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Monica Davis Speaks at Welcome Reception for “We Built This” Exhibit

Salisbury, NC – Around 75 attendees visited Rowan Public Library Headquarters after hours on Thursday, November 30 to hear Monica T. Davis speak on the topics of architecture, restoration, and the cultural value of preserving Black-built homes. Davis, who is the founder and Executive Director of the Rebirthing Our Cultural Kingdom (R.O.C.K.) Foundation, headlined the welcome reception for North Carolina Preservation’s traveling exhibit We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina, which is currently on display at RPL Headquarters in Salisbury through January 27, 2024.

Davis’ knowledge of preservation and historic, Black-built homes runs deep. Not only does she hold a Master of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture and a Post Baccalaureate certificate in Historical Preservation, but she also has over 10 years of architecture experience and is the owner and principal designer of Rinascita Designs, LLC.

During her speech, Davis explained how devastating it was to see the historical, Black-built shotgun-style homes in her hometown of Wilson, NC falling into serious disrepair.

“The City of Wilson has not really invested in this area, and a lot of these homes have been renter-occupied for over 30 years. When I was doing my thesis survey, only one house had been owner-occupied. That shows that African Americans in this area weren’t able to create generational wealth because they had been renting the same homes for 30-plus years,” Davis explained. With a lack of attention to this important historical hub of Wilson, the homes – and their historical significance – teetered on the edge of total loss. Davis wanted to do more than preserve these structures. She also wanted to preserve the deep cultural and historical value they held for Wilson’s Black community.

By establishing the R.O.C.K. Foundation, Davis contributed much information and research to the We Built This exhibit. As she learned more about the deteriorating shotgun-style homes in Wilson, she dove deeper into the historical context in which they were built. Many Black tobacco field laborers lived in these homes, which were the chosen style of residence because of their slim designs. Davis explained that the shotgun-style house design originated in West Africa. Multiple shotgun-style homes could be squeezed into smaller plots of land, making them the most economical choice for workers’ housing. In turn, these neighborhoods became the setting for generations of Black families living in these homes, working on the local tobacco farms, and building a unique culture within their communities.

Davis explained how the R.O.C.K. Foundation does more than repairing and restoring the homes: it also serves to educate the community on the rich culture from which many Black Wilson residents come. Davis realized that many Wilson citizens, many of whom had ancestors living in these homes and working in the tobacco fields, didn’t fully understand the significance of the dilapidated homes. Not only were the homes Black-built, but they also served as the backdrop for the history of multiple generations of Wilson’s Black citizens.

However, the R.O.C.K. Foundation doesn’t stop with restoration and education. Davis takes her entire operation a major step further by making the restored shotgun-style homes available as affordable housing options for members of the Wilson community. “As you all know right now, inflation and the cost of living are skyrocketing, so an important part of my preservation work is creating affordable housing options from already-existing structures,” explained Davis.

After Davis’ presentation, attendees had a chance to tour through the entire We Built This exhibit, meet and speak with Davis, and enjoy refreshments together. Exhibit-goers also had the opportunity to complete scavenger hunt activities where the answers were tucked away within the exhibit’s informational panels and posters. Scavenger hunt activities are available for library visitors to complete throughout the exhibit’s stay at RPL Headquarters.

For those who missed the reception, there are multiple upcoming opportunities for you to enjoy programs and activities themed around We Built This. On Saturday, Dec. 9 at 12:30 pm, photographers of all skill levels are invited to join RPL staff at Livingstone College for a photowalk and take photos of historical buildings on campus, some of which are featured in the We Built This exhibit. To see a complete list of programming, visit bit.ly/WeBuiltThisRPL or call 980-432-8670 to connect with your most convenient RPL location.

The exhibit will remain at RPL Headquarters through January 27, 2024–interested visitors can view it during the branch’s regular business hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9 am to 9 pm; and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm. The exhibit will move to Livingstone College during the month of February 2024. We Built This is presented by Preservation North Carolina, sponsored by Joe L. & Hester M. Sims Family Foundation and Edward & Susan Norvell, and in collaboration with the Historic Salisbury Foundation, Rowan Public Library, Livingstone College, and Friends of Rowan Public Library.

Attached Photo: R.O.C.K. Foundation founder and Executive director Monica T. Davis (left) and RPL Director Melissa Oleen (right) smile for the camera after Davis’ speech at the Welcome Reception

Press Contact:              

Sydney Smith Hamrick

704-216-7841

Sydney.Smith@rowancountync.gov

www.rowanpubliclibrary.org

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Salisbury, NC – South Main Book Company is so fortunate to host Dr. Kelly Withers twice this November. Her first talk will take place on Thursday November 2 at 1pm, when she meets with our READERS FOR CHANGE group to introduce us to school financing and the relationship between state, county, and local funding streams.   You can also join us again on November 17 at 1pm for a deeper dive into North Carolina’s accountability model (i.e., student testing and school “report cards”). The “ABCs Accountability Model” is North Carolina’s school improvement plan to “reorganize public schools around three goals: strong Accountability, an emphasis on the Basics and high educational standards, and providing schools and school districts with as much local Control over their work as possible” (NCDPI).   Readers for Change is a “bookish” club where neighbors gather to discuss an issue facing our community, often in the realm of public education, then take collective action. We have previously met to discuss the Knox/Overton plan, school nutrition, and local foster care opportunities. These events are free, and all are welcome to attend.   South Main Book Company is a retail bookstore located at 110 S. Main Street in downtown Salisbury, N.C.  We are open seven days a week (Mon-Sat 10a-6p, Sun 1p-5p). Call 704-630-9788 during business hours with questions.   ###

Salisbury, NC: South Main Book Company is so excited to partner with the Understanding US Initiative this summer to host Simone Campbell, the author of Hunger for Hope and A Nun on the Bus.

Join Sister Simone Campbell and members of our community in conversation as she seeks to understand what holds us together in these turbulent times. What gives you hope? What brings people together in Salisbury? This event is a conversation where we’ll spend time listening, understanding, and discussing how we can bring healing to our community.

Sister Simone Campbell is a religious leader, attorney, author and recipient of a 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor. She has spent her life and career traveling to communities and learning about where hope lives and what brings people together.

RSVP on Eventbrite for this July 23^rd event, to happen from 5 to 6:30pm at South Main Book Company.  Link is here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hope-in-turbulent-times-a-conversation-with-sister-simone-campbell-tickets-655043180787

Learn more about the Understanding US Initiative by visiting https://www.letsunderstand.us/

Located at 110 South Main St., in the heart of downtown Salisbury, NC, South Main Book Company provides a carefully curated selection of locally authored titles, new books, literary memorabilia, and keepsakes.  Visit this bookstore any day of the week, or online at www.southmainbookcompany.com

Funds made possible through the Duke Energy Foundation

(Tuesday, May 9, 2023) DOWNTOWN SALISBURY, INC. (DSI) announces 27 awards totaling more than $156,000 in economic impact to downtown businesses within the designated Downtown Salisbury Municipal Service District (MSD). These grants are part of the Supporting Existing Businesses Grant Program, made possible by the Duke Energy Foundation, which focuses on strengthening and uplifting communities with vibrant economies, climate resiliency, and justice, equity, and inclusion.

“We are honored and grateful to be one of 20 organizations named as a recipient of the Duke Energy Grant in this most recent round of gifting,” said Sada Troutman, Downtown Salisbury, Inc. director.  “Allowing DSI to make awards to the business and property owners who make Downtown Salisbury a great place to live, work and play has been a powerful reminder of the good work our stakeholders continuously do for our community.”

All business owners located within the MSD, with a storefront presence, and fewer than 50 employees, were invited to apply for grants between $500 and $2,500. The funds can be used for enhanced service or commerce opportunities, furniture for expanded outdoor capacity, storefront beautification, or tools or programs to support workforce needs.

Recipients of the Supporting Existing Businesses Grant Program:

Enhanced service or commerce opportunities

• Glass Ingenuity
• Graceful Beauty Lounge
• Hive                            
• Piedmont Players
• South Main Book Company
• Spotlight Dance Company
• The Fun Factory
• Tonyan Grace Boutique
• U Barkin At Me                                     

Furniture for Expanded Outdoor Capacity

• Go Burrito
• Healthcare Management Consultants, Inc
• The Fish Bowl

Storefront Beautification

• AnnaCraig Boutique
• Bangkok Downtown
• Go Ventures, Inc.
• Greystone Spa on Main
• Jayne Helms Group – Re/Max-
• Kitchen Store
• Local Focal
• Off Main Gallery
• Oxford+Lee
• Plant World
• Ruthie Darling
• SoulFull Nutrition
• The Lettered Lily

Tools or programs to support workforce needs

• The Pedal Factory
• TCW Vizionz LLC

Said Troutman, “It goes without saying, the past few years have been incredibly trying for small businesses across the country, and Downtown Salisbury is no exception. The $25,000 allowed DSI to create a grant program that provided small businesses funding to bring visions and business expansions to life. This will continue to make Downtown Salisbury a vibrant community asset and destination for tourists and residents alike.”

Downtown Salisbury serves as a central hub for existing and growing small businesses and creates a critical mass of activities where commercial, cultural, and civic activities are concentrated. As these small businesses use their grant projects to continue the progress and development of Downtown Salisbury, visit their shops, see their growth, explore Downtown Salisbury, and always, Shop Local. For more information about each project, visit www.DowntownSalisburyNC.com.

As a Main Street America™ accredited program, Downtown Salisbury is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities that share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by Main Street America. Please visit us on the web at www.downtownsalisburync.com.  

By Elisabeth Strillacci

SALISBURY — Growing up with parents who were both avid gardeners meant Marleigh Adams was already predisposed to love plants, but she didn’t start out thinking she would someday have a plant shop.

Now, she can’t imagine anything else.

Her new store, Roots, opened officially last weekend to a packed house, she said, and the community support has been “beyond amazing.”

The shop, though owned and operated by Marleigh, has become a family affair, with mom, Carrie Adams, and brother Travis helping out. Travis built most of the shelving and created the concrete counter tops in the store that needed almost a year’s worth of renovations.

“We spent a lot of time walking the downtown area and looking for the right spot,” said Marleigh. “This place needed the most work of any of the available spaces, but it was the right space, so we went for it.” The vibe she has created is soothing, earthy, peaceful, and the spotlight is definitely on the plants. From spotted begonias to air plants that need no soil to the carnivorous pitcher plant, Marleigh has what a house needs to add life. And she is prepared to make sure buyers understand how to care for their new purchases, though she has no real plans to offer classes.

“That wasn’t something I set out to do at the beginning, and there are other shops here that do, and I don’t want to conflict with them; I want to keep our relationships happy, and they have both been so supportive,” she said. In fact, shop owners throughout downtown have been supportive across the board, along with the city.

“I can reach out to the city at any time and they are very responsive, have offered a lot of tips and ideas and have been so good about making sure I am aware of any events going on,” she said. The most challenging thing about opening was getting the license to serve alcohol, because the shop offers wine slushies. It required an inspection of the premises, which had to wait until the renovations were complete, but it all came together in the end.

In the front of the store there is a circle of chairs with a center coffee table, surrounded by plants, that Marleigh hopes will become a gathering spot for people, where they can use the WiFi, chat with friends and even enjoy an icy glass of wine if they like. And if the attendance so far is any indication, the store is already making a name for itself.

This past Saturday, Ken Davis from Lexington, a well known singer and musician, entertained the shoppers who were so plentiful at one point that the line snaked through the whole store and back again.

One thing Marleigh does want to do down the road, according to her mother, is create a mobile greenhouse truck that she can take to events to sell plants.

“Initially she talked about just doing a plant truck, a mobile business,” said Carrie. “But eventually it became clear that she should go ahead and establish an actual shop. But I know she still wants to go mobile.”

The plants Marleigh offers come from all over the country, from Colorado, Florida and other states, but also from Statesville and Charlotte. She plans to source as much locally as possible.

“I’ve tried to source for both beginners and collectors,” she said. “And I hope that people will buy here instead of buying online, support a local business, because we do have plants that you really can’t get elsewhere except by going online. You won’t find them in box stores. I am trying to market to everyone, not a particular age group, and not just women, but to everyone.”

Plants, she said, “can completely change a space, can make a space welcoming and warm and peaceful, and that’s what I hope people feel when they come in.”

Read more at: https://www.salisburypost.com/2023/05/07/a-growing-concern-roots-comes-to-town/

RECEIVES 2023 MAIN STREET AMERICA ACCREDITATION

Salisbury, NC (May 4, 2023) – Downtown Salisbury, Inc. has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.

Downtown Salisbury, Inc.’s performance is annually evaluated by [Your Main Street Coordinating Program Name, City of Salisbury][ST1] , which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards. To qualify for Accreditation status, communities must meet a set of rigorous standards that include commitments to building grassroots revitalization programs, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.

Downtown Salisbury experienced over $30 million in combined private and public investment, with 42 projects being completed in the district. As Downtown Salisbury grew by 13 businesses and 4 expanded businesses, it welcomed 50 added full-time jobs and 24 added part-time jobs, all of which contribute to a slight increase in rental rates, a sign of a healthy market in the community.

“Downtown Salisbury is thrilled to once again be accredited as a Main Street program, working to invigorate our Main Street community using economic vitality, design, and promotion as the backbone to successful economic development, said Sada Troutman, Downtown Development/DSI Director. Over the past year, Downtown Salisbury saw amazing commitment from property owners, business owners, residents, and visitors alike to make Salisbury a better place to live, work and play. This is highlighted by the safe and successful implementation of the Downtown Salisbury Social District, as well as record attendance at many downtown events.”

“We are very proud to acknowledge this year’s 862 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their steadfast dedication to nurture economically and culturally vibrant downtown districts,” said Hannah White, Interim President & CEO of Main Street America. “The increase in the size and impact of our network speaks volumes to the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of local communities and drive innovative solutions.”

In 2022, Main Street America programs generated $6.2 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 7,657 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 29,174 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,688 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,528,535 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support its operations, it generated $24.07 of new investment back into their downtown communities.

Collectively, 2 million people live or work within the boundaries of designated Main Street America districts. An estimated workforce of 1.1 million people contributes their skills and expertise to advancing the missions of these historic downtowns and commercial corridors.

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ABOUT Downtown Salisbury, Inc.

As a Main Street America™ accredited program, Downtown Salisbury is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities that share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by Main Street America. Please visit us on the web at www.downtownsalisburync.com.  

ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA

Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have generated more than $101.58 billion in new public and private investment, generated 168,693 net new businesses and 746,897 net new jobs, rehabilitated more than 325,119 buildings, and levered over 33.7 million volunteer hours. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.

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