Greensboro Daily Photo

Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market

This past weekend, the Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market on Sandy Ridge was filled with beautiful plants and people were out getting flowers and vegetables to plant in their gardens. The parking lots were full; such a drastic change from this time last year. As you can see in the background, people were honoring the wearing of masks and making an effort to socially distance. As you can see in the foreground, the available plants are healthy and beautiful. 

This large indoor/outdoor market is one of five operated by the state of North Carolina. If you are in a farmers market sort of cook, here is a list of farmers markets throughout North Carolina. Every time you visit another community throughout North Carolina, a stop at the farmers market is a great way to get to know a community!

Happy Monday!

South End Brewing Company

South End Brewery in located downtown on Lewis Street in the building that formerly housed Gibbs, and Lewis Street Antiques before that. This part of downtown Greensboro is actually called Southend now. The artwork on the building and the telephone pole is quite eye-catching as you approach from the Lewis Street Parking Lot. 

The business is part of the booming trend to brew beer on site. They actually have their own brewer, William Brown who got his start home brewing and as part of the Battleground Brewing Guild. With all of the local expertise in beer brewing and all of these institutions of higher education, likely, it is a matter of time until one of the colleges or universities offers a degree in fermentation studies. NC State offers a fermentation engineering continuing education course and Appalachian State offers a degree. To our knowledge that opportunity is not currently available in the Triad, but the infrastructure is here!

Stop by South End today and you will probably see lots of people here. We were there on a weekday. Happy Saturday! 

Gaslight Apartments

The Gaslight Apartments are located in the 1100 block of West Friendly Avenue on the southern edge of Westerwood. The apartments/condos are part of a 16-unit complex, just west of the Friendly Avenue Baptist Church. They have twelve one-bedroom and four two bedroom units. They are owned by the Kairys Group, a commercial real estate company located in Chapel Hill. The Kairys Group purchased the apartments, renovated them, and have made quite a return on their investment. 

Also part of the renovation was painting the red brick and enhancing the landscaping. We always notice the Gaslight Apartments when the trees in front are blossoming. The pale pink blossoms really make the off-white, brick apartments stand out. Have a look next time you are driving by. And do hurry, the trees are greening out before our eyes.

Women of Greensboro: Michelle Jarrett

We'll close out Women's History Month with a photo of  the super creative, loads-of-fun, Greensboro artist, Michelle Jarrett. Michelle's business is FUNKY BY NATURE. We met up with her on Monday afternoon in her Greensboro studio.Just look at that heartfelt smile!  Michelle's talent is taking random scraps and repurposing them into fabulous works of art. She is currently working on metal yard flowers for an upcoming virtual art show (#southerncharmatthefarm). 

Michelle, originally from Philadelphia, has been in Greensboro for decades. She worked as a chef and caterer for 30 years before working another decade in jewelry making. Now, she has formed her own business, truly turning trash into treasure. Visiting Michelle's studio is like stepping into the pages of a Somerset Magazine feature on an artist's studio. Michelle is super organized; you can ask for anything from shards of stained glass to brass crimp beads to wire cutters and she can put her hands on the item within seconds. Currently, she is working on a pink poodle lamp with a shade made of pink plastic hair rollers. Fun, fun, fun! Design and creativity merge when Michelle is in the house. Follow her Funky by Nature Facebook page to learn more about her unique, upcycled, and unconventional decor.

If you want an opportunity to purchase Michelle's art, you can also contact her at 336-707- 7794.

Oden Brewing Company: The Façade

Yesterday's view on GDP was the back yard of Oden Brewing, the part behind the houses on the west side of the building. Today, we share the facade of Oden Brewing, located at 802 West Gate City Boulevard. If you are local, likely, you have noticed this this brick structure- vacant for years. The building has one of those fee- good stories of the younger generation preserving a little bit of the past. This story is even sweeter given the Oden family, brothers Bill and John, and their families, have resorted the building that once housed their great grandfather's bottling plant. According to their website, "William L. "Fate" Oden operated his soft drink bottling plant in the towering industrial building formerly known as Buffalo Rock Bottling Plant." 

At the height of the bottling of soft drinks, in the late 40s early 50s, there were ten bottling plants in Greensboro (read the 1998 News & Record article, here). It also appears that Buffalo Rock actually dates back to 1901 in Birmingham, Alabama, and that the above building would have been part of the network of Buffalo Rock bottlers and distributers. While plastic has long since beat out glass in the soft drink bottling industry, beer is still bottled in glass (or cans) and the Bill and John Oden family bottling beer in the very site that their great grandfather built a bottling business. Somehow, that story just seems for fitting in spring- the key season for rebirth and renewal.

Oden Brewing Company Where the Past Steps into the Future!

West Gate City Boulevard was hopping on Saturday night. Oden Brewing Company, located at 802 W. Gate City Boulevard, is part of the change happening to the Gate City Boulevard area.  The Oden building is a large garage-type brick structure used as a brewery (not photographed here).  Odom also owns the two houses photographed above and the property surrounding them. The houses date to the early 20th century and are being renovated to their original charm. Saturday  afternoon and into the evening, people gathered here to listen to good music, drink a few pints, and eat some really good BBQ out of the food truck on site. The surprising feature of the whole complex is the ample parking on this combined lot. Also, there are exit/entrances on Gate City Boulevard as well as onto Tate Street.

Most patrons on Saturday night spent their time on the porch or the picnic tables, stools, and chairs in the yard. Some elected to remain inside and the weather was warm enough to keep the doors open, bringing the outside in. It is really encouraging to see old buildings and houses get restored and repurposed, as opposed to tearing them down and building new. This trend will help Greensboro retain its old-world charm, keeping a foot in the past while also remaining relevant into the future! Here, you can be in public, just west of downtown, but have the feeling you are on a friend's farm out in rural North Carolina! Soon, we'll feature the Oden building soon and share its back story. Stay tuned!

Cone Health Facility at North Battleground & Drawbridge Pkwy.

Those of you who have been around Greensboro since the mid-1990s and before remember a very different North Battleground Avenue- near Horse Pen Creek. Twenty-five or so years ago, North Battleground seemed almost like driving out to the country. That was when Laddie and Duke's Irish Pub was busy serving up corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, onion ring loafs, Irish lamb stew, fish and chips, sandwiches and more. That restaurant has long been razed. two gas stations, two drug stores, and two auto parts store are part of the new landscape.

However, more recently, the property at the corner at Drawbridge Parkway and North Battleground is really transforming. First the Urban Loop I-840 passes right by with an exit right there. What used to be a Kentucky Fried Chicken is now a Jake's Diner. What used to be a Food Lion is being transformed into the above medical facility. Brasfield and Gorrie have the contract to build the Cone Health Med Center on the 8 acre lot.  The facility will be 150,000 square feet and will be for emergencies, imaging, and an outpatient medical oncology and rehabilitation service. It will be exciting to follow the progress on this facility. As you can see from the image above, the facility has really started taking shape.

The facility will be just down the road from Well-Spring Retirement Community and Kernodle Middle School. If you haven't driven on Drawbridge Parkway and North Battleground since the Laddie and Duke's days, you owe yourself this adventure! Happy Monday!  

*For those of you who want a little more Greensboro nostalgia, here is an article about Laddie and Duke's, written by John Batchleor for the News and Record back in 1996. Thank goodness for good writers and newspapers and (digital) paper trails!

Downtown Greensboro #DGSOTOGO

Downtown Greensboro Incorporated is an economic development organization. The staff works tirelessly to ensure that downtown businesses, venues, and public spaces have what they need to thrive. This has been no easy task during the pandemic. They also work to see that community events like Fun Fourth and the Festival of Lights operate, as feasible. Their committees include 1) economic development; 2) fundraising; and 3) events and entertanment. The Downtown Greensboro organization was formed in 1997, and has been in their current location (536 South Elm Street) for five years. The above photo features part of the staff, from left to right: Zack Matheny, Joy Ross, Keith Holliday, and Stacy Calfo.

We had the good opportunity to meet everyone when we went into their office yesterday to collect a prize. Downtown Greensboro is currently holding a drawing where people who make purchases of $25 or more downtown have the chance to win $500 and the business where they shopped also wins $500. While we didn't win the cash prize, we won a very generous shopping bag full of t-shirts and items celebrating Greensboro.

Downtown Greensboro does so much for the community; read about them at this link ( which was one of our primary sources for information). And stay tuned, when we were visiting, they had just finished a meeting planning future events for the remainder of 2021. Hats off to this fine group and organization. Let's all show them a little love and head downtown this afternoon. It isn't First Friday, but it is always a Fun Friday-  in downtown Greensboro!

Oscar Oglethorpe Eyewear in the 200 Block of South Elm

Oscar Oglethorpe is a great place to get your eyes examined and to purchase trendy (and practical) frames, at a great price. They are located at 226 South Elm Street. So often, when we walk by, the window displays bring us big smiles. The display this month evokes fun in the sun and billowy clouds in the sky. The above photo is only a fraction of the display, but sunny days make the window decorations hard to photograph, due to glare. Last time we featured the window, in 2016, the person who worked this window magic was Tammy Pegram of Tammy Can Re-Design. Surely, Tammy continues to provide these fabulous displays. The 200 block of South Elm has the creative posters at Triad Stage, and across the street from both of these businesses is Thousands O' Prints. They, too, are known for fabulously curated window displays. 

At Oscar Oglethorpe's, not only are the window displays enticing, the staff is super client oriented. They have this way of finding glasses that are perfect for you, helping just enough to steer you in the right direction, without actually making the decision for you. Do call for an appointment, though. They work really hard at keeping you safe from Covid! Get some new glasses or sunglasses, buy a poster, eat some good tacos, get a pedicure, and never have to leave the South 200 block of Elm... unless of course you want to slip around the corner and eat at Liberty Oak, which, by the way, serves breakfast now!

Doggos Dog Park and Pub

At Doggos Dog Park and Pub, humans get in free and canine companions pay a fee. Above, owners Paula and Keith are featured in front of the wall of canines at the entrance. We interviewed Paula briefly on Saturday as she was super busy taking care of  customers. Doggos is located at 1214 Battleground Avenue, relocating there about a year ago from West Market Street. Their current location is the former Landrover lot; just look for the brightly colored exterior wall. Doggos is the first dog park/pub in Greensboro. We stopped by on Saturday afternoon, first noticing all of the fun everyone was having while en route to The Tiny Greenhouse. It was a sunny day and dogs were romping around joyfully as owners sat around socializing, socially distanced, outside. This midtown business is a hit with humans and all of the dogs give it a four paws up.

Here is a link to the Doggos website where you can learn about day, monthly, and annual passes. Annual members have access to members-only events and great "pawties." Humans must be over 21 and dogs must be friendly, fixed, and vaccinated. By the looks of the way the dogs were interacting the other day, the dog park/pub concept is a great one. And you can be sure Paula and Keith know the names of the canine members. As we were leaving, Paula addressed a Rhodesian ridgeback by name as he walked through the door. You could tell by the spring in his walk that he knew where he was going and that he was going to have a lot of fun. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE!

In Greensboro, we love to celebrate birthdays. Yesterday, our dear friend, Jane Mitchell celebrated a birthday and our mutual friend Alice Hill had the yard sign installed through Triad Yard Cards   (see also here). The day was sunny in Sunset Hills and those colorful signs simply popped, bringing so much joy to all who were celebrating with Jane. Mrs. GDP actually got to be in the photo because "Doc" from the locally-owned Fordham Cleaners happened to be dropping off dry cleaning in the neighborhood and took the photo for us. Serendipitously, it was also Doc's birthday! That was such a fun little moment of joy. The other ladies in the photo were dropping off flowers, balloons, and goodies from the Beta Delta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an organization for key women educators. From left to right: Janis, Alice, Myra, Jane, Sheila, and Elaine.

Jane has been a dedicated supporter of Greensboro Daily Photo from the beginning. She often gives suggestions and even helps us arrange meetings with people to feature. Every single person in the photo can tell you how Jane has touched their life, and these are just a few of Jane's many, many friends. In these pandemic times, when we have all had to be socially distanced for so long, it feels good to be vaccinated and cautiously finding ways to celebrate each other. The yard-card birthday greeting was absolutely the icing on the cake. May we all find ways to bring each other joy- whether it is a birthday or not!

Pop Art and 7-Eleven on West Market Street

Imagine driving along West Market Street and spotting a giant, 20' tall inflatable SLURPEE toppled along the side of the road. Such was the case at that 7- Eleven yesterday. The sun was shining late in the day and it looked like a giant piece of pop art. It is times like this we had a fashion model with us to add a person to the photo. It is at a new 7-11 Convenience store at the Spring Garden/Muirs Chapel intersection in the plaza known as "Shoppes on Market'.  There are red racing flags strung along the front of the store at the gas pumps and, in front of it all, the above-photographed, horizontal SLURPEE. From the looks of a website for this 7-Eleven location (HERE), this store might actually be available for purchase.  7-Eleven opened its first North Carolina Stores in the 1960s but left the state in 1988*.  Since about 2012, they have been aggressively re-entering the North Carolina market. Perhaps the Market Street store is part of that initiative.

If you have driven past that intersection lately, you might have noticed the new construction, the sprucing up, and the rejuvenation at Shoppes on Market. Also in that plaza, new business will open in the former location of the Goodwill. It is currently getting the insulation and exterior work completed. It is always nice to see older shopping centers being refurbished. If you know of other such projects in Greensboro, let us know. We'll try to get by to photograph them! 

Happy Tuesday!

*Reference and more information, here.

Camellias

Yesterday we featured hellebores; today it is camellias. This northwest Greensboro camellia bush is blooming in full glory. It is fighting hard to keep its blooms bright as the ice surrounds it. This photo show the beauty of the Greensboro landscape. Even when trees have dropped their leaves, there are holly trees (to the left) camellias and other evergreens to add color and texture to the landscape. If you absolutely love camellias, many local nurseries sell them; however, there is also a nursery that specializes in them. Cam Too Camellia Nursery is located at 805 Oakbury Court. It is located off of Highway 150, just west of Northern High School and a stone's throw from Gethsemane Garden Nursery. Established in 1982, the nursery encompasses 60 acres. The excitement of a specialty nursery is that the owners work diligently to produce hardier, more resilient, and more beautiful varieties with a longer blooming season. When you go to these specialty nurseries in Greensboro, and you show a sincere interest in their product, you have a friend for life!

We hope you are warm, safe, and making the most of what Leslie Jordan calls "hunkering down"! 

Happy Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year began this past Friday, February 12th and will last up to sixteen days. We rang in the holiday by purchasing Chinese food from Bamboo House on Fleming Road. They were extremely busy with many large orders on Friday. Bamboo House is offering take out and delivery during the pandemic and the owners are taking every precaution in dealing with the public. We were struck by the fact that their pink Christmas cactus is in full bloom. We should have asked them if they have some special secret to plan its blooming to coincide with New Year.

This year is the year of the ox. Chinese New Year festivities will culminate with the Lantern Festival. The closest lantern festival to Greensboro is the one in Reidsville at Lake Reidsville Park (630 Water Words Road). Thousands of lanterns will be set afloat and reflecting on the water. Gates open at 4:00 pm, and, if you buy tickets by today, the early bird price is 25.99 (more details here). If you are looking for a fun outdoor event with plenty of opportunities to take photos, this will be the perfect event. We don't want to celebrate our ethnic communities only on special holidays; however, holidays are the most salient, observable aspects of a culture, and a good starting point to begin to learn. Greensboro has almost 300,000 Chinese residents and the local population includes Chinese-Americans and people from mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Mandarin Chinese is taught at Northwest High School, Page High School, High Point Central, Ferndale Middle School, and Northwood Elementary School. (Learn more about the programs here). 

Happy Monday and Happy New Year!

Green Is the New Green Bean!

The Green Bean at 341 South Elm Street  has been a downtown Greensboro institution since 2002, and was part of the revitalization os Elm Street. This past October, Amy and Galen Foresman purchased the Green Bean. In the few months they've owned it, they've made changes to the space, giving the interior a facelift. They are determined to revitalize downtown's first coffee shop (of the new millennium) and make it a hub of activity.  The plan to incorporate local art and music into the space. The Foresman family has built deep roots in the Greensboro community and should have the connections to make their dream a reality. Galen Foresman is a philosophy professor at North Carolina A&T State University in the Liberal Studies Department; this should be a perfect background to bring great conversations and discussions to the coffee shop. 

The 300 block of South Elm Street has so many great shops. It is a place you can start your day with a great cup of coffee, shop for a new pair of glasses, search for vintage, handmade, and fair trade items, eat great meals, share a pint with a friend, buy a good book, and then head over to treat yourself to a slice of cheesecake. The Green Bean was closed by the time we made it downtown yesterday; however, we plan to stop by this weekend, enjoy a cup of coffee and check out the vibe. We're wondering if the hot-pink walls with jumbo sharpie graffiti are still in the bathrooms. To be sure, the exterior is inviting and, as for the man and dog, it is wonderful to see people with their canine companions enjoying the city. People make a city and make gray days joyful. Happy Saturday, dear readers. It is a good day for coffee. The Green Bean's new hours are from 7:30 am- 3:00 pm.

Retro Faucet Parts

Retro Faucet Parts bills itself as a mom and pop shop. This local, family-owned business was established in 1975. They pride themselves on being able to provide customers with just about any plumbing supply you need, whether it is for a fixture that no longer exists or it is the a plumbing part that is the latest technology. These specialists have provided parts for remodels of the Biltmore,  Julian Price Mansion, and Chinqua Penn- to name a few of the most well known places to use their service. Retro Faucet is  located at 3800 Spring Garden Street, right where Spring Garden connects to Wendover Avenue. By the looks of the exterior of the cinder block building, there is little doubt about what they sell. It is a little bit harder to determine the main entrance, which happens to be on the Cranbrook Street side of the building. It is the golden yellow door, to the right of Elmer Fudd and the painted sign that says ENTRANCE. As you approach the building, imagine the soundtrack to your favorite theme music from the Nintendo Mario universe.

That mural of Mario the Plumber is the work of Joey Allen Creations. Joey is a self-taught pop artist from Winston Salem. He is known for his murals that combine bright colors, pop characters, and modern icons. If you know Joey's aesthetic, you can see how the above artwork fits right in! We wish Joey had dated the mural. It can't be that old, because the Google map photo still shows the building as painted white. We need to check out the inside, being prepared to save Princess Peach or Princess Toadstool,  or at least collect some gold coins. There are 8 leadership goals to be learned from Super Mario Brothers: Face the unknown; be positive; adapt to changes; establish short and medium term goals; clearly define the long term goal; seek self confidence; be a team player; and finally, celebrate and compliment.*

If Retro Faucet Parts runs their business following these Super Mario lessons, they are sure to be around for another 46 years!

 

*reference HERE.

Clutch Coffee Bar

Clutch Coffee Bar at 1405 Sunset Drive, at Lawndale, is the newest coffee house in town. It replaced a former Wells Fargo building, and service is drive-thru only- although outdoor seating is under consideration. The Greensboro location of Clutch opened on January 30th. There are already two locations in Mooresville and one in Winston Salem. The three founders, John, Darren, and Jake realized their entrepreneurial dream in 2018. The company is committed to customer, culture, and community and the motto is "Power up", a reference to their commitment to providing inspiration to customers and employees alike.

To that end, Drayton (photographed above) is proof that the company's positivity and inspiration is working. Drayton, has been a barista since age 16 and was working for a multi-national coffee chain before deciding to make the change and work for a smaller, more-local company. We met up in the parking lot yesterday and we were able to conduct a brief interview. Drayton is a student at UNCG and absolutely loves working at Clutch and speaks highly of the owners and management. If you work with people Drayton's age or younger you probably already know that "Clutch" means "perfect, exactly what is needed, awesome." Also, according to the Urban Dictionary, "clutch" is used when someone does something just when it is urgently needed. So, if you are in the Irving Park area and need a little caffeine, a lot of caffeine, or an all-natural, caffeine-free, no-sugar-added juice from the juice bar, Clutch is right there!

A Day in the Life of a Very Big House

Yesterday, we shared a tiny house on Greensboro Daily Photo. Today we go big, grande indeed. This house, in the Carlson Farms area of Northwest Greensboro, is about 10,000 square feet on an acre and a half lot. Greensboro has an array of housing options and  houses surrounding the Greensboro Country Club both in town and at the Farm Course all tend to be very large. This house in the photograph, built in 1990, was a natural brick color until about a month ago when it got painted all white, a trend which remains popular in Greensboro- and elsewhere.

You also notice a home service was at the house the day we photographed it. Home services are booming with the pandemic. This home was getting a visit from "Doggie Paws and Kitty Claws", a mobile groom service. At 10K square feet, there sure is a lot of space for the owners and their canine/feline critters. The white van and white car, against the late afternoon sun, match the fresh white paint, yet are attention getting. The trees in winter off a little drama to the view. Have a happy Saturday! Give yourself an out-of-doors break today and see what you can get outside and notice.

Another Crown Victoria, This One a la Wes Anderson, Spotted in Greensboro

Last week's Crown Victoria, "Not a Cop", was traced to Reconsidered Goods. This week's Crown Victoria was spotted at Common Grounds Coffee Shop. With a quick google search of its hashtag, #SANTASVIC, we learned that an article about this car was published in Jackson County, Mississippi in 2019 when owner John Queen was headed back to Texas for a visit. Queen lives in Greensboro now and his car continues to turn heads and bring smiles. The white Christmas tree stays firmly secured on top 365 days a year and appears to be Interstate-proof. In the referenced article, Queen says the decorating started first as a competition with a friend, and also to bring joy to people. A quick review of the bumper stickers reveals so much about the owner, from political party to places visited, and hot beverage of choice- to name a few. Most of all, the car reveals the owner's commitment to Christmas decorations.

As for the title of today's post, clearly, it is a nod to Wes Anderson. We wanted to have a little fun this past weekend and went in search of a scene in Greensboro that evoked the aesthetic of film director Wes Anderson. We were inspired by the Instagram page @AccidentallyWesAnderson. Anderson's photos are recognizable by their iconic visual elements such as: unified color palate, use of everyday objects with a twist, playful patterns, and vintage items. These are some recurring elements in Anderson's movies*  Well, when we saw this scene in front of Common Grounds Coffee Shop in Lindley Park, at the corner of Elam and Walker Avenue, we were stopped in our tracks. This was it. It was as if the scene were staged for us, and even better, it also fits with what just may be emerging as a "Crown Vic/Greensboro" hashtag! 

 

*reference and more information.  

"Be the Light"

It was a fun challenge to find a photo for today. First, it is Day 2 of African American History month (we will have more, related photos).  Also, today  is Groundhog Day and as for capturing a photo of that groundhog in our Greensboro yard- not gonna happen. Besides, if he comes out and sees his shadow, we'll have six more weeks of winter. Finally, today is Candlemas, the 40th and final day of the Christmas season. Some churches will celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ/the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary; celebrating families will light candles and have a big meal together. Today, we celebrate this many-faceted, conglomerate-of-holidays day with a quote from Chick-Fil-A Founder Truett Cathy. The above sign was seen at the Brassfield Chick-Fil-A, November 16th, 2020; it was hard to read, unless one was waiting in the drive-through line. And there were many...

"We live in a changing world but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed and the important things will not change if we keep our priorities in proper order."  Truett Cathy (2020).  On this second day of February, may we find a way to "Be the light."

People of Greensboro: Meet Eli

Today, we feature Eli, who is the proud owner of the "NOT A COP" mobile we featured here this past Saturday. When we traced the car to the Reconsidered Goods, A Non-Profit Creative Reuse Center, Eli happened to be working at the front counter and we learned it was, indeed his car. Eli hails from Hendersonville, North Carolina and studied at Blue Ridge Community College before transferring to UNCG. Eli is a student in the American Sign Language (ASL)  interpreting program at UNCG, learning to interpret for the deaf with a special interest in community interpreting. After we talked about the history of his imposing black and white Ford Crown Victoria, we commenced to talking about when Firefighter Andrea Hall lead the Inaugural Pledge of Allegiance,  spoken and in sign language. Without missing a beat, and ever the advocate, Eli immediately replied how it would have been nice to have had an ASL interpreter through the whole inauguration. We're sure by now, Eli is jubilant over the announcement yesterday that the White House will enlist ASL interpreters for the daily press briefings. Who knows, just maybe, someday Eli will be interpreting on a national level.

For now, we will cherish the time Eli is in Greensboro and, specifically working at Reconsidered Goods on Spring Garden Street. Eli has one of those cheerful expressions and you can tell there is a smile underneath that mask! For all of our readers who are teachers, please note, Eli credits a teacher for recognizing his talent and potential as an ASL interpreter. Teachers, it is true, you have a special power. Sometimes one sentence of encouragement can spark a chosen profession. Happy Tuesday! Oh, and Eli, this past Saturday, we were at a business meeting on a front porch in Greensboro, and one of the members in the meeting had just read the "NOT A COP" post on Greensboro Daily Photo and said, "You know, they live in our neighborhood!" Now we know and we LOVE your neighborhood!

Reflecting on Friendly Center at Twilight

The above photo was taken in the newer section of Friendly Center, last night at twilight. A lot of stores close at 6:00 pm on Sunday, so at the time this photo was taken, the shopping center was fairly empty. This is the view behind Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, which happens to stay open until 9pm on Sundays. The original part of Friendly Center opened in 1957 and this new section above in 2006. Can you believe it has already been 15 years? It seems like just yesterday when a loud "boom" was heard throughout Greensboro, from the razing of the Burlington Industries building on this lot.  If you read about Friendly Center on Wikipedia, it mentions the "inward" orientation of the center, which is  naturally conducive to helping shoppers feel more together. Both the new and old parts have a seating/gathering area, which is part of the reason it considered an "outdoor lifestyle center".* So, when we see teens hanging out on the grassy area above, we all need to remind ourselves they have a right to hand out at an outdoor lifestyle center!

The most recent addition to the newer part of Friendly Center is Hawthorne at Friendly, where you can choose one of sixteen floor plans in this upscale living community. If you lived there and worked from home, you really could do just about everything without needing personal transportation. Twilight is such a magical time, especially with nice lighting as seen above. Just think, if you lived at Hawthorne, you could head over now and see if Greensboro's Ben and Jerry's store sells the flavor called "Netflix & Chilll'd (peanut butter ice cream, sweet and salty pretzel swirls & fudge brownies). Whether you live at Friendly or anywhere else in the community, it is nice to know we have access to these pop culture tie-in creations right here in Greensboro. Happy Monday!

*see Wikipedia (visited 1/24/2021) Friendly Center

Rolane Sock Factory and Outlet No More

Today, we take you to Hiatt Street between Spring Garden Street and the Pomona Rail Yard. What was once the Rolane Sock Factory is about to be repurposed as apartments and townhomes. It was built almost 95 years ago in 1926 and for years was known as the Mojud Hosiery Company. In 1938, a retail outlet was added to the facility. Over time the factory expanded and became Rolane. The building and businesses therein were a big part of Greensboro's history as a mill town. Jim Schlosser wrote a wonderful article about factory, telling us that at peak production there were 2,000 employees on three shifts. At one time, the factory produced over 19 million pairs of stockings a year. Mostly women worked there and the factory was such a vibrant place with a cafeteria and with their own baseball team. They held games on a field adjacent to the mill. The plant closed in 1972, but the outlet store onsite remained open until 1999. Many people remember the joy of going to the outlet store section and getting great bargains on socks, hose, and more- even Jordan almonds!

The building languished on its 8.7 acres for years. It changed hands a few times with a few stumbling blocks on the road to being repurposed. Issues were addressed and voilá, the conversion to housing has begin. As we drove by yesterday, we saw that all of the weeds were gone and the land around it is stripped down to red clay;  some of the fencing is down, the building has been gutted, and the facelift has begun. The interior will be transformed. However, the exterior will not change much as the building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2011. From this view of the Northside of you building, without any landscaping, the enormity of the building is noted. It takes up a whole city block. We'll watch the progress and feature the building when it has transformed. In the meantime, there is a great article in the O. Henry Magazine this month and one we used as a reference (see p. 38-39 for more history about the factory). Also, we featured it on GDP in 2014.

In Search of a Perfect View

Where can you go in Greensboro to take a fabulous sunrise, sunset, or panoramic view photo? We've been going around town, in search of the perfect view. So far, we haven't found a spot that absolutely showcases the beauty of our city. Today's effort was taken at the Church Street Parking Deck, beside the Central Library and behind the Cultural Arts Center. As seen on the sign, in the lime green block in the top left of the photo, this bright building is the Children's Museum. It has been a Greensboro treasure since it opened on May 15, 1999. While this view of the Children's Museum is a nice one and you can see the tree-lined Dunleath Neighborhood off in the distance, we are still hoping to find a nice panoramic view.

The Children's Museum is temporarily closed due to Covid. When open, it is a place that inspires hands-on learning and according to their website, they have more than 20 exhibits and a 30-foot tall climber. The museum has continued to grow over the years, having added an edible garden and an outdoor play plaza. The cost of admission is $10. If you want to help them through the COVID times, you can donate, here. While the streets look empty, if you look closely you can see a few people walking on the sidewalk in front of the museum.

Remembering J. Kenneth Lee

The above mural features a Greensboro civil rights great, J. Kenneth Lee. In her News & Record article in 2018, Nancy McLoughlin wrote a befitting title to remember this great man, "Remembering a quiet 'giant' Fighter of racism. Mentor to many. J. Kenneth Lee 'stood at the front of the line all the time'."* Mr. Lee was a civil rights attorney who came to Greensboro to attend North Carolina A&T State University. Mr. Lee went on to obtain a law degree from UNC Chapel Hill and returned to Greensboro to practice and to play an integral part in the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Lee worked hard to dismantle Jim Crow laws, to help desegregate public schools, and to open doors for African Americans that had previously been closed . As an example, Mr. Lee founded a federally chartered savings and loan, American Federal in Greensboro, making it possible for African Americans to secure loans. As mentioned yesterday, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed at Mr. Lee's house on Broad Street. While Mr. Lee called Greensboro home for most of his 94 years, he grew up in Hamlet, NC (Richmond County) and remembered fondly his time with his grandmother, who had been a slave. Here is an interesting entry on J. Kenneth Lee in the Carolina Law Oral History Project.

The above mural of Mr. Lee is painted on the Studio 503 building just beside the Point Dance Studio. The mural is located on Washington Street- at the corner of Pastor Anderson Way. Mural artist "Aches", who hails from Ireland, painted the portrait-mural in 2018. Here is an article showing "Aches" during the painting process. It is fascinating how quickly and efficiently these mural artists work!

* Reference and more information in Nancy McLoughlin's article.

Bus #1 Reminds Us: Mask Up!

The bus in the photo above is leaving Greene Street, has looped around the Holliday Circle roundabout, and is heading to Spring Garden Street in downtown Greensboro. Notice the "MASK UP!" reminder on bus number 1. The drivers work hard to keep riders, and themselves, safe.

Of course, the tall building in the background is the Lincoln Financial Group building. While the name of the building changes as the occupants change, this skyscraper remains one of the most recognizable landmarks in Greensboro. Actually, it is two buildings. The whiter building to the right in older Jefferson Standard building. It was built in 1922. The grayer one with the green roof and the time/temperature sign is the more recent building, initially Jefferson-Pilot and, as of 2006, Lincoln Financial Group.  At 233 feet, the building is still the tallest in Greensboro.

As for the bus, if you are interested in using this community transportation resource, here is a link to the routes.

When taking the photo, we didn't think there were any people in the photo. On closer inspection, we noticed two people. Do you see the couple?

Boxcar Pizza at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Ten years ago in 2011, when we interviewed Greensboro entrepreneur,  Dennis Quaintance, we talked about "small" being the new "big".  After years of biggie sizes, smaller glasses, plates, and portions have gained popularity. Today's post is one such example. Boxcar Pizza is a tiny space, specifically boxcar-sized, in the South Elm/Lewis Street area. This outdoor pizza kitchen is the perfect place to get some hot food quickly, whether you are in one of the South Elm establishments or just out walking. It is a way to eat without having to go inside an establishment. You can, however, eat inside the Boxcar Bar & Arcade. It serves as the kitchen for the bar and arcade.

This outdoor pizza kitchen serves Neapolitan style pizza with traditional toppings. It also serves unique toppings like bison sausage and pickles. Savory and sweet soft pretzels are available, too. The boxcar option has been popular with people skating at the adjacent pop-up ice rink. On the day we were on site, the Boxcar employee (in the window) was so busy, we didn't interrupt for an interview.  Boxcar is a unique addition to the downtown Greensboro landscape. See the hours, menu, and more, here.

Sunset Over the Wells Fargo at Friendly Center

Yesterday, the sunset was glorious. Perhaps it was just because the day was a warm, bright, and sunny. The above photo was taken at Friendly Center, just off of Northline Drive near Benjamin Parkway. The façade of the Wells Fargo Bank building seemed to glow under the setting sun. Wells Fargo is actually a multinational financial services company that was founded in San Francisco, CA in 1852. However, it has several branches in Greensboro.

In searching for a local connection, we learned that Wells Fargo merged with the more-local Wachovia in 2008. By way of that merger, Robert "Patt" Patterson began working at Wells Fargo.Mr. Patterson, an NC A&T graduate, was the first Africa American in Greensboro to hold a management position at a major bank. We also learned that Wells Fargo has a Corporate Historian for the company. Two years ago, this historian, Alyssa Bentz wrote a very nice article about the now-retired Mr. Patterson. (reference, here). We hope to interview Mr. Patterson for GDP, which might be possible since he still lives in Greensboro.

For today, we'll just have to settle on enjoying this beautiful sunset.

Liberty Oak Restaurant and Bar

Liberty Oak Restaurant and Bar at 100 West Washington Street is a Greensboro institution. It was located in Irving Park for about 20 years and now, has been in their current location downtown for over 20 years. They are one of those restaurants that can feel as comfortable as the "Cheers" bar for those who are regulars. They are very original and special in their offerings and were on the front end of the bistro revolution in Greensboro. Also ahead of a trend,  Liberty Oak has been buying and showing local Greensboro art for decades now. Local artist Denise Landi recalls their showing and purchasing her art in the 1980s.

The above photo features their new signage out in front of their side entrance at the Vernon Building. That building was originally erected in 1883 and, as pointed out on their website, is the oldest building remaining in the Old Greensborough Historic District. Somehow, Liberty Oak just seems to belong here. Here is their fabulous menu, in case you are interested in dining indoors, outdoors, or placing a to-go order. Happy Wednesday!

The Tiny Greenhouse

The Tiny Greenhouse, located at 1331 Beaman Place, is the perfect place to shop any time of the year, but in December, it is absolutely beautiful. The above photo features an especially festive corner of the shop. Anjelica, who has been working there for about a month, is featured in the photo.  Anjelica is an affable person, perfect for helping you find just the right item- whether it is a gift or something nice for yourself. 

Today's photo doesn't do justice to the Tiny Greenhouse. This Christmas corner is so festive, we snapped a photo there, but you can't see the abundant selection of plants, the many books for children and lovers of art, the beautiful puzzles, and other items that add a color and comfort to our homes. The cards in the foreground were designed by owners Suzanne and Edgar Cabrera. If you haven't been to the store in the past month, you need to go to see how they've  rearranged it. The checkout counter is to the left of the entrance now. Somehow, the change adds so much space for plants and merchandise. Also, you need to meet Anjelica. When not working,  she loves working on her own art projects and reading- especially the magic realism genre. 

Follow The Tiny Greenhouse on Instagram @thetinygreenhouse if you want to see even more of this fabulous local shop. January 1st will be their fourth birthday. What did Greensboro ever do without them?

White Oak Denim Mill Sculpture from the Jeansboro Series

Some cities have fiberglass bulls; others pigs; others horses; and the representations go on and on. Greensboro has blue jeans. With Greensboro's rich textile and denim history, this choice makes perfect sense. The above plexiglass pair of jeans is called "Woven Heritage" and is part of the 'Celebrating Jeansboro', NC series. Wrangler VF Jeanswear spearheaded this public art project in 2015.  The above artwork is by Neidy Perdomo and Ivan Gonzalez. There are jeans, each painted with a different theme, all throughout Greensboro. The White Oak pair has been installed in front of the Carolina Theatre on Greene Street.

White Oak was the original and last selvedge denim supplier in the United States. There is a mill in Louisiana using some of the equipment from the White Oak mill, and there are murmurings that they will make American-milled selvedge denim. The article is linked here.* We remain hopeful that someone will find a way for Greensboro to once again become a center of selvedge denim. With the shop local, small-batch, quality-over-quantity movement that is thriving in young-adults, surely, high quality denim will be once-again made in Greensboro. Every time you walk past one of these beautiful sculptures, consider making that wish.

* (Inside Hook, September 1, 2020)

Pink Sky over Reconsidered Goods

Yesterday, early evening, fluffy pink clouds were swooshing along above Reconsidered Goods. This creative, reuse center is located at 4118 Spring Garden Street, very close to West Market Street. Reconsidered Goods has really perked up this block of Spring Garden. While there are several great restaurants and businesses in the area, RG is one of the few places where people from all walks of life come to shop. The diverse and creative types that RG attracts is heartwarming. RG is part thrift store, part store for people in need of home goods and the perfect pace to pick up arts and craft supplies. Today we got 3 strands of holiday garland, 3 calendar prints a vintage card, a bone and wood bracelet, and an unused rubber stamp that says "So many thoughtful things you do... I'm glad I've got a friend like you." The saying is perfect for stamping a heartfelt message on cards to friends. Prices start at 25¢ and everything is sold below market value.

Even better than the items we found at Reconsidered Goods was the great pink sky that greeted us as we left the parking lot. Sometimes after a long day of working from home and trying hard to self isolate, a little drive or walk, with an opportunity to see the beautiful gifts of nature, is heartwarming. Look at that beautiful sky and how it frames the store and matches the pink door!

Wear your mask, be careful out there, and take time to admire the beauty of nature! And, donate your really cool items to Reconsidered Goods. Check for store hours and their donation schedule HERE. Happy Friday! 

Deep Roots Market Co-Op

Deep Roots Market is a co-op is a full-service grocery store, located downtown at 600 North Euguene street, just around the corner of Joymongers. Deep Roots started in the 1960s as a vegetarian buying club at Guilford College. In the mid 1970s, they moved to a storefront on Spring Garden Street, between the access ramp to Wendover and Merritt Drive. Since 2013, they have been in the downtown location. Anyone can shop at Deep Roots, but you get a discount and access to the big specials if you are a member.

There is a community room in the front of the store and, when gatherings are safe, great events happen there. If you are downtown, possibly at a brewery that doesn't sell food, on a bike ride and in need of a snack, or,  just interested purchasing great food and being part of a caring community, please visit Deep Roots. They have been providing the Greensboro community with organic, bulk, and locally sourced food before the big, corporate whole-food markets were in the area. Have you been? If not, consider stopping by when you are in need of groceries. Happy Thursday!

Downtown First Saturday

The above photo of Hamburger Square in downtown Greensboro was part of the Downtown in December, "Light the Night" event. It is the city's effort to provide a little fun and joy for the community, while remaining Covid-safe. As you can see from the above photo, there weren't many people downtown, but those who were there seemed to be having a very nice time. Behind the inflatables is the fabulous, local gift store, Just Be. Beside Just Be are a couple of restaurants that are reasonably priced and fast at takeout. If you do head downtown, business owners are very mindful of taking precautions to help keep you safe.

Here is a link to all of the events happening in downtown Greensboro in December. If you are leaving the house this weekend, this list will give you some options. Happy Wednesday!

Along Spring Garden Street

Have you been to Spring Garden Street lately? About a mile west of UNCG? This area is simply magical this time of year. The small, locally owned businesses have owners that are dedicated to bringing you wonderful goodness. At the far end of this plaza is Spring Garden Bakery. Its history of baked-from-scratch goodness dates back to 1980; the current owners have had it since 2001 (read a great article for more information, here). Moonbird Soulful Living is next with all things for the home and body that have some spiritual or heartfelt meaning. They have recently started carrying plants which are good for both the heart and soul! Thistle and Broom is the next shop (in the foreground on the left in the photo). They have home decor items that bring a special coziness to your home. Not in the photo, but first in the trio of home decor and  is Adelaide's Vintage Home and Garden. Her shop used to be in the above strip, but moved 1/2 a block west. The entire cozy home is Adelaide's shop- including the yard and porch.

These small businesses really depend on local shoppers to keep their brick and mortar stores viable. With so many "one of a kinds" you just never know what goodness you will find in these shops. With this winter nights, if you get there right as they are closing, you you will see these stores at the most magical time. Lights make the interiors glow. You see end-of-the-day shoppers, bakers getting ready for the next day, shopkeepers tidying things up before closing.

If they ever see us with foldable chairs set up across the street just watching, it will be because we want to see the beauty of people moving among the warm, low-light fixtures on these cold winter nights!. By the way, all of this goodness is just around the corner from the "Santa of Chapman Street House." May we all find some beauty in these dark days of winter. Happy Monday! 

Hudson Hill, H.Lee Waters Films, & Cone Denim

Today, Hudson's Hill American Made will host a very special event. Jonathan Ingram with Cone Denim (on left above) will be at Hudson's Hill with a small pop up of products made with denim from Cone Mills. Jonathan has a wealth of knowledge on textile history and branding. He knows all the great details, like how the shifting of the wooden floors in a textile factory, like White Oak, affects the appearance of the denim. Ben Singer (@benesing on the right) will show video footage from the H. Lee Waters films about Cone Denim. Bene will present at noon and then again at 4pm. Each presentation lasts about two hours. Bene is a multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer, and video producer, and more.  If you are involved in the local, live music scene, you probably know Bene. This is such a special opportunity for Greensboro.

H. Lee Waters (1902- 1997) was a photographer from Lexington, NC. When the Depression hit and people stopped getting photos made, Waters started making movies of people in North Carolina communities and then going back to the communities and selling tickets for people to see themselves and their community in the movies. Duke University houses the Waters archives. Bene will treat us to a showing of some of the footage, specifically the videos about Cone Mills.

In the middle, is Evan Morrison, one of the owners of Hudson's Hill and master leatherworker. Give Evan a piece of leather and he can look at it and calculate the size of the purse that can be made from it- and then make that purse. He repairs, creates, and designs. Many of the items at Hudson't Hill are his craftsmanship. Evan will be at the event. A fourth person, who will literally contribute to the local flavor of this event, is Randy Barnes @feedumdogs. Randy will be giving away his gourmet hot dogs (while supplies last).  Drop in today to Hudson's Hill at 527 South Elm Street and check out the event. Masks are required and they will monitor crowds. As you can see in the photo, the screen is in place and ready for your viewing pleasure.

Landscaping and Preparing for Colder Days

Thanksgiving week, there were some beautiful, fall days, and, it was as if all of Greensboro were out working on their yards. Leaves were being raked; dead branches bundled; beds were getting mulched, and more. The above photo features some holly trees being shaped. The crew working on this project in northwest Greensboro was from Benitez Landscape Lawn Services. They were working hard, taking great care to be safe and to get the holly trees balanced into a conical shape. The crew had not finished the crowns of the trees at the time of the photo. With all of the rain this year, the female hollies have really produced a lot of berries and the leaves are especially green. The texture of the foliage was especially vibrant against the cloudless, blue sky.

Today is predicted to be cold in Greensboro ranging from a low of 25°F to a high of 45°F. However, given that today is the first day of December, 'tis the season for cold weather. Happy December 1st; Happy Tuesday.

By the way, if you don't feel like doing those landscaping jobs for yourself, the number on the back of the green crew shirts for Benitez was 336-668-8076.

Reflecting on Shopping and Waiting

Today's photo features the late-afternoon, Black Friday line at Best Buy at Wendover Avenue. Many people in Greensboro were willing to wait for the hot-ticket, electronic and gaming items. Not just the big box store, but the small, locally owned retail shops also did well this past weekend. Greensboro proprietors, especially the ones with shops on Elm Street and on State Street found sales to be brisk. There are so many wonderful gifts to be found, locally. If you can, please check local sources before venturing down the proverbial, Cyber Monday rabbit hole!

Today is the second day of Advent, a season of vigilant waiting. It seems that 2020 has been a year of waiting for so much- from elections, to covid results, for school to reopen, for opportunities to gather and celebrate, for a vaccine, for live concerts, even for stores to restock sanitizing products, for Christmas, and for the year to end. It seems that in 2020, we're all waiting with more intention and are perhaps a bit more grateful when we do get what we want. Happy Monday for our readers in Greensboro and beyond!

Just Be... the Place To Be On Small Business Saturday 2020!

Today is Small Business Saturday and the featured business is Just Be, located in downtown Greensboro at southwest corner of Elm and McGee Streets. Just Be, established in 2005,  is a gift shop filled with items that have interesting stories behind them. You may recognize Kathryn Hashemi. While she has only owned Just Be for about two years, she was an employee for two years prior. Kathryn does a wonderful job of finding a balance between international, fair trade items, arts and crafts from American artists, and items produced by local artists. She has a discerning eye and carefully curates items she knows her customers will like. If you shop at Just Be often, Kathryn has probably greeted you and then shown you something she knows you will like.

Kathryn and her staff have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to keep the shop strong. The store's social media presence has really helped. Also, her husband, an expert tailor, makes the beautiful masks they sell in the store and was well ahead of the trend to make masks not only functional, but also an attractive fashion accessory. If you are local, and out celebrating small businesses today, please stop in an say hello to Kathryn and her staff. She has is offering a discount of 15% for purchases over $100. If you aren't already, you will probably become a regular!

Happy Thanksgiving 2020

Happy Thanksgiving 2020!

In today's photo is a real, taxidermal turkey that was caught in Randolph County. It is set up for display at the Antique Market Place at 6428 Burnt Poplar Road in northwest Greensboro. Also in the photo is Julie Mason, the owner of this giant antique mall and, the owner of the turkey. Julie has owned since  the Antique Market Place since it was located downtown in the 1990s. Her store has been in the current location since the year 2000. 

If you want to get in the holiday spirit, or just be in the presence of genuinely nice people who own their own local business, Antique Marketplace is precisely that kind of place. While Julie owns the business, individual vendors have booths and so it is a way for many people to own their own business. Fortunately, Antique Market Place is closed today so that employees can enjoy Thanksgiving with their families; however, they will back on their regular schedule on Friday (10am-6pm). In case you are wondering, lots of people have expressed an interest in purchasing the turkey, but is is part of Julie's private collection.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for family, friends, Julie, her employees and vendors, and Greensboro Daily Photo readers-- you!