CenterFest, to me, has always marked the start of fall. There’s something about that first hint of crispness in the air, the leaves beginning to turn and downtown filling with artists, performers and the community at large that makes the season feel official. This year, as I sat on the cusp of autumn and one of Durham’s most beloved annual events, I found myself at the American Tobacco Campus for an arts endeavor of a different sort: a preview screening of “Lynda,” a documentary directed by my friend David Delaney Mayer.
Walking up from the South Deck to the forthcoming Fullsteam space, I took a detour down memory lane, recalling more than 15 years ago when I’d pop by for lunch at Tyler’s where Parker and Otis is now, have a beer during a pint night at Speakeasy, now Seraphine, or meander over from a DPAC matinee or Durham Bulls game just to walk along the bubbling creek and glimpse the dino and alligator inhabitants peering back from its banks. It’d been a long time since I’d been inside the Power Plant building. Sunlight slanted through the tall windows, throwing perfectly placed spotlights on the old boiler room as it neared the end of its transformation into a public house and event space. I briefly caught up with Sean Lilly Wilson, who gave me the lowdown on where things stand with permitting as he diligently works toward opening the highly anticipated taproom; our conversation reminded me that, even as Durham changes, many threads continue to run through it.
Well-known faces came up to chat, introductions were made to new acquaintances, and eventually we all moved into the adjoining theater to enjoy that very human experience of watching a movie together.
The film follows Lynda, a northwestern North Carolina artist navigating the aftermath of devastating loss who develops a bond with the man who took her son’s life. Through her art, activism and a restorative justice process, she pursues the difficult work of converting grief into purpose.
Watching that story unfold in a darkened theater, surrounded by people I knew and ones I’d just met, made me think about how rarely any of us move neatly from one chapter to the next – and how much grace there can be in the messy space between them.
Old places, new possibilities. That seemed to be the theme of the night – and, perhaps, of this issue.
Inside these pages, you’ll find Durham’s ever-evolving landscape in many forms: entrepreneurs carving out new spaces for downtown retail on page 38; vintage shops finding a growing audience on page 44; the latest updates on downtown developments on page 60; and a longtime Durham resident settling back into an urban lifestyle around his new Wye Junction home on page 66. You’ll meet young people charting courses toward aviation careers and elite athletics, get to know the new executive director of the DPS Foundation and look at how Triangle Day School has grown and adapted over 35 years.
After the screening, we spilled into the atrium, talked about the touching scenes and cinematography, caught up and lingered probably a bit too long (sorry, Sean!), before making our way to Hutchins Garage for late-night Margherita slices. It was a true downtown moment – a hodgepodge of the past and present, tried and true, familiar and just taking shape.
Buildings get new lives, businesses change hands, and sometimes we find ourselves in places we haven’t visited in years – back at the same table, in the same historic brick building, creating new memories. That’s the magic of Durham: The city keeps changing around us, but we can make room for what’s next without letting go of what came before. – Executive Managing Editor Amanda MacLaren
DOWNTOWN
38 Room to Grow
Inside the entrepreneurial launchpads shaping downtown retail
43 Hail to the Bull
Need a lift? This free downtown shuttle makes getting around a breeze.
44 So Retro
A fresh look at downtown’s vintage scene
48 The Elusive Monday Lunch
Where to grab a midday bite downtown
50 Stage Fright
Paranormal research unit The Ghost Guild partners with the Carolina Theatre to investigate its historic – and possibly haunted – halls
60 Downtown Lowdown
The latest development news
66 Turn the Page
A collector of art, experiences and stories pens his next chapter
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION
78 Going the Distance
Two Durham Academy athletes earn spots in USA Triathlon’s Olympic development program – and learn the road to elite competition is as much about balance as it is about speed
82 Cleared for Takeoff
Flight simulator program for teens charts a course into aviation career paths
85 A New Voice for Durham Public Schools
James Perry is ready to listen, learn and lead at the DPS Foundation
86 Ready for More
Triangle Day School celebrates 35 years of growth while preserving the community at its core
92 Directory of Independent, Regional Boarding, Charter and Application Program Schools
FEATURES
30 Game On
A little friendly competition can go a long way toward bringing people together
104 Hiring Heroes
Duke researchers uncover ways to improve post-military careers
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
10 Go.See.Do.
Fall into these festive events
16 The Big Picture
Curiosities abound at Future Hooman
20 Tomorrowland
Black Robin Ventures’ Amos Cooper Jr. on ‘growth with intention’
22 Let’s Dish
at Delancey Tavern
26 Now Serving
the latest Bull City restaurant news
PEOPLE & PLACES
110 El Centro Hispano’s 34th annual gala
111 Epoxy Depot ribbon cutting
111 Durham Exchange Club Industries Inc.’s 60th anniversary celebration & IDD Resource Fair
