Sanford, North Carolina was founded in 1874. The town was formed by the crossing of the Western and Chatham Railroads, now known as the Atlantic and Western and Seaboard Coastline. Located in Lee County as the county seat, Sanford is known as the direct center of the State. Sanford sits where white beach sand from the coast meets the Piedmont clay, making Sanford a prime spot for pottery making. Sanford has enjoyed steady growth over the years but retains its small town feel. Downtown Sanford is known as the primary economic, cultural, and social center of the community, and the town remains proud of its history.

The Fairview Dairy Bar is the most popular restaurant in Sanford and has been around since 1954. Locals frequent the restaurant, and it is a hot spot on Sundays after church. Herbert Moretz, drinking his cup of coffee, is a Sanford native who is one of the many who come into the Dairy Bar every single day.

Kelly’s School of Dance is a spot for the younger generation of Sanford. The studio is located in a scenic old building in downtown Sanford. A crowd of proud moms gather in the waiting room and are quick to say, “we have the cutest kids in the area.”

Don Hudson looks around his pottery studio, D.K. Clay Pottery and Studio Workshop, the largest pottery studio in the state. Pottery has a long history in Sanford, as the town is on the eastern edge of the Seagrove area, the center of pottery making in North Carolina. There are more than 100 potters in the area. Hudson’s studio is a more technologically advanced and contemporary studio.

“North Carolina has an unbroken link to pottery traditions,” Hudson said. Hudson wanted to move closer to this tradition, so he relocated to Sanford to take on the pottery trade. He has a giant kiln that fires to 2,350 degrees. He makes his own clay and glaze that makes fully vitrified stoneware.

Bill Simonson is the owner and operator of Nunnery’s Shoe Shop in downtown Sanford. He has been at the shop for eleven years but has been in Sanford for much longer. The shop is old-fashioned, adding to the historic small town feel of the town.

Nunnery’s is the only shoe shop in the area according to “Shoe Repair Extraodinaire,” Bill Simonson. He stays busy with the constant flow of shoes coming through his shop. Quiet but kind, Bill stays attentive to his work, proud of the reputation of his store.

The Sanford Antique Mall is the Sandhills’ largest antique mall and is located in the heart of Sanford’s historic downtown. Julie Bush is one of the many dealers of the mall. Dealers from Texas, New Jersey, and all over the East Coast come to the Sanford Antique mall to sell historic North Carolina pottery, glassware, advertising, vintage jewelry, and more. Two stories and packed full, people constantly come in and out.

Yarborough’s Ice Cream shop is a town favorite, serving 32 flavors of homemade ice cream. Established in 1971, the shop has an old town feel, just like many of the restaurants in the area, and is a popular place for kids and families to go for lunch or for a treat. Peggy is a familiar face in Yarboroughs and is, like many people from Sanford, proud of its history, and loves to show all the old photos hanging on the walls of the shop.

Laughing and gossiping at the Fairview Dairy Bar, the waitresses at the Fairview Dairy Bar are familiar and friendly faces to the residents of Sanford. People will even come in from neighboring towns to eat at the restaurant, making Sanford a popular place to be any day of the week. The small town hospitality draws people in.

Krisp Kutz, a barbershop located in downtown Sanford, is owned by Roshon Robles, seen on the right. The barbershop is fairly new to the downtown scene, but it doesn’t lack the small town barbershop feel. Friends gather and spend hours talking while men come in and out to get their haircut.

Kelly’s School of Dance is preparing for their upcoming Memorial Day show at the Temple Theatre in downtown. The downtown area thrives on the business that local shows such as the recital bring to the area.

Mrs. Wenger’s Restaurant, just like the Fairview Dairy Bar, is home to many Sanford locals. Known for its “Good Home Cooking,” Mrs. Wenger’s has been around since 1965. It is the spot to be in the morning for town gossip. Mandy Moss, a long time waitress at the restaurant, and James Kelly, a local businessman and Sanford native, chat over lunch. It is the ideal small town southern restaurant, and has been called “The Soul of Sanford” for 45 years.

Despite its growth outward from downtown, Sanford has managed to hold on to its small town, North Carolina atmosphere. The natives of Sanford are proud and they are never shy to tell you all they know about the history of their town. While it may be quiet, and like many small towns, it struggles under the weight of the economy, it has never lost its charm. Walk into any of the known establishments in downtown, and you’ll see how true Sanford is to itself.