I started to write something for Instagram, but it happened again: I got chatty. Real chatty. So here's my musing, in bloggy long-form. Thanks for reading.
Sean
Chief Executive Optimist, FULLSTEAM
I moved to Durham in 1992, fresh out of undergrad. When I think back to that era, I'm hit with all five senses.
The smoky din of the original Green Room, abuzz from its recent mention in Bull Durham. The bright lights of Sam’s Quik Stop, after it was a restaurant but before it was a beer store...the requisite adult mags in the back, with an unexpectedly great selection of rare dessert wines behind the counter.
The warming spices of Wellspring’s “Ethiopian” bread. Fresh garlic and lemon while serving at Parizade. Karen Barker’s freshly baked focaccia when I moved over to Magnolia Grill.
I remember walking into the Downtown Durham Visitors & Convention Bureau (now @discoverdurham) at Mangum and Morgan, walking out with a map, a stack of flyers, and the Fall 1992 area guide. The only way I could’ve been more like my dad is if I’d stuffed it all in my back pocket and walked around not giving a damn.
The years have marched on. I became a dad and inevitably more like him.
But I’ve always been a hospitality person. That’s where I find joy and purpose.
I've moved about, with stints in Durham, Hurdle Mills, Saxapahaw, Chatham County and partially back to Durham. But when asked, I'm from Durham.
So when @downtowndurham asked us to participate once again in Love Durham (launching today), the answer was an easy yes. Join us in celebrating the locally owned businesses that power Durham’s economy and shape its bold, inclusive, creative spirit.
Decades ago, it was pamphlets. Today, it’s an app on your phone...and prizes for your support.
Decades ago, the air smelled like sweet tobacco. Today, it’s malted barley. Roasted coffee. Barbacoa. Naan.
Decades ago, I was a server. Today, I'm still in the service industry...a vital part of what makes Durham the Tastiest Town in the South. And now, perhaps more than ever, we (the service industry) need your support.
Whether you've been here 60 years or six days, let's discover (and rediscover) our love for Durham.