Originally built in 1917 as a high school, the building subsequently became an elementary school. Its next incarnation was as the Wickham Avenue Neighborhood Facility, a community social services office headed by Norvleate Downing-Gross. During the 1940s, it housed the first public library for Black residents. In 2008, it was reborn as a center for the arts with a 265-seat theater, a dance studio, rehearsal rooms, art and music studios, classrooms, and a permanent gallery for the internationally recognized Black American folk artist, Elder Anderson Johnson.

Paperbacks Ink has been supplying diverse reading material to the Hampton Roads community since 1981. It was purchased and renovated by Tikesha Williams in November 2022. The bookstore prides itself on providing not only access to physical new and used hardback and paperback books but also a variety of events for the community to come in and be delighted.



Paperbacks Ink Bookstore offers distinct and complementary experiences for avid readers, catering to different preferences and budget constraints. We
contribute significantly to the literary ecosystem, fostering a love for books and supporting both authors and readers alike.



Paperback Ink is the home to the mouthwatering cafe, Tastefully Philly. At Tastefully Philly, we believe that enacting change in the world starts with togetherness. And what better way to bring people together than with food. Better yet, flavors from the city of ‘Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.’



‘Tastefully Philly...where you can taste the love.’

This small stretch of sand near the foot of Jefferson Avenue along the James River was owned by William Ward Pinkett, a prominent Black businessman. Pinkett gave his fellow African Americans access to the property as a public beach. It later became a hub of the African American community in the segregated 1950s. This site on the water was also popular for mass baptisms.

Scratch Bakery is your Neighborhood Bakery with 2 locations in the 757 area. We have been featured on the food network and been tilted the best bakery in the 757 by Costal Virgina Magazine. We pride ourselves on our amazing pastries and our made from scratch treats. We make cakes your grand mother used to make like your homemade pound cakes, banana pudding, peach cobbler cupcakes and more. We also make custom cake and wedding cakes.

The Moton Theater, or Moton Community House as it is now known, dates back to 1940 when it opened as a cinema house. Records indicate that it closed around 1965. In 1978, it was purchased and later renovated as a multipurpose facility. Pearl Bailey was featured at its re-opening. It is named after Robert Russa Moton (1867-1940), an 1890 graduate of Hampton Institute who served as president of Tuskegee Institute from 1915-1935 and was instrumental in establishing the United Negro College Fund.