Image: Asheville, NC., Candy Land Store, Eagle Street, 1929-1930.

Source: Digitalnc-Special Collections, UNC Asheville.
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EAGLE STREET THE MECCA OF BLACK BUSINESSES
by Henry Robinson - The Urban News
February 11, 2007

Packed inside a one-half city block area, a body of energetic entrepreneurs stepped out on faith in the late 1800's with their goods and services, to compete in the world of business.

Most of them were the sons and daughters of former slaves, but despite the odds, they persevered - turning Eagle Street into the mecca of Black businesses.

Between Biltmore Avenue east, to South Market Street, approximately 26 Black owned businesses were located in this area. A portion of South Market Street also contained a number of businesses including two Black owned drugstores, and a hotel.

Black-owned businesses flourished prior to the Great Depression. The late A.C. Mitchell was one of many examples of this as he owned a gymnasium and a newspaper. Mitchell believed that the businesses were successful because there is a sense of familiarity between the shops and the patrons.

"Prior to the 1960's, Black businesses were successful because Black people had no other outlets in which they could feel comfortably." Mitchell said in a 1982 interview.

"Take Candyland for example", Mitchell said, we felt very comfortable going in there buying candy, but when you went uptown to White-owned candy stores you could feel the pressure of being different." Candyland was a popular place of business on Eagle Street in the 1930's and 1940's.

"in those days," Mitchell noted, "everyone went dressed, you didn't have bums hanging around this area at all, and dope was a thing you hardly heard of, but you could get a good drink of corn whiskey!"

Prostitution was not tolerated in these business section. "You had it on the lower part of Eagle Street, known as "Black Bottom," Mitchell said.
"There were a group of houses in that area occupied by ladies, who were receptive to company." he said.

Another Black business pioneer was the late John Darity, who owned a fleet of cabs, which he operated under Darity Cab Co. Darity was known for his clean cabs and efficient service. At an early age, Darity moved with his parents to Pennsylvania. He returned to Asheville at the age of 16 and began earning money playing piano at house parties across Asheville for a fee of $5 per four-hour performance.

He saved his money... and at the height of the Great Depression, when few men or women, Black or White, had more than a dollar or two to spend, Darity places a $400 down payment on a 4-cylinder, 4-door Plymouth that sold for $500 at Sawyers Motor Co. In 1933, Darity, driving his 4-cylinder 4-door Plymouth automobile, entered the cab business that led to a 45 year career.

A flashback of 1890 shows that Black people had already settled in with a variety of businesses on Eagle Street. Some of the early pioneers included: T.C. Hamilton Barbershop at 3 Eagle St.; Jonas Hayee's Restaurant at 7 Eagle Street; Bill Collins' Restaurant at 8 Eagle St.; T. Oglesby Barbershop at 11 Eagle St.; and Charles Reynold, Cabinetmaker at 12 Eagle St.

The Great Depression causes the closing of some of these businesses during the 1930's, but the majority of them survived and continued to do well through the 1940's and 1950's.

Henry Robinson, (1937-2014) was one of the first African American journalists employed with the Asheville-Citizens Times, in Asheville, NC.
As one of the first African American journalist in Western North Carolina, Robinson worked for the Citizen-Times from 1968-99, mentoring young reporters, and writing about the Black community, social justice and faith.

He enjoyed his retirement and leisure time lecturing on Black History nationally, and educating our local citizenry on the rich African American History of Western North Carolina.
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