Brice Street Area - Greensboro, NC

Great residential growth occurred in downtown Greensboro during the 1920s through the 1960s as the textile, tobacco and furniture industries flourished. A large majority of residences in the Brice Street Area were built before the 1940s to house workers heading downtown. Modern infrastructure, including houses and commercial buildings, appears aged in some areas, and the community has been working hard to revitalize this once thriving neighborhood.

Most of Greensboro's museums, art galleries and theaters lie directly east of the Brice Street Area. The Weatherspoon Art Museum, located on the University of North Carolina-Greensboro campus, contains exhibits featuring 20th and 21st century artwork. Elsewhere, a living art museum in downtown Greensboro, takes old artifacts and repurposes them within a three-story former thrift store.

The Fun Fourth Festival, a street festival during the 4th of July, brings together community members in order to celebrate with a street parade, fireworks and food vendors.

The Brice Street Area neighborhood contains many local restaurants, mostly along South Aycock Street and Spring Garden Street. Though a few fast-food chains surround Brice Street Area, most establishments appeal to those looking for a casual and locally owned place to relax and grab a tasty bite to eat. The intersection of South Elam Avenue and Walker Avenue is a great place to find these restaurants.

Fishbones creates masterpieces out of seafood. Considered a casual kitchen and pourhouse, Fishbones serves high-quality, house-made dishes. Regulars rave about the fish and chips, fried oysters and Thai beef salad. The prices here remain extremely affordable, especially considering the richness of the food. The late-night menu contains great pub-food choices, and the microbrew list impresses even the pickiest of beer drinkers.

Just across the street from Fishbones sits Sticks and Stones Clay Oven. This establishment has become quite popular with locals, especially because of its simple, eco-friendly model. Homemade pizzas come assembled with the freshest local ingredients available. Aside from the pizzas, Sticks and Stones prepares large salads and speciality sandwiches.

The South Elam Avenue and Walker Avenue corner houses one other restaurant gem, the Lindley Park Filling Station. Neighborhood residents love the fried green tomatoes and the West Market hamburger. Those wanting to enjoy a beer and appetizer on the outdoor patio should get here early on nice days, as it can get quite busy.

Spring Garden Street houses a large number of trendy and popular bars and nightclubs. Locals head to hotspots such as the Corner Bar, the Blind Tiger and Petra Hookah Bar and Lounge to indulge in a casual evening drink. Jake's Billiards, also on Spring Garden Street, carries a great beer selection and has become one of Greensboro's most popular places to play pool. Residents only need to travel 2 miles east to the center of Greensboro for great music venues such as Boston's House of Jazz.

85 percent of Brice Street Area residents commute to work by a personal vehicle or by carpooling, a smaller percentage than most neighborhoods in Greensboro. Many locals find walking or biking to work to be most convenient. Basic shopping and other errand runs can also be completed on foot or by bike. Bike lanes lie along many roads, including Walker Road, South Elam Avenue, Spring Garden Street and Southwest Greenway.

Those commuting by car to downtown Greensboro take Market Street east. In order to access Interstate 40, drivers must follow Patterson Street or Coliseum Road south. Those looking for parking in the southern portion of the Brice Street Area park in the Lee Street Parking Lot. Otherwise, residential street parking can generally be found.

Public transportation with Greensboro Transit Authority operates between 5:30 a.m. and midnight during the work week. Bus stops sit on West Market Street, Chapman Street, Walker Avenue and Spring Garden Street. Those interested in using taxi service or Uber should call beforehand to schedule a pick-up. Though taxis frequent the area, it may prove difficult to hail one during some hours of the day.

Some of Greensboro's best parks can be found within a mile radius of the Brice Street Area. To the west lies the expansive and free-for-use Lindley Park. This 100-acre park contains a very large playground, community pool, streams and a wide green space. Athletic fields for softball, baseball and basketball practices and games can also be found here. Lindley, like most neighborhood parks in Greensboro, allow dogs on a leash. The Greensboro Arboretum abuts Lindley Park and covers over 17 scenic acres filled with gardens, as well as plant and tree collections. Though admission to the Arboretum remains free, donations are always welcome.

Though many events occur all year long within Greensboro's park system, one of the area's biggest events can be found at Barber Park. The Carolina Blues Festival occurs every May and welcomes local and international performers. This festival, the longest running in the Southeast, caters to families with an abundance of live entertainment and tasty food from local vendors.

The cost of living in the Brice Street Area neighborhood mirrors the rest of the city of Greensboro. Renters, who make up close to 70 percent of the population, pay an average of $759 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.

Transportation costs remain steady throughout the Triad area. Locals that utilize Greensboro Transit Authority's bus service pay $1.50 for one-way fare and $4 for a day pass. Gas prices lie 2 percent below the national average.

Brice Street Area houses a number of quality restaurants and bars that serve food and beverages at average costs. Depending on the establishment, a patron should expect to pay around $5 for a pint of local beer.

Shopping within the Brice Street Area neighborhood remains limited to basic goods, services, small speciality shops and casual boutiques. A majority of these sit along Spring Garden Street. To the north, the Shops at Friendly Center and the Tanger Factory Outlet Center provide Greensboro residents with a good mixture of big-box stores and name-brand retailers, including Ivy & Leo, Ann Taylor and Brookstone.

The shops scattered along Spring Garden Street range from bookstores and bakeries to auto-part retailers and pharmacies. Residents find that many needs can be met by walking along this corridor. Those meandering down the street should stop at Spring Garden Bakery and Coffee House. This bakery creates delectable confectionery delights such as bread, cakes, cookies and granola. Birthday and other speciality cakes remain a specialty here. The creative staff will surely help with all creative ideas in order to bake the perfect accent to any event. Spring Garden stays very busy while open, so get here early in the morning for the biggest selection.

Most locals head north from the Brice Street Area to West Friendly Avenue to purchase groceries at popular stores such as Whole Foods Market, The Fresh Market and Harris Teeter. Convenience stores within the neighborhood include Spartan's Mart and Bestway Grocery Company. Bestway, one of the gems of the Brice Street Area neighborhood, carries an extensive beer and wine selection in addition to amazing and lesser-known speciality foods. Beer aficionados looking to fill up a growler, try out a new sour beer variety or sample the barleywine selection will surely be in their happy place after taking one step through Bestway's front door.

One of the largest farmers markets, the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, lies west of Greensboro and has been managed for many years by the state of North Carolina. This market remains open Monday through Saturday all year long.