CITY LIFE
THURSDAY
Watercolor Society of North Carolina Exhibition Opening Reception @ The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards (HP) 5 p.m.
Enjoy this exhibition of 69 watercolor paintings by Watercolor Society of North Carolina members until Oct. 31. All of the artwork on display will be available for purchase. Visit tagart.org for more information.
Artist Talk and Book Signing @ Weatherspoon Art Museum (GSO) 5:30 p.m.
5 - 6
The Earthen Door, a photographic reworking of Emily Dickinson’s herbarium with collaborator Amanda Marchand. Books for purchase and light refreshments will be available. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.
FRIDAY
NC Folk Festival @ Downtown (GSO) 9 a.m.
The North Carolina Folk Festival is a free, three-day festival showcasing multiple genres and artists from around the world. There will be food, music, vendors and
Scan the QR code to find more events at triad-citybeat.com/local-events
15th Anniversary Party @ The Brewer’s Kettle (HP) 11 a.m.
Stop by the Brewer’s Kettle for an all-day 15th anniversary celebration. There will be food, trivia, raffles, draft specials, a memory wall and more to enjoy. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.
The Queer Vendor’s Market @ Chemistry Nightclub (GSO) 1 p.m.
Stop by Chemistry for the Queer Vendor’s Market complete with LGBQT+ vendors, food trucks and patio service. Stay updated on Facebook
A Dotted Tribute Opening Reception @ Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts (W-S) 5 p.m.
Head to the Main Gallery of Milton Rhodes for the opening reception of A Dotted Tribute, an exhibition and celebration of the life and art of local Winston-Salem folk art legend Sam “The Dot Man” McMillan and the works of living artists Natalie Jester and Angel Fant. Find more information on Facebook
CITY LIFE
SATURDAY
September Social Saturday @ Downtown (HP) 4 p.m.
Join the High Point Rockers for Social Saturday celebrating books and brass. In honor of National Library Card Sign-Up Month, they’re hosting a book donation drive with drop-off boxes on the trolley and at participating businesses. Live music provided by Unheard Project GSO at Brown Truck Brewery at 5 and at Blooming Board 8. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.
“In the Meadow of Y(our) Ancestors” @ Greensboro Cultural Center (GSO) 7 p.m.
Creative Greensboro welcomes poet and performer Jennif(f)fer Tamayo for a Residency at the Hyers with a performance of “In the Meadow of Y(our) Ancestors,” a choreopoem combining poetry, visual media, video and sound to explore themes of home, belonging, migration, queer love, Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty. Find more information at greensboro-nc. gov/departments/creative-greensboro
SUNDAY
13 12 9 8 7
Summer
Dance Social @ Tanglewood Park (W-S) 2 p.m.
Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County presents the third event in their 9th Annual Parks Concert Series. This performance features Garba360, a combination concert and large-scale community dance class where you’ll learn the western Indian folk-dance tradition of garba. Visit intothearts.org/parks for more information.
MONDAY
Make and Take Large Mushrooms @ Joy Bar (HP) 4 p.m.
Create the perfect fall decor in this class where you’ll make your own large fabric mushroom. Cost covers all supplies and guided instruction from Heart Shine Studios. Find more information at heartshinestudios.com
SUMMER ON FOURTH SEPTEMBER 07
4TH ST. IN FRONT OF FOOTHILLS BREWING
THURSDAY
Tyler Mitchell: Domestic Imaginaries @ SECCA (W-S) 6 p.m.
Join SECCA for the opening reception of Tyler Mitchell: Domestic Imaginaries, an exhibition of photographs printed on textiles and in an immersive, laundry-line installation alongside newly created “altar” sculptures. Purchase tickets and find more information on Facebook
Love Notes: A Night of Jazz & Community Narratives @ Boxcar (GSO) 7 p.m.
Triad Health Project is hosting a night of jazz with the NC A&T ensemble and storytelling related to their work. There will also be a silent auction. More information on Facebook
FRIDAY
Pottery Night @ Allen Jay Recreation Center (HP) 6 p.m.
Create free-hand style pottery in this family-friendly pottery class! Pre-registration bit.ly/3LmrlJW at is required.
Mutsa Mukahanana, pg.
OPINION
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK
What Brian Clarey means to me
by
Yesterday I was interviewed by a local TV station to talk about Brian and what he means to me, the local journalism community and to the Triad as a whole. The conversation lasted about 10 minutes, and I haven’t watched the segment, but I’m sure it was whittled down to much less than that.
But 10 minutes isn’t really enough to talk about the impact that Brian has had on me. Five hundred words isn’t enough either.
I first met Brian about 10 years ago after I graduated from UNCG with a degree in art history. I had applied to go to grad school for a masters in the subject but ended up getting waitlisted at UNC. I had never written anything for journalism before, but when I saw the ad for interns at TCB, I applied on a whim.
with all three of them, but none more than Brian who worked tirelessly with me on the craft of writing. Everything from the lede ( the first sentence of a piece) to the nutgraf (the main paragraph explaining what the piece is about) to the kicker (or the final sentence). All of my copy back then came back with red edits on almost every single line.
Since then, TCB has undergone multiple changes. Eric, and then Jordan, moved on, staffers have changed, we downgraded offices and we’ve now mostly moved to working remotely. But the one constant pillar has been Brian.
To say that Triad City Beat is Brian’s fourth child is kind of an understatement. He works day in and day out to keep this paper going, and I think he may even bleed black and red ink. He loves this paper.
And we love him for it.
Brian Clarey
brian@triad-city-beat.com
PUBLISHER EMERITUS
Allen Broach
allen@triad-city-beat.com
OF COUNSEL
Jonathan Jones
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR
Sayaka Matsuoka sayaka@triad-city-beat.com
CITYBEAT REPORTER
Gale Melcher
gale@triad-city-beat.com
Nathaniel Thomas nathaniel@triad-city-beat.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Carolyn de Berry, John Cole, Owens Daniels, James Douglas, Michelle Everette, Luis H. Garay, Destiniee Jaram, Kaitlynn Havens, Jordan Howse, Matt Jones, Autumn Karen, Michaela Ratliff, Jen Sorensen, Todd Turner WEBMASTER
Sam LeBlanc
Aiden Siobhan
aiden@triad-city-beat.com COVER:
Jordan Harwood has been creating intentional non-alcoholic cocktails at pop-ups around Winston-Salem.
Walking into the cluttered old City Beat office at the Nussbaum Center a decade ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I met Brian, Eric and Jordan there and was asked about why I wanted the internship, my experience in journalism (I had none) and some more stuff about growing up in Greensboro. I don’t really remember the details, but I must have made a good enough impression that I was hired as one of two interns then (Hey Anthony!).
In the ensuing months, I worked closely
To see the amount of support that Brian and his family has gotten these last few days has been overwhelming. Everyone from local artists to politicians to other journalists have all rallied together to donate to his family’s fundraiser and several people have reached out to me to make sure the paper was going to be okay.
And we will be okay. Because Brian survived and so did his family. Of course, their recoveries will be long and likely difficult. But, like he told me a few days ago, Brian is “a tough son of a bitch… made from leather and steel.” And we — the paper, the Triad, local journalism — are all so much better for it.
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Sayaka Matsuoka
Photo by Joseph Navin Design by Aiden Siobhan
Roll to the polls
Greensboro’s transit agency is offering free rides to voters on Election Day
by Gale Melcher | gale@triad-city-beat.com
“Y
our vote is precious, almost sacred,” said the late Rep. John Lewis (D, Georgia) in 2012
“It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.”
This year, the country will select a new president, North Carolina will choose a new governor and local elections remain as important as ever.
But how do you show up to the polls if you don’t have a car?
That’s why the Greensboro Transit Agency is offering voters support this election season with Move To The Polls, the city’s “effort to eliminate information and transportation barriers for voting,” GTA’s Marketing and Communications Specialist Kevin Elwood explained in an interview. The program started in 2016 and is held every four years during presidential elections.
This Election Day — Nov. 5 — riders can hop on any of the city’s green buses which will be “fare-free,” Elwood said. This move aims to help voters “get on the bus to go to their local voting precinct.” On any other day, a trip to the polls and back could cost $3 in total.
Find your polling place by visiting the North Carolina State Board of Elections Election Day polling place search tool at vt.ncsbe.gov/ PPLkup/. Visit the city’s website at www.greensboronc.gov/departments/ transit/routes to find your closest bus stop.
They’ll also be conducting voter registration at the J. Douglas Galyon Transportation Center bus depot downtown. When people come to the depot to ride the bus, they’ll be able to “register to vote right there on the spot or they can take the form directly to the Board of Elections,” Elwood said. The agency put out an educational pamphlet in 2020; an updated version will be distributed at the depot and a website will be available online soon.
Some polling stations are rather far from bus stops, making it difficult for the elderly and people with disabilities to walk from their stops to the polls. The city’s paratransit service, Access GSO, will also be free on Election Day, Elwood noted. Those vehicles can pick up riders and take them “anywhere they need to go in the city.” Fill out the application on the city’s website to see if you qualify.
As for the Guilford County’s Board of Elections, Election Director Charlie Collicutt stated that preparations for the general election are going well.
Two-thirds of eligible voters submitted ballots during the last presidential election in 2020, which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and record early-voting turnout.
“2020 taught us a lot of good lessons on things to prep for well in advance,” Collicutt explained, adding that without the pressures of a pandemic going on at the same time, they will have more room to focus on things like voter registration.
Collicutt said that while transit access to polling places is something they look at, “it’s not always the overriding factor when [they’re] under the gun to find somewhere for the voters to go.”
Elwood encouraged voters: “Plan your vote.”
As far as planning their Election Day trip goes, the first thing voters should do is to
locate their voting precinct, Elwood explained. Then, using the city’s website or a map application on their device, they can connect the dots to find out which bus to take to the polls.
The program also aims to help marginalized voters. A 2024 study by the Brennan Center for Justice found that racial disparities in voter turnout have increased in recent years, due in part to crucial aspects of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 being upended in 2013 at the behest of the US Supreme Court. Jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination in voting were previously required to preclear any changes to their voting policies and procedures. This change left state and local governments free to adopt a flurry of voter suppression laws. More recently, North Carolina’s primary election in March put the state’s new photo ID requirement to the test, bringing a host of discrimination allegations along with it.
And the city wants to help remove voting barriers for residents with Move To The Polls.
“This is our way of just reminding them that no matter what, no matter your stature in life, you are equal with every single person in the city,” Elwood explained.
Important dates and deadlines
• You can fill out a request for a mail-in absentee ballot right now by visiting your local county elections website. On Sept. 6, county boards of elections will begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.
• The voter registration deadline is at 5 p.m. on Oct. 11.
• In-person early voting begins on Oct. 17, same-day registration is available.
• The absentee ballot request deadline strikes at 5 p.m. on Oct. 29.
• In-person early voting ends at 3 p.m. on Nov. 2.
• Nov. 5 is General Election Day; the absentee ballot return deadline is at 7:30 p.m.
The Greensboro Transit Agency is offering free bus rides to and from voting locations this fall.
PHOTO BY GALE MELCHER
NEWS
Greensboro police and fire employees will have a civil service board next year
by Gale Melcher | gale@triad-city-beat.com
Anew method for Greensboro city employees to seek second chances is kicking into gear via a civil service board, which was mandated by state legislators last year for the Gate City as well as Winston-Salem.
If a police or fire department employee has been fired or let go, suspended, reduced in rank, transferred against their will or denied a promotion or pay raise, they can pursue action from the board by requesting a hearing. This board has the power to overturn those decisions, and can initiate investigations.
Last year, the state legislature required the two cities to establish their civil service boards after local Forsyth and Guilford representatives pushed for it via House Bill 470 The board was initially supposed to serve all city employees. However, legislators made a last-minute change so that it included only police and fire employees. It became law in August 2023 via Senate Bill 9 and cut out many employees who had been urging the cities and state to create these boards. Since SB9’s adoption, city attorneys and staff have been developing the official rules for Greensboro’s board.
Who can serve on the board?
Per an Aug. 20 city council decision, the voting procedure for the selection of the five-member board is now in place.
Later this year, police and fire department employees will vote on one member each for their respective departments. Voting opens on Oct. 1 and ends on Oct. 31. The winners will be announced on Nov. 1. Another member will be chosen by the mutual agreement of the police and fire chiefs. The fourth member will be selected by the mayor and city council. The fifth will be selected by the mutual
agreement of the four members 30 days after the police and fire members have been selected.
Current city employees can’t serve on the civil service board, but former employees can if they stopped working for the city at least seven years ago.
City council voted 7-1 to put the voting procedure in place, with Councilmember Sharon Hightower voting against it. Hightower has long been against this new board, and wasn’t happy with its makeup since the city council will only get one appointee.
“We’ve got nine people up here with nine different opinions of who we want on that board,” Hightower said last spring
“I just think it’s awful,” she said as she voted against it last week.
During the city council meeting, City Attorney Chuck Watts and Mayor Nancy Vaughan urged the council to vote in favor of the rules so as not to spoil their relationship with the state legislature.
“The legislature has authority to decide how to deal with it if we weren’t to follow through. You know the phrase, ‘Don’t tug on Superman’s cape.’ I would avoid not going forward with this,” Watts noted.
“We have been very successful getting requests filled that we have asked the legislature for, and I think we need to move ahead with this,” Vaughan persisted.
In June, Winston-Salem’s city leaders established their own rules for a board in a 6-2 vote. Councilmembers Jeff MacIntosh and Barbara Hanes Burke voted against it. Winston-Salem and Greensboro are both spending $50,000 on the board this year, and both boards are expected to start up by January 2025.
During an Aug. 20 city council meeting, councilmembers discussed the procedure for the new civil service board in Greensboro.
PHOTO BY GALE MELCHER
Triad City Beat’s publisher, Brian Clarey, and his family need your help!
by Sayaka Matsuoka
s many of you may have already seen, on Friday, Aug. 30, Triad City Beat‘s publisher, Brian Clarey, and his wife Jill and son Ross were in a horrific accident on their way to Boston.
The three were driving to Boston to drop Ross off for school when their SUV collided with an 18-wheeler. Thankfully, all three of them survived.
In the aftermath of the accident, the three were sent to a hospital in Charlottesville where they have been staying for the last three days. While they are all conscious, each of them has sustained serious injuries and have been undergoing surgeries for multiple broken bones.
Since then, Jill’s sister, Jodi, has started a fundraiser via GoFundMe to help pay for the family’s medical costs. So far, the community has rallied and raised more than $65,000 for the family. You can find the link on our website.
From the fundraiser: “This family has a very long road ahead of them to heal. I’m trying to help raise money so that this doesn’t financially ruin their family. Please donate what you can and pray for everyone involved. Thank you!”
It is not clear when the family will be released but it’s expected that each of their recoveries will be long and difficult.
Triad City Beat was started by Brian and two of his close friends and former staffers, Jordan Green and Eric Ginsburg,
Jen Sorensen jensorensen.com
from Yes! Weekly 10 years ago. They had a big dream to start a little paper that could change the landscape of local news and they’ve accomplished that.
As far as the newsroom goes, we will be okay.
Since starting 10 years ago, Brian’s role has shifted from being an editor-in-chief to more of a publisher-owner role so our day-to-day editorial operations won’t be impacted.
That means that we’ll continue to put out issues and stories online.
The only thing that you’ll be missing for now, is Brian’s weekly editorial column.
In the last few days, we’ve been talking to Brian who is able to text and chat on the phone. He is in a lot of pain but has been grateful for the support.
“Life is beautiful and people are awesome,” he wrote on Facebook.
We appreciate the outpouring of support the newsroom has gotten in the last few days since the news broke about the accident. But what we really want is for the community to rally around the family now and support them in any way they can.
Brian and his family have been instrumental in shaping the landscape of community journalism this last decade and we would love for you to show them that support now.
Thanks again to everyone who has reached out and we’ll keep you posted.
John Cole
Courtesy of NC Policy Watch
CULTURE
In Good Spirits Winston-Salem’s
Cordial Cowboy whips up nonalcoholic cocktails for the sober curious
by Sayaka Matsuoka | sayaka@triad-city-beat.com
Jordan Harwood has been feeling pretty mindful, pretty demure.
In fact, since she hit 30 a few years ago, she’s felt “kind of over” the trend of drinking, nursing hangovers and desperately trying to hydrate the next day.
“I went out on a Sunday Funday, and I woke up the next morning, and I was like, ‘Nope; I’m done,’” Harwood explains. “It’s been the greatest decision I ever made.”
To learn more about Cordial Cowboy or to attend a future pop-up, follow them on Instagram at @cordialcowboync.
drinks as nonalcoholic or alcohol-alternative cocktails because of the baggage that comes with the word.
Now Harwood owns and operates Cordial Cowboy, a business that still allows for fun without the pounding headaches and bloated tummies. For the past few months, she’s been hosting nonalcoholic cocktail pop-ups around Winston-Salem, offering people an alternative to boozy drinks.
“I’ve been hearing a lot of similar sentiments from people my age,” says Harwood, 34. “We want somewhere to socialize without the pressures of alcohol.”
Like many, Harwood grew up drinking and going to bars in her twenties. She’s even worked behind the bar at many businesses in Winston-Salem and Greensboro. But when the pandemic hit and she was drinking at home, Harwood realized that she wasn’t actually enjoying herself anymore.
“I was questioning the reason behind it,” she says. “And it was not anything more than just that I like the way [alcohol] tastes. And if we can replace it with something that’s a little healthier, I think it’s a great alternative.”
The trend of weaning off of alcohol has been growing for several years. According to a 2023 survey by data-analytics company NC Solutions, 41 percent of Americans surveyed said they were trying to drink less alcohol. Data also shows that younger people — those who are Gen Z or millennials — are leading the trend. The reason?
“We’re in our thirties; we’re thinking more mindfully about our health and what we put in our bodies,” Harwood says.
A 2020 study published by JAMA Pediatrics showed that the percentage of college students aged 18-22 who stated they weren’t drinking alcohol rose from 20 to 28 percent between 2002 and 2018.
“There are people who don’t want to be hungover,” Harwood says. “Or they’re struggling with sobriety or they don’t want to experience any of the negative side effects that you can get with alcohol, like your judgment isn’t clouded; you’re not blacking out.”
Using her experience working in the bar industry, Harwood started researching and crafting cocktails at home using distinct ingredients. She knows that the nonalcoholic trend is growing — there’s multiple bars and restaurants that offer NA drinks these days — but she says that getting a good sober cocktail is still hard to come by.
“A lot of places, the mocktail is an afterthought rather than being front and center,” Harwood says.
That’s why she doesn’t even really use the word “mocktail,” preferring to refer to her
“Oftentimes I think when people order mocktails, they just get a cup of juice,” she says. “But if you focus on creating a mocktail with a functional alcohol alternative, it can still be special.”
What Harwood means by that is the inclusion of botanicals, adaptogens and dealcoholized spirits. When using some of these options, her drinks still offer a bit of a burning sensation without the alcohol, Harwood explains. Sometimes the bases use ginger or pepper that acts as the “spirit.”
And then it’s just about building the drink on top of the base, like with a regular cocktail.
For example, Cordial Cowboy’s Easy Peasy uses a botanical spirit, wildflower tea, bitters, mint simple syrup and Topo Chico for a refreshing summer drink. It’s been a hit at her pop-ups like the one at Eyes on Trade and people have asked her about the ingredients because it has a calming effect from the tea. The Blazin’ Saddles uses bitters, blood orange, lime, grapefruit, basil and Tajín for an energizing alternative.
In addition to the cocktails, Harwood also offers hemp-derived THC that she can add to drinks if patrons request it. She’s curating nonalcoholic beers and wines, too. For the fall, she’s on the hunt for a good NA bourbon (to make zero-proof Old Fashioneds) and a good NA red wine.
“My push is to find things that aren’t easily accessible in Winston-Salem,” Harwood says.
She knows that Winston-Salem is a drinking town. There’s bars and breweries aplenty. But as the interest in the nonalcoholic lifestyle grows, Harwood says she wants to make sure people have a separate place to still have a good time.
“If you want to explore the sober curious lifestyle or you’re completely sober, being in a space where other people are drinking alcohol isn’t always the best space for that,” she says. “It’s better to make a location specific to like-minded people; I think it opens up a new door to socializing.”
That’s why a future goal of hers is to eventually have a brick-and-mortar bar with a bottle shop of nonalcoholic accoutrement. She’s also planning on offering cocktail kits and hosting classes so people can feel empowered to make great drinks at home.
“What I’m hoping is to make a nice drink for people who don’t drink but still want to have a nice experience,” she says. “It’s more of an elevation rather than intoxication.”
Jordan Harwood has been creating nonalcoholic cocktails at pop-ups around Winston-Salem.
PHOTO BY JOSEPH NAVIN
CULTURE
What the hell is going on with Kim’s Kafe in Greensboro? We asked some people to find out.
by Sayaka Matsuoka | sayaka@triad-city-beat.com
The tea, as they say, is piping hot.
When the controversy surrounding Kim’s Kafe in Greensboro hit social media over the weekend, it almost instantly went viral. It’s a little hard to tell how and where it got started, but rumor on the streets is that a woman tried to go to the Black-owned soul food restaurant and was turned away for how she was dressed. In the ensuing hours and days, the business owner, Kimberly Stewart, has come under fire for posting on the front windows and door of her restaurant multiple rules regarding how customers should dress.
Written on the glass is everything from, “NO crop tops,” to “DO NOT ENTER IF YOU HAVE ON SHORTS,” with the first two words underlined. T-straps, leggings, white T-shirts, short skirts or outfits showing cleavage are barred as well.
The guidelines, which have been in place at the restaurant since the spring, has caused a stir within the Greensboro community and beyond. On Sept. 1, the business’s Facebook page made a reminder post for patrons reiterating the dress code. The post
was shared almost 800 times and had more than 5,000 reactions. While many in the community have gathered to support the business, others have called for the business to close and have even called into question the owner’s personal relationships and business practices.
In the midst of the controversy, a white woman named Desire Valentine created a Facebook event called Slut Lunch at Kim’s! which has garnered more than a thousand responses, with 143 people responding as attending.
So how did this happen?
According to people Triad City Beat interviewed, Kim’s Kafe became a viral hit after a TikTok account, Ride With Yusuf, visited the restaurant last year and made a positive anonymous review. He told people to visit the restaurant and support the business. In the aftermath, lines snaked out the door and the business saw a huge spike in popularity. Cut to a year later and a new dress code was put in place, putting some customers off. But the issue, according to those TCB spoke to, is more nuanced than the drama makes everything appear.
Kim’s Kafe first went viral last year when a TikToker reviewed the soul food restaurant. But last week, the business garnered national attention again for its strict dress-code policy.
PHOTO FROM KIM’S KAFE FACEBOOK
‘I do agree with both sides’
Tiah Henderson has known Kimberly Stewart, or Miss Kim, as she’s known in the community, for years. According to Henderson, Miss Kim used to come into the nail salon where she worked and sell her cupcakes.
“We call her Cupcake Kim,” Henderson told TCB
Another woman who works near Kim’s Kafe and talked to TCB on the condition of anonymity confirmed that Stewart got her start selling plates in the community before she opened her brick and mortar.
“She’s been a community staple for years,” the source said. “She would pull up to different nightclubs to serve food. She’s given food to the homeless countless times. If you’re someone in her area that patronizes her business, she’s the first one to jump and go overboard.”
When the business was finally able to open a storefront off of Dolley Madison Road after the pandemic, the community was excited to welcome another Black restaurant to the scene.
“There’s not that many Black businesses around here,” said Mutsa Mukahanana, who visited the restaurant last year after it went viral. “There’s not a lot of options for soul food.”
But whether it was the sudden increase in patronage, the business struggled to keep regular hours, according to Mukahanana.
“I’m pissed off because I want to support a Black business, but every time I try to go it’s always closed,” Mukahanana said. “There should be consistency. Like how am I supposed to support you?”
And then when the dress code was more strictly enforced, Mukahanana said it caught her by surprise.
“I understood why everyone got upset,” she said. “The people who were lining up outside the doors for three hours were not wearing pants and suits.”
To her, it feels like Stewart is pushing away the people who helped make her business a success.
“It feels kind of weird,” she said.
But for the source who works nearby and has gone to the restaurant frequently, she said she understands why Stewart put the restrictions in place.
“I think what she’s doing is trying to bring a little substance to southern dining,” she said. “I think she’s trying to present a southern, family-centered environment and a lot of what she was getting was not that.”
The source pointed to the fact that some of the patrons wore baggy shorts or women showed cleavage when there were kids in the restaurant.
“It was just not very presentable for a family-oriented space,” she said.
While some people have alleged that the rules were put in place because Stewart’s husband has “wandering eyes,” both the anonymous source and Henderson said that Stewart is not married. She runs the business with her children.
Henderson, who has gone to the restaurant multiple times, notes the marble floors, the chandeliers, the paintings on the walls all point to the kind of atmosphere Stewart is trying to create.
“Inside, it’s nice,” Henderson said. “It’s very sleek, I would say.” Still, she said that she can understand why some people are angry.
“I do agree with both sides,” she said. “There’s a level of unprofessionalism there.”
Even those who support the restaurant said that the way the rules have been expressed could have been better.
“I think her delivery as a 62-year-old woman from the south was very sharp,” the source said. “It was very cutthroat. It was also very ambiguous, like what are you trying to say? What exactly do you mean?”
Mukahanana said that she wants the business to succeed but that the way the dress code was expressed to people was too aggressive.
“The way you’re writing it on the doors, it feels like you’re yelling at me,” she said. She pointed to other Black businesses like Luxe Soulfood and Cocktails which also has a dress code but did so in a different manner.
“You have a clear example of a place that has a dress code that was easily communicated to everybody,” she said. “It was about the execution. She made a mistake; she has to take responsibility.”
Since the controversy, the Kim’s Kafe Facebook page has posted several times, mostly to thank customers for their continued support.
The business declined an interview when reached by phone on Tuesday.
‘This is a Black issue’
Henderson said as a Black woman, she understands that some of the rules feel like they are targeting a certain identity. For Byron Gladden, he said it makes sense that people took the strict rules the wrong way.
“With how things are politically, women feel like they are being attacked,” Gladden said. “They feel like they are being judged on the reproductive side and they are being judged in this country; this just adds more to it. They don’t need someone else pointing their fingers at them.”
Gladden, who has never been to the restaurant, also said that the dress code, despite being from a Black business owner, does feel reminiscent of the past. He said that people who look a certain way get to dine in, but others have to take their food to-go, which recalls standards from the Jim Crow era.
“It looks like we have projected a caste issue,” he said.
Desire Valentine, the white woman who created the “Slut Walk” event on Facebook posted similar sentiments. After getting pushback from some that the event was attacking a Black business, Valentine posted in the page that she created the event as a “tongue in cheek joke” and that everyone in attendance will be “attending with the intentions of purchasing and eating lunch from a Black-woman owned local business.”
“I would be lying if I said that I don’t believe the dress code is ABHORRENTLY anti women and working class people,” Valentine posted.
But Gladden and others told TCB that the event is dangerous, especially when it could be seen as a group of white people ganging up on a Black business.
“The response has been co-opted by white women,” Gladden said. “No, this is a Black issue, a Black business. Nobody asked for backup; stand down.”
Henderson agreed.
“I honestly think it has gone too far,” she said. “I believe that the hatred towards her, the malice and talking about her business is just unnecessary. We’re all for this Black Lives Matter all the time but not really giving people space to make mistakes and recognize their behavior.”
In a statement to TCB, Valentine said that she created the event as a joke and that “race was never a motivation.”
“A white owned business would have garnered the same response,” Valentine wrote. “If anyone knows me at all they know I am not an ill-hearted woman. I’m actually quite justice minded. I honestly thought the only people that would see it were my group of 30 friends and it took on a life of it’s own. The last thing I would ever want to do is to disparage not only a Black-owned business but a woman owned business. Truth be told I never thought this would gain enough attention to even come into fruition. I did not intend to harm or offend, but I am sorry that it did.”
The event has since been canceled.
Mukahanana said that events like the Slut Walk and all of the attention that this controversy has gotten over the last few days speaks to the nature of social media and bandwagoning.
“Like what are you even trying to accomplish?” she asked. “You’ve put a spotlight on a Black business and you’re affecting a Black business.”
She said that everyone posting about the business now, is in it for the clout.
“That’s partly why I hate this,” Mukahanana said. “A year ago we were lining up to help this woman’s business. Like excuse me? What’s going on? Everyone wants clicks. You get more clicks for hating something than for supporting something.”
And at the end of the day, Gladden said that for those who are upset, they should just go somewhere else.
“With any business, any consumer, if you don’t like the business standards, there is somebody near you that is offering the exact same product,” he said. “Just patron somewhere else. It should not be to the point where she needs to feel like she needs to have police at her business. If she wants to deal with the economic ramifications, then fine. It’s not that serious.”
As for the food, the source told TCB that it’s “worth the wait.”
“I eat there like everyday,” she said. “I recommend the mac and cheese and the green beans; they’re both amazing.”
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SHOT IN THE TRIAD
BY CAROLYN DE BERRY
East Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro
The Windsor Recreation Center with mural by Nils Westergard. The center is now closed and will be demolished to make way for construction of the new Windsor Chavis Nocho Community Complex.
by Matt Jones
PUZZLES & GAMES
Across
Down
CROSSWORD SUDOKU
by Matt Jones
1. “Everybody Loves Raymond,” for one
7. Church section
11. “Everybody Loves ___ Sunshine” (one of Kamala Harris’s “favorite albums of all time”)
14. Dr. Scholl’s purchase
15. ___-chef (second-in-command in the kitchen)
16. Ball ending?
17. Defeating Dad by a lot?
19. Vote (for)
20. Shopping bag
21. Company whose cookies are purportedly made by elves
23. Not only that
26. Trash can resident
28. “Insecure” creator Rae
29. Indicates
31. Cruise the pubs
33. Skater Harding
34. Cook, but not enough
36. Sault ___ Marie, Michigan
37. Passes up
39. “___ da” (all-purpose Scandinavian-American phrase)
42. What fog comes on, in a Sandburg poem
44. Prefix for some Goths?
46. Somewhere halfway between noon and 5 p.m.
48. Angry look
50. Avoid
51. Playful river mammal
53. March middle
54. Jefferson Airplane spinoff band of 1969
56. “Please ___ Eat the Daisies”
58. Former soccer prodigy Freddy
59. Canada’s possible national symbol, if there were no maples?
64. Golf score standard
65. Native Brazilian along the Amazon
66. Shocked response to “It’ll happen to all of you”
67. Summer, in parts of Europe
68. “Double Stuf” cookie
69. Foul up intentionally, as a conversation
1. Knightly title
2. Rescuer of Odysseus
3. Nashville sch.
4. Soft and fluffy
5. Hodgepodge
6. “The FreshMaker”
7. Cleopatra’s downfall
8. Dig Dug character with goggles
9. 1970s Dodge Charger (that’s not the new strain of stinging insect)
10. In ___ (existing)
11. Contemptible person got loud?
12. “I wish”
13. Catch deceptively
18. Charades signal
22. Hoopoe, for one
23. Rental units, for short
24. Plunder
25. Fashion that involves trigonometry?
27. Clog up
30. 1909-1912 First Family
32. Heated crime?
35. Calligrapher’s sign of completeness?
38. Words after “word” or “badge” (in some countries)
40. “Punky Brewster” star Soleil Moon ___
41. Antagonists
43. “___ Too Proud to Beg” (1966 song)
45. Run like a squirrel
46. Form for some three-way junctions
47. New Orleans Saints fan’s chant
49. Made smooth
52. Brownish-gray shade
55. Occupied with 57. “Scream” star Campbell
60. Cancun uncle
61. “Messenger” material
62. One of the former Big Four record labels
63. Slippery fish
© 2023 Matt Jones
Thu 9/05
Opening Reception for Watercolor Society of North Carolina Exhibition @ 5pm
Join us for an reception for Watercolor Society of North Carolina exhibition. This exhibit will be on dis‐play from September 5 – October 31. The reception is free and open to the public. The Art Gallery at Cong‐don Yards, 400 West English Road, High Point. info@ tagart.org, 336-887-2137
The Lawsons: Piedmont Baptist Camp Meeting @ 7pm
Piedmont Baptist Camp Meeting, 8631 Bull Rd, Col‐fax
Fri 9/06
Featured
2024 NC Folk Festival @ 5pm Sep 6th - Sep 8th
The North Carolina Folk Festival is a FREE 3-day festival in downtown Greensboro on Septem‐ber 6-8, 2024. The Festival is open to everyone and showcases multiple gen‐res & artists from around the world Downtown Greensboro, Greensboro. info@ncfolkfestival.com
Charlie Hunter: NC Folk Fest 2024 @ 6:30pm Downtown Greensboro Inc, 536 S Elm St, Greens‐boro
Justin Golden: North Carolina Folk Festival 2024 w/Ethno USA @ 7pm
Greensboro
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons @ 8pm
Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, 300 N Elm St, Greensboro
Sat 9/07
"In the Meadow of Y(our) Ancestors"Poetry Performance Sept. 7 at the Greensboro Cultural Center @ 7pm
Creative Greensboro welcomes poet and performer Jennif(f)fer Tamayo for a Residency at the Hyers as they present “In the Meadow of Y(our) Ancestors,” a multimedia poetry showcase. Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 North Davie Street, Greensboro. away wardspace@gmail.com
Sun 9/08
Charlie Hunter: NC Folk Fest 2024
@ 4:30pm
Downtown Greensboro Inc, 536 S Elm St, Greens‐boro
Susto: NC Folk Fest 2024 @ 7pm
Downtown Greensboro Inc, 536 S Elm St, Greens‐boro
Mon 9/09
Gnocchi Class @ 6pm / $63.04
Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro
HarmHouse: MondayMic with Jay Benjamin @ 6pm High Point Bistro, 3793 Samet Dr # 165, High Point
Tue 9/10
Gnocchi Class @ 6pm / $63.04
Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro
The Fall of Troy @ 6pm
Hangar 1819, 1819 Spring Garden Street, Greens‐boro
$5K - September @ 6:30pm / $5 Jamison Park, 285 Meadowlark Drive, WinstonSalem
Wed 9/11
No Fear Battalion Climb to Remember 2024 @ 6am / Free 475 Deacon Blvd, Winston Salem
To The Grave: The Living Chaos Tour @ 7pm Hangar 1819, 1819 Spring Garden St, Greensboro
Tony Andrews @ 7pm
Rody's Tavern, 5105 Michaux Rd, Greensboro
Thu 9/12
Mercy's Well @ 12pm
First Baptist Church, 401 Oakhurst St, Kernersville
Gnocchi Class @ 6pm / $63.04
Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro
The Christi Show (18+ Event)
@ 7pm
Comedy Zone Greensboro, 1126 South Holden Road, Greensboro
Fri 9/13
Moon Taxi and Pauly
@ 6pm
Incendiary Brewing Company, 486 N Patterson Ave Ste 105, Winston-Salem
Featured
“A Homecoming Bene�t Concert� with Sidney Outlaw and Warren Jones @ 7:30pm / $25-$50
Celebrate the 20242025 season with us at a spectacular concert featuring Baritone Sidney Out‐law and pianist Warren Jones. It's An Artist's �Homecoming� Bene�t Con‐cert. Friday, September 13th, 2024. UNCG Recital Hall, 100 McIver Street, Greensboro. of�cemanager@greens boroopera.org, 336-373-9472
Ross Coppley @ 8pm
Four Dollar Jack's, 6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct, Clemmons
powered by
Sat 9/14
Greensboro True Crime Tour @ 5pm / $12
Explore the dark side of Greensboro's history with this guided tour sites related to Greensboro's history of crime Scuppernong Books, 304 S Elm St, Greens‐boro. andrew@nason.net, 206-914-9492
Jeffrey Dean Foster @ 7pm
Hoots Beer Co., 840 Mill Works St, Winston-Salem
The Arrows @ 7pm
Hoots Beer Co., 840 Mill Works St, Winston-Salem
Sun 9/15
Phillip Lammonds @ 7pm
The Ramkat & Gas Hill Drinking Room, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem
Joe Troop @ 7:30pm
Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N Spruce St, Winston-Salem
Mon 9/16
HarmHouse: MondayMic with Jay Benjamin @ 6pm
High Point Bistro, 3793 Samet Dr # 165, High Point
Tue 9/17
Summer Seafood @ 6pm / $63.04
Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro
Songwriters Series with Jonathan Byrd, Abigail Dowd, and Alexa Rose @ 7pm
Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro
Wed 9/18
Summer Seafood @ 6pm / $63.04
Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro
Lyn Koonce: A Melodic Journey @ 7pm
Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch, 1420 Price Park Dr, Greensboro
Shannon Curtis: The Good to Me Tour @ 8pm
The Ramkat & Gas Hill Drinking Room, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem
Calendar information is provided by event organiz‐ers. All events are subject to change or cancellation. This publication is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this calendar.
The best place to promote your events online and in print. Visit us @ https://triad-city-beat.com/local-events powered by
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