225 South Elm Street, Schiffman's Jewelry  
In 1893, Simon Schiffman, a German immigrant, was about to change trains in Greensboro on his way to check into a jewelry business for sale in Asheville. While waiting for his train to depart, he walked along South Elm Street, saw a jewelry store for sale, and bought it on the spot. His store moved twice before settling into this location in 1927. When moving from the 300 block of Elm Street to this location, he was warned that no decent lady would walk on the side of the street where the saloons were located. Schiffman’s first store on this spot, a four-story wooden building, burned in 1935 and was rebuilt the following year as a state-of-the-art facility. Reportedly, it was the first store in NorthCarolina to have a front door that opened automatically with a “magic beam.” This is the city’s oldest family-owned business. 

More Guilford County, North Carolina History:

Greensboro Historical Museum
Guide to Guilford: History
Historic Guilford Photos