Greensboro Daily Photo

Z is for Zinc Kings

The Zinc Kings are an old-time band from right here in Greensboro, North Carolina. They met in 2008 in a music class at UNCG in a class called the Old Time Ensemble, led by Revell Carr. By 2010, Christen Blanton Mack, Dan Clouse, Mark Dillon, and Ryan Mack formalized their relationship and became a band.* Along the way, Christen and Ryan married; falling in love not only with old time music and with the Zinc Kings Band, but also with each other.

These extremely versatile and talented musicians can play bluegrass, jazz, and just about any sound you might need for a festive occasion. In the above photo, they were playing on December 20th at the Piedmont Old Time Society Presents series, held each Tuesday at Joymonger's Brewery Company on North Eugene Street. The Zinc Kings have quite a following and when they play, the old-time community comes out to support them. It was such a treat to listen to their music and we knew right away we would close out our A-Z Alphabet Series for ABC Wednesday with "Z" for Zinc Kings!

*Reference, and more information, here.

X is for the Xtra Ingredient during Xmas

The Extra Ingredient has been a Friendly Center institution since Art and Martha Nading opened it in 1985. The two of them work so hard to keep their store filled with all of the kitchen and tabletop items that you need to make your house a home. We stopped in today and marveled at how hard Art and Martha were working to help customers find just the perfect gifts. 

The above photo features the display of Christmas plates in the front of the store. Santa would be mighty happy to find cookies on one of these fine plates and platters. As always, shoppers had fresh coffee waiting for them, too. Nothing beats a store with a local proprietor on site. This store is so pretty, yet full of functional items for the house. Today is "X" Day on ABC Wednesday and, for our Alphabet Series,  we're saying that "X" is for The X-tra Ingredient, especially at Xmas!

W is for Wendover

Those of you who read Greensboro Daily Photo know that we try really hard to support locally-owned businesses. Today took us to West Wendover Avenue which is the super busy land of retail franchises. Wendover is Greensboro's major east/west street, connected to the interstates (I- 40, 73, 85) and main US highways (US220, 29, 421 & 70). It is hard to believe that Wendover was once  a small, sleepy road until it was widened in 1971 and paved in 1973. In 1972, car dealer Dean Green started buying land there for a car dealership, starting the wave of auto dealers who continue to dominate West Wendover today.

The above photo reflects the intensity of a trip down Wendover near the I-40 interchange. Driving defensively and allowing just enough stopping distance to be safe, yet not so much that people zip in front of you, seems to be the secret to having a save trip here. Today is ABC Wednesday, and for our A-Z Alphabet Series, "W" is for Wendover.* What are your thoughts about driving on busy roads with seemingly unlimited access to shopping the big box stores?

* See reference and more information about Wendover Avenue, here.

V is for the Vernon Building

The Vernon Building, built in 1883, is the oldest building remaining in the Old Greensborough Historic District. Located at the northwest corner of West Washington and South Elm Street, the Italianate building has been beautifully restored. While the first owner was actually Will Armfield, when the Vernon family purchased it in 1887, they added their name to the top of the building (see below). In addition to a street-level, retail floor and two floors of apartments, there is a penthouse on the fourth floor. 

The Vernon Building has had an array of businesses like the Vanstory Clothing Company in the early 1900s and the W.T. Grant Company in the 1970s. The Liberty Oak Restaurant has occupied part of the building since 1999, leaving Irving Park Plaza where it had been since 1980. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our 2016 Alphabet Round, "V" is for Vernon- and Vanstory.

 

U is for Urban Grinders

Greensboro has a relatively new coffee shop in the 200 block of North Elm Street, just down from Center City Park. It is called Urban Grinders. In the building that was formerly Bryson's jewelers, Urban Grinders bills itself as an art gallery inside of a coffee shop. They support local artists, feature arts events, and even have a time on Wednesday evening event that is an opportunity to create and caffeinate. Artists gather to create art and to inspire each other. Their coffee is from Krankie's in Winston-Salem and baked goods are from local bakers. They have been open since 2015 and the owners have invested quite a bit of time and money into making their coffee shop an inviting space. They are working hard to encourage people to stop at this "uptown" spot.

With this Friday, December 2nd,  being First Friday and the Festival of Lights, we hope Urban Grinders is open and people will stop in as they are strolling along Elm Street from Center City Park to the events closer to Hamburger Square. If you like good coffee, good art and an environment that inspires, you will enjoy this coffee shop. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet 2016 series, "U" is for "urban," specifically, Urban Grinders! Doesn't their window remind you that it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas? Wait until First Friday!

T is for Thanks

Today we would like to give thanks to all of our readers and friends who have encouraged us to continue Greensboro Daily Photo over the last nearly-eight years. For our ABC Wednesday series, we asked for suggestions for today's letter "T". Well, as mother time would have it, we weren't able to get out and photograph this week. Perhaps it is for the best, because it would have been nearly impossible to have selected one "T"  over the other. Here were the suggestions, the TANK Farm for oil products out by the airport; Temple Emanuel; Triad Behavioral Resources; Toys and Company; Table 16; Tessa Restaurant; Triad Meat Company; Tea Time Lounge; Tate Street Coffee House; Triad Auto Specialty; Triad Local First; Triad Yoga Institute; Taste of Ethiopia; Total Wine; Triad Beat Paper; Tumblebees Gymnasium; T Mobile; Traveled Farmer Restaurant; and Tasting Room. Is that not a fabulous array of options? Thank you, Jane, Lynn, Bobby, Nanny, Megan, Bigi, Amy, Cynthia and Katja for sharing suggestions. We hope we thanked everybody and named each suggestion; we love them all.

We want to point out a special business (suggested twice), Triad Auto Specialty, Inc. out on Cessna Drive. They have been known for being caring, competent, and trustworthy crew since opening in 1978. This business is so appreciative of customers that they even sent flowers to a longtime customer when she was in the hospital this past month. Indeed, Greensboro is lucky to have people like the folks at Triad Auto Specialty. So, for ABC Wednesday, our waning leaf photo on TREES around TOWN, represents the THANKS that we want to give all of you for making our effort on this community blog all worthwhile. (See our A-S entries, here).

S is for Southern

J. Douglas Gaylon Depot was originally built in 1927 and was known as the Greensboro Southern Railway Depot. The remnants of the original Southern Railway Depot can still be seen on South Elm Street. However, the above station is located on East Washington Street. While Southern Railway gave up service in 1979, the station was reopened to the public in 2005. At present, Amtrak trains use the station, as do Greensboro and intercity busses.* The above mural, being admired by three visitors, features the railway's service area from back in the 1920s.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet "S" entry, "S" is for Southern. We love the "SR" at the railway station reminding us that "The Southern serves the south."  We also like the one with patina on the manhole cover just down the street from the train station. If you haven't visited this station, it is worth stopping by to enjoy this piece of Greensboro's transportation history. 

*reference, here.

R is for Replacements

Replacements is a homegrown business in Greensboro. They are the world's largest retailer of dishes, china, and sterling flatware. Located on Knox Rd. in McLeansville, Replacements can be seen easily from the interstate just east of Greensboro. Bob Page opened the business in 1981. He left his job as auditor in North Carolina to pursue his dream of starting a mail order business out of his small attic on North Elm Street in Greensboro. Today, the multi-million dollar business and, if we read Wikipedia correctly, after several expansions of their warehouse and consolidating all of their locations, the Knox Road location has a million square feet.*

In 1986, Replacements was identified as one of the fastest growing businesses in the United States. Even Oprah Winfrey and the Vatican have shopped here! Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet series, "R" is for Replacements- an appropriate word for the day after a presidential election. 

* reference.

Q is for Quaker Village

Quaker Village is owned by Ashton Properties in Charlotte. They have worked hard to update the property and bring in new tenants like the Wal-Mart neighborhood store. They have also renovated 44,000 sq. ft. of small shops, expanding the Quaker Village footprint. Quaker Village opened in 1964 and suffered bankruptcy in 2010. It looks as if they are recovering nicely. We sure hope, so as it is nice to see places that have been around for over fifty years get updated, as needed, and continue to thrive.

The QV strip mall is very convenient to people living off West Friendly Avenue and the New Garden/College Road area. There are stores like Starbucks and Menchie's Frozen Yogurt that encourage people to linger and socialize. There are plenty of restaurant options from Mexican, Taquería El Azteca, to Italian at Elizabeth's Pizza. There are other shops like Quaker Village Barber and Style Shop that have a good reputation for keeping clients happy through the generations.  With Guilford College just across the street, students are able to enjoy time off-campus even if they don't have a vehicle.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet round, "Q" is for "Quaker Village".  See A-P, here.

 

Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas is a natural gas distributor serving North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. They get their gas primarily from the the Gulf Coast in the United States. The company began operation in 1951 in New York and merged with a North Carolina Company, coming here in 1994. At the beginning of the month, they were acquired by Duke Energy (October 3rd 2016). Between Piedmont's 1 million customers and Duke Energy's 8 million customers, the combined operation is serving about 9 million people. That is a lot of revenue from natural gas and electricity. As seen in the above sign at the facility on Greengate Drive, the cost of natural gas is currently 1.36 per unit. The gated corporate building is tucked between Randalman Road and South Elm-Eugene Street, off Corliss Drive.

Piedmont Natural Gas won a platinum award fitness award from the National Heart Association for the last five years. They earned this designation for their healthy work environment. Let's hope the fit-friendly trend continues now that they are part of an even bigger company. The above pole with the rectangular top, to the right of the company sign, is a solar panel. It looks like the company is energy efficient, too. If you really want to get to know Greensboro, we suggest you explore some of these off-the-beaten-path places. Thanks to ABC Wednesday, which motivates us to explore the A-Zs of our city, we get to see so many interesting businesses, places, people and venues in Greensboro. Today is ABC Wednesday and "P" is for Piedmont (our region between the mountains and the coast) and for Piedmont Natural Gas. If you want to look back on the A-O entries for our 2016 Alphabet series, see, here.

 

O is for Olive Oil

Fall 2011, Midtown Olive Oil opened in Greensboro at Friendly Center. They sell a variety of handcrafted, small batch, balsamic vinegars and olive oils from around the world. The extra virgin olive oils are crushed at precisely the right time so they won' be too bitter, nor too acidic. In the above photo, Julie is sealing bottles so the oil and vinegar will stay fresh and won't spill. If you haven't been to Midtown Olive Oil before, Julie and Kathy (not photographed) will walk you through the flavors and suggested pairings. Some oils, like the French Roasted Walnut, have quite a history. It is made from a method that is over 150 years old. The citrusy Eureka Lemon is produced by pressing whole lemons and olives together. The balsamic vinegars are equally interesting. Some contain fruits, others have combinations of savory spice flavors. These flavors that can turn a simple bag of greens into a gourmet salad. 

Today, we're thankful for ABC Wednesday, because the meme inspires us to learn the A-Z details of Greensboro. While we didn't find a giant "O"for our A-Z 2016 Alphabet Series, we did find the lovely cursive one (below) at Midtown Olive Oil. We learned from our visit that a good balsamic vinegar, mixed with a splash of olive oil, is about as good as it gets for salad dressing. 

N is for News

This very beautiful and creative bench is located in front of the News and Record Office at East Market Street. It is made of bronze and the sheets of metal represent different iterations of the newspapers in Greensboro over the years: Greensboro Record, News & Record, The Daily Record, Greensboro Daily News, The Greensboro Daily Record, and the Greensboro News and Record. Actual front pages of the newspaper are accurately engraved on the sheets, sight down to the date the event happened in what appears to be a 16-font. There is so much detail. The 7' x 10' x 4' bench was made in 2004 by Jim Gallucci, whose work can be seen all over town; from the airport to his workspace in south Greensboro, and beyond.

In trying to learn about the history of newspapers in Greensboro, we came across a digital collection that UNCG makes available online. It features Greensboro newspapers published between 1826 and 1946- 120 years of news in a format for all to access.*

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our 2016 Alphabet Series, "N" is for News (& Record). We would like to thank our dear friend and faithful reader, Jane Mitchell, for agreeing to pose on the bench. It looks so much better when it is being enjoyed.

*See the digital newspaper collection, here.  See more on News & Record, North Carolina's third largest newspaper, here, and more about Jim Gallucci, here and another view of the benches, here. Click on the thumbnail below to get a better idea of the detail.

M is for Mack & Mack

Today is "M" Day on ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet Series 2016, we again feature Mack and Mack. They are a local business owned and operated by local people, collaborating to serve the Greensboro community as much as possible. In the above window at Mack and Mack, they are featuring scarves made by Artist Hollis Gabriel and Fabric Printer Anne Schroth and Buddhist Temple Ladies who hem the scarves. The clothing is handmade at Mack and Mack's shop. Local, collaborative, small business is so popular in the 21st century and a great way to remain connected to the community. 

Robin Mack Davis founded Mack and Mack in 1995. She loves to help customers put together just the right outfit for any given event. If you don't see what you want, with enough lead time, Robin could probably make it for you. Currently, they are having a great sale. Designer clothing, from fabric designed and printed by local artists, is more affordable than you think! Below, see a photo from Robin when we interviewed her and the "M" from the shop window for the  alphabet series!                 

L is for Lucky 32

Lucky 32 is a restaurant on Westover Terrace that likes to offer local produce, seasonal food, and live, local music. Wes Collins and Angela Easterling, two very talented singer-songwriters, were playing at Lucky 32 last night as part of their Tuesday "Songs from a Southern Kitchen" series. They were personable, talented musicians and the crowd seemed to enjoy them. If you missed their show at Lucky 32,  Angela will be playing at the "Tunes at Noon" series, today in LeBauer Park, and then she is headed back to her home state of South Carolina.

We need to return to Lucky 32 soon, because today, the seasonal section of the menu changes over to the fall selections. If previous years are any indication, the fall menu will be full of rich autumn flavors and slightly heavier than their summer menu. 

As seen below, Lucky 32 has a mural of art depicting scenes of Greensboro. If you are local, you will appreciate their drawing of a square hamburger. They also sell locally sourced fresh veggies and homemade sauces. You can go to Lucky 32 strictly for the meal, or you can seek out all of the restaurant's nods to the local community.  Today is ABC Wednesday, and for our Greensboro Alphabet Series 2016, "L" is for Lucky and, indeed, we are lucky to have a Lucky 32 Restaurant in our community. 

 

K is for K&W Cafeteria

K&W Cafeteria has been a Greensboro institution for decades. Both the South Holden Road and the Northline Drive locations have many regular customers who get the same items every time they eat there. The above photo features the early part of the food line at the Northline Drive location which moves along from salads, meats/entree foods, vegetables, desserts, and breads to beverages. It is easy to fill a tray with salads and a hearty portions of meat, get a few vegetables, and realize by the end of the line that there is no way you'll have room for dessert. 

K&W has its roots in Winston-Salem, where, in 1935,  Grady Allred, Sr. went to work in a coffee shop owned by T.K. Knight and three Wilson brothers. Soon, the name of the shop was changed to K&W. Eventually Allred bought out Knight and the Wilsons and became sole owner. He opened a High Point location and stumbled on the idea for a cafeteria when rebuilding after a fire in 1952. The Northline Drive location opened in 1976, forty years ago. 

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z 2016 Alphabet Series, "K" is for K&W Cafeteria. Just seeing a photo of the food line is making us hungry. If you are in the mood for good southern cooking-- everything from fried chicken livers to turnip greens to sweet tea to homemade pies and cakes-- K&W is a good choice.  

Jae-Mar

Jae-Mar Brass and Lamp Company is located at 102 Barnhardt Street, at the railroad tracks just off of South Elm Street. This local company has been in business since 1983. They repair, clean, and refinish brass pieces and rewire lamps. Jar-Mar is one of those businesses that thrives by word-of-mouth. People come from throughout the State to this unique shop with the low Internet profile. They also have been around long enough to witness the drying up and resurgence of small, privately-owned specialty businesses.

Since Jae-Mar has been in their current location, they have seen Barnhardt Street improve tremendously, getting many new businesses and a big parking lot connecting Lewis Street. This new development has brought considerable foot traffic to the area. If you peek in the window, the owners, the Forsters seem to be hard at work. If you know how they got their name, please let us know. We forgot to ask last time we used their services. Maybe O. Henry Magazine or some other form of local media will do a segment on this homegrown business.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ABC Alphabet Series, "J" is for Jae-Mar.

I is for IHOP and More in Irving Park!

The International House of Pancakes opened their first store in 1958. They started using the acronym IHOP in 1973. They built their last A frame IHOP in 1979. We can't find any Greensboro-specific IHOP history, but, if you remember the A-frame building at the corner of Chapman and Spring Garden Street, we've heard it used to be an IHOP. However, property records indicate the building pre-dates IHOP, as it was built in 1938. If you remember when IHOP first came to town, and its location, we'd love for you to share this information. 

The above IHOP is located on Green Valley Road near Irving Park. We were looking for an "I" to feature for ABC Wednesday for our ABC Alphabet 2016 Round and were having trouble finding an "I" business. Arriving at IHOP at sunset, we suddenly so many "I" places within less than a mile. We are featuring a few below. 

Click on the thumbnails if you want to make them larger. Now, we're in the mood for pancakes!

H is for Happy Tails

Happy Tails Emergency Veterinary Clinic on Battleground Avenue is one of Greensboro's after-hour vet clinics. Not unlike the fire department, emergency vet clinics are the kind of place you might not notice unless you need their services! When something happens to a pet at night or on the weekend, it is comforting to know that help is available. Happy Tails if open all night, every night and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. Currently, they are preparing for the Labor Day holiday weekend. Accidents tend to happen when our schedules change, guests are in the house, or our pets are away from their usual surroundings. So, be careful this weekend!

Happy Tails opened in 2008 and is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. They are there not only to help you patch up your pet, but also to help you make those difficult end-of-life decisions. With a largely female team, these veterinarians are great role models to encourage women in science. Today is ABC Wednesday and for this 2016 ABC Alphabet Round, we have been trying to feature giant letters. We couldn't find a giant "H" around town but we are super HAPPY with Happy Tails. Since currently we have two dogs, two birds, and a rabbit, we give them a 12-paw, 4-claw, 5-tail salute!  

G is for Guilford, Greensboro, Grasshoppers, Greenway

So much in Greensboro starts with the letter "G." From the city, to the county, to the baseball team, to its mascot we are a community of "G's": Greensboro, Guilford, Grasshoppers, Guilford. In the above photo, Guilford, the Grasshopper is waving at people passing the stadium. Our minor league baseball team has been around since 2003 and the 7,499 seat stadium opened in 2005.

Greensboro's minor league baseball team has also been a hornet and a bat; however, people seem pretty happy with Guilford the Grasshopper. Minor league baseball games are great fun, especially on nights with fireworks. The next home games are next Tuesday and Wednesday (August 30 & 31). Hope to see you there.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for this Alphabet Round, "G" is for all of the above. Note the photos below, a print and cursive "G" and Guilford smiling and waving at us.

Happy Midweek, dear readers.

 

F is for Friends

Friends Homes at Guilford is located at 925 Guilford College Road, just across the street from Guilford College. The 20-acre campus started with 24 homes in 1968 and has continued to thrive and expand over the last 48 years. The parent non-profit group, Friends Homes, Inc., has been around since 1958, when it was founded by the North Carolina Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends. Friends are also known as Quakers and the Quakers settled in Greensboro early in our history. Wholeness, togetherness, and camaraderie are examples of the friendly, Quaker principles. Hence the reason that so much in Greensboro has the name "friend" in it. Friendly Acres, Friendly Center, Friendly Road, to name a few examples. 

When we were on site photographing, yesterday, several people talked to us. Residents had a friendly awareness of the fact that we were wandering around their campus. The facility has beautiful landscapes and common areas. Residents who are still living independently put considerable effort into individualizing their space and attracting birds to their sitting areas. Below, you see a few examples. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our 2016 Alphabet Series, "F" is for "Friends," where every day feels like an episode from the old TV show "Cheers" and everyone knows your name!

 

 

 

E is for Empire Room

The Empire Room is a venue for entertainment, corporate events, and weddings in Greensboro. The ballroom is located at 203 South Elm Street, alongside the Regency Room and in the building that was built in 1949 for the Ellis Stone Department Store. The 9,500 sure foot Empire Room can accommodate up to 800 people. Part of the charm of the Empire room is the 30 ft. ceilings. Of course, the crystal chandeliers, the floor-to-ceiling glass balconies that overlook Elm Street, and the food catered by the Painted Plate add to the elegance of the evening.

The "E" logo is the first thing you see from street level, just before you go through the second set of glass doors to ascend to the Empire Room. If you are local, we hope you get to attend an event here, if you haven't done so already. Today is ABC Wednesday, and for our "E" in the Prominent Alphabet Series, "E" is for Empire!

D is for Downtown, Specifically 1618 DOWNTOWN

The 1618 Downtown location is an extension of the 1618 Seafood Grille on Friendly Avenue and the 1618 Wine Lounge. The restaurant, photographed above just before dinner, is located on South Elm Street, near Scuppernong Books and across the street from Cheesecake by Alex. We read that owner/manager Nick Wyatt loved the historic building and the fact that it was centrally located. The building is known as the Book Trader Building, harkening back to the days it was a bookstore. The restaurant seats 65 and also has a retail wine store inside.*

We hope that the owner will add some history to the restaurant's website. It would be nice to know more about the building, as well as the date that it opened. We're estimating it has been open for about a year and a half. The restaurant takes its name, 1618 DOWNTOWN,  from the fact that it is located downtown and that the original restaurant has a street address of 1618 Friendly Avenue. When looking for it, do not be confused, given the address for 1618 DOWNTOWN is actually 312 South Elm Street.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Alphabet 2016 Series with the letters prominently displayed, "D" is for "DOWNTOWN." This sign was painted by Greensboro artist, Sage Hanna Betts. We had another contender for the "D" slot, which we will feature tomorrow. It is a "D" word that is important to Greensboro, but we were simply smitten by Sage Hanna's letters-  the all-caps font with the skyline featured inside. Brilliant!

C is for Connect. Cowork. Convene.

The Chamber of Commerce in Greensboro has established a workspace for early stage entrepreneurs to lease desk space to work on launching their businesses. The workspace is known as an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ideas and best practices get shared as people network and learn to market and launch their businesses. The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the parent organization of COL-LAB, is currently located at 342 North Elm Street, and the COL-LAB is located right around the corner at 229 North Greene Street. 

The 4,773 square foot COL-LAB has conference rooms, classrooms, giant dry-erase boards, high-speed internet, and so much more. Collaborative urban work spaces are trending and Greensboro, with multiple, collaborative spaces, is on the forefront of that trend. Today is ABC Wednesday and for this Greensboro Alphabet 2016 Round, "C" is for COL-LAB, where you can Connect. Cowork. Convene. The photo below shows several entrepreneurs working on making their dreams reality. The above photo shows the office manager who works hard for the members. Not featured is the free coffee supplied by Biscuitville. Check it out!

   

B is for Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Central North Carolina/Greensboro is located at 529 College Road in northwest Greensboro, very near Guilford College. For over 100 years, the BBB has been setting standards for business practices and helping consumers make informed choices, helping them identify ethical and trustworthy businesses. The BBB makes effort to ensure that businesses are truthful in their advertising. The provide services for businesses and consumers. Their motto is "Start with trust." Visit their website, here. The BBB was an Angie's List, long before there was an Angie's List. As a matter of fact, Angie's List is accredited with the BBB.

Now that business is conducted not only in brick and mortar places, but also over the phone, and online, the BBB is busier than ever. For example, right now, they are warning of a phone scam targeting recent college graduates with debt (see, here). A visit to the BBB sounds like it would be a good field trip for high school students, especially with the efforts to incorporate more financial literacy into the curriculum. 

Truthfully, when we set out to find the BBB, we assumed it would be downtown. We were surprised of the above location, but loved the fact that there is convenient parking all around the building. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ALPHABET ROUND, "BBB" is for Better Business Bureau. If you live in Greensboro and you see any businesses with letters featured prominently, please give us some ideas. We were so delighted to drive up and find the BBB so prominently displayed!

A is for Al's Furniture and Appliance

Al's Used Furniture and Appliance Store has been a fixture in the 500 block of South Elm Street for at least two decades. And, best we can remember, that 3' tall "A" has been in that window for close to two decades. That "A" is about to leave the building as the 9,400 square ft., one story building is for sale. With all of the new businesses on the block, as well as on adjacent Lewis Street, Al's is sure to get its million plus price tag. The building is braced with steel beams, as opposed to columns, so the space can be used for about anything.  Al's is one of those old school second hand stores, one that is brimming with items, floor to ceiling. Perhaps when it gets emptied out, they will leave that "A" for provenance. Perhaps it can be incorporated into the name of the new business. The building was built in 1940 and last renovated in 1960. What do you think should go in this space? Any ideas? Do you think they will build up or leave it a one-story structure? It will be fun to monitor the transformation.

Today starts a new round of ABC Wednesday. For this round, we're going to make sure the featured letter of the alphabet appears in the photo. Therefore, for ABC Wednesday Round 19, "A" is for the "A" at Al's Furniture and Appliance.