like many historic institutions, the turn of the decade brought unprecedented challenges with the arrival of COVID-19, which forced the closure of the Jason’s Deli and Bartlett Highway 70 locations. However, the foundation built over 35 years proved unbreakable. Anchored by the enduring Olive Branch location, the school persevered through the pandemic.

The year 2025 marked the most monumental chapter in our history, bringing four decades of martial arts excellence full circle. In August 2025, after 40 years of unwavering leadership, community impact, and shaping thousands of lives, Grand Master Terry Brumley officially retired, passing the torch and full ownership of the school to his son, Alex Brumley. This historic transition of leadership beautifully set the stage for November 2025, when Taekwondo University officially celebrated its landmark 40th Anniversary, honoring the incredible legacy built by the first generation while stepping boldly into the future under the second.