The first African American to own a business on Main Street in Greenville

MICHAEL: WELL, AS WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, A LOOK BACK AT THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED SHAPE GREENVILLE INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. CAROL: TONIGHT, MADELEINE HACKETT INTRODUCES US TO THE FIRST BLACK BUSINESSMAN TO OWN SHOP ON MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN. >> TO ME, IT’S LIKE MY DAD’S LEGACY IS STILL LIVING ON. >> A LEGACY THAT MADE GREENVILLE WHAT IT IS TODAY ALBERT L. SMITH WAS RAISED BY AN UNCLE, SOLD IN SLAVERY THREE TIMES, BUT WAS TAUGHT FROM A YOUNG AGE TO NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. >> HE DIDN’T LET ANYTHING STOP HIM, HE FORGED FORWARD HE HAD THIS PHILOSOPHY, IF YOU GET ABOUT 6 NO’S, THE 7TH WILL BE YES. >> IN 1965, THAT 7TH YES CAME FOR ALBERT, A LOAN FROM A BANK IN ATLANTA. DURING SEGREGATION, YVONNE’S DAD WAS DENIED FROM SEVERAL BANKS IN GREENVILLE. BUT HAD FINALLY FOUND A WAY TO SECURE THE MONEY TO OWN GREENVILLE SHOE SHOP THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESS ON WHAT’S NOW KNOWN AS MAIN STREE >> AND UNDERNEATH, THERE WAS A SIGN THAT SAID “GREENVILLE SHO SHOP” THAT WAS WRITTEN IN CALLIGRAPHY BY MY BROTHER BACK IN THE 60’S WHEN HE GOT UP THERE ON THE LADDER AND FREE HANDED AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND I WAS LOOKING FOR A PICTURE BUT COULDN’T FIND IT. >> FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, HUSK IS A THRIVING, HIGH-END EATERY IN THE HEART OF GREENVILLE’S WEST END. STEP INSIDE THIS RESTAURANT ON ALMOST ANY GIVEN NIGHT AND YOU CAN EXPECT IT TO BE BUSY, BUT WHAT WE NEVER EXPECTED WAS FOR A PIECE OF YVONNE’S FAMILY HISTORY TO BE HANGING ON THIS WALL. >> WHEN DAD GOT SICK, THERE IS, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, I GOTTA GET A PICTURE OF THAT. THERE IT IS, THAT’S IT, THERE IT IS >> WE’VE HAD THAT UP SINCE WE OPENED. >> OH MY GOD, I’VE GOTTA GET MY PHONE AND TAKE A PICTURE. THAT BRINGS BACK SO MANY MEMORIES. REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU MY BROTHER DID THE CALLIGRAPH HE STOOD ON THE LADDER AND DID THAT. >> WE HAVE IT HERE IN THE BUILDING AND WE LITERALLY POINT TO IT AND TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THAT AND THAT’S PRETTY MUCH DATED IN THE 70’S. >> NOW, THERE’S A NEW PICTURE TO HANG ON THE WALL HERE. SERVING AS A STEADY REMINDER OF WHAT CAME BEFO

This Black History Month: The first African American to own a business on Main Street in Greenville

Madeleine Hackett shares the story of Albert L. Smith, owner of Greenville Shoe Shop on then what was Pendleton Street in downtown

Updated: 11:24 PM EST Feb 12, 2020

Yvonne Reeder shares the story of her father, Albert L. Smith who was the first African American to own a business on Pendleton Street in downtown Greenville, what’s now known as Main Street. Smith was able to secure a loan in Atlanta to buy the shoe shop, where Husk, a local high end restaurant now sits. The year was 1965 and banks in Greenville, which was still segregated at the time, refused Smith the loan. “He didn’t let anything stop him … he forged forward,” Reeder said about her dad. “He had this philosophy if you get about six “no’s” the seventh will be yes.”WYFF News 4’s Madeleine Hackett shares more of his story.

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

Yvonne Reeder shares the story of her father, Albert L. Smith who was the first African American to own a business on Pendleton Street in downtown Greenville, what’s now known as Main Street.

Smith was able to secure a loan in Atlanta to buy the shoe shop, where Husk, a local high end restaurant now sits. The year was 1965 and banks in Greenville, which was still segregated at the time, refused Smith the loan.

“He didn’t let anything stop him … he forged forward,” Reeder said about her dad. “He had this philosophy if you get about six “no’s” the seventh will be yes.”

WYFF News 4’s Madeleine Hackett shares more of his story.