Isaac’s Menswear is an independently owned men’s fashion store located on Wilmington Street, across from the new RBC Plaza. Prior to the arrival of the clothing store, it was a seedy bar called Chocko Flame which frequently had run ins with the police. Before that, it was a Greek restaurant.

The store is run by a man named Shalom, who has been in business since 1985. The name Isaac’s came from his former business partner and mentor. Isaac and Shalom ran the men’s clothing store in what is currently The Square Rabbit for a few years before Shalom relocated to the current location to run the busines on his own. The owner of building housing The Square Rabbit had offered to sell it to him for $60k in the mid-eighties. At that time, it was a rough part of town and he wasn’t sure how long he was going to stay in the area. He doesn’t look back with regret at the missed opportunity. A native of Israel, he wasn’t sure if or when he may move back to his ancestral homeland.

Today, business is still good. The future is uncertain as The Edison is poised to occupy the entire block. Shalom rents his space from Progress Energy, which has no desire to stay in the real estate business. The other property owners of this block were no doubt offered large sums of money to sell out and relocate to the newly proposed space.

Shalom isn’t worried, though. He’s pretty matter-of-fact about the situation. If he has to relocate, he will–and it won’t be downtown. He has many fond memories of being in business in the current location. In fact, a relic of the former First Citizens Building that used to occupy the space now used by RBC Plaza is in his posession. One of the gargoyles that adorned the entrance now resides in his home. To him, it is a reminder of the magnificent building that used to be there and was turned in to a parking lot in 1991.

There was a time when Raleigh was known for its prolific music scene. With events such as the closure of King’s and the disappearance of the once thriving punk scene, it has moved from a trickle to a smattering of indie shows and some artists/groups at The Lincoln Theatre or the Performing Arts Center.

Nowadays Raleigh is not completely devoid of all music, but there was a time when some of the biggest names in jazz and rock played here, in the most unlikely of locations: Cameron Village.

In the same way Cameron Village itself was modeled after a shopping plaza in Kansas City, The Village Subway was modeled after the Atlanta Underground. It was a series of restaurants, clubs, boutiques, fashion stores, and a few other shops. Some of the night clubs were The Frog & Nightgown, Cafe Deja Vu, Elliot’s Nest, The Pier, Skyline, The Bear’s Den, and the Midnight Express.
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