Old West Durham Neighborhood Association









Get a milkshake
from McDonald's Drug Store
in Durham, North Carolina.

All photos taken by
Gary Clark


Directions:
The Ninth Street
shopping district is
about 1 1/2 miles NW
of downtown Durham.
Take Main Street
northwest of town, and
turn right on
Ninth Street.




    Durham's Ninth Street Shops


    Old West Durham's eclectic main shopping district
    is featured in the March 1999 issue of     Southern Living.




    Left: One of the familiar, quirky sculptures in front of Native Threads.


    Right: One World Market sells handcrafted items from 50 countries.
    By Mark G. Stith

    You're not going to find many places with as much variety as the Ninth Street shopping district in Durham, NC. There's more neat -- and different -- stuff per square foot than most shopping areas, and certainly more personality than any mall. Here's a walking sample of the shopper's smorgasboard you'll encounter here.

    Take time to read up on your favorite topics at Books on Ninth and the Regulator Bookshop. Then drop in at One World Market, which carries exotic, handcrafted items from Third World and American Indian cultures. Handwoven baskets from Kenya, rattles and shakers from Cameroon, and beautifully inlaid wooden boxes from India are just a few of the international treasures for sale.

    Across the street is another artsy enclave, Zola Craft Gallery, featuring jewelry, home and garden accessories and other original works by artisans from all over the country. Just around the corner on Ninth Street sits Bruegger's Bagels Bakery, with every possible variation on the doughy "O." The best one? Maybe the honey walnut ($1.80).


    "There's more neat -- and different -- stuff per square foot than most shopping areas, and certainly more personality than any mall."

    Head down the street to the big, brown-and-white awning, and then walk down a flight of steps to North Carolina Anglers & Outfitters, an official store for Orvis tackle and clothing. Watch Terry Hackett tie a fly, or get the goods to do it yourself. You've got to look the part too: there's a complete line of clothing, footwear, rods and reels, and other gear. Terry can also hook you up with a guide to wet your line in a Carolina stream.

    There is one mandatory stop on Ninth Street: McDonald's Drug Store. And a mandatory purchase too: a delicious malted milk shake ($3) whipped up at the old soda fountain. Sit sip , and refresh at the counter, look out the window at fellow shoppers, and then hit the pavement again: There's lots more to see. Fiberspace, on the corner of Ninth and Markham, has creative variations on clothing and related items. They've got everything from hats to beads, yarn, jewelry, and such. And what they don't have readymade, you can make yourself with all the accessories they offer.

    Down the hill from Fiberspace is Barnes Supply Company, a laid-back, little-bit-of-everything feed, seed and garden center. You can get tomato transplants, turpentine, and lots of other stuff at this down-home store.

    For lunch or dinner, head back up the hill to George's Garage, a quirky but cool combination deli-restaurant-bar. It's a fun place to see and be seen and is a popular gathering spot for Duke faculty and students -- after they've finished studying, of course.



    Southern Living
    Email: southernliving@spc.com

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