After receiving the “All-America City Award” in 2008, Reidsville, North Carolina is still a community on the rise for inclusiveness, growth and innovation. Our city shines a spotlight on culture, historic homes, creating strong connections amongst residents, businesses and government leaders, as well as growing and nurturing artistic talent in a championship environment.
Historic Homes When you step foot into the southern charm of Reidsville, you will notice something different, as historic homes line the streets in the downtown corridor. A standout and member of the National Register of Historic Places, the Penn House is a magnificent 12,500 square-foot home located in the heart of Reidsville. Furnished with original pieces and architecture, this home serves the community in various ways but is most popular as a sought-after wedding and event venue. While the Penn House is just one of the many things “Unique to Reidsville,” let’s explore additional things that makes our community one-of-a-kind.
Championship Spirit Team Reidsville takes winning, community togetherness, education, hard work and growing their economy seriously. We are proof of what communities can do when they come together and set a strategy for their future, such as our “Rise Up Reidsville” campaign, which brings residents and businesses together to form a community of champions that work hand-in-hand to make Reidsville a better community. This team mentality and community campaign was inspired by our local high school football team that currently holds the record for most state football championship titles in North Carolina. In an article about the recent championship, one journalist referred to the Reidsville Rams as the “Yankees of high school football.”
Award-Winning Body Painters A major focus in our community is on art. In Reidsville, art imitates life and showcases the artistic talent of its citizens. It is displayed on every corner from the murals depicting history to the local award-winning artists like Brad Spencer, Scott Fray and Madelyn Greco. Scott and Madelyn are the newest recipients of the prestigious Betty Cone Medal of Arts award. Livingbrush Body Painting is the name of their business and these artists are the first and only artists to win all five World Awards for their craft, in an unbroken string of victories across every category: five-time World Champions; Bodypainting Champions in Asia and North America, Bodypainting Champions; and two-time Guinness World Record Breakers.
“It is my pleasure to know Scott and Madelyn personally, and I am proud of their achievements while being Reidsville citizens. They are another example of art in our proudly diverse City of Reidsville,” said Mayor Jay Donecker.
Art of the Brick Brad Spencer is a Reidsville-based artist who works with bricks to produce sculptures. His larger-than-life pieces capture the Americana way of life and often feature everyday citizens in their day-to-day activities. However, it’s the way they are portrayed that makes them so unique. You are drawn into the artwork by the emotions on their face, details one wouldn’t think you would get using a brick medium. The sculptures exude warmth when you would normally expect brick to be cold and impending. Spencer has numerous sculptures on display in Reidsville including work at Market Square and our state-of-the-art RCARE Senior Center. Spencer is a one-of-a-kind artist with creative contributions to his own community and beyond, as his work can be seen all over the United States.
Toys for Big Boys Another exciting find unique to Reidsville includes ToyMakerz. This high-octane show, based and filmed in Reidsville, embodies the modern definition of its title - unique toys for big boys. David Ankin, a former stuntman, motorcycle racer and custom vehicle fabricator, stars with his supporting cast to feature specialized vehicles from race cars and custom motorcycles to trucks and unique reverse trikes. ToyMakerz first aired on the Velocity Channel but is moving to the History Channel in 2019. If you follow ToyMakerz, one of the most recognizable clips from the show features Ankin taking a spin around the “R Circle” in downtown Reidsville. The City gave Ankin permission to do doughnuts on our prized circle because...that’s just the kind of fun and supportive community we are.
Good Brews in the Future According to the National Brewers Association (BA), the trade association for small and independent craft brewers, there are more than 6,300 breweries that were in operation in 2017. Reidsville is also seeing a growth in craft brewing as their water is uniquely suited to producing beer. Lucky City Brewery, a co-op microbrewery that is scheduled to open in downtown Reidsville, has a mission to create quality craft beer at a fair price while providing an atmosphere that welcomes all walks of life. They plan on giving back to the community through education, entertainment and economic impact.
Certified Retirement Community More than 70 million Baby Boomers live in the United States, and more and more are choosing Reidsville with evidence that the city is an attractive place to live, work, play and retire. Reidsville is one of only 18 North Carolina Certified Retirement Cities. Offering an award winning community hospital, Annie Penn, a state-of-the-art senior center, RCARE Facility, and an abundance of recreation, shopping, affordable housing and so much more, quality of life is important to the citizens and leaders of Reidsville. As the city continues to grow, so does its reputation in a variety of professions and many will continue to seek it out as a great new place to call home.
You can experience all the things unique to Reidsville and learn more about how to relocate by downloading the Reidsville Relocation Guide.