New businesses to reap benefits of Reidsville intersection

By Miranda Baines

Published: June 23, 2008

The corner of Harrison and Scales streets is a busy place in downtown Reidsville. It’s the site of the new Reidsville Community Bank, and Walgreens is scheduled to open on the corner in November.

“I’m really delighted to see what’s happening at that intersection. It’s a real key intersection for people coming through the city,” City Manager Kelly Almond said.

“We’ve seen some people reinvesting in that area, but it’s pretty exciting to see both of these happening at the same time,” said Michael Pearce, Reidsville community development director. “It’s not surprising that we’re seeing a complete makeover of the properties at that intersection.”

Pearce said the properties were being underused. The businesses in the two buildings demolished by the city before construction on Walgreens were Stanley Steemer and, previously, Carolina Tire.

Pearce said the city wants to see the best use of an intersection that’s “one of the highest volume traffic areas in Rockingham County.” He said Walgreens showed an interest in Reidsville for a while, and the company wanted to open the store in a high-traffic area.

The 14,500-square-foot store will have about 25 employees. Walgreens will offer a drive-through pharmacy window, one-hour photo processing and full-time beauty advisers to help customers in the cosmetics department, said Carol Hively, a Walgreens spokeswoman.

“North Carolina is one of our fastest growing markets,” Hively said. She said Walgreens had 103 stores in the state last year. Today, Walgreens has 124 stores in North Carolina and continues to look for new locations.

Across the street is Kerr Drug, and just up the street is Carolina Apothecary, a well-established community pharmacy.

Carolina Apothecary isn’t worried about another pharmacy opening in town.

“We’ve been in business in Reidsville for 63 years and we have certainly weathered the competition,” said Mary Simpson, a spokeswoman. “We have offered outstanding service to Reidsville and Rockingham County and will continue to do so.”

Bill Griffith, president of Reidsville Community Bank, said he “cannot wait” to move into the bank’s new building at 610 S. Scales St. The plan is for the building to encompass 9,000 square feet.

Griffith said he has been working with two soil engineers to solidify plans for the construction site. He is waiting to hear back from the building’s architect and anticipates beginning construction in the next couple of weeks. Reidsville Community Bank currently operates out of a building at 112 S. Scales St.

“I love it — the visibility, the traffic. I just think it’s a great place to be,” Griffith said.

• Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or (336) 349-4331, ext. 35.