Auction set for historic Camel City Pawn building in downtown Winston-Salem – Winston-Salem Journal

The 112-year-old three-story building has been home to retail for more than 91 years. Camel Pawn Shop Fine Jewelry was its last tenant from 1961 to 2023.

Then the third generation of the Klein family decided it was time to close up shop for good.

As closing time approached, the large front display cases once filled with musical instruments, amplifiers and watches were nearly empty, as were the glass cases filled with rings, necklaces, watches and earrings.

Ron Klein, the store’s owner, then opened Camel Jewelers at 3068 Trenwest Drive, Suite 3, in Winston-Salem.

Iron Horse is optimistic about receiving bids higher than the minimum, auctioneer Jason Dolph said.

“This property qualifies for historic property tax abatements and an opportunity zone,” Dolph said.

“The estate of the former owners decided on this one-off sale, passing on significant savings and a significant opportunity to new ownership.”

Among the building’s selling points is that it is located directly across the street from a multi-story public parking lot and within one to two city blocks of The Millennium Event Center, high-end hotels, restaurants and shops.

Camel Pawn Shop Fine Jewelry has transformed from a traditional pawn shop to the go-to place for heirloom jewelry.

Camel Pawn began life in 1931 as a branch of an Atlanta pawn shop when Ben and Rose Klein opened it in a store on the corner of Church and Fourth streets.

Harris Klein, Ron Klein’s father, started working at the store in 1947 when he was 16 years old. He left UNC Chapel Hill a few years later to take over after his father had a heart attack.

Harris Klein put his stamp on the place by setting it up to look like a department store warehouse filled with clothes, jewelry and musical instruments.

As the times changed, so did Harris Klein, adding firearms, televisions, cameras, computers and other electronics to the inventory.

Harris Klein moved the store to its current location on Liberty Street in 1961 and eventually bought the building that housed it.

Keeping the building commercial or commercial would be an appropriate reuse, Winston-Salem Mayor Alan Jones said.

“You can convert the upper floor into residential and the lower level into a service shop, such as a barber shop; cleaning preparations; specialist foods etc that could support those living in the centre.’

Jason Thiel, president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, said he hopes the auction “brings in a buyer who is excited about this particular historic building.”

“If they have the resources, I encourage them to consider apartments on the upper floors. The potential for an Opportunity Zone and Historic Tax Credit would be of particular interest to the developer, especially someone experienced in using these tools.

“The ground floor could be used for retail or many other uses. You could also split the ground floor into two separate storefronts, which I think might be an idea worth exploring.’

Don Martin, chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, said that “every member of my immediate family has shopped at Camel Pawn Shop. “Ron Klein is a great guy and we’ve already visited him in his new little shop.

“I think the ideal new owners would be like Ron. Open a store with inventory that will appeal to everyone – all walks of life.

“The juxtaposition of the old Camel location with the bus station, the Millennium Center and the Arts District provides a customer base that I believe has contributed to Camel’s successful performance.”