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Troy Dreyfus, executive director of the Downtown Greenville Partnership, shares some of his favorite spots in downtown Greenville.
For Troy Dreyfus, Greenville was love at first sight. The North Carolina native grew up in nearby Raleigh and moved to Greenville to attend East Carolina University (ECU). “Once I came to ECU, I never left,” Dreyfus says. “I fell in love with the school. Greenville felt like home.”
As a student, Dreyfus lived in downtown Greenville and moonlighted at a few local nightclubs. After graduation, he had business opportunities in Raleigh, but he turned them down in favor of staying in Pitt County, opting to open Pirate Media Group — named for ECU’s mascot — in an old building located near the city center.
Eventually, Dreyfus launched a business consulting company and recently became executive director of the Downtown Greenville Partnership, which works to ensure that downtown is an essential component of the Greater Greenville area.
“I have been part of the fabric of downtown Greenville since I set foot in the city,” he says.
Over the years, he’s seen a lot of development take flight, as with Dickinson Avenue, one of two common consumption areas (or social districts) in Greenville where alcohol may be consumed on the street.
“That area has become really trendy, he says. “Early adopters said this could be something special. They bought buildings, renovated, put in restaurants. It continues to be revitalized.”
To give new residents and visitors a well-rounded view of downtown Greenville, Dreyfus shared some of his favorite spots. Mix and match the items below to create your ideal day downtown.
Coffee, Bars and Restaurants
Downtown Greenville boasts plenty of popular spots to grab a drink or bite. Check out cheerful, candy-colored Backstage Coffee for a.m. energy before hitting the Scullery for a casual meal or the rooftop at Sup Dogs — a spot thrice named best college bar in the country by Barstool Sports — for hot dogs, burgers or its famous “crushes,” which are made of citrus juice and flavored vodka.
“Sup Dogs has also formed its own vodka line and opened a distillery and cocktail bar across the street called Crush that’s a really popular place,” Dreyfus says.
He also loves Nash, whose Fifth Street location offers spicy chicken and live music.
Along Dickinson Avenue, higher-end eateries, like Native Fine Diner and Ford + Shep, offer a farm-to-table vibe, and the recently opened Homage Restaurant bills itself as a server of “Southern coastal cuisine.”
Shopping
For retail therapy, check out The Sojourner Whole Earth Provisions, a storefront stuffed with candles, crystals, spell books, tarot decks, herbs, jewelry and ceremonial objects catering to spiritual seekers. Just a few doors down is Emerge Gallery & Art Center, home to the nonprofit Pitt County Arts Council, where patrons can take in two galleries as well as art classes for all ages that run the gamut from drawing and painting to metalwork and ceramics.
For clothing, drop into Truly Yours, a boutique specializing in girly clothing, accessories and a smattering of candles and home decor. For ECU merch, visit University Book Exchange, which, according to Dreyfus, is the world’s largest supplier of ECU sportswear and has been keeping students and alums in style for five decades. The sprawling shop stocks everything from Pirates-branded manicure kits and dog collars to button-down shirts and textbooks.
Arts and Entertainment
During football season, Freeboot Friday takes over the city block at Fifth and Evans streets for a giant ECU Pirates pep rally.
“It correlates to the Friday before home football games,” Dreyfus says. “The community gets together for live music and entertainment. We have had Uncle Kracker, Sean Kingston and Rodney Atkins perform. There are food trucks and plenty of ice-cold beverages, and it’s completely free to the public. We have stuff for kids, too, making it a favorite family-friendly event.”
Another college-centric annual event is PirateFest, held in the spring. Dreyfus says it brings tens of thousands to downtown Greenville and attracts swashbucklers of all ages.
Throughout the year, the First Friday ArtWalk sees downtown art galleries open late on the first Friday of each month, and the Greenville outpost of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences welcomes guests with exhibits on astronomy, paleontology, and water and animal science year-round. Fifth Street’s State Theatre hosts a constant stream of music and comedy performances, from Fleetwood Mac and Taylor Swift cover bands and original artists to fraternity spelling bees and drag shows.
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