Much speculation has swirled about the street-level tenants in the new 222 Glenwood complex. During earlier stages of development word was that Gianni & Gaitano’s, the fine & family dining combo from Wakefield was coming. Word also was that a Duncan Donuts was coming. It seems that some of that information is correct. No word on the Duncan Donuts, but Gianni & Gaitano’s states on their website that they are opening in Summer 2008 in “Glenwood South Shopping Center”. The N&O also recently reported that Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery is coming to the new space.

Now it appears that the Amra brothers are on board to add another establishment to their fine collection. Tobacco Road Sports Cafe will open late in the Summer in 222 Glenwood. They claim to not be a sports bar, but rather, a place to watch the game with great food and great service. I wonder if Gianni & Gaitano’s have decided against doing a pair of Siamese restaurants out of one kitchen in favor of a combined menu with one smaller dining room. This would certainly allow enough space for the Amra concept.

While I truly wish the Amras the best of luck on this venture, I cannot get past the name. If you frequent this site you know where I’m headed. Certainly the Amras mean the best, and are presumably trying to tie into our region’s cherished history of college basketball. However the name “Tobacco Road” flies against all the improvements this area has made in my lifetime. Tobacco Road is Erskine Caldwell’s 1932 novel about poor ignorant cotton farmers in Georgia during the depression. The perception that North Carolina is a bunch of uneducated Mayberry-land hicks is still very much out there in this country, and we need to do everything we can to not tie ourselves to the Tobacco Road image.

The State of North Carolina has a long history of tobacco production. It is still, by a long shot, the top-producing state in the country; top-producing of a crop with which all levels of government have been waging war for the past two decades. In the past few months both Wake County and the State of North Carolina banned smoking in government buildings. While NC is the country’s top-producer, seven states have a higher Adult Smoking Rate than North Carolina’s 22.9% (via – .pdf). The rank is falling, though, especially among youths.

Is this completely unhealthy addiction what we want to tie ourselves to when promoting our area? The City of Durham, steeped in cigarette production history, terms itself the “City of Medicine”. In fact, Durham County had the smallest percentage of prenatal smoking mothers in the state from 2002-2006. Wake County had the second-smallest (via).

As we grow healthier and our region improves, our culture should reflect that improvement to our citizens and to those who don’t live here. Instead of promoting us as dumb and unhealthy region, mayors, athletic directors, and coaches should direct network TV personalities to stop referring to our area as “Tobacco Road”. Restaurateurs should follow suit and avoid associating our improving area with one of our culture’s most carcinogenic products. It’s time for us to keep our sights forward and avoid being mired in bogs of the past.