The other night we were walking in downtown Burlington toward the Front Street Bottle Shop where a holiday gathering was scheduled. As we turned the corner of Main and Front streets, I pointed to an unsightly row of rolling trash carts on the sidewalk facing the Historic Depot from in front of the old Trollinger's … Continue reading An out of sight change coming to Burlington’s downtown
Community
Elon University meets Downtown B-Town
For the past few years Elon University has stepped up its efforts to be a bigger presence in Alamance County and specifically its nearby neighbor -- Burlington. I first noticed it six or so years ago when Dr. Connie Book was then an associate provost at Elon. She reached out to the newspaper where I … Continue reading Elon University meets Downtown B-Town
Murals can visually define a downtown. Denver is one example (photo galleries)
As artist Mauricio Ramirez wraps up his mural in downtown Burlington today -- and let's just say it's a dynamic and stunning achievement visible behind Bella's House on display for Webb Avenue traffic -- I thought it might be a good idea to look at how a mural can help define a downtown area as … Continue reading Murals can visually define a downtown. Denver is one example (photo galleries)
An emerging symbol for transformation in downtown Burlington
Mauricio Ramirez got his first taste of good ol' North Carolina humidity on Thursday. It was just about the hottest September day I can remember -- 97 degrees with humidity registering at about the same number. It was the very definition of "sweltering." For Ramirez, the Chicago-born and based artist selected to create the first … Continue reading An emerging symbol for transformation in downtown Burlington
Helping cancer patients and remembering friends like Don Bolden and Mike Wilder
Last year at this time I was in the middle of the tough two-month process of saying goodbye to Don Bolden, who would pass away quietly on Aug. 2, 2018 after a battle with cancer that lasted a little less than nine months. Don, the editor emeritus of the Burlington Times-News and the man who … Continue reading Helping cancer patients and remembering friends like Don Bolden and Mike Wilder
Burlington Food Hall the next piece in downtown puzzle
Minutes after hearing the surprise announcement on June 28 that a food hall would be the next occupant of the vacant Company Shops Market in downtown Burlington, I had a couple of questions. The first was answered by a story I found in Forbes magazine about the emergence of food halls across the nation. The … Continue reading Burlington Food Hall the next piece in downtown puzzle
Satisfying my longtime curiosity about the old May Hosiery Mill, uh, May Hosiery Lofts
I have always had some curiosity about the old May Hosiery Mill in downtown Burlington. During my first nine years working across the street from it at the Burlington Times-News it was still a functioning operation. It was joined to another building across Morehead Street with an overhead connection between the two buildings with Kayser-Roth … Continue reading Satisfying my longtime curiosity about the old May Hosiery Mill, uh, May Hosiery Lofts
Now we know what’s coming to the old Company Shops Market
a little more than a year ago I wrote about the sad demise of Company Shops Market, a grocery co-op that opened with great promise in May of 2011. The market was seen as an anchor for Burlington's then-struggling downtown and a symbol of hope for a bright future filled with locally produced food and … Continue reading Now we know what’s coming to the old Company Shops Market
Updated: Concerned about the death of local news
UPDATE NOV. 14, 2019: The vote by shareholders concerning the future of a planned $1.2 billion merger of two large newspaper corporations is underway today, according to this story in the Burlington Times-News, one of newspapers impacted by this deal. I expect it to be approved, which will combine GateHouse Media (New Media) and Gannett … Continue reading Updated: Concerned about the death of local news
Meeting neighbors downtown for coffee
The first, First Tuesday Downtown Coffee Talk -- downtown Burlington's version of Elon University's College Coffee -- went pretty much as expected. A crowd of 30 was predicted to attend the initial 9:30 a.m. event at the Historic Depot downtown and that's almost exactly what we got. It was a nice mixture that included city … Continue reading Meeting neighbors downtown for coffee
Madison's Avenue 