Ferguson , Missouri ( CNN ) -- West Florissant Avenue runs parallel to South Florissant Road , separated by several blocks . But the division runs much deeper . The two thoroughfares tell the story of two cities in one , of the gulf between class and race . Some white residents told me they lived in a bubble : They own homes off South Florissant Road , eat in restaurants there and rarely venture into the streets that were familiar to Michael Brown , the black teenager who was shot and killed by white police Officer Darren Wilson on August 9 . Black residents who live in the patchwork of homes and apartments off West Florissant Avenue sounded a similar note . They , too , lived detached from other parts of Ferguson . On Monday , I walked both these Ferguson streets that have been unwittingly thrust into the news . I wanted to get a sense of the place , the people and the mood before a grand jury decides whether to indict Wilson . I also wanted to capture the contrast . South Florissant went through a revival , though signs of a city in decline still exist in the form of shuttered storefronts . There 's an upscale wine bar , bicycle shop , a brew house and a plaza for concerts . It 's walkable -- hence the district 's name , Citywalk -- and quaint . It 's a huge source of pride for Ferguson . But after Brown 's death , business owners on South Florissant have suffered . Not as much as those on West Florissant Avenue , but they have lost money and are now fearful of what might happen after a grand jury decision is made public . Complete coverage on Ferguson . Scroll through my Instagram photos below to see the people and places of Ferguson . First , South Florissant Road : . West Florissant Avenue . West Florissant intersects with Canfield Drive , where Michael Brown was killed . A memorial was erected where his body lay on the street for four hours . West Florissant has been declining for many years , a victim of white flight from the area . The St. Louis Great Streets Initiative was already looking into revamping West Florissant 's commercial area and said in a study that it was not pedestrian-friendly or diverse . Unlike South Florissant Road , there are no upscale restaurants here . There 's a McDonald 's and Chinese fast food . There 's also a barbecue place that was very badly hit because of its location next to the QuikTrip gas station , which became ground zero for violent protests and was burned down . Police armed with tear gas confronted protesters on West Florissant in August . In the weeks since , many businesses had removed the plywood boards covering their doors and windows , but now they are back up again in expectation of more unrest . One place that has never been boarded up is the Ferguson Burger Bar & More . Owner Charles Davis puts his faith in God and in the community . He is confident he -- and West Florissant Avenue -- will be OK. Read and see more about West Florissant : . Follow CNN 's Moni Basu on Twitter .
Two parallel roads in Ferguson are separated by several blocks , but the division runs deep . South Florissant Road has enjoyed a revival with more upscale shops and restaurants . West Florissant Avenue has been in decline and is boarded up ahead of grand jury decision .