36.005161, -78.892467
202 East Trinity, 12.21.61
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
Owens Grocery was out of business by the 1980s, when it was simply described in the national register nomination as
"A one story [store]front not in use. Rectangular shape with gable roof with rectangular stopped facade in front. Asphalt shingles over German siding."
1981 (Courtesy Durham County Library)
02.12.11
Although it had been stripped of all its character in a miserable ~1999 home depot renovation, this little building still had a neat form, built all the way to the corner as it was. It and the adjacent properties, similarly plasticized during that period, went into foreclosure in 2011. They were sold, and this building was, unfortunately, demolished.
Comments
Submitted by Steve Graff (not verified) on Mon, 4/4/2011 - 10:08pm
Wouldn't it be great to see this building turned back into a neighborhood store? One that sells actual groceries, not junk food, fortified wine and 40's with the packages littering our streets.
Submitted by jlo28645 (not verified) on Fri, 4/8/2011 - 1:10am
After Owens Grocery it was Copely's Grocery. My Dad bought it about 1970 and I worked for him and delivered groceries. Good Memories!
Submitted by John Martin on Thu, 11/14/2013 - 12:31pm
I just noticed in the top picture the two-story house that is two doors down from this store. The address is 206 E. Trinity. Alas, that house is now gone and in its place is one of those squat brick duplexes that somebody built a bunch of around Durham in the 1950's and 1960's. The date on the picture is 12/21/61, and according to the tax records the brick duplex was built in 1962. So the original house must have been torn down not long after that picture was taken. Another example of how Durham has been uglified by idiot landlords. The fate of 204 E. Trinity is another example. Those of you who haven't seen what happened to that house should search 204 East Trinity on this website.
Maybe Preservation Durham should hand out an annual "Fireball White Idiot Landlord of the Year" award. I'm completely serious. If you can't stop these people, at least you can try to embarrass them.
Submitted by gary on Fri, 11/15/2013 - 1:01pm
John - the two-story house is actually still there; it is 208 E. Trinity. 206 E. Trinity appears to have been a nice little Triple A, much like 204 East Trinity used to be. I like your award suggestion, although I would go with the Fireball Idiot Landlord Trophy Honor for the Year. Otherwise known as the FILTHY.
GK
Submitted by Natalie (not verified) on Fri, 11/15/2013 - 1:38pm
I heard that a lot of those cool little corner stores that disappeared over the past 12 months were to re-parcel land. They couldn't separate the store from the house because of minimum lot size so tore down the store.
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