Fun and Funky Deli Downtown

A few weeks ago I met a friend for lunch. We met at a local deli in a renovated tobacco warehouse. Tobacco warehouses are what makes up the historic downtown area known as the Brightleaf District.  Get it? Brightleaf? It's the name of the tobacco leaf that NC and VA developed before the Civil War. The new way the leaf was was cured produced a bright/yellow milder tobacco leaf. 

I didn't mean to turn this into a history "thing".  But I do love how the city is reviving and embracing the older buildings and giving them new life. 

The deli is one of my favorite places to spend a few hours. It is such a cool place with hardwood floors and nooks and crannies. There are so many fun things to look at. I love all the retro things they offer.  It a fun eclectic place to have a sandwich or a dessert and something to drink. And then walk around and imagine all of their fun things coming home with you. My friend's office is in the same building. The area is such a cool place. If I were a tourist here I would think it is a funky hip place to live and work. And actually, it sort of is. 

The downtown area is being rebuilt with new high rise condos and apartments that are perfect for transplants from more metro areas. The trendy new residences should continue to make our downtown a vibrant place. The cost to live downtown is out of my price range. My guess is that it's out of most "locals" price range. But it's likely transplants from DC or NYC or even SF will find the new housing fairly and marketably priced. 

Here are a few things that I did not buy...but totally wanted to.