542 East Pettigrew - The Green Candle

(Courtesy State of North Carolina Archives)

Block of East Pettigrew between Henry Alley (intersecting street on the right) and Cozart St. (intersecting street next to Speight's service station, on the left) - ~1940s.

542-542 1/2 East Pettigrew was built in the 1930s, but was vacant by the late 1930s. By 1941, 542 housed Burma's Beauty Salon and 542 1/2 housed Charles Dennis' fish market. In 1953, Azona Allen opened The Green Candle restaurant at 542 E. Pettigrew, and by 1954, 542 1/2 housed the Orchid Beauty Shop. By 1957, this had become Rose's Beauty Salon. The beauty salon had closed by 1968.

Per a 1995 Herald-Sun article, Ms. Allen reminisced about serving Duke Ellington and Ike and Tina Turner at The Green Candle.

542 - 542 1/2 East Pettigrew, ~1970.
(Courtesy Durham County Library / North Carolina Collection)

542 - 542 1/2 East Pettigrew, ~1970.
(Courtesy Durham County Library / North Carolina Collection)

The building was destroyed before 1972. The land has remained vacant since that time.

Site of 542 - 542 1/2 East Pettigrew, 09.04.08

The Green Candle was one of the few businesses from the East Pettigrew St. business district to continue on after urban renewal. Ms. Allen eventually moved her business to the Phoenix Square shopping center on Fayetteville St. I'm not sure when it closed.

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