Business Center for African Americans
African American businesses thrived in Gainsboro during the early and mid-twentieth century. Gainsboro was home to the first Black-owned newspaper in Southwest Virginia, Roanoke Weekly Press, along with hotels, theaters, and places where residents shopped, dined, and sought medical, legal, and other professional services.
While Henry Street was the core location of African American commercial activity, with over 300 businesses in operation at different times, many other businesses flourished on Gainsboro Road and Gilmer Avenue.
The commercial blocks of Henry Street were a dynamic commerce center. Over the years, businesses there included:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Movie Theaters
- Jazz Clubs
- Barber Shops
- Newspapers
- Funeral Homes
- Grocery Stores
- Shoe Stores and Shoe Shine Parlors
- Music Stores
- Cafés
Destruction of the Business District
The vibrant business district and its colorful lifestyle were destroyed by urban renewal during the 1950s and 1960s. Surviving buildings on Henry Street are the Hotel Dumas, the Strand Theatre, and several small buildings at the corner of Henry Street and Centre Avenue. Today, the Claude Moore Culinary Institute operates from the theater and adjacent buildings.