Promotional Video in Empire Hotel

Promotional video provided by:

NASCAR RaceDay built by the Home Depot on Speed.

When I received a call from Beth Petty in the film office at the Charlotte Regional Partnership, I wondered why NASCAR Media would want to film a promotional video in an our old Empire Hotel. What do old hotels and NASCAR have in common I asked myself. After seeing this footage...well I understand... a great theme for an October race...

I was asked "can we write on the walls?" "Sure" I replied...They obviously looked for and found the worst room in what we hope to return some day back into a grand hotel. The economy has certainly slowed our development process but it has not ended the optimism of redevelopment of this spectacular piece of our history. And while we are waiting opportunities like this are part of what make owning an old hotel interesting.  Maybe someday that room will be where guests talk about the weird NASCAR commercial...  

Randy

I received a nice thank you note the other day from Aaron Clinard, Chairman of The City Project, Inc., High Point, NC’s downtown development corporation.  About 20 of the people involved in that effort recently visited Salisbury to see our progress toward making our downtown a special place.

What stood out most in his note was the comment about the widespread enthusiasm we have in this community for downtown development and preservation.  It reminded me of incidents with two of our downtown heroes, Paul Fisher and Mike Fuller.

Removing metal façades from the 1960s is something present in the DNA of every downtown development person, or so I thought.  Late one night I received a phone call from Paul Fisher and found out that it was not a hereditary trait, it was a virus, and Paul Fisher was infected.  Mr. Paul was in the throes of the F&M Financial Center project.  He called me one night on my cell phone, telling me that they had begun tearing off the metal façade at the building at 225 N. Main and what a jewel they were uncovering…  He said he was so excited that he wanted to go down there and tear the rest of the metal off with his bare hands.  I suspect that he told Randy Goodman to be back early the next day because Randy had the metal off in record time and Mr. Paul turned one of the ugliest buildings in the downtown back into one of the prettiest.

My Board president Mike Fuller also had a full case of the virus.  DSI had just purchased the buildings at 210-214 S. Main (to the right of the Gateway Building).  Covered in ugly metal, Mike could not wait to get it off.  One afternoon we surmised the task and began work.  A truck, a piece of rope, a ladder and a dose of craziness was all it took.  It was as we thought, and as the photo above shows, very much like peeling a banana…  Mike’s virus was not easily cured as witnessed in his later transformation of Innes Street Drug at 112-114 S. Main.

Planning, perseverance, and a number of other factors have been part of the rebirth of Downtown Salisbury.  The most important element has been enthusiasm, and I am thankful for the enthusiasm of people like Paul Fisher and Mike Fuller.

I come from a small midwestern town, where on any given Saturday my brother and I would walk from our house, down Platt Street and up four blocks to Main Street.  Anything we could ever need and the only place we ever shopped was on that street – penny candy from Carter’s Five & Dime (Okey Dokey & Co, anyone?), new church shoes from Loxtercamp’s (Ralph Baker Shoes), or a box of nails for Dad’s next project from Hager’s Hardware (how about Bernhardt’s Hardware?).  We could grab lunch at the Corner Café (that could be Sidewalk Deli), an ice cold pop at the soda fountain in City Drug Store (maybe Innes St. Drug), or cream horns and fresh-baked cookies from Wigwam Bakery (the soon-to-be The Sweetest Thing).

My first trip ever to Salisbury was for my first interview for my current position.  And as I drove through town for the first time I thought, “This reminds me so much of my hometown!”  The feeling of familiarity was comfortable and seductive.  I could imagine living near downtown and walking to town, like I did at home; or stepping through the doors of any store and being greeted by name, like I did at home; or stopping on the street corner to discuss the day’s events with most anyone, like I did at home.  And it so happens that I didn’t just imagine these things, I lived them.  And I loved them!

I love Downtown Salisbury.  It’s just like coming home…

Dads and kids, bring Mom downtown from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, May 7, the Friday before Mother’s Day, for Downtown Salisbury, Inc.’s annual free Spring Night Out!  Spring Night Out offers an eclectic mix of music and entertainment, art and trolley rides, and fun of all kinds for Mom and the entire family. 

Stroll the sidewalks of Downtown and enjoy live R&B and dance music on Fisher Street by local favorites Divided by Four.  This sophisticated, fun ensemble specializes in variety including ballads, jazz and pop covering 80 years of music.  Other music downtown includes Consumed Youth Band at Bible Book Store, Midlife Crisis at The Blue Vine, and live music at Okey Dokey & Co.

Check out the Classic Cars in the Farmers Market lot.  Or load the entire family on the Trolley for a free spin around town.  Or pick up a Salisbury Sculpture Show brochure and see if you can find all 19 sculptures located around the heart of Salisbury.  Or check out the vendors with Bloggers Fair, an online community that networks with business experts in an online business setting – vendors will be set up in front of host businesses to display their products and services; bloggers will review the displays; giveaways and discounts will be offered. 

Or meet the Kannapolis Intimidators mascot, Tim E. Gator, and get your tickets to the Intimidators’ Salisbury Night game on Saturday, May 15.  Tickets purchased tonight are only $3 (regularly $7 at the door).  Tickets are available at the following downtown stores:  A Step in Time, 5 Easy St; Bible Book Store, 314 S Main; Critters, 125 S Main; Just The Thing, 103 N Main; Southern Spirit Gallery, 102 S Main; and Stelia, 118 N Main.

Or stroll the popular Downtown Ghost Walk – if you dare!  A family friendly stroll starts at 7:15 p.m., and the adults only walk is at 8:30.  $10 for adults, $5 for students, kids 5 and under are free!  Meet on the steps of the old Salisbury Post Office, 130 W. Innes St.  (Ticket sales are cash only.  Reservations are recommended; ticket sales on the night of the walk are based on availability.  704-642-1734 or boo@salisburyghostwalk.com)  

Children will also find plenty to keep them busy.  There are moonbounces, face painting, Wacky Doo the Clown, Salisbury Symphony’s musical petting zoo, and more!  Plus, this is the perfect opportunity to find that special gift for Mom as downtown shops stay open late for your convenience.  

Downtown Salisbury, Inc. invites Moms, Dads and families to come downtown for Spring Night Out and enjoy the activities, extended shopping hours in our unique retail shops, and some of the finest dining available anywhere.  So, meet us Downtown for the best in springtime fun, and find out why 75 Shops & 15 Restaurants Create One Special Place!  For more information, contact Downtown Salisbury, Inc. at (704) 637-7814.

Part of the inspiration for this project comes from a Kenny Chesney concert. According to Marshall, Kenny has a song about hometowns. Before he does a concert in a town, he sends in folks to take photos of the places, people that make the town special. Those photos are displayed while he sings the song and you can probably figure out the reaction. So our new book will have a similar feel. It will show people and places that make us special. No shortage of material here…historic icons like the Depot, Rebecca at the Well, the Bell Tower, the Old English Cemetery... We have so many long standing businesses like Bernhardt Hardware, Haps, and the list goes on…  

This discussion made me think of the quality of some of the newer additions to downtown. I enjoy seeing kids at the Soda Fountain at Innes Street Drug or Frost Bites. Kids riding Champion the horse at Critters always bring a smile to my face (the video Bo rides his pony on you tube is a funny dog variation…). Seeing a kid show their parents their tile at the Cotton Mills Corner at Fisher and Church Streets is heartwarming. There are so many neat places and people in downtown, I am sure they will have a difficult time narrowing it down!

I have been asked to help with a list for the photographers. I would like very much to hear your thoughts. What are some of the less obvious places, businesses, people you would put in a coffee table book of Salisbury? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!   

Randy

When the Hemann family travels, it is often with dog in tow.  Our retriever/lab mix Sebastian is as much a part of the family as I am … Sebastian backpacks, camps, hikes, stays in vacation houses and even shops downtown.  Yes, I said shops.  My wife will attest that working with a person who has been in downtown development for 20+ years mean that when you travel, you must patronize other downtowns.

When Sebastian is traveling with us, he also spends time in other downtowns.  There have been some interesting situations created by his shopping because he is quite an adorable dog.  On one occasion we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Sebastian was decked out in a bandanna, looking as handsome as any golden retriever/lab could look.  We were in Downtown Blowing Rock and while the remainder of the Hemann crew shopped, I was able to lounge on a bench with Sebastian.  As you would expect, dozens of people stopped to pet Sebastian … not a problem.… However, one lady wearing bright red lipstick just had to kiss him on the snout.  Well, the next time the family moved to the next store and checked on us, my wife spotted the incriminating evidence of a smooch from a complete stranger on Sebastian’s snout!  While it was the pup who bore the evidence of another woman’s affection, it was I who received the evil look reserved for a scoundrel.  Luckily for me, when his tail started wagging, the look melted into adoration (for the pup, not me…).

On another occasion, a shop owner in Downtown Hendersonville, seeing me parked with pup outside her store, came out with a bowl of water in hand for the handsome fella (once again, the pup, not me…).

We are fortunate in Downtown Salisbury to have shops where dogs are welcome.  Several merchants have water bowls outside their stores every day and pack a supply of dog treats.  Several bring their dogs to work.  I hope you are as appreciative as I am for the kindness these merchants offer our pets!   

Much like Randy (the new blogging guru), I love bringing my kids downtown.  Lucky for me, they love it too!  Not to sound cliché but it really is the perfect place to experience so many different things within just a few steps. 

Not so long ago, my kids and I ventured into Salisbury Square Antiques to look around.  It wasn’t long before I heard, “Hey Mom, look at this”…”No, no, over here.”  Our mission was to find a piece of furniture that could be used as storage, which we later found, but in the meantime their eyes were full of wonder, minds full of curiosity and arms full of me – pulling me in several different directions. 

Soon enough we found ourselves in an area with a variety of different hats.  Boy oh boy did they enjoy that!  Carefully, they tried on one hat after the other; they probably tried on every hat there.   “Look mom, I’m a southern belle.”  “I’m an army man.”  “I’m an old lady like you!”  (Kids!  Gotta love ‘em.)

Well, we continued to look around and picked up a few treasures here and there before heading to our next downtown store.  You know I’m ashamed to admit it but before working at Downtown Salisbury, Inc., I didn’t take many trips downtown.  I never knew what all I was missing…

Placemaking at 9

My son Preston is 9 years old now.  Many of you may have seen us riding around town on bicycles.  We frequently ride on Fulton Street and sometimes head into the downtown.  One of Preston’s favorite destinations is Bernhardt Hardware Store.  Mr. Bernhardt always greets us and always smiles at Preston and says, “How’s my buddy?”  Of course, he often is pulling a red sucker out of his pocket for Preston as he greets us.  Sleds, wagons, a display case full of knives; the hardware store is the kind of place that makes little boys dream of great adventure.   It’s also the kind of place that helps little boys connect to their town.

The other day, we rode our bikes down to the hardware store and looked around a lot and picked up the few hardware items we needed.  On the way out, Preston asked if we could get some hot roasted peanuts, so we picked up a couple of bags and headed to Magnolia Park.  At the park we enjoyed one of those talks about life that only takes place where there are no distractions, no demands on your time.  It was a simple but memorable day.

Books have been written about it but I am not sure I could ever explain to Preston what “sense of place” really means.  I don’t really need to because on his own level he has made that connection with his community and his downtown, and he already understands it.  Thanks, Mr. Bernhardt, for helping make that happen.