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Winston-Salem
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION:
interesting insights
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t’s Friday night, and downtown Winston-Salem is hopping. Here, the first Friday night of a summertime month creates a “perfect storm” of activities: a free outdoor music event closes down part of Fourth Street; indoor-outdoor restaurants along the street are jammed; and nearby, in the Arts District centered at Sixth & Trade, a monthly Gallery Hop is in full swing. In the other direction, the Burke Street establishments catering to a younger crowd have just fired up.
Very little of this has happened by accident. Over the past decade, the city has made deliberate efforts to bring downtown back to life.
Not only has the focus been on dining, entertainment and post-work events, but a new emphasis on creating downtown residency
has begun to build a core of people who both work and live in the central city. Those efforts are showing signs of success.
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hen Alabama native Cameron Jordan moved to Winston-Salem for her banking career, she was single. Later, she fell in love, got married and settled in. Now, as a new mother, she is finding even more to appreciate about Winston-Salem.
“My child was premature, and we have been so fortunate that there is a program here called N.C. Babies,” she said. “It’s an early assessment program that helps you discover resources when you need them.”
Ms. Jordan really knew she was hooked when she encountered her first autumn in North Carolina. “I was riding down the highway, and I called my father,” she said. “I told my dad that I finally understood what all the colors in my Crayola box were for – they were in all the trees around me.”
Beautiful fall colors
notwithstanding, there’s
a lot of eye appeal in
these two towns that
have become one. Salem,
one of the earliest
planned communities in
the colonies, was
founded in 1766 by the
Moravians. They brought
their love of church,
education, music and a
strong work ethic with
them. Skilled craftsmen
opened sawmills,
breweries, tanneries and
other basic shops.
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That’s not to say that the suburban lifestyle is fading away, either. As Winston-Salem has turned its focus from the tobacco and textiles of the 1900s to the banking, health care and biomedical research of the 21st Century, the area continues to grow towards the outer extremes of Forsyth County and beyond.
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It was that combination of downtown activity and nearby semi-rural life that appealed to Bruce Gavett when he relocated to Winston-Salem a little more than a year ago as a result of the merger of R.J. Reynolds and Brown & Williamson. He used the services of Prudential Carolinas to help with the move.
“It’s easy to get out in the country fairly quickly from the downtown area,” he said, “which appeals to me as an avid bike rider. It’s a best of both worlds thing for me, since I live in the small-town atmosphere of Lewisville, which is, however, only a couple of miles to four-lane roads into town.”
Gavett noted that he could head west on his bike and travel country roads, including several that lead to the vineyards of the Yadkin River valley. He can also drive to parks, such as Pilot Mountain or Hanging Rock, in less than an hour, to bike or hike.
“It’s close enough to the mountains that you can easily enjoy them,” he said.
Having lived in Rochester, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Macon, Georgia, he also enjoys the size and climate of Winston-Salem. “It’s a temperate climate ñ without the long, cold winters of upstate New York but yet more seasonal variety than Georgia. The medium-sized city, with life coming back to downtown, has enough going on to keep it from being ësmall town,’ but it doesn’t have the congestion of places like Atlanta. The relocation here has worked out well for me.”
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Temperate climate and a vibrant community. |
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Temperature, activities and amenities were also meaningful to Lauren and Rob Casey and their four children. The Caseys relocated from Needham, Mass., near Boston, in July 2003, following Rob’s work in the furniture business ñ although that work, with Henredon, was initially based in Morganton, 90 miles west via interstate.
“Coming as we did from a larger urban area,” Lauren Casey said, “we were seeking a vibrant community. While we were searching, Rob met a friend of his for dinner in Winston-Salem. He called me that night and said he thought he had found the right place.” The couple also worked with Prudential Carolinas Realty to locate a home northwest of downtown.
Although “we miss a good blizzard,” the Caseys are finding that the longer spring and fall, and shorter winter “are all great! We have also enjoyed getting to know people who are from this area, but equally, we’ve found there are a lot of other people who have come from ëaway,’ so we are hardly alone in that.”
The Caseys also found the education quality they sought ñ two children attend the Summit School; the other two, Forsyth Country Day School ñ and the area’s offerings. Like Bruce Gavett, they can get to the mountains quickly for hiking, and have found several restaurants that meet their requirements nicely. “We just love the area,” Casey said. When Rob’s company’s headquarters relocated in High Point, the daily commute also improved dramatically.
Cities of this size ñ due to annexations, Winston-Salem proper will soon top 200,000 ñ and its surrounding areas offer a fairly wide range of neighborhoods for newcomers to consider.
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A wide range of community types. |
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Though there are certainly exceptions, the newest housing communities tend to be found to the west and south of the city, lapping over into Davie or Davidson counties, or “between the 40s” (Business I-40 and Interstate 40) to the south of Kernersville, near the new Dell Computer plant.
Older neighborhoods with historic, generally smaller homes are clustered in West End, Ardmore and in and around Old Salem, though homes within the historic district of Old Salem are pricey and rarely appear on the market.
The “old money” neighborhoods of Winston-Salem can be located to the northwest of downtown, in Buena Vista and Sherwood Forest. Other large-house locations are well north of town, to the west along the Yadkin River, and in several places in and around Kernersville, which has gained its own level of popularity for its central location for access to Greensboro and High Point, as well as Winston-Salem. (The three cities together are known regionally as the “Piedmont Triad.”)
Winston-Salem is also home to one of the largest enclosed shopping malls in the South at Hanes Mall. Many of the retail locations in town are in its vicinity along Hanes Mall Boulevard and Stratford Road, though Thruway Shopping Center, and other stores along Country Club, Peace Haven and Robin Hood roads fill a lot of other needs.
Andrew Hebard chose Winston-Salem as the global headquarters for his business, Kings, Inc., a company that specializes in high value agricultural crops.
“I had no expectations when I started looking for a base in North America,” he said. “I had traveled extensively and this region had a really good feel to it.”
Originally from a small town close to Cambridge, England, his two young daughters were understandably nervous about the move. Now, they don’t want to live anywhere else.
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Jason Carter, his wife Bethany, and two young sons returned to the Winston-Salem area over a year ago as a deliberate choice. |
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Jason, born and raised here, had been away in Charlotte, Binghamton, N.Y. and Pinehurst, N.C. for about six years. But he chose a new job in human resources with Kohler Corp. in part because it would bring him back home.
"Part of our decision to come back to Winston-Salem was hometown driven, but equally, we felt it was a great place to raise children and it has a good job market. To some extent, the city was in a holding pattern ten years ago, but it has, in my opinion, made some good choices by bringing in new businesses to replace old ones but not overdone it," Carter said.
The family chose Springfield Village in Clemmons, with the help of a Coldwell Banker agent, anticipating growth and because of the quality of the school system. They have seen additional retail and business growth in their area in the short time since they moved it.
"We very much like the size, scope and scale of the city, and Clemmons isn't 'out in the country' anymore either. Winston-Salem has matured in a very positive way," he noted.
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Once home and shopping are out of the way, pay a visit downtown... |
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...where the Fourth Street area has undergone
a major facelift in recent years, offering a range of restaurants and the Stevens Center, home to a number of performances coordinated by the North Carolina School of the Arts. Up Trade Street from Fourth is the burgeoning Arts District, with several of its own restaurants and many galleries representing area artisans.
And down on Burke Street, coffeehouses and bars issue forth a range of music and entertainments for the younger crowd, as do several facilities out University Parkway near the Coliseum and Dixie County Fairgrounds, home of the annual County Fair in October.
Good restaurants are scattered elsewhere around town, too. Winston-Salem does pretty well on the side of dining pleasure for a city of its size.
Once the house has been found, and the shopping and dining are out of the way, it’s time to discover the history, entertainment and educational opportunities the city provides.
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What to do & What to see
Old Salem Museums & Gardens
One of the most authentic living history towns in the country also features the Museum of Early Southern
Decorative Arts, a Toy Museum and a Children’s Museum. If time is limited, at least drive through the
historic district, just south of downtown. Phone: 336.721.7300 • www.oldsalem.org.
Children’s Museum of
Winston-Salem
Also close to downtown, this new museum for kids (and adults) wraps around a theme of books and literacy. But it also teaches teamwork in the Krispy Kreme “factory” and life skills in the Food Lion “grocery store.” Phone: 336.723.9111
www.childrensmuseumofws.org.
Reynolda House, Museum of American Art
A double treat, Reynolda House features a fine collection of American art from across the years, inside a deceptive “bungalow” mansion built for tobacco baron R.J. Reynolds. Tours combine the art with the many attributes of the home.
Phone: 336.758.5150 •
www.reynoldahouse.org.
SciWorks
A natural science center that can be as much fun for adults as for students, SciWorks offers numerous hands-on, interactive displays and an outdoor stroll as well. Don’t miss the planetarium!
Phone: 336.767.6730 • www.sciworks.org .
In The Sporting News
Winston-Salem is home to the ACC’s Wake Forest University (www.wfu.edu) and the newest member of MEAC,
Winston-Salem State University (www.wssu.edu). And if you’re a fan of America’s game and enjoy the laid-back minor leagues, take in a game with the Winston-Salem Warthogs, a Class A team affiliated with the Chicago White Sox.
Phone: 336.759.2233 •
www.warthogs.com
Be Part of the NASCAR Nation
North Carolina, of course, is all about NASCAR. Just north of downtown, the Winston Cup Museum is a tribute to 33 years of sponsorship by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Artifacts, trophies, cars and more fill the floor and walls.
Phone: 336.724.4557 •
www.winstoncupmuseum.com
Situational Ethics
One of the three cities of the “Piedmont Triad” of North Carolina (with Greensboro and High Point),
Winston-Salem is the westernmost, situated less than an hour from the nearest mountains. Meanwhile, the
closest beaches are about a four-hour drive. The growing Yadkin Valley wine district is immediately west of
Forsyth County (though the oldest area vineyard, Westbend, is just inside the county along the Yadkin River.)
Experience the City of the Arts
For a city of its size, Winston-Salem has developed a
dazzling array of cultural events and activities year-round. Tours and local productions, the
Winston-Salem Symphony, Piedmont Opera, Winston-Salem Little Theatre, a thriving
Arts District, museums at
Old Salem and Reynolda House, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art and the many offerings of the North Carolina School of the Arts are only part of the list. Visit the Arts Council’s Website for more at www.intothearts.org.
Food, Glorious Food
WS Prime
425 North Cherry St.
Perfectly aged USDA
prime steaks and
unsurpassed seafood
created by their chef.
World-class cuisine in
warm and comfortable
surroundings.
Phone: 336.722.5232
• www.wsprimesteakhouse.com
Christopher’s New Global Cuisine
712 Brookstown Ave.
Christopher’s is a sophisticated dining establishment serving contemporary upscale foods and beverages
that are influenced from cultures around the globe.
Phone 336.724.1395
• www.christophersngc.com
Zevely House
901 W. Fourth St. Atmosphere inside or outside historic brick house, excellent entrees, good wines.
Phone: 336.725.6666 •
www.zevelyhouse.com
Marshall Street Smokehouse
924 S. Marshall St. Indoor and outdoor dining with creative offerings, diverse wine list.
Phone: 336.724.0430.
www.marshallstreetsmokehouse.com [under construction ]
Downtown Thai
219 W. Fourth St. One of several downtown restaurants taking advantage of indoor and sidewalk dining. Good service, good Thai.
Phone: 336.777.1422. •
www.downtownthai.com
Paul’s
3443-B Robin Hood Rd. Since 1988, a popular destination for classic Italian dining.
Phone: 336.768.2645 •
www.paulsfineitaliandining.com
Sweet Potatoes
529 Trade St. For that something a little different, this little restaurant in the heart of the Arts District creates many tasty options from the simple sweet potato.
Phone: 336.727.4844
Where to buy your bling
(among other things)
Other than one of the largest shopping malls between D.C. and Atlanta (Hanes Mall, off Interstate 40), Winston-Salem shopping tends to be spread around town. Here are a few suggestions:
T. Bagge: Merchant and Moravian Gift & Book Shop
626 and 614 S. Main St., Old Salem. For the gifts and take-homes that are uniquely Winston-Salem, these two adjacent shops – one operated by the museum, one by the Moravian Church – are fun to browse.
Phone: 336.721.7387 & 336.723.6262
Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc.
601 N. Trade St. Surrounded by a number of other art galleries, Piedmont Craftsmen displays and sells works of their membership, generally top-end in quality and
creativity.
Phone: 336.725.1516 •
www.piedmontcraftsmen.org
Reynolda Village
2201 Reynolda Rd. In the former outbuildings of the Reynolds estate, experience a range of shops from antiques and fashions to jewelers and outdoor equipment.
Phone: 336.758.5584 •
www.reynoldavillage.com
The Triad
Greensboro ~ High Point ~ Winston-Salem
The transformation of the Piedmont Triad's economy is happening even as we
speak, as high-tech and service companies move in to take over the status
formerly held by manufacturing industries.
Of course, High Point remains the
"Furniture Capital of the World" and Sara
Lee, the branded apparel manufacturer, remains the second-largest employer
in the area, so don¹t count out manufacturing just yet.
Within 30 miles of one another in the Piedmont section of North Carolina,
the towns of Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point help form the Piedmont
Triad region. The Blue Ridge Mountains are two hours to the west and the
beaches four hours to the east.
You'll find 12 of North Carolina's most exciting museums, 13 institutions of
higher learning, 50 golf courses, 300 tennis courts, 430 parks, many nature
and horseback riding trails and a National Military Park.
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Bill Cissna lives in Kernersville, N.C., just east of Winston-Salem and west of Greensboro. He has lived in North Carolina since 1986, moving from Pittsburgh, Pa., where he attended junior and senior high school. A graduate of Allegheny College, he has worked in advertising and public relations positions, as well as freelance writing from 1982-1986, 1991-1998 and since May 2004.
more about winston-salem
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