R.O. Banner General Store and Tea Room (c. 1920)

Across the street from the Perry House, this building now known as BJ's Resortwear was constructed around 1920 by Robert Banner as a general merchandise store. By the 30s, his wife Eva Lowe Banner established the Banner Elk Tea Room, which became the town's primary restaurant and was noted far and wide for the quality of its pies. Though it had been other businesses since its days as a general store, in 1977 B.J. Russell and Sally Breslauer renovated the building, preserving its original character, and opened B.J.'s Resortwear. Ms Bresluaer says that B.J.’s itself deserves historic destinction, as this is now the longest continuously run business in town! Continue along the sidewalk and you will be alerted to the next tour stop as you approach the stately white house in front of you. It is a private home, so please stay on the sidewalk.