South Elm Street, an artery in the heart of downtown Greensboro, provides a pulse of life to our city. The tree-lined street is sprinkled with quaint and curious shops like the Indigo Bead Shop, where you can create your own beaded jewelry, The Browsery bookshop, and Blumenthal’s, a department store filled with cheap blue jeans and other clothing deals.At the top of S. Elm, just a few steps from railroad tracks that cross the street, is The Paisley Pineapple (345 S. Elm). The Paisley Pineapple provides a fine-dining experience at a reasonable price, in a somewhat casual setting.
“The outside appearance of the building doesn’t do justice to the inside…it’s really funky, and upstairs [in The Sofa Bar] there were oversized couches everywhere…it was really comfortable,” said sophomore Courtney Lowe.
“The food was awesome!” said sophomore Genna Cohen.
Expect to spend upwards of $12.00 per plate on dishes like lobster ravioli in a parmesan cream sauce.
Want to impress a date? If you are looking for elegance in a full-service restaurant, try 223 South Elm Street. The restaurant, which shares its name with its address, provides innovative Southern cuisine in an upscale dining atmosphere. Expect to spend at least $15.00 per entree. Within 223 S. Elm Restaurant is The Copper Bar, named for it’s shiny copper-topped bar, which seats about 20.
On the same block is Thiggie’s Pizzeria, a pizza place offering a refreshing spin on the traditional pizzeria. Toppings like pineapples, sun-dried tomatoes, and bacon are available for $1 each. A large cheese pizza is $9.95. Salads ($2.95-4.35), subs ($3.95), and desserts ($2.25) are also reasonably priced.
If you’re looking for really fast food, stop in at Chik-Fil-A, located at 106 S. Elm.
Feeling full? There are things to do on South Elm besides eat.
Opening in 2003, The International Civil Rights Center and Museum, will map out the civil rights struggle through photographs, artwork, and other memorabilia.
Glitters, an odds-and-ends, bric-a-brac shop corners S. Elm and W. Washington Street. Just up the block, JD’s Nascar Collectibles (216 S. Elm) is any Nascar fan’s dream.
If you’re looking for nightlife, don’t stray from South Elm. The N Club and The Sky Bar are neighbors at 117 and 221 S. Elm, respectively. Both provide dancing and drinks. Wednesday night at the N Club is College Night; ladies are granted free admission until midnight and drinks are just $2.00. Sky Bar usually has specials on drinks as well, which start at just $2.00.
Don’t worry about being short of cash on your South Elm adventure – Bank of America and CCB are staggered across the street from each other. There is plenty of parking, even on the busiest nights – just pull into the parking deck at 235 S. Elm. There is also a metered lot just a few steps from Glitters.
Less than a decade ago, South Elm Street, which sits within the “Hamburger Square District” of Old Greensborough, was a conglomeration of vacant buildings with crumbling facades. The neighborhood has been transformed since then.
South Elm Street is now a jeweled avenue for adventure, by day or by night.