Old Raleigh Sandwich Shop – 215 S Wilmington Street

Storefront Art Installation Video

The following video was put together by Kriselie and Manuel Monserrate to showcase the community coming together with the artist Patrick Shanahan for the BEST art installation at the Old Raleigh Sandwich Shop on March 29th, 2012.

Property Information

GoodnightRaleigh.com provides a glimpse into this property’s rich history.

  • Black restaurateur George Latham operated an “eating house” at 215 from 1911-1916, and an African-American physician, Dr. LE Capehart, occupied the second floor from 1909 until 1912.
  • In 1919 Pete Lavlakos opened the Raleigh Fruit Store at 215 S. Wilmington St. He sold it to Michael Thevis in the early twenties, and by 1925 it was owned by John Capetanos.  In 1937 he renamed it the Raleigh Sandwich Shop.
  • John’s younger brother Christ Capetanos arrived in the U.S. in 1950 and soon went to work for his brother. When John died in 1960, Christ assumed ownership of the restaurant. He and his wife Mitsa ran the venerable Wilmington St. landmark until his retirement in 1989.
The building was purchased from Leon Capetanos, Christ’s nephew by the Calvert family, who presently has it on the market.  Says Robert Mooney: “The building was purchased by my family Mary Pat Calvert, (my sister) James Calvert, and Kyra Mooney (my wife). We worked very hard since then, acquiring historic approvals, permits, etc. It was always our intent to restore and save the Raleigh Sandwich Shop.  Kyra and I even drove to Michigan to purchase the historic 1920′s bar so to ensure the interior would match the rich history.”

Artist

Patrick Shanahan was born and raised in North Carolina, graduating from NC State University with a BA in Film, as well as studying film making at the New York Film Academy.   These days, Shanahan can often be found painting late into the night or joining in to host First Friday events in West Street’s The Ruby Red.

Shanahan’s films and art work offer a visual interpretation of how he sees the world.  And his focus is often on this region. A member of BEST’s Creative Team, Shanahan explains, “My love and passion for Raleigh are what drive me to be a part of local public arts.”

Shanahan brings a deep honoring of Raleigh’s history to his work on 215 S. Wilmington, which has served as a hub of community life for so many generations.  His window panels allow passers-by to glimpse the Raleigh Sandwich Shop of the 1930s, as well as a possible scenario for the building’s restoration as a present day gathering place.  Just as he creates a world through his film making, Shanahan suggests a past and present that invite Raleigh residents, workers and visitors to come inside.

The effects of Shanahan’s transformation of this historic landmark are sure to to be felt across the downtown landscape.

VIDEO link to WRAL news story about the project.

Location

Gallery

Click on the following pictures to view them in full size.

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