Perhaps the most quiet block of Hillsborough Street is also one of the closest to the core of Downtown Raleigh: the 500 block. Within the past few weeks it became a bit more colorful as one of its tenants joined the ranks of those businesses that decorate their storefront display with muppets.

Ernie of Bert and Ernie fame is now in the window, having fun with a “hole punch o’ matic”.

It’s easy to miss the 500 block. If heading toward the Capitol Building, it’s immediately on your right after crossing the bridge past the Glenwood Avenue intersection. It is currently  home to Meg McLaurin AIA and The Violin Maker. As is evident from the sign above, it was once home to Marsh Woodwinds.

From what I understand, Marsh Woodwinds once had flamboyant window displays, but the area has been a bit more subdued since they moved to Person Street.

Despite being only one block away from one of Raleigh’s most bustling hot spots during the evening hours (Glenwood South), it is a quiet area, especially in the evening hours. It wasn’t always like this though, as the area was once bustling with activity.

The empty parking lot across from where Ernie is today was once a series of storefronts. They were leveled about 30 years ago, as Raleigh Boy mentioned in a previous post about the empty lot:

When the Edenton St./Hillsboro St. connector was put in back in the ’80s that block was reduced to what you see today. Formerly it was occupied by storefronts like those across Hillsboro St. from it. […] Incidentally, the connector also took out the building that had once been Raleigh’s streetcar barn (ca. 1920s).

So what exactly is Ernie doing? For now, having fun with a hole punch. I’ve heard that he was in the Christmas spirit a few weeks ago, so perhaps he’ll be doing something crafty for the next upcoming holiday.

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