CityView Magazine

18 | September/October 2015 Straight Outta The NORTHSIDE Life is good in "South Raleigh" BY COURTNEY PHILLIPS When Johnny Taylor was a child growing up off of Elliot Bridge Road, Ramsey Street was a far cry from the bustling, multi-lane commercial district of today. "It used to be, kids went everywhere they wanted to go. We just rode our bikes and the only rule was that we had to be home when the street lights came on. I had friends in Kinwood, College Lakes, off McArthur Road, even all the way back to Hillendale. We'd visit each other, get a ball game together and play all day," said the owner of Ramsey Street institution, Bobby Taylor Oil. Photo by Sharilyn Wells J ohnny's father, Bobby, started the business in 1962 on the family's homestead, where Cape Fear Discount Drugs stands, now. In addition to distributing propane, kerosene, gasoline and fuel oil to customers across Cumberland Coun- ty and selling fuel accessories, the fam- ily owns several Marathon gas stations around town. As for the North Fayette- ville boom of development, Johnny said simply, "Every major corridor into Fay- etteville has experienced rapid develop- ment at one time or another. ey've been talking about opening a road from Eastover or the Wade area since I was a little boy. I'm almost 55. It was time for 295." Kathy Jensen, the north side district's (District 1) city council representa- tive and lifelong resident, said that the new road has become a "gateway" into Fayetteville and like many others, her business has been positively affected. e north side native opened An Affair to Remember Bridal and Formal Wear ten years ago in the Boone Trail exten- sion shopping center because there was no availability to the north. Just a year and a half later, she relocated to Ramsey Street, across from Methodist Univer- sity, and has never regretted the move. While business has always been steady at the current location, I-295 made it easier for customers to come from far- ther away. "One Saturday last prom sea- son, we had customers from five differ- ent states in the store. ey weren't here for a soccer tournament or another rea- son. ey found us on the Internet and drove here for us," said Jensen. A Northside Transplant Gwen Holtsclaw, owner of Scrub Oaks Contemporary American Pub, was born in Gastonia, North Caroli- na, but grew up down I-95 south in St. Pauls. When she graduated from high school, she immersed herself in the cul- ture of North Fayetteville as a student at Methodist College and earned a Bach- elor of Arts in English, with a double major in History and Secondary Educa- tion. Her first job was teaching Journal- ism and English III at Pine Forest High School, which she did for seven years. Aer Pine Forest, she worked at Meth- odist as Director of the News Bureau and cheerleading coach. Now, Gwen works "Every major corridor into Fayetteville has experienced rapid development at one time or another. They've been talking about opening a road from Eastover or the Wade area since I was a little boy. I'm almost 55. It was time for 295." – Johnny Taylor, owner, Taylor Oil (continued on page 20)

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