The Griffin family presence on West Trade Street dates back to 1961 when Larry Griffin, Sr. and his brother purchased and opened the first Griffin Brothers Tire & Auto Repair Center. The store remained in operation until September 2006 when the staff relocated to the newly constructed Pineville location. Since then, the store has remained dormant until Griffin Brothers partnered with Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) to renovate the 18,000 square foot building into a state-of-the-art visual and performing arts center for the brand new Graduate Arts Program at JCSU. Set to open in the fall of 2010, the arts center will open up this previously struggling corridor to new development and new life.

Additionally, in 2009, the Griffin family donated capital and man hours to clean up the parking lot to the west of the property for The Historic West End Market: a diverse market offering local goods to the surrounding community and the greater Charlotte area. The long-term objective of the Griffin family is to use the emotional ties and dedication to the area to create a tight-knit and prosperous community.