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6AM City In-house

Today’s Forecast

93º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:05 a.m. | Sunset 8:41 p.m.
 

It’s a deja brew

What’s the history behind The Coffee Pot in Winston-Salem?
WStoday: The Mickey Coffee Pot standing in grass ares on Main Street in Old Salem
This famous coffee pot is certainly brewing visitors’ attention in the city. | Photo by Digital Forsyth (left) and WStoday (right)
This landmark is not your average (cup of) joe. In fact, the Mickey Coffee Pot is a grinding grounding spot where Brookstown Avenue and South Main Street meet. While it’s not brewing any beans, the 12-ft-tall pot can hold 740 gallons. If its history has ever perked your interest, keep reading.

A clever act

Brothers Julius and Samuel Mickey made the pot in 1858, which stood in front of their tin shop in the town of Salem. The sign was an advertisement and drew in visitors. Before the Industrial Revolution, it was common for vendors and artisans to hang symbols of their trade outside of their shop.

Preserving history

In 1920, the City of Winston-Salem wanted to remove the sign due to safety hazards, but the public fought for it to stay, as it had become a beloved landmark and a symbol of the city. City officials moved the Coffee Pot due to the construction of Interstate 40. It was stored until the early 1960s, when James A. Gray suggested placing it on a small grassy area between Brookstown Avenue and South Main Street. It still stands on a pole there today.

On March 14, 1976, the Wachovia Historical Society placed a commemorative plaque to mark its significance. Today, the pot serves as a public piece of art, a historical landmark, and a conversation piece. Don’t worry, we have plenty of coffee shops around town where you can get your caffeine fix.
Asked

How tall is The Coffee Pot, not counting the pole it’s mounted on?
A. 7 ft
B. 12 ft
C. 5 ft
D. 20 ft
Brew your answer here
 
Events
Tuesday, June 25
  • Summer Book Club Social | Tuesday, June 25 | 6:30 p.m. | Bookmarks and Footnote, 634 W. 4th St., Winston-Salem | $30 | Socialize with other readers and get connected to local book clubs.
  • Winston-Salem Dash vs. Rome Emperors | Tuesday, June 25 | 7 p.m. | Truist Stadium, 951 Ballpark Way, Winston-Salem | $13-$53 | Every Tuesday, the first 250 fans through the gates of Truist Stadium will receive a free Winston-Salem pint glass as a keepsake from the 2024 season.*
Wednesday, June 26
  • Croissants et Conversation: French Conversation Hour | Wednesday, June 26 | 7-8 p.m. | West Salem Public House, 400 S. Green St., Winston-Salem | $10 | Chat with new friends about your favorite memories, munch on French pastries, and practice your French in a friendly environment.
  • Resident Community Meeting on Food Resiliency | Wednesday, June 26 | 7 p.m. | Sprague Street Park Community Center, 1350 E. Sprague St., Winston-Salem | Free | Help the city understand the challenges you may be facing to access healthy food in your neighborhood.
Thursday, June 27
  • Open Play Pickleball | Thursday, June 27 | 9 a.m.-11 p.m. | Oak Summit Park, 370 Oak Summit Rd., Winston-Salem | Free | Players aged 18+ can play with other pickleball enthusiasts on the courts.
Friday, June 28
  • 1Love Festival Night One - Part One | Friday, June 28 | 7 p.m. | The Ramkat, 170 W. 9th St., Winston-Salem | $45-$70 | Listen to world-renowned national and regional artists like Alter Egos + spoken word artist Dasan Ahanu.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Seasonal

5 festive finds for the Fourth of July
Six pairs of wacky red, white, and blue sunglasses
Fourth of July party sunglasses, $20.99 via Amazon. | Graphic by 6AM City
Bring a party mood to any barbecue, pool party, or holiday gathering this Fourth of July with these festive finds:
More finds for the Fourth
News Notes
Transit
  • Share your input on road projects the state should prioritize for its 2026-2035 transportation plan. You can also comment on what highway connections, railroads, and pedestrian construction you’d like to see on Tuesday, July 9 at the NCDOT Division 9 office (375 Silas Creek Pkwy.) from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed
  • Courtside Café is passing the baton to new owners. The downtown restaurant has been open since 2013 and will become Bagner & Alexa’s Downtown Café — the new owners will serve traditional American breakfast dishes + a mix of sandwiches. (Winston-Salem Journal)
Family
  • A SmartAsset.com analysis using the MIT Living Wage Calculator determined how much NC couples should make to cover basic necessities in 2024. For example, two working adults without children should make ~$61,259 in income a year, and ~$85,416 with one child.
Biz
  • The Triad Minority and Women’s Business Expo is set to take place on Aug. 12 in downtown Winston-Salem this year. Leaders will celebrate small and minority-owned businesses during the free event at Benton Convention Center (301 W. 5th St.) — vendors can register to participate for a fee.
Edu
  • The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education selected six new leaders to take charge of four schools. The new district leaders will begin their new roles on Monday, July 1.
Plan Ahead
  • What do Anderson Cooper, Peyton Manning, and John Legend have in common? They’ll all be a part of the next Face to Face Speaker Forum season. Pro tip: Subscriptions, which give you access to all events, are now on sale — grab yours before they sell out.*
Fact or fiction
  • You should avoid caffeine and sugary drinks to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion in summer (looking at you, Starbucks) — fact or fiction? See the answer from Novant Health.*
 
Answered

Home sweet home

Answered: WStoday readers share why they moved to Winston-Salem
WStoday: Winston-Salem skyline overlooking Innovation Quarter
While our city is thriving in some areas, readers also shared what they would like to see improve. | Photo by Linville Team Partners Commercial Real Estate
Last week, we asked our readers why they decided to move to the Twin City — here’s what they said:

45% — “job opportunity”
29% — “family”
and so on...

When it comes to the main reason people enjoy the city, 34% of readers said “southern charm” and 23% responded with “the art scene.”

Some readers shared their input on what they’d like to see in Winston-Salem:
“More robust regional transit options.” — Joshua L.
“A little bit of snow in the winter!” — Susan F.
“A French restaurant!” Karen M.
“More single people to date!” — Dee B.
“Vegan only restaurants” — In H.
“More sidewalks and trails within the city limits.” Lori J.
“Train transport to Charlotte, Raleigh, DC” — Patrice S.
“Nothing! We love the entire vibe!” — Gale K.
The Buy

The Buy 6.24.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Colorful margarita glasses that are shatterproof — aka, perfect for outdoor pool parties.
6AM City In-house
 
The Wrap
 
WStoday: Kellina Wanteu

Today’s edition by:
Kellina
From the editor
This weekend, I got to experience The Katharine Brasserie & Bar at the Reynolds building downtown with some sweet friends. The service and staff were top notch and the food was a delight. I got to try clams for the first time and it was delicious. I highly recommend making a reservation if you’ve never been.
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