Robinson, A., Building
Also known as: Howard-Robinson Building; Pyramid Barber Shop
Why it's listed
Two-story brick commercial building on Patterson Avenue in Winston-Salem's Depot Street neighborhood, completed in 1941 for the Howard-Robinson Funeral Home. Aladine Robinson, who had taken over the firm's predecessor business after K. Howard's death in 1928, designed the building himself. Its dark red brick facade is accented with yellow brick in a symmetrical layout, with fluted pilasters, metal casement windows and a granite sign reading "A. Robinson 1941". The side walls use hand-made bricks by George Black, a local brickmaker, and the building is of solid masonry rather than brick veneer over frame. The ground floor originally included a chapel and a barber shop designed for Wilbur Garrett. The building was used by a small Catholic congregation in 1940-1941 before its church was dedicated. It is regarded as a rare survivor of Winston-Salem's African-American commercial architecture, and the funeral business that occupied it for decades reflects the community's commercial growth.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a rare surviving example of the African-American commercial buildings that once served Winston-Salem's black neighborhoods, and one of only three or four showing sophistication in its execution and design. It is also presented as a little-changed representative of the brick commercial building type, with hand-made brick from local brickmaker George Black and a front of machine-made brick.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000729, listed June 26, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 707-709 Patterson Ave., Winston-Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Forsyth County |
| Listed | June 26, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000729 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Robinson, Aladine, owner and designer; Greenwood, J.W., contractor; Gray, Lawrence, brickmason |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce, Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building continues in use as a barber school and barber shop, and the document states the rear garage and annex are in poor condition while the main building is in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.10297, -80.24100 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000729.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q21016129
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.