3100 University Drive

I first visited this awesome building sometime ~2004, when the meat shop was a mess, but still doing business from it's 1/3-empty refrigerators. One of the butchers -- sizing me up as the rube that I was -- hit me with the oldie-but-goodie scam pitch ("there was a meat deliverer whose truck broke down (or that went out of business, or that owed a bunch of money and needed cash asap) so we got a one-time fantastic deal...") on some frozen New York strip steaks. Not knowing the scam, I took the bait and bought a box of 12. When I got home, I discovered that I'd also been shorted on the quantity (is 11 what they'd call "a butcher's dozen?"). But scams and shorts included, the steaks were awesome and a fine buy at 11 for however much I paid.

My grandmother used to take me to A&P across the street and then to Red & White for real cut bacon. I do remember the old trashy mobile home park behind it which was a little scary. Anyway, the Red & White was an older shop and seemed like an adventure while strolling the isles as a child.

I remember shopping at this store as a kid in the 70s, when we'd get some things at the A&P across the street, other things at the Red&White. The rural character of that area must have already been changing, but of course I didn't notice it until I was older. There was the new medical building across from Durham Academy, then a strip mall with a florist where I bought flowers for my future wife, then more and more things showing up, and finally the surge of pavement heading toward South Square. After the burning of Hope Valley, it just felt different out there. If you head up some of the side streets in that area, you still capture the feeling of the older houses, though.

My mom used to stop here in the 80s/90s for things that we needed that you couldn't get at the convenience store but didn't want to go all the way to Kroger at South Square for. I remember it being pretty musty and dusty but I loved that about it. I wonder what, if anything, will pop up at this intersection.

They had the best "home made" NY style cheesecakes back in late 60's early 70's !

Also, just before the Chapel Hill Rd/Shannon Rd intersection was Gurtner's Metal Supply. At that time, the front was open glass, not enclosed as it is currently. Does anyone from the area remember Watson's Stake Mfg.?

I remember Chapel Hill rd passing in front of "Billy's" as we called it. University drive intersected Chapel Hill approx in the parkin lot of the current convienience store in front of what I believe was Crabtree's Esso. Chapel Hill rd also curved slightly (but remained intact) in front of the florist with Shannon rd turning off to the right onto a two lane rd. I grew up on Old Chapel Hill Rd around Vanderbilt Vetereinary Hospital, and I sure do miss the old neighborhood.

Many vehicles in the parking lot today, including a full-sized backhoe. Demolition imminent? Sigh. I wanted to stop by to get any details, and to and ask what deconstruction/reclamation efforts are in the plan. But I remembered that I really, really need to focus on other tasks, right now. If only that preservation (or, barring that, deconstruction/reclamation) were automatically part of the "system".

I remember Watson's saw mill at the dead end of Shannon Rd. and I also remember when Ray Gurtner's Metal Supply was a grocery store with the glass front. I'm thinking it was called Carolina - Duke back then or it was the filling station next door.

Thanks Larry,
I remember Shannon Road running from as basically a loop with Chapel Hill Rd at both ends, pre South Square. I also recall fishing in both Vanderbilts pond and the pond behind the old white house (now gone) at the corner of Chapel Hill and Archdale