As mentioned yesterday, Superinetndent Grimsley and O. Henry were born in the same year, 1864. Researching yesterday’s post got us thinking about  O. Henry, Greensboro’s most internationally known writer. In his youth, O.Henry worked at Fordham’s Drug Store at 514 South Elm Street, an establishment that was open from 1898-2002. The drug store and the soda fountain were on the street level. Doctors were on call upstairs. Fordham’s was a hub of activity and, likely, a great source of inspiration for O. Henry’s writing. The building is in the Italianate style, so common at the end of the 19th century. The mosaic tiles in the above photo evoke the Greco-Roman art form.

Fordham’s was open for 104 years and has been closed now for eleven. The windows and door are hauntingly covered with dark plastic to obscure the interior. What will become of this downtown landmark building? The soda fountain was relocated to Lane Drug Store at 2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Let’s hope the rest of the items in building,  from the mortar and pestle on top to this tile entrance at street level, remain intact, or, at the very least, relocated. Suggestions, dear readers?