Greensboro Daily Photo

Jade Salon at 1209 Battleground Avenue

Yesterday, we posted about the two owners of Jade Salon, Kate and Annie. Today, we want to show you part of the festival held at the Battleground location. There were even more vendors inside the salon and behind the camera; artists, wellness vendors, and even the SPCA with friendly doggies up for adoption. This part of Greensboro, Mid-town, is still not fully occupied, but it continues to grow. Jade Salon has been there for about a year now. Parking is easy and the salon is beautiful. These little pop up markets are getting more and more popular and, if you see one, by all means stop. Vendors love to talk about their art and products. 

The day we were there, they were braiding color into hair. People were leaving with teal, pink, and purple streaks in their hair. If you are looking for a new look, stop into a salon, Jade, or if you use another salon, yours. Be adventurous. 

Seeing that food truck peeking out mid-right in the photo reminds us on August 25th from 3:00- 9:00 pm, the Greensboro Food Truck Festival will be held downtown- just down the road from Jade, at Friendly Avenue and Church Street. There will be craft vendors, too.  And then, on September 6-8, the North Carolina Folk Festival will be downtown Greensboro. We have so many opportunities to have fun in Greensboro.

Happy Tuesday!

Shannon Lee Furniture

Shannon Lee (above) has relocated her business, Shannon Lee Furniture & Decor, from Kernersville to Greensboro. Her warehouse is now in the former hardware store beside the former McKay's Bookstore on Battleground Avenue. She is a hardworking business person who, by chance, landed in North Carolina. Shannon is originally from Ohio, but spent much of her life in Jacksonville, FL.  In her previous career, she traveled working on international soccer events. In 2006, Shannon stopped in Mebane and a stranger noticed her NYC energy and suggest she sit and rest for a minute.  She was so struck by southern hospitality.  The kindness of people to each other in the South convinced her North Carolina would be a great place to live. By 2008, she had relocated here and hasn't looked back. She is such an interesting person In our quick interview with her, we learned she was featured on the Converse website when they featured her 30 days of wearing Converse tennis shoes. Those are the only shoes she wears and actually has 260+ pairs. We think she should set a goal of having a different pair a day for a whole year!

If you need furniture, Shannon has all-new, factory close-outs and overstocks in her showroom. Arrive at Shannon Lee Furniture with measurements because her furniture and accessories sell quickly. As proud as Shannon is of her very difficult journey to becoming a successful business owner, she is most proud of her children. Stop in and welcome her to Greensboro-  and see what color Converse Chuck's she is wearing! To be sure, we want her to stay!

Happy Saturday!

At the Corner of Beaman Place & Grecade Street

Today's photo was taken in the same parking lot as the one from yesterday. This is a parking lot on the southeast corner of Beaman Place and Grecade Street in Mid-town. Beyond the lens to the left is FILTER Coffee Shop, then The Tiny Greenhouse, Then Craftroom (the pink building [artwork by Golden305]), then the Music Academy, and finally, the building with the mural is The Chop Shop Hair Company. Also, hidden back there is Jacobi-Lewis Restaurant Supply. This shows you just how diverse the area of town is becoming.

Just researching this post has us wanting to go back and visit each of these businesses. The Chop Shop Hair Company is decorated in steam punk style full of collectibles. Also, they cut hair for men and women. We didn't see the artist's name on the mural, but we bet The Chop Shop manager will know. There is so much to explore in Greensboro and we're out to see as much as possible this summer. Don't forget the inaugural "World Promenade" on Sunday, June 2nd at the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden from 1:00- 5:00 p.m.. It is a rebranding of the Parisian Promenade, but it will be another spectacular Greensboro Beautiful event.

Happy Last Day of May!

FILTER Coffee

Filter Coffee opened in Mid-town in January of this year. It is located in the space beside The Tiny Greenhouse, a space that had been vacant for quite a while. 1333 Beaman Place is now hopping at 7:00 am.  Co-owners Paris and J'mihyia Whitsett bill their establishment as a "groundbreaking establishment where coffee meets hookah."*

FILTER has extended coffee shop hours: Monday-Thursday 7 a.m. to 6. p.m.;  Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The photo above was taken through the back door after closing. Between the "C" and "ff" of the word "coffee" is downtown Greensboro. FLITER has windows on three of four sides, forming something of a glass house. The space us huge, and very conducive to spending time socially as well as having a nice space to get work done. Having a full-service, black-female-owned  coffee shop is yet another step forward for the Mid-town area. Read the article below for even more details.

Happy Thursday!

 

* see article HERE.

 

 

Jenna Rice Art, LLC

Jenna Rice is a full-time artist based in Greensboro. We met up with her earlier this summer when she was painting a mural on the back of Red Cinema in Midtown. We noticed her painting while on a group bike ride and circled back around to interview her. Jenna was super nice and took time to meet with us, even though it was late in the day and she was in the middle of painting.  Originally from New England, she obtained a BA in Studio Art in 2012 from Florida Southern College.

Jenna's local murals mostly feature people, real or pop culture. It wasn't until we were preparing this post that we realized Jenna also did the mural inside the downtown dining room at Cheesecakes by Alex at 315 South Elm.

Happy last day of July! Tomorrow is August!

Movie Theaters Along Battleground Avenue

If you are looking for something fun do to this summer, the movie theaters are back in business. The above photo is of Red Cinema in Mid-town at 1305 Battleground Avenue, the part of Greensboro just north of downtown. Red Cinema has been open since 1999 and, every year gets more and more murals. If you haven't seen the murals yet, you really need to stop by and have a look. Plus, they are great for photo shoots. Between the outdoor murals and the string of lights at night, Red Cinema really is a standout location.

A few miles to the north is Brassfield Cinema; while vacant since April 2020, it has beenacquired by Durham-based cinema company, Golden Ticket. If all goes according to plan, it should be opening this summer, giving the Battleground Avenue area plenty movie options. Movie attendance has been down 30% since pre-pandemic levels, but with all of the new movie options this summer, hopefully attendance will start bouncing back.

Yesterday Afternoon, Along Battleground

Yesterday afternoon was a busy one on Battleground Avenue in front of McKays, Ghassans, and all the way down to Kickback Jack's. We're not exactly sure what work was being done, but there were multiple trucks and crews working quickly and efficiently. While the two, rightmost, southbound lanes of traffic were closed, traffic moved rather efficiently. Just beyond the frame of the photo, several workers on the ground were working to ensure their crews were safe and that traffic was flowing smoothly. If you know the nature of the work being done, please let us know. Hopefully, the work was completed yesterday and commutes today will not be affected.

Happy Eid-Al-Fitr to our Muslim friends in Greensboro.

Happy Friday!

Diebold Safe on Display at Red Collection

Today's photo is of the Diebold safe on view, but not for sale, at The Red Collection on Mill Street. Diebold started making safes in the mid-1800s. Do you remember those Saturday trips to town and to the bank, when all of those downtown businesses had a big safe? They are so heavy and secure, usually made of a steel alloy, sometimes weighing as much as 1,600 pounds. These devices really did seem so safe, impenetrable and impervious to fire. The painting on some make them look like a work of art. 

These are the kinds of things we come across, that cause to remember and reminisce as we are on our outings and urban explorations. This weekend, go out and have a look for yourself, at this safe at The Red Collection, or anything else that evokes yesteryear. Let us know what you find. We're wondering just how long the above safe will be on display and where on earth they would put it if they needed to get rid of it. Just think, in 150 years, these safes have gone from invaluable to almost obsolete... as societies move away from being cashless.

Happy Saturday!

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management & Building

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, operated by Bank of America, is located at 800 Green Valley Road at the intersection of Lendew Street. Our State Magazine, and other businesses, are also located in the building. The building is a 5-story, class A office building. It was built in 2001 on a 6.62 acre lot. Already over 20 years old, the building seems to be aging well and is attention catching with all of those glass windows, especially when the sun is setting.

In the area near Green Valley Road between Westover Terrace and Benjamin Parkway , and even down to Friendly Avenue, is a part of town that really feels like an office park. The area is only about 10 miles from the airport. It looks like there is a good view from the top. Maybe we can try to  get up there. Have you been up on the 5th floor? That reminds us, we still haven't given up on the dream of getting to the top of the Lincoln Financial Group building. That has to be a great view! Maybe 2023 will be the year.

Happy Friday 13th! If you are working, at 800 Green Valley or elsewhere, we hope you have a three-day weekend.

Beautiful Fall Day in Midtown

After a cold snap and our first frost, yesterday was a glorious fall day with temperatures rising above 70 degrees. As we were out on a photo shoot yesterday on Westover Terrace in Midtown, this convertible stopped at the stoplight near Hardee's and asked us to photograph them. They are students at UNCG and were out driving around on this sunny day. Final exams are coming up soon, so how wonderful  they carved out a little time for a joy ride. It was such a joy to interact with them. It is so easy to interact with people in public and to be nice to each other. They made our day with their joy and and enthusiasm.

If you like to see fall colors like the one above, this week is probably about the last of peak. Head out and see for yourself with or without a convertible. Happy Wednesday!

Events Slowly Resuming

Slowly and cautiously, events are resuming for the fully vaccinated. Last night, a few people from the Piedmont Old Time Society ventured out to play music at the Pig Pounder Brewery on Grecade Street. If all goes well, they will hold an open jam there on the first and third Thursday of the month. However, the group will not meet in Greensboro on the first Thursday in June, as so many musicians will be attending the Mt. Airy Fiddler's Convention.  Old-time music is acoustic and consists of fiddle, banjo, guitar, and bass. Occasionally, another instrument gets mixed in. The fiddle, however, is the lead instrument. Last night, there were several fiddlers and the music was great. 

Well, the weekend is upon us. May you have a great one. If you have a chance to go to Pig Pounder, and like to have interesting backdrops for photos, you will have found the perfect combination- especially at twilight. Marty Kotis' goal of having Midtown identified with murals has become a reality. The artwork looks even prettier when live music is being played. It is hard to believe that Pig Pounder has already been open seven years- since 2014!

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?

Hotel DENIM, Formerly Battleground Inn

The Hotel DENIM is the new kid in town. Located at 1517 Westover Terrace in Midtown, the Hotel DENIM is a trendy, upscale hotel that is replacing the Battleground Inn. The above photo was taken yesterday morning when it looked like they were still putting the finishing touches on it. Online booking indicates rooms are sold out this weekend, so, either people who have known about it are already staying there, or they aren't quite ready, so rooms aren't available. If you search online you will see that the decor is bright and cheerful, with a nod to Greensboro's history- especially the Cone family and textile industry. There are 48 rooms with interior-corridor access, a bar and cafe. It is located near all of the Irving Park Plaza restaurants and bars. IHOP and Outback Steakhouse are within walking distance. Hotel DENIM is part of the CN Hotel Group.

The front looks so bright and fresh. It is always fun to try something new and having a hotel on in the Battleground Avenue/Westover Terrace area sure looks convenient. Oh, and wear your best denim if you make a reservation!

3D Glasses and Summer Fun

If you are in Greensboro and looking for summer fun, consider going to see a movie, especially one outside of your favorite genre. For even more fun, give yourself a little tour of all the public artwork around the city, especially in Midtown. You can combine both of those activities by heading to Red Cinema where you will find these larger-than-life 3D glasses and some murals to look at through them. 

When the lighting is right, these 3D glasses make a great backdrop for photos, The murals are also photogenic and used by many photographers during photo shoots and by adolescents for social media images. We hope you can carve out some free time this summer to get out and explore Greensboro. Here is the link to a Yes! Weekly article about some of the Midtown artwork.

Patty Tiska: First Day of Summer Vacation

Patty Tiska is one of those people who left the corporate world to teach, and hasn't looked back. She has been teaching in the Guilford County public schools for 14 years. Patty teaches English to students whose dominant/home language is not English. When she starts talking about teaching, her passion for her students comes through loud and clear. 

To stay fit, Patty swims with the Greensboro Community Y Masters' Program. If you notice her t-shirt and license plate, you will see that she is passionate about swimming, too. She first started swimming when she was eight years old. Her sister was her first swim coach. When the masters' nationals were held in Greensboro a few years ago, Patty medaled in backstroke and butterfly. For the senior games, she holds the 50 and 100 yard freestyle records for the State of North Carolina. Patty is a sprinter and her favorite stroke is butterfly.

The above photo was taken yesterday, the first day of summer vacation for GCS teachers. After swim practice, Patty went to the movie "Woman at War." The movie takes place in Iceland, where Patty was an exchange student in 1977. Known for having a global mindset, Patty loves learning about other cultures and languages. Patty is a lifelong learner, so it is not surprising that she did something educational on her first day of summer vacation. Enjoy your summer, Patty!

Midtown Mural

The Midtown area of Greensboro is expanding east. The above photo is a mural on the back of the building at the corner of Grecade Street and Beaman Place. They are part of Marty Kotis' commitment to bringing original art murals to the buildings of Greensboro, especially to Midtown.

The murals were painted last weekend on the back of The Tiny Greenhouse, which Our State Magazine bills as an "urban jungle" (article here). The adjacent business, Craftroom, is filled with handmade purses, pencil pouches, planters, and other items, many with fabrics inspired by Asian prints and patterns. The Music Academy is also located on this block. If you get a chance this weekend, drive by for a look. Brick never looked so bright! What a sweet twist that all of the cars behind the building happened to be white. Perhaps, after a full day inspired by so much design, a white vehicle is somewhat palate-cleansing. Have a great weekend and do something nice for yourself!

Music Academy of North Carolina

On any weekday afternoon, parking in front of the Music Academy of North Carolina is at a premium. Families are picking up and dropping off students for lessons at 1327 Beaman Place, just up from the Tiny Greenhouse and across the street from Bulldog Printing. The Music Academy caters to almost everyone's musical interest and needs. They even have a commercial recording studio on site. Over the past 37 years, the academy has grown from three instructors and twenty students to thirty-five instructors and over 1,000 students. They have a diverse faculty and offer a wide range of lessons.

Dr. Ivan Battle founded the academy in 1982 when he was only 25 years old. Ivan, as he was known to most, died in 1995, after a very courageous with A.I.D.S. In a mere 39 years on earth, he left a lasting legacy of high quality music instruction that continues to thrive today. Research shows the benefits of early exposure to music in brain development. Ivan knew the benefits of early exposure to music and would be so pleased with the success of his academy. 

Happy Saturday! Seek out some live music!

Christmas Eve 2018

Happy Christmas Eve day. Once again, we're visiting Fleet-Plummer, a family owned, Greensboro business. Today's photo was shot in the Santa aisle and there are plenty  to choose from. If you need last minute gifts, Fleet-Plummer or any of the other locally owned stores.

We hope you have  a happy holiday with at least 48 hours to be less busy than usual. Christmastime, there are so many traditions around the world, from the posadas in Mexico to radish carving in Oaxaca to Friendly Center's displaying a giant fiberglass Santa with a waving arm, tradition can be whatever  you make it  Simply purchasing a themed ornament for everyone on your list is a tradition.

Happy Christmas Eve; may your holiday be merry and bright.

Blue Sky Over Mill Street

Today was a beautiful one in Greensboro. The temperature hovered in the mid-70s and the skies were blue. Perhaps it is the angle one can get by standing in the parking lot of the Red Collection on Mill Street, but the sky always seems to be so noticeably beautiful in this part of town. This tiny street between Westover Terrace and Battleground Avenue in Midtown seems to be a perfect, urban vantage point to admire the sky. Today there is an abundance of triangles formed by the phone wires, the angle of the photo, the clouds in the sky and the three red cars in the middle part of the photo.

The greenery of the maple trees on the left hand side of the road contrasts perfectly with the gray on the right hand side. If you look closely, those trees are just starting to change color on the top, a sure symbol that nature knows it is time for autumn. This former industrial area is now part of Midtown and will likely change dramatically, especially if a Publix grocery store moves into the area.*  Here's hoping the plans include keeping the trees.

*News and Record article, here.