Brame's Drug Store (Gone)
North Wilkesboro, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Brame's Drug Store is located in North Wilkesboro. Brame's no longer appears to be dealing in drugs and only has the soda shop still running. The drug store also has an old ghost sign on the side of the building. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 05-08

A walk down Main Street in North Wilkesboro isn't complete without looking at the old Brame's Drugs building. Even if the storefront has changed over the years, it's easy to imagine when this was one of the busiest corners in town. The old sign is enough to make you stop for a closer look.

Brame's became a fixture of downtown after opening in the early 1900s, and for years it was more than just a neighborhood drug store. It was the kind of place where folks gathered for a cup of coffee, caught up on the latest news, and probably stayed longer than they planned. The building itself dates back to 1891 and was the first brick commercial building constructed in North Wilkesboro. The pharmacy has long since moved on, but the old storefront still reminds visitors of the days when every downtown seemed to have a drug store where everyone knew your name.

UPDATE: The historic building has been repurposed, though Brame's legacy continues elsewhere in North Wilkesboro. 08-26

Historic Roseman Grocery Building
Salisbury, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

This little Historic Roseman Grocery Building is easy to miss, but the old Coca-Cola sign painted on its side makes it worth pulling over. Sitting along North Lee Street, it's one of those places that reminds you how much history can fit into a small brick storefront. 05-08

Built around 1913, the building was home to W.A. Roseman's grocery, grain, and feed store. If you walk around the outside, you'll find something even better. One side carries the familiar Coca-Cola ghost sign, while another wall still advertises Cheerwine. It's not often you find two competing soft drink brands sharing the same building.

The grocery is long gone, but the old signs still stop people in their tracks. Sometimes the smallest buildings have the biggest stories.

UPDATE: The building has been preserved, and both the Coca-Cola and Cheerwine ghost signs still survive. 08-26

Pepsi Cola Bottling
Rocky Mount, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The faded Pepsi-Cola lettering still hangs on the side of this old bottling plant in Rocky Mount. It's seen better days, but that's part of the fun of finding an old ghost sign like this along the road. 05-08

Pepsi has deep roots in North Carolina, first created by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in nearby New Bern in the 1890s. Rocky Mount later became part of the growing bottling network that kept stores and soda coolers throughout the area stocked with Pepsi.

The bottling operation eventually moved on, but the old painted advertisement remained behind, still doing a pretty good job of catching the eye.

UPDATE: Pepsi operations have moved to a modern facility elsewhere in Rocky Mount. The old plant has been repurposed, while the Pepsi-Cola ghost sign survives. 08-26

Pepsi Sign (Gone)
Franklinton, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Cruising along old U.S. 1 through Franklinton, this faded Pepsi sign was worth a second look. Unlike many older ghost signs, this one appears to date from the 1970s, complete with the familiar red, white, and blue logo and the slogan, "You've got a lot to live, Pepsi's got a lot to give." 05-08

The sign was still hanging on when photographed, faded just enough to give the old storefront some roadside character. Pepsi has deep roots in North Carolina, having gotten its start down the road in New Bern, but this wall advertised a much newer generation of the soft drink.

UPDATE: The Pepsi sign didn't last much longer. By 2012, the old advertisement had been painted over or removed from the wall. 08-26

Roper & Co. Grocer
Essex, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's an old truck "box" at the side that was pretty cool although the lettering on it may be from a previous owner and location. The lettering displays Roper & Co. Grocer. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 05-08

Roper & Co. was actually a wholesale grocery company based up in Petersburg, Virginia, where it operated for decades. This old box was likely part of one of the company's delivery trucks before being separated from its chassis and given a second life as storage.

The truck may be gone, but the lettering still hangs on. Sometimes the best roadside signs aren't attached to buildings at all.

Historic Wilson Coca-Cola Bottling Plant Building
Wilson, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here is the ghost sign from the Historic Wilson Coca-Cola Bottling Plant Building, this one in the town of Wilson, NC. This was a much large facility, the others being a two story affair yet of a similar style. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 05-08

Now here's a wall that deserves more than a quick glance. The old Coca-Cola bottling plant in downtown Wilson features several layers of faded advertising, with the familiar Drink Coca-Cola script still showing through near the bottom. The longer you look, the more lettering seems to appear from the brick.

This large building once served as the Wilson Coca-Cola Bottling Works, where bottles were filled and sent out to stores throughout the area. Over the years, one advertisement was painted over another, eventually leaving as many as four different ghost signs sharing the same wall. The bottling lines are long gone and the building has since been repurposed, but those weathered advertisements remain. It's the kind of old wall that can keep a ghost sign hunter busy for a while.

UPDATE: The former Coca-Cola bottling plant has been repurposed, and its collection of layered ghost signs still survives. 08-26

Coca-Cola Sign
Franklinton, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Right next to the old Texaco Gas Station is another reason to slow down in Franklinton. The faded Coca-Cola ghost sign looks right at home beside the vintage station, making this little corner feel like a step back in time. 05-08

The Texaco eventually closed, but instead of disappearing, the old station was saved and the property turned into Texaco Station Park. The Coca-Cola sign overlooking the corner was restored as well, keeping one of the best parts of the old roadside scene intact. If you're traveling old U.S. 1 through town, this is one corner that's still worth a look.

UPDATE: The former Texaco station is now Texaco Station Park, and the restored Coca-Cola sign still overlooks downtown Franklinton. 08-26

City Service Station
Franklinton, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Check out the faded City Service Station ghost sign still hanging around this old filling station in downtown Franklinton. Back when this photo was taken, the weathered lettering and old garage made this look like another roadside stop that had seen better days. 05-08

The station was a longtime family operation run by Johnnie Callihan and later his son Joel, who started helping around the place when he was just 12 years old. After the pumps stopped flowing, the little station managed to survive while much of Main Street changed around it.

In 2022, the building was renovated into Johnny's On Main, and the old Coca-Cola ghost sign was restored along with it. Not bad for an old gas station that could easily have disappeared.

UPDATE: Johnny's On Main has since closed, but the former City Service Station still stands with its restored ghost sign. The property is currently being offered for sale. 08-26