907-909 East Main

35.989568, -78.890854

907-909
Durham
NC
Year built
~1920
Year demolished
2006
Architectural style
Construction type
National Register
Neighborhood
Building Type
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907-909 East Main was built sometime ~1920. It first housed the Edgemont Cafe at 907 and the Petty-Roberts Laundry at 909; this became the Scott & Roberts Laundry by 1923. 909 was vacant by 1933.

By 1938, 907 was vacant, but 909 housed Jimmie's Soda Shop. By 1947, 907 housed O&C Sport Shop billiards, which became the East Main Sport Shop by 1952.


A 1950s aerial shot showing East Main St., looking northwest, with the Golden Belt Hosiery Mill in the background. 907-909 is the single-story commercial structure, second from the left end of the strip.
(Courtesy Herald-Sun)


Looking north across the Hosiery Mills park from the Durham Hosiery Mills at the west end of the business district with 907-909 the single story brick structure visible second from the left end of the strip.
October 1955.
(Courtesy Herald-Sun)

907 1/2, previously used as storage for Jimmie's Soda Shop, housed a Used Appliance Store by the 1960s.


February 1966 view, with the East Main Sport Shop, Used Appliance Store, and Jimmie's Soda Shop, left-to-right.

I'm not sure how long Jimmie's Soda Shop lasted after 1966.

907EMain_June1979.jpg

June 1979




View of 903-913 East Main, 1980s.

Unfortunately, it fell into the clutches of Fireball White, which means that it remained stuck in an abandoned purgatory for at least 15 years.


02.06.99

After the buildings on either side of 907-909 were torn down, it persisted, vacant for a prolonged period.


907-909 East Main, early 2000s

It almost made it to the renovation of Golden Belt, but in February 2006, NIS demolished the structure.


Site of 907-909 East Main, 11.13.10.

Comments

I keep finding more treasures from the past as I go through this site.  I was born in 1943, and we lived at 507 S. Alston Ave. We would occasionally go to the movies in town (usually the Center or Carolina Theater).  Sometimes we would walk home (it was a long walk for my short legs) and stop in Jimmie's for a milkshake (a rare treat).  My brother and I attended Edgemont School.  I am really enjoying these photos!

My great uncle Tom Mims ran Jimmies Soda Shop for many years, I remember going downtown with my mom in the late 1960s and stopping there to eat a hotdog for lunch on the way back home . If I am not mistaken he closed in the early 70s. I now he passed away in the mid to late 70s.

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