Charlotte Magazine October 2021 by Morris Media Network

25 PLACES AND THINGS TO DISCOVER IN AND AROUND THE CITY

SCAVENGER HUNT

KANNAPOLIS RESURRECTED

Is it Charlotte’s more affordable alternative?

OCTOBER 2021

charlottemagazine.com

CONTENTS CHARLOTTE / OCTOBER 2021 / VOL. 26, NUMBER 10

Features 48

GREAT FALL SCAVENGER HUNT Twenty-five businesses and landmarks that hide in the city’s shadows—from speakeasies and general stores to murals and sneaker shops—make up Charlotte magazine’s first-ever Great Fall Scavenger Hunt BY TAYLOR BOWLER, ALLISON BRADEN, GREG LACOUR, AND ANDY SMITH

KANNAPOLIS RESURRECTED Devastated by two decades’ worth of economic losses, the once-’dead’ mill town is on the rebound with a new baseball stadium, development, and job opportunities BY JEN TOTA McGIVNEY

ON THE COVER: The Blackmon family visits a mural by Killamari and DoItDoItLeague at ThExchange. Photograph by Logan Cyrus. ON THIS PAGE: Kannapolis City Hall and Police Headquarters overlays the Atrium Health Ballpark, both of which border the NC Research Campus, in a single long-exposure image. Photograph by Travis Dove. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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10 21 CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE 8 From the Editor 10

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THE BUZZ 13 Life Lessons Heart surgeon Chuck Edwards finds new life tending to dementia patients

COURTESY; HERMAN NICHOLSON; PETER TAYLOR; RUSTY WILLIAMS

16 THE GUIDE 92 Seen The city’s best party pics

Community A snapshot of Charlotte’s walkable neighborhoods

THE GOOD LIFE 21 Weekender Where to eat, stay, and play in Kiawah Island 24

Neighborhoods Just 4 miles from uptown, Nevin is a ‘little secret area’ that looks like the country Style Mary Hamby creates handmade treasures at Twenty Two West

Room We Love A flashy home office

Building History Dilworth Artisan Station highlights South End’s hidden textile history

Hot Listings Aging homes get modern updates

Playlist The best things to do and see this month

FOOD + DRINK 37 Now Open The Jimmy lands in Myers Park 40

Recipe Chef Jamie Lynch’s ratatouille

Bite-Sized News Foodie tidbits on a small plate

On the Line Kevin Atkinson takes the helm at Angeline’s

Restaurant Guide Find your NFL team’s local watering hole

Beer A smashing survey of seasonal brews

The Story Behind La Belle Helene’s fresh take on ratatouille OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Volume 26, Number 10

OCTOBER 2021

morrismedianetwork.com

www.charlottemagazine.com F RO M T H E E D I TO R

HAPPY HUNTING The true ‘hidden gems’ need us more than ever

PUBLISHER Allison Hollins ADVERTISING SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Gail Dougherty ADVERTISING SERVICE COORDINATOR Sharonda Howard EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Smith SENIOR EDITOR Greg Lacour

THE IDEA for this month’s cover story revealed itself in the muck and mire of 2020. We were polishing this year’s calendar around this time last fall, and one morning, I came across an article from another publication that focused on “hidden gems in Charlotte.” “Hidden gems” is a term that’s ubiquitous and diminished in the era of clickbaiting— yet I still clicked. A sampling of its findings: The U.S. National Whitewater Center. Birdsong Brewing. Mac’s Speed Shop. I adore all three of these places, but Andy Smith hidden gems they are not. I embarked on a andrew.smith@charlottemagazine.com survey of similar local stories across the web and saw similar results. But it did spark a thought: What if Charlotte magazine staff scoured the city for an actual trove of overlooked businesses and experiences? Over the past year, we built out our first-ever Great Fall Scavenger Hunt. These are places with small, dedicated followings, yet don’t garner the attention of other locales. (As we were finalizing the lineup, one restaurant’s quesabirria did go viral on TikTok via Charlotte’s Wynee Bermudez. But it’s too good to exclude.) When we first envisioned this issue, the hope was that fall 2021 would be a period of reemergence and renewed energy to go explore this city we love. But as I write this in August, COVID-19 cases are again surging. That means our first-ever Great Fall Scavenger Hunt is not only a chance for fun and discovery—it’s an opportunity to spread our love (and dollars) to our neighbors across the city. We can expand our definitions of what “supporting local” means. So let’s mask up and get to it. Oh, and do me a favor: If you do go on this hunt with us, tag us on social media and let us know what you think. All season, we’ll be sharing your images and field notes from the Great Fall Scavenger Hunt on our feeds.

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Taylor Bowler COPY EDITOR/FACT-CHECKER Allison Braden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cristina Bolling, Michelle Boudin, Tom Hanchett, Jen Tota McGivney ART & PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTOR Jane Fields CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Daniel Coston, Logan Cyrus, Travis Dove, Rick Hovis, Herman Nicholson, Peter Taylor, Rusty Williams CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Natalie Andrewson, Shaw Nielsen DIGITAL CONTENT COORDINATOR Kendra Kuhar

Charlotte magazine 214 W. Tremont Ave., Suite 303, Charlotte, NC 28203 CONTRIBUTORS Email editor@charlottemagazine.com for writer’s guidelines. Unsolicited photographs, illustrations, or articles are submitted at the risk of the photographer/artist/author. Charlotte magazine assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited materials and may use them at its discretion. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

877-248-9624 ADVERTISERS For advertising information and rates please contact us at advertising@charlottemagazine.com. A Publication of MCC Magazines, LLC a division of Morris Communications Company, LLC 735 Broad Street, Augusta, GA 30901

MORRIS MEDIA NETWORK PRESIDENT Tina Battock VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Scott Ferguson DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING & PRODUCTION Sherry Brown ACCOUNTING MANAGER Veronica Brooks CIRCULATION BUSINESS MANAGER Michelle Rowe

CHAIRMAN William S. Morris III CEO Craig S. Mitchell

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ONLINE EXTRAS, EVENTS, AND CONVERSATIONS

REACT

Responses to the August issue of Charlotte magazine

To: “Life Lessons: Lynne Daley,” p. 11 Ship Shout out to Lynne Daley ’83-’85, an alumna of Delta Sigma Theta sorority who just finished a four-year term on the alumni board of directors. Lynne is a retired lieutenant colonel and senior business support manager at Bank of America. #ShipPride Tweet from @SHIP_ALUMNI That is the result of working hard and being a smart person Facebook comment by Bill Vita

To: “Big Goals,” p. 44 I don’t see why not. Soccer should be huge. There’s certainly no shortage of northerners, European and Asian fans Tweet from @CarolinaGirl585

ON THE WEB

Highest prices in the league, most wealthy owner, still can’t afford his own stadium renovations. #TepperIsAClown Tweet from @49Shades_Green

Yes it will (draw high attendance numbers) … and I am going to help them with that! Tweet from @qc_javi

To: “‘Petronoia’ Strikes Deep,” p. 14 Any numbers yet on the supply deficit vs demand excess during that time? It seemed like this “shortage” was entirely panic induced. Tweet from @PhillipBrandon

To: “Sods and Ends,” p. 50 Ughhhh synthetic turf Instagram comment by @r.y.a.n_b

To: “Picture This,” p. 17 @CharlotteMag takes a look inside the making of @cltfilmsociety’s upcoming arthouse cinema, The Independent Picture House. Tweet from @CharlotteFilm

Here come the torn ACLs! I hope those that paid more to be closer to the field enjoy the blazing ambient heat radiating from the rubber pellets in the turf. Smh Instagram comment by @scaldwell2

Another good piece from @AllisonBraden. Really rooting for my neighbor Brad to hit a home run artistically and financially. Tweet from @tommytomlinson

They’ll lose a lot this season, but at least the uniforms will stay clean. Instagram comment by @nolesfsu15

Excited Facebook comment by Scott Alexander To: “Defying the Perpendicular,” p. 26 I gush over those every time I drive through. what amazing studio spaces they would make! Facebook comment by Osiris Rain To: “A New Way to Fill Up,” p. 33 I know how to sell Chad on CLT - a Franny! Instagram comment by @kwag_s

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Getting $25 million from city taxpayers to re-sod a soccer field is some gangster level scamming. Congrats, @panthers stadium! Instagram comment by @hainzry To: “Anybody’s Game,” p. 54 I feel it’s my personal duty to keep LaMelo in Charlotte for 20 years. I have already sent my resume to be a part of the organization. Tweet from @BelkForever

Want more to read? Check out these popular stories on charlottemagazine.com.

6 Essential Festivals Returning in Charlotte This Fall NFL Team Bars Across Charlotte: 2021 Edition Ready or Not, Pumpkin Beer Season Starts Now in Charlotte

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INSIDE: LIFE LESSONS / COMMUNITY

BUZZ

THE

WHAT MATTERS NOW IN THE CITY

LI F E L E SS O N S

DR. CHUCK EDWARDS Heart surgeon’s career found new life tending to dementia patients

RICK HOVIS

BY CRISTINA BOLLING

DR. CHUCK EDWARDS treated thousands of Charlotteans during his 30-year career as one of Charlotte’s preeminent cardiac surgeons. But when he developed a hand tremor in his early 60s, he faced a profound question: If he couldn’t perform surgery, who would he be?

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE BUZZ Both of Edwards’ parents had died years earlier from Alzheimer’s disease, and his reflections on their deaths provided the answer to his question. At 64, the Charlotte native found himself back in medical training, this time at Johns Hopkins University, for a new career in dementia treatment. In December 2013, less than a year after he’d set down his scalpel, Edwards founded Memory & Movement Charlotte, a nonprofit practice that treats Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other forms of dementia. It now has 19 staff, including three physicians, and sees 40 new patients a month. His new patients require a wholly different kind of treatment; no procedure can fix dementia. Edwards says he’s learned to ease their journeys and arm their families with knowledge, care, and compassion. A year ago, Edwards, 74, self-published a book titled Much Abides: A Survival Guide for Aging Lives. It’s a kind of guidebook for aging but also details his own life as a physician, a son, and someone who’s aging himself. (It’s available locally at Memory & Movement Charlotte and Park Road Books and on Amazon; 50% of proceeds from sales go to the organization.) We spoke with Edwards in his medical office in July while he was on a lunch break. His comments are edited for space and clarity. I ALWAYS LOVED being in the operating room. I was always extremely comfortable there, and what I really liked was going in and doing an operation and coming out and having the patient wake up and be perfectly normal. Complications were devastating. I was given a gift by coming back to my hometown, to Charlotte, and being able to operate on people that I have known all my life—some of my teachers at school, my coaches, fellow students. That was a gift. YOU’LL SEE THE TREMOR if I hold something in my hand. You’ll see that I start to shake. So I knew I wasn’t going to be able to operate in my 70s. I had a little bit of a tremor for almost two years. I never mentioned this. My wife, Mary, knew it, and one other close friend of mine knew about it, but it wasn’t something that I told anybody about. I had always been good with my eyes and my hands, and I just didn’t want to be an old guy in the operating

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

room shaking. So that’s where the whole process started. NOT DOING OPERATIONS wasn’t the scary part. It was not having that access to people to figure out what’s wrong with them and to try to at least help fix them. So that was the part that triggered the doom. I said, “What am I going to do?” I played it over in my brain: Could I have an extended career and not do surgery? I didn’t think that was going to work. I think I had buried in my brain a lot of the trauma and pain that came from losing my parents. You’re used to fixing things, and then you’re confronted with two people that you love as much as I loved my parents, and you couldn’t do anything. They thought that I could fix anything. And then, when they got this (Alzheimer’s), I had nothing. Nothing was going to fix it. THE PEOPLE WHO CARED FOR THEM, it wasn’t that they didn’t want to help, but a regular primary care physician doesn’t really have the time to delve into this like we do here, and also they don’t have the experience with the medications, the complications, the behavioral issues. My mother was psychotic, and she was never put on medication to control the psychosis. My father died at 75. My mother died at 76. IT JUST KIND OF CAME TO ME one night. I went to talk to Mary, my wife. I have this sentence that I tell young kids when we do mission work: All compassion begins with competence. You can’t help someone unless you have a skill. You just can’t say, “Oh, I really care about these people,” because all you’re going to do is get in the way. Mary used that line on me. She said, “You don’t have any skill. This is a bad idea.” She is very direct. I WENT ON THE COMPUTER, and I searched: “Centers of excellence, east coast, Alzheimer’s,” and three places came up: Columbia, Duke, and Hopkins. I wrote a letter to the heads of the departments at all three that handled Alzheimer’s treatment. At Duke, it was geriatrics. At Columbia, it was neurology. At Hopkins, it was psychiatry. The first line of that letter was, “When a 64-year-old cardiac surgeon applies for a dementia fellowship, doesn’t it prompt the question, ‘Shouldn’t he be in the clinic rather than starting it?’” I don’t

know whether that’s what triggered their response to me, but all three asked me to come, and all three accepted me. THE DAY I ARRIVED AT HOPKINS, I didn’t have any idea what this was going to look like, or whether this was going to work. I had just come back from Rwanda, where I had done a bunch of surgery and I had been in charge, and all of a sudden I was nothing. I go and get my badge and I thought it might say “visiting fellow,” something sort of dignified, and it said “psychiatric observer.” I STAYED for the better part of four months. I worked really hard. I spent every day in the clinic and nights studying. When I left, I had a working knowledge of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and I spent a lot of time in the Parkinson’s clinic there, too. I had a good foundation. But what I didn’t understand was that this is all about the caregivers. I can’t help any patient unless I help the caregiver. And so the day that we opened up, in December of 2013, I thought I knew what this was going to look like, and I didn’t really have any idea. THIS IS A NONPROFIT, and that allows me to see fewer patients. If I was working for a health care system, they would want me to see 15 or 20 patients a day to be profitable. We see an equivalent of six patients a day. A new patient has 90 minutes, and a return visit has an hour. Pre-COVID, we would get four or five calls a day where people’s lives are kind of coming apart. They just need someone to help them. During COVID, sometimes we’d get 15 of those calls. These days are emotional. They’re long days. They’re hard days. This is not for everybody. WE SAW ONE DEMOGRAPHIC that has been almost destroyed by COVID. It’s people who were independent with mild memory loss, who were highly functioning. They have plummeted. We have realized that we are so dependent on what seemingly are nonessential interactions with people. The guy that is at the laundry or the cleaners or at Blackhawk Hardware, or knowing the people who do your hair—all that was taken away, and we realized that’s the fabric of our life. It’s what keeps us healthy. Just being stuck at home, they just decline so much.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE is unique. When you do heart surgery on someone, the family comes together, you have the big day, and then you have some rehab, and then the patient most of the time gets well, and everybody goes back to what they were doing. When you make the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, every person’s life in that family is changed forever. Ninety-two percent of our patients die either at home or they die out of the hospital, because we don’t want them to be in the hospital at the end. We want them all to have hospice, and we want control of the situation. THE BOOK came from three themes. One was the stories. The second was my colleagues and my friends. Surgeons have difficulty with retirement, and all physicians have a hard time, because you’ve got so much invested in it, and for most physicians, it is all-consuming. The third thing that crystallized it was watching my patients and their families, where their retirement and their lives and the joy in their lives had been truncated. It had been jettisoned and taken away. Those came together, and it wasn’t like, Oh, I really want to write this book. It’s like it was forced on me. I had to get it down. I WANT PEOPLE TO VALUE the thoughts that they have. Human beings are marvelous, and they see things, and what happens is that life has a tendency to take away our confidence and take away our will. Will is that magic between thought and action. I want people to value who they are. I also want them to understand that life beats everybody up a little bit. You have to be able to navigate that. Sometimes we’re at our best, and sometimes we’re not. We have to forgive ourselves. We have to forgive those who have gone before us. And so I would like people to step back and think about what they want their lives to look like—and, when they’ve made that decision, to have the will to make it happen. CRISTINA BOLLING is a regular contributor to Charlotte magazine and is the managing editor for The Charlotte Ledger. She had a 20-year career at The Charlotte Observer, and her work has won numerous awards from the N.C. Press Association and the Society for Features Journalism. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE BUZZ

In Commonwealth, you can walk to supermarkets and restaurants at one end of the neighborhood—but it may take more than 10 minutes. CO M M U N I T Y

Charlotte’s ‘10-Minute Neighborhoods,’ Part II Three more parts of our city where residents can walk to what they need

BY GREG LACOUR | PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOGAN CYRUS

277

485

Commonwealth

WHERE IS IT? Just south of Plaza Midwood, bounded by Central Avenue, Briar Creek, Independence Boulevard, and the CSX railroad tracks near the Central/Hawthorne Lane intersection. Don’t confuse it with Commonwealth Park, the next neighborhood to the east, toward Eastway Drive. GROCERY STORE ACCESS: 49% of housing units are within a half-mile of a full-service, chain grocery store, although that statistic is a bit misleading. The massive Harris Teeter at Central and The Plaza dominates the western end of the neighborhood. PHARMACIES: 100% within a half-mile: the CVS at Central and Pecan Avenue, the Harris Teeter, and D&D Pharmacy just on the other side of Briar Creek.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Cotswold

DLA

WN RD.

16 16

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NEIGHBORHOOD 4:

77 W

IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE, we wrote about Charlotte neighborhoods that already come close to achieving a chief goal of the city’s new comprehensive plan: “10-minute neighborhoods.” The plan, which the City Council passed 6-5 on June 21, defines the goal this way: “All Charlotte households will have access to essential amenities, goods, and services within a comfortable, tree-shaded 10-minute walk, bike, or transit trip by 2040.” You won’t find many here, or in any city in the Southeast or out West, where most cities grew along with a vast system of roads and highways. But you can find a few in Charlotte that come close, or semi-close—places where people can easily walk or ride a bicycle to grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, parks, public transit stops, and other community assets. Last month, we looked at Fourth Ward, Eastover, and Lincoln Heights. Here are three more places that fit, however imperfectly, a version of Charlotte’s future that envisions the car as just one of an assortment of transportation options that includes your feet.

Commonwealth

Arboretum

PARKS: 94% within a half-mile of a park; 19-acre Veterans Memorial Park is practically in the middle of the neighborhood. TRANSIT: 100% within a half-mile of a transit stop. The CATS 9 bus rolls down Central, and the 17 line serves Commonwealth Avenue and Briar Creek Road. BANKS: 51% within a half-mile of a bank or credit union. A Wells Fargo branch occupies one corner of Central and The Plaza. BIKE-FRIENDLINESS: 1.6 on a zero-to-three scale that measures the transportation network’s ability to support cycling. UPSHOT: Good in most ways, although so many business and services crowded into the western end make it a bit inconvenient for folks who live to the east, nearer Briar Creek, and want to walk or bike. Continued on page 18

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THE BUZZ

NEIGHBORHOOD 6:

The Arboretum

The Arboretum (above) and Cotswold (below) are nowhere near each other, but both are walkable neighborhoods near urban amenities, including transit access and bank branches.

NEIGHBORHOOD 5:

Cotswold

WHERE IS IT? Roughly 4 miles southeast of uptown, southeast of Wendover Road and southwest of Independence. Sharon Amity and Providence roads bound it to the south and west. GROCERY STORE ACCESS: 48% of housing units are within a half-mile of a grocery store. A Publix is on Randolph Road near Sharon Amity, and a Harris Teeter is across the street, at one end of the Cotswold Village shopping center at Randolph and Sharon Amity. PHARMACIES: 49% within a half-mile. A Walgreens is part of the Cotswold Village shopping center at Randolph and Sharon Amity. PARKS: 55% within a half-mile. TRANSIT: 99% within a half-mile of a transit stop. The CATS 15 bus runs along Randolph, and the 28 travels Sharon Amity. BANKS: 55% within a half-mile of a bank or credit union. Bank of America and First Citizens Bank branches are next to the Publix. BIKE-FRIENDLINESS: 1.7 on the scale. UPSHOT: Cotswold is a big neighborhood, and it has an issue similar to Commonwealth’s— Cotswold Village is its hub, and it’s toward one end of a mostly residential area. Residents can walk there, but for people who live close to Monroe Road, it’s more than a half-mile away.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

WHERE IS IT? South Charlotte, in the southwestern corner of the Providence and Pineville-Matthews Road intersection. GROCERY STORE ACCESS: 83% of housing units are within a half-mile of a grocery store. A Walmart, Harris Teeter, and Natural Marketplace have spaces in The Arboretum Shopping Center. PHARMACIES: 86% within a half-mile. The shopping center has the Harris Teeter, plus a Walgreens. PARKS: None within a half-mile. TRANSIT: 90% within a halfmile. The CATS 14 bus line runs down Providence Road and ends at the shopping center, and the 51 bus travels Pineville-Matthews Road. BANKS: 53% within a halfmile of a bank or credit union. A Chase branch is in the shopping center. BIKE-FRIENDLINESS: 1.5 on the scale. UPSHOT: We are, admittedly, running out of 10-minute neighborhoods. (Told you we wouldn’t find many.) The Arboretum, which anchors one of south Charlotte’s primary intersections, isn’t anyone’s idea of a “walkable neighborhood.” But this 32-year-old development does demonstrate the general idea of density and walkability, at least for the smattering of homes that adjoin the shopping center. And, true to its name, it has trees. *Source: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Quality of Life Explorer data

GREG LACOUR is the senior editor of this magazine.

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GOOD LIFE

INSIDE: WEEKENDER / NEIGHBORHOODS / STYLE / ROOM WE LOVE / HISTORY / REAL ESTATE / PLAYLIST

THE

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF LIVING HERE

COURTESY SAMMY TODD DYESS PHOTOGRAPHY

Vacationers bike along the oceanfront or explore more than 30 miles of paved trails on Kiawah Island.

WEEKENDER

Golf, Bike, Eat, Repeat

Kiawah Island is a beachfront sanctuary less than four hours from Charlotte BY MICHELLE BOUDIN

KIAWAH ISLAND is one of several resort spots along the South Carolina coast where people go to play golf—including the best professional players in the world, who competed in the 2021 PGA Championship in May. Kiawah is so attractive to course developers, resort owners, and golfers because of amenities that nature provides free of charge: 10 miles of white sand beaches, live oaks, and marshes filled with ospreys, egrets, and alligators. It’s a 45-minute drive down the coast from Charleston’s boutiques and restaurants and less than four hours from Charlotte. Golf is the center of Kiawah’s life and economy, but you don’t have to be a scratch player to enjoy yourself here.

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE GOOD LIFE

The Ocean Course, where Phil Mickelson won the 2021 PGA Championship in May, has 10 seaside holes, more than any other course in the country. The Sanctuary recently capitalized further on the setting when it opened The Cottages at The Ocean Course, four two-story, four-bedroom cottages next to the clubhouse that overlook the driving range and the Atlantic beyond.

A view of the 16th hole at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

The Sanctuary Hotel and Spa (left) has guest rooms (above) and rental homes that can accommodate up to 20 guests.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

COURTESY KIAWAH RESORT/UZZELL LAMBERT, PHOTOGRAPHICS, PATRICK O’BRIEN; COURTESY KISS CAFE /DONNA PILAR

The KISS Café on Johns Island serves the On the Go Burrito (above) and a Belgian Waffle topped with fried chicken (right).

STAY: The Sanctuary Hotel and Spa at Kiawah, a luxury oceanfront hotel with 255 rooms, is the centerpiece of the Kiawah Island Resort, which also has 500 villas and rental homes that can accommodate up to 20 people. You can book a spa appointment and grab a round of drinks or a casual lunch at The Ryder Cup Bar and enjoy sweeping views of The Ocean Course and the Atlantic Ocean. EAT: The KISS Café in Johns Island, 20 minutes north, serves what locals say is the best breakfast around. Bohicket Marina & Market, just outside the gates of Seabrook Island, is a great spot to grab a cold drink or an ice cream cone after a long day at the beach. Stop by Fischer’s Sports Pub & Grill, a laid-back restaurant with live music, happy hour specials, and crab-leg night every Tuesday. For a date night or special occasion, dine at FortyEight - Wine Bar & Kitchen in Freshfields Village, where you can nibble from a charcuterie board, feast on shrimp scampi or filet mignon, and choose from 48 wines by the glass. You can sample as many varieties as you want with a prepaid card that lets you choose between three tasting sizes at the self-serve wine stations. (They have 48 beers to choose from daily, too.) Save room for some local handcrafted chocolates for dessert. PLAY: Bring your bike (or rent one at Surfscooter Bikes) and pedal around the oceanfront with the sand beneath your tires, or explore more than 30 miles of paved trails. Stop at Freshfields Village for a cream soda at Vincent’s Drug Store & Soda Fountain, then peruse the shelves for board games, sunglasses, greeting cards, and souvenirs. The outdoor shopping village has mainstays like Lilly Pulitzer and lululemon, plus a mix of local upscale boutiques. Check the event calendar for Music on the Green at the center of the village and pack a towel or beach chair to enjoy an evening of live music. For a quick afternoon adventure, the famed 400-year-old Angel Oak Tree is a 20-minute drive from the resort. MICHELLE BOUDIN is a reporter for NBC Charlotte and a frequent contributor to this magazine.

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OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE GOOD LIFE

NEVIN QUICK FACTS AREA: 1,514 acres POPULATION: 4,947 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $38,171 (Mecklenburg County average: $66,641) RACIAL BREAKDOWN: 62% Black; 16% Hispanic/ Latino; 12% white; 7% Asian; 3% other WHY “NEVIN”? The Wardins, one of the community’s founding families in the 1880s, chose the traditional Irish name in tribute to their ancestors, according to former community organization president Jean Davis Burris. The name was fully established in 1891 with a post office on Statesville Road.

NEIGHBORHOODS

Spotlight: Nevin The ‘little secret area’ 4 miles from uptown that looks curiously like the country

BY GREG LACOUR | PHOTOGRAPHS BY HERMAN NICHOLSON

NEVIN, A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD 4 miles due north of uptown, can leave you mildly disoriented. Better-known Charlotte neighborhoods, especially these days, proclaim their identities loudly, often with prominent specimens of what advocates and urban planners refer to as “signage.” In Nevin, depending on which part you’re driving or walking through, you’re not sure whether you’re in the city, the country, a suburb, a forest, or what. You may not even know you’re in a distinct community called Nevin. “It’s definitely a little secret area,” says Theresa McDonald, a member of the area’s community organization who also works there as a real estate agent. “It’s kind of a little pocket, right?” says Pamela Glass, who drives in from Lincoln County to work there. “It’s a sleepy community,” adds Mary Huntley, who’s lived there for 26 years. “It’s got its own kind of slowness to it, and I like that.” Nevin is one of a few Charlotte neighborhoods—Derita, immediately to the

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

southeast, and Newell, a few miles east, off Old Concord Road, are others—where the roiling river of Charlotte’s growth seems to have eddied; where you can get lost in the mixed Piedmont hardwoods of RibbonWalk Nature Preserve or pass the old farmhouses along Gibbon Road and easily forget you’re a few miles from the middle of the 15th-largest city in the United States. The illusion doesn’t last, of course. Soon enough, you come across Harrison Trace, a development of 85 rental homes under construction on Gibbon, near Nevin Road; or new affordable units going up on Cochrane Drive, just across Statesville Road from the neighborhood’s southwestern edge. And inevitably, you catch a glimpse of the skyscrapers of uptown to the south, close enough to lend the illusion that you could hit them with a well-thrown rock. The signs of new development are creeping rather than rushing in, although residents can see where this all is going. “I would say we’re on the cusp of some gentrification because of the location,

Sources: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Quality of Life Explorer; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission; U.S. Census Bureau

(Above) Kids enjoy the sprayground on a hot summer day at Nevin Community Park. Pamela Glass (below) drives from Lincoln County to work in Nevin.

(Above left) Developers are building new homes at Nevin’s edge; (above right) Mary Huntley has lived in the neighborhood for 26 years; (below) RibbonWalk Nature Preserve adjoins Nevin Community Park; (right) Nevins Inc., a nonprofit that serves the developmentally disabled, occupies the 132-year-old Nevin School and its auditorium, built in 1940.

which I’m kind of on the fence about,” says Huntley, 68, who stayed put in her 1,064-square-foot bungalow on Nevin Road after her husband, Robert, died of cancer in January. “But I know change is inevitable.” I ask her if she plans to sell anytime soon—say, within five years. “I’m unsure,” she says. “I’m unsure.” In the meantime, she looks for ways to be of service. Just up the road is Nevins Inc., a nonprofit that serves developmentally disabled people and happens to occupy the neighborhood’s most prominent historic building, the old Nevin School. (The organization’s name, “Nevins” instead of “Nevin,” was a typo that stuck.) A school opened on the property in 1889, when John and Sallie Hunter donated a half-acre of their land and 62 books to Mecklenburg County’s public school committee. Nevins Inc. has run enrichment and other programs from the old school building and an attached 81-year-old auditorium since 1959. Huntley was walking the neighborhood not long ago—COVID kept her from her usual track at Northlake Mall—when she stopped and began to pick plums from a tree on the Nevins property. She

and Glass, the organization’s development director, started talking. “She didn’t really know what Nevins was,” Glass says. “She was so sweet.” Huntley asked if Nevins had any jobs available for a recently widowed lady, and Glass said she’d let Huntley know. Nevin’s like that—a community where close neighbors can live contentedly for decades and maintain enough room to discover more. The parks, for example: RibbonWalk and the adjoining Nevin Community Park, 197 acres with six lighted playing fields, a disc golf course, a “sprayground,” and even bocce ball courts. Together, the two massive green spaces slice across Nevin’s midsection, from its western boundary to its eastern. “You cannot beat the access to the parks,” McDonald says. “Both of them are absolute gems.” Visitors were scarce until the last few years, she says, when she began to notice more cars in their parking lots and more people on the trails. And that’s why Huntley’s on the fence, even if change is inevitable. “I like the woods across the street,” she says. “If it gets too dense, I might have to get out of here.” GREG LACOUR is the senior editor of this magazine. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE GOOD LIFE

ST YL E

Business at Hand Mary Hamby creates handmade treasures at her new west side studio and storefront BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY RUSTY WILLIAMS

MARY HAMBY IS THOUGHTFUL and unhurried with her words, but her fingers rarely stop moving. “I have busy hands,” she says with a laugh. “I literally feel my blood pressure lower when I’m working on something. If you catch me at a coffee shop, I usually have a necklace or hoop earring in my hands that I’m working on.” The 29-year-old Greenville, South Carolina, native opened her first storefront, Twenty Two West, on Tuckaseegee Road in February 2021. The building,

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

which had been boarded up for years, was set to be demolished when Hamby and her filmmaker husband, Daniel, found it. “The landlords believed in me and what I was doing,” she says, “and that’s what makes the west side so great.” Twenty Two West (the address of Hamby’s childhood home in Greenville) began as an online jewelry and home decor business. Hamby, who studied interior design at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee, made the leap to business owner after an apprenticeship with a ceramicist. “She showed me what it looked like to be a full-time artist,” she says. “When I found ceramics, fiber, and metalwork, my hands were like, yes, yes, yes!” Hamby signed the lease on her first studio in Chattanooga in 2015. “I started with $500 and never took any outside money,” she says. For the next five years, she showed her work at festivals and traveled to more than 40 shows a year. She and Daniel lived frugally and poured every

dollar back into the business before they established roots on Tuckaseegee Road. After two months of renovations, Twenty Two West opened as a studioretail hybrid where customers can find everything from handmade necklaces and napkin rings to pillows and candles. “We sell things in front and make things in the back,” Hamby says. “I love helping people understand how it’s made.” Today, she employs a team of five artisans who specialize in jewelry, ceramics, and fiber. “I think of myself as the orchestra leader,” she says. “We’re all musicians working together. It’s giggle giggle, work work ... that’s the soundtrack of this studio.” Most jewelry is under $100, and home decor can go up to $300. A few longtime customers collect Hamby’s decorative loom blocks, which she introduced six years ago, and her macramé hoop earrings, which come in a rainbow of colors. Custom pillows with handwoven trim feature reproductions of an original

(Above) Twenty Two West employs a team of five artisans who specialize in jewelry, ceramics, and fiber. (Opposite and below) Hamby donates all proceeds from her $10 safety pin houses to Foster Village Charlotte, a local resource center for foster families.

(Top to bottom) Twenty Two West sells handcrafted items like design-your-own nesting bowls, collectible loom blocks, and square bangles.

painting, “like a piece of art for the sofa,” Hamby says. “I want these pieces to say, ‘This is so Charlotte.’ You can take home a piece of Charlotte that won’t feel like a typical souvenir.” Hamby also sells a series of $10 safety pin houses and donates all sales to Foster Village Charlotte, a local resource center for foster families. “The idea was to create a ‘safe house,’” she says. “You can put them on keychains or hang them on a wall as

a reminder of these people who need our support. As a small-business owner, it was never just me, and there's that same mentality in foster care.” Hamby looks forward to hosting workshops inside the store and open-air markets in the parking lot, where she’ll string up lights and invite local food trucks. As an artist, she says she’d love to master metalsmithing and perfect the tassel necklace she’s been tweaking

for three years. As a business owner, she wants to continue to create fulfilling, financially stable jobs for people. “I want to change that stereotype of the starving artist,” she says. “One of my greatest joys has been opening creative jobs to other people and giving them a consistent income. I want more people to talk about art as a career.” TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE GOOD LIFE

RO O M W E LOV E

Desk Jockey

Designer Lynne Clark converts a traditional dining room into a flashy home office

LYNNE CLARK’S CLIENTS bought their Woodbridge colonial as a starter home when they were newlyweds. They hired Clark & Clark Interiors to add a half bath and soon struck up a friendship with the firm’s owner and principal designer. Over the next 15 years, the homeowners had two children and enlisted Clark to remodel nearly every room in the house, including a dining room they converted into a home office. “As this family evolved, their needs for the home evolved, too,” Clark says. “Once (the homeowner) began working from home, she wanted a bright, cheerful, functional office.” —Taylor Bowler

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

COURTESY DUSTIN PECK PHOTOGRAPY

BAIT AND SWITCH The space was a formal dining room with sage green walls, chair rails with wainscoting underneath, and traditional Queen Anne-style furniture. Clark brightened up the walls with Benjamin Moore’s Simply White and installed a black floor-to-ceiling bookcase with beadboard paneling that she painted misty green. She added a bamboo Roman shade to the window and framed it with four geode prints from Wendover Art.

SOMETHING BOLD Clark built her color palette around the hot pink Surya rug. “The homeowner was hesitant about the pink rug at first, so we gave her some visual examples of how pink and orange felt, and she signed on pretty quickly,” she says. The white lacquer desk and gold Lucy chest came from Worlds Away, the accent chairs from Bungalow 5, and the desk chair from Crate & Barrel. A pair of tulip prints from Trowbridge Gallery hangs behind the desk, and a Cabochon lamp with a turquoise base from Emporium Home adds a subtle pop of color.

PAPER TRAIL Clark says the biggest challenge of this project was sorting through mounds of papers and creating enough storage for the homeowner’s folders, files, and products. “We had to decide what she needed access to and keep everything that’s out on display looking neat,” she says. A curated mix of books and framed family photos dot the bookcase, creating a personal but not-toocluttered vignette.

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

THE GOOD LIFE

B U I L D I N G H I STO RY

Stockings, Parachutes, and Artists Artisan Station mural highlights hidden textile history in South End

VISITING THE RAIL TRAIL in South End? Look for a fresh mural that features a woman’s legs in retro stockings. It’s part of artist Mike Wirth’s homage to an overlooked aspect of Charlotte’s textile history. The sturdy brick building called Dilworth Artisan Station, home to artists’ studios today, started life as Charlotte Knitting Mill. The Queen City’s textile story dates back to the 1880s. Dozens of factories here spun cotton and wove it into cloth. NoDa, for instance, began as a cluster of cotton mills. In 1917, a startup named Charlotte Knitting added a new item to the city’s output: knitted silk hosiery. After a small beginning with men’s hose, they custom-built their own plant at 118 E. Kingston Ave., just off South Boulevard, in 1923. Two hundred workers tended rows of knitting machines in the “elegant new three-story building,” ready to produce, headlined The Charlotte Observer, “Four and One-half Million Pairs of Highest Quality Silk Hosiery Per Year.” For the hosiery biz, the Roaring ’20s were boom times. “Flapper” fashion swept America. Knee-length dresses daringly showed off a lady’s stockings. Nearby, on Camden Road, a new competitor named Nebel Knitting (the building now holds

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Byron’s South End) found success in that market. So Charlotte Knitting jumped in, too. The firm launched its own brand in 1927. Queen Charlotte Hosiery quickly won national popularity. “More silk stockings are made in Carolina than any other place in the South,” boasted a 1930 ad. Then the Great Depression hit. Women had no cash to splurge on stockings. The Queen Charlotte Hosiery brand flamed out as fast as it had risen. The factory kept making stockings, however, under a succession of owners into the 1940s. Charlotte Tent and Awning also used part of the space. In 1943, deep into World War II, Charlotte Tent won a contract to produce parachutes for the military. Parachutes were made of silk early in the war, but manufacturers later switched to nylon as (Above) The old Charlotte they ran short on silk. The factory Knitting Mill building, at had silk on hand and expertise 118 E. Kingston Ave., now hosts artists’ studios and in manufacturing. Hiring had to monthly Friday evening ramp up—tough when the draft gallery crawls. was pulling men out of the workContinued on page 32

COURTESY ALBERT DULIN

BY TOM HANCHETT

THE GOOD LIFE R E AL E STAT E

Hot Listings Aging homes get modern updates. —Taylor Bowler

Muralist and academic Mike Wirth (right) led the Artisan Station mural project with assistance from painters ARKO and Drew Newpher. (Above) An advertisement for textile workers, The Charlotte Observer, Sept. 5, 1943.

for restaurants. On Kingston, White Point has bought up most of the block and plans a high-rise that will face South Boulevard. But, says White Point exec Erik Johnson, Dilworth Artisan Station will stay much as is, with only a new ground-floor restaurant, cocktail lounge, or both in the Fullers’ old workshop space, plus some sprucing up. Thus the mural by Mike Wirth. He’s an associate professor of art and design at Queens University and an energetic muralist who co-organizes Charlotte’s annual Talking Walls paint-a-thon (talkingwallscharlotte.com). “I wanted to honor the history of the building,” he says. Look closely, and you’ll see those stockings, along with parachutes, a woman worker modeled on the famous WWII “Rosie the Riveter,” and more. “I wanted it to be like a memory, fluid and colorful.” BUILDING HISTORY is a monthly series that highlights Charlotte’s historic buildings. Tom Hanchett, a local historian since 1981, is the author of Sorting Out the New South City: Race, Class, and Urban Development in Charlotte and former staff historian at the Levine Museum of the New South. Follow him on Twitter at @historysouth.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

6501 COLSTON COURT $825,000 SOUTHPARK The kitchen and main living area open to a rear deck that overlooks a spacious backyard. The recently renovated home has designer lighting, sliding barn doors, and an owner’s suite with a hisand-hers closet. 4 BD, 4 BA, 3,709 sq. ft., Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, premiersothebysrealty.com 2426 MARSHALL PLACE $1,175,000 SOUTH END Hardwood floors and natural light flow through each room of this modern farmhouse. The chef’s kitchen has marble backsplash, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a butler’s pantry with a wine fridge. 4 BD, 3 BA, 3,165 sq. ft., Allen Tate Realtors, allentate.com 748 HEMPSTEAD PLACE $3,150,000 EASTOVER This updated ranch wraps around a pool and outdoor living area that includes a pool house with a full bathroom and bar. The chef’s kitchen has a commercialsized Wolf range, two islands, and an adjacent glass-enclosed wine room. 4 BD, 4.5 BA, 3,756 sq. ft., Dickens Mitchener & Associates, dickensmitchener.com

Homes available as of Aug. 4, 2021.

COURTESY (2); ALBERT DULIN

force. “WOMEN Here is Your Chance,” trumpeted a job ad. “War orders are waiting—our fighting men are waiting … Help Us Furnish Our Boys With PARACHUTES.” After the war, the building returned to a variety of textile-related manufacturing, including Queen City Mattress. In the 1950s, a two-story wing was added to hold Charlotte Woodworking. The Fuller family bought the structure in 1987. “A company made bras and panties there, 250 seamstresses,” recalls Dick Fuller. He and his twin brother, Bob, were starting an architectural antiques and furniture repair business they called Crossland Studio. “We had a couple of artists come to us” asking to rent upstairs, Dick Fuller says. “That worked out so well that we kept adding more and more art space.” With new interior walls and delightfully mismatched studio doors, the mill became Dilworth Artisan Station. “We loved the artists.” In 2019, the Fuller twins, ready to retire, sold to White Point. You know White Point’s work if you’ve been to Optimist Hall, the 1890s cotton mill the company has handsomely renovated

1623 S. MINT ST. $1,100,000 WILMORE This bungalow has an attached double carport and electric driveway gate. The living room opens to a courtyard with a gas fire pit and covered outdoor kitchen with a refrigerator, sink, and built-in gas grill. 4 BD, 3.5 BA, 3,203 sq. ft., Savvy & Co., savvyandcompany.com

THE GOOD LIFE ART S + E V E NT S

The Playlist THE BEST THINGS TO DO AND SEE THIS MONTH

PLAY BALL: OCTOBER’S HOME GAMES Ahhh: The sauna portion of the season is over. This month, root for Charlotte’s pro sports teams under cooler conditions:

BY ANDY SMITH

CAROLINA PANTHERS, BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES OCT. 10, 1 p.m. vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS OCT. 17, 1 p.m. Find a list of bars for any NFL team you root for on p. 44. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (PRESEASON), SPECTRUM CENTER vs. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES OCT. 7, 7 p.m. vs. DALLAS MAVERICKS OCT. 13, 7 p.m.

Hit the Lawn for Zac Brown Band Zac Brown Band embarked on The Comeback Tour this past summer, and it arrives at PNC Music Pavilion at 7 p.m. on OCT. 16. Expect classic tunes and more recent cuts from their latest record, 2019’s The Owl. That LP made headlines for Brown’s collaborations with pop producers like Shawn Mendes, Max Martin, and even Skrillex.

IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH EXTENDED The popular exhibition, which blends projections of Van Gogh works and an absorbing soundtrack, now runs through OCT. 31 at Camp North End. Blumenthal Performing Arts sold more than 200,000 tickets before it announced the extension in August. President Tom Gabbard says out-of-towners accounted for 35% of them—a remarkable figure in a difficult year for live entertainment.

Don’t Flip Out, But Simone Biles Is Back The Gold Over America Tour (OCT. 27 AT SPECTRUM CENTER) mixes live gymnastics and dance, and it’s headlined by Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time. She’s joined by fellow Olympians Laurie Hernandez and Jordan Chiles, among others.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS, BOJANGLES COLISEUM vs. HERSHEY BEARS OCT. 22, 7 p.m. vs. HERSHEY BEARS OCT. 23, 6 p.m. CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE, AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL STADIUM vs. LOUDOUN UNITED FC OCT. 3, 7 p.m. vs. NEW YORK RED BULLS II OCT. 9, 7 p.m. vs. CHARLESTON BATTERY OCT. 16, 7 p.m. vs. LOUDOUN UNITED FC OCT. 27, 7 p.m.

The resurgence of COVID in late summer meant the same kind of uncertainty for live events as in 2020. All dates and times were confirmed as of mid-August.

COURTESY ATLANTIC RECORDS; SALTY VIEW / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

SOME EXIST IN PLAIN SIGHT: inside a shopping plaza off of a busy thoroughfare or nestled between uptown towers. Others operate on Charlotte’s rural edges, sites not yet claimed for billion-dollar projects. Over the past year, we’ve searched for businesses and landmarks that hide in the city’s shadows; many have humble flocks of dedicated patrons they’ve nurtured for decades. Twenty-five of them—speakeasies, general stores, murals, sneaker shops—make up Charlotte magazine’s first-ever Great Fall Scavenger Hunt. They demonstrate that our seemingly sedate city is dotted with surprises. You just have to know where to look.

Get a Tea Bomb at Frosted By Melissa

Experience a Stuf’d Waffle Cone via Kupkake Kouture Mobile bakeries with no-contact delivery were the answer to our sugar cravings during the pandemic. Many advertised seasonal specials, gift boxes, and cookie kits on their social media pages to grow their business. With more than 1,000 followers, Kupkake Kouture has a modest but loyal following, thanks to owner and head baker Shannon King (who also has a day job at a tech company). Place an order for Dessert Eggrolls, Apple Kobbler, Cheesekake Stuf’d Apples, Strawberry Kakesicles, Banana Pudding Kups, or her signature treat, the Stuf’d Waffle Cone. This cupcake-ice cream cone hybrid is an edible masterpiece. She’ll meet you to do the handoff or deliver the goods right to your door. Each order comes wrapped in a bow with a thank-you note from “Lady Kouture.” Find her @kupkakekoutureclt, and catch her if you can.

Stop by the Uptown Farmers Market on a Saturday morning and discover just how beautiful a cup of tea can be. Melissa’s sugar-encased tea bombs dissolve in hot water to release food-grade flowers, a premium teabag, and edible glitter. Get a lavender-lotus or jasmine-rose bomb to go, or enjoy the tea hot or iced as you shop for local produce and baked goods. @frostedbymelissa

Find One of @paper.paste's Jack Pumpkinhead Pasteups An enigmatic artist, known monikers being Paper & Paste or Oz, has been putting up wheatpaste prints of L. Frank Baum characters for the past decade. He most often depicts Jack Pumpkinhead, the Land of Oz character appearing on buildings in NoDa, uptown, and Plaza Midwood. We haven’t seen a new one in a while, so we checked in via Instagram. Oz confirmed that he’s been on hiatus, but he looks forward to putting up new work this fall—thankfully for us, just in time for our first-ever scavenger hunt. @paper.paste

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Order a Breakfast Platter at Circle G OK, the skyline emblazoned on Circle G’s Styrofoam cups is outdated by a few decades. But that’s part of its charm: At 66 years old, the joint and its scrumptious breakfast bites are older than most of uptown. Towers rise and fall in Charlotte, but Circle G’s Ribeye Steak and Eggs endure generations of change. Likewise, the slogan on that same cup is evergreen: “Country Cookin’ in the City!” 4818 Rozzelles Ferry Road, 704-399-2931

Dive Into Bootlegging History at Seven Jars Distillery Frank Ratcliffe was a bootlegger during Prohibition who later ran a nightclub, the Friendly City Club (later renamed the Flamingo Club), on West Sixth Street uptown, now the site of Discovery Place. Ratcliffe died in 1977, but he always said North Carolina one day would allow small-business owners to distill and sell their own liquor. The day came, and Seven Jars (named after spirit-filled vessels he’d buried under a family-owned golf course) opened in 2014 in a plain-Jane business park 6 miles northwest of uptown. The four owners are all family—a son, daughter, son-in-law, and grandson of Ratcliffe and his wife, Velma, who died in 2013—and they use the distillery as a vehicle to tell the family story, usually in a small presentation room they’ve set up near where they make Seven Jars whiskey, wine, beer, vodka, and rum. 6148 Brookshire Blvd., Ste. A, 704-919-0278

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Find the Secret Illuminations on Camp North End’s Dorothy Counts Mural

Look Down at Uptown’s New Rooftop Mural

Camp North End has a trove of public art from local and international talent, including Fayetteville-born, Atlanta-based painter Fabian Williams. At the site’s Boileryard, you'll find Williams’ portrait of a woman who might look familiar to Charlotte history buffs. (Hint: Look at her earring.) Still not sure? OK, that’s Dorothy Counts-Scoggins, known for her famous walk to Harding High School in the mid’50s, captured in one of the civil rights era’s most enduring photographs. The portrait is stunning enough, but Williams also used UV paint to create a secret set of hieroglyphics seen only with black lights. They translate to his name, alongside hers. 300 Camp Road, 980-337-4600

Last year, Vijay Bhojwani of Binaco Real Estate reached out to artist Alex Duncan, aka DUNC, with an unusual challenge: Paint a 5,360-square-foot canvas that won’t be seen by a majority of passersby. Binaco owns a few shorter buildings near its in-progress Binaco Tower in uptown, and Bhojwani wanted DUNC to create a mural on one of those rooftops for the viewing pleasure of tower residents. The result is a collage-like ode to the city, with elements of different artistic styles and techniques. Like DUNC’s other work, its symbology is intended to be deciphered over time. An example: the way the bird, moon, sun and numeral 4 form one of Charlotte’s area codes when you focus on that corner of the mural. Binaco Tower residents will certainly have more revelations as they observe it over the years. And don’t worry if you’re not a Binaco resident: Other buildings with a clear view of the mural include Hearst Tower, Bank of America Corporate Center, and The Ivey’s Hotel, among others. 123 E. 5th St.

Sneak Away to The Cotton Room Uptown’s Brevard Court is known for boisterous watch parties as soccer fans pack its pubs on fall weekends. A quiet, cozier spot is closer than you think: There’s a speakeasy-style joint above Belfast Mill called The Cotton Room. Much of the space, from its wooden floors and rafters to its brick walls, is original to the century-old structure. One tidbit to drop over a drink: The Cotton Room’s name comes from the courtyard’s former life as an open-air cotton market. 144 Brevard Court, Ste. B, 704-333-7160

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Grab One Off the Wall at Charlotte Cigar Culture Just what is that tiny brick building at the corner of Tryon and Morehead streets? You’ll know before you enter. A wave of cigar smoke embraces visitors on the entrance walkway, marked by a statue of a medieval knight. Don’t let the guardian fool you, though: Charlotte Cigar Culture’s atmosphere is friendly and far more cozy than a suit of armor, as staffers like Joel Wortman patiently explain the contents of the boxes that line the club’s walls. A tip: Many of the cigars can be purchased in singles, so create your own sampler pack if you’re new to stogies. The joint’s drink menu and cushy parlors invite customers to stay a while and crack open one of those singles. 105 E. Morehead St., 704-371-4000

Try the ‘Queen City’ at Room 1812 To get inside this speakeasy, you'll first need to make a new friend. The bar Room 1812 is under the restaurant, and to get the password, you’ll have to find its private Instagram account and be accepted as a follower. The drinks here are cleverly marked by when they were created, with an abundance of vintage options. Queen City is their Manhattan cocktail, developed in the 1870s as a blend of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. 1812 South Blvd., 980-237-0391

Snag a Club Sub at Niko’s Grill Forget huffing and puffing through the concourse to grab a preflight meal. Grabbing a lunch sub from Niko’s Grill is the play. Easily found on the way to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the counter-service restaurant is typically full of TSA officers, airport staff, and other locals in the know. 4948 Airport Center Parkway, 704-394-6520

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Say the Password to Unlock BackStage Lounge Charlotte is home to a few speakeasies now, but the one behind the restaurant SouthBound remains the most delightful to enter. First, look at BackStage’s latest Instagram post and find the password in the caption. Then enter the Modern Classics Grooming Lounge and head to the muralfilled hallway behind it. This passageway leads to a phone booth, which you’ll pick up and answer a staffer who asks, “Password?” As you enter, you’ll notice how the vibe is nothing like that of its sister concept, SouthBound. The neon lights, decor, and rock-star portraits make the spot feel like Hard Rock Café’s younger, self-aware cousin. Aside from the robust cocktail program, a favorite feature is the naming system for the private booths. Each is marked with the name of a Charlotte venue no longer open, like The Pterodactyl Club and The Double Door Inn. (Well, except for Amos’ Southend, which has its own booth but returned to the scene after BackStage opened.) 2433 South Blvd., 704-705-8447

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Eat the City’s Best Birria Tacos at Maria’s Restaurant Longtime Charlotteans first knew Maria's Mexican Restaurant as one of several El Cancun locations. In 2008, Maria Sorto, a veteran of local Mexican restaurants, purchased that brand’s South Boulevard location and added a few dishes from her native El Salvador to the mix. More recently, the fan favorite is her quesabirria, a quesadilla-taco hybrid that soared in popularity over the past year thanks to TikTok. Quesabirria combines melted cheese, birria (tender beef stew slow-cooked for eight hours), and a beef broth for dipping. Sorto, always innovating the menu, offers birria variations that include a burrito, ramen, loaded french fries, and pizza (!). 5234 South Blvd., 704-525-5075

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Find the Business Park Overtaken By Murals The Talking Walls festival typically adds new paint to neighborhoods around uptown. It switched things up in 2020: Over a single weekend last October, a new roster of artists transformed a business park called ThExchange, off Tyvola Road. The murals, from Killamari, Kathryn Crawford, George F. Baker III, Irisol Gonzalez, Kalin Devone, Kat Sánchez Standfield, Cheeks, and Mario Daniel, are some of the biggest and loudest public artworks in the city. Finding it just takes a bit of work. 5200 77 Center Drive

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Grab a Stack at The Book Rack Used bookstores in Charlotte are tragically scarce (R.I.P., The Last Word), but sometimes you need an inexpensive book now. Explore new, used, and unexpected titles at The Book Rack, a fixture in Pineville for 26 years. And if you can’t wait to launch into your newest novel, cozy up a couple of doors down at Musashi to enjoy your story with a side of sushi. 10110 Johnston Road, Ste. 5, 704-544-8006

Down Some Jambalaya at Cajun Yard Dog Louisiana-themed restaurants outside the Pelican State are a dicey bet; some haven’t grasped that Cajun and Creole cuisines involve more than blackening random food in a skillet and dousing the result in Tabasco. This humble, beloved joint in The Arboretum Shopping Center gets it right with rich roux, crisp fried chicken, NOLAworthy red beans and rice, and a jambalaya that’d be right at home on the bayou. We opted for the chicken and seafood version, with shrimp, andouille, crawfish, shallots sprinkled on top, and a crescent of mussels, still in their shells, arranged along the edge of the plate. 8036 Providence Road, Ste. 900, 704-752-1750

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Sell Your Soul for a PBR at Bart's Mart From the outside, Bart’s Mart doesn’t look like a repository of souls. But step inside this bar and bottle shop, which opened in the Eastway Crossing shopping center during the pandemic, and look up: Certificates taped to the ceiling reveal that plenty of patrons have bartered their eternal souls for a draft PBR (a $3 value). Then look around some more. The decor—graffiti and broken skate decks—makes for a hip hangout, and the bar, lounge area, and indoor and outdoor tables provide plenty of space to enjoy the wines and beers on offer. The shop’s friendly service, thoughtful skateboard parking, and mission to support local farm animal rescues should convince you that these souls are in good hands. 3042 Eastway Drive, 980-406-3635

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Find Elizabeth’s Flower-Covered Home Until last May, this boxy, beige two-story home in Elizabeth was easy to miss behind the overgrown trees and shrubs on its narrow lot. The homeowners hired local artist Rosalia Torres-Weiner, whose bold murals have appeared at Camp North End, Eastway, and other neighborhoods, to paint the exterior with a burst of colorful flowers. Along with artists Felicia Sutton and Edith Covarrubias, TorresWeiner transformed the 1910 home into a community work of art. If you look closely, you’ll see a black-and-white hummingbird, a recurring symbol in Torres-Weiner’s work, which represents “the wise voices” of our ancestors who guide us. The mural, titled “Nicole’s Garden,” is now part of Elizabeth’s ArtWalk tour, and you can’t miss it when you stroll down Eighth Street.

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Pick Up, Oh, Anything at Davis General Store No one item could convey the range of products this business sells in its foursquare brick building. It’s a general store, after all, retail for farm and railroad workers when it opened in the Croft community in 1908 and much the same in the age of light rail and Apple Pay. Look here: Pitchforks and weed cutters hang from the ceiling. There: bottles of Blenheim Ginger Ale, $10 for a six-pack. Over here: bags of cottonseed meal. Around the corner: 25-ounce bottles of Amish Harvest brand Herbal Tonic (“Sipping Vinegar Blend”). Its formal name is the S.W. & C.S. Davis General Store; Silas Davis, 77, S.W.’s grandson and C.S.’s great-nephew, runs the place, ringing up customers on a century-old cash register that, like so much here, still works. “Hey,” Silas yells to a customer foraging for treasure, “you findin’ anything you can’t do without?” 8940 Old Statesville Road, 704-596-2022

Satisfy Your Fish Camp Friday Cravings at Harbor Inn Seafood You’d expect this Doriccolumned structure with a broad front porch and seasidekitsch decor (life preserver and sailboat wall art, seagulls painted on a sky-blue ceiling) to face the Atlantic in a place like Nags Head, not hide in one corner of a business park in University City. But Harbor Inn, which opened in 2004, consistently attracts regulars—especially on Friday nights, the traditional time for North Carolinians to flock to fish camps for inexpensive fried seafood suppers. The lunchtime “everyday special” at Harbor Inn is a platter piled high with baby shrimp, fried tilapia, hush puppies, a stuffed clam, salad or slaw, and a side—all for $9.50. 8805 University East Drive, 704-494-8901 OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Shop at a Hip and Hidden Shoe Store: Neckbreakerz Sneakers have always been popular—they were exempted from World War II rubber rations after widespread protest—but Michael Jordan’s historic 1984 Nike endorsement kicked off a modern obsession with athletic shoes. Find a gallery of streetwise styles at Neckbreakerz, which resells pristine sneakers along with apparel from brands like Supreme and The Hundreds. Most sneakerheads keep their investments in the box, safe from scuffs, but if you wear yours, beware: People will whip their heads around so fast to check out your fresh kicks, they just might break their necks. 5301 E. Independence Blvd., 980-498-6574

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Grab a Slice at Why Not Pizza ’Cause Why Not Here’s a tasty take: Some of the best New York-style pizza in Charlotte is found in a shopping plaza on W.T. Harris Boulevard. Why Not Pizza slings gloriously large slices that require a few napkins for grease blotting. The best part of Why Not Pizza’s name? It answers that eternal question: “What should we do for dinner tonight?” 7008 E. W.T. Harris Blvd., 704-536-0891

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Pull Over for Pub Grub at Big Al’s Big Al's Pub & Grubberia is where fried pickles count as a vegetable and Tuesday night regulars drink $2.50 Bud Lights at the bar. The self-proclaimed “local gathering place with a ridiculous menu” sits behind the Rite Aid at the corner of Harrisburg and Albemarle roads. Pull over for a heaping basket of wings and a plate of tater tot nachos, or settle in with a meatball sub, barbecue chicken pizza, or mammoth burger with a side of deep-fried mac and cheese. Football and NASCAR paraphernalia clutters the walls, and metal plaques say things like, “Alcohol: Because no good story has ever started with a salad.” Don’t forget to visit the toy soldier claw machine before you go. 9306 Albemarle Road, 704-567-2333

Score Some Buns at Honey Buns Cafeteria The Chinese buns (baos) at Honey Buns Cafeteria have no social media presence and don’t get much buzz among local food writers and bloggers, yet they sell out all. the. time. The in crowd knows: Hit the counter inside the Super G Mart before noon (they open at 10:30 a.m.) to score a Styrofoam box full of warm, airy, tennis ball-sized buns. They come with sweet and savory fillings like Korean pork, BBQ pork, red bean, taro, and custard; eat them with a fork and knife if you like, or just use your hands. Each bun costs between $1 and $3, so it’s hard to spend more than $20 if you order a few of each flavor. 7323 E. Independence Blvd., 704-904-4021 OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Track Down the Horse Trailer-Turned-Espresso Bar: Wildroots Coffee Here’s a business that’s always on the move but worth chasing down. Wildroots Coffee, formerly called Coordinates Coffee, started popping up around Charlotte in 2019. Initially, the buzz focused on its Instagrammable presentation: The mobile espresso bar inhabits a converted horse trailer, and drinks can be served in pouches adorned with messages like “VOTE” and “It Takes a Village.” Most importantly, the drinks—like the popular lavender vanilla latte—are as high-quality as the look. In August, owner Jasmine Koch told us she’s working on the lineup of fall flavors, so we’ll keep our eyes on their social media channels to see where these wild roots spread next. @wildrootscoffee

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Kannapolis Resurrected 70

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

The once-‘dead’ mill town has come back to life with a revitalization strategy similar to Durham’s. Is it a new antidote to Charlotte’s skyrocketing real estate prices? By

JEN TOTA McGIVNEY

Photographs by TRAVIS

DOVE

Apartments are springing up in Kannapolis, where residents can enjoy the features of a revitalized downtown.

OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Atrium Health Ballpark, home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, opened last year next to the N.C. Research Campus (background). On days when the team isn’t playing, the stadium is open as a public park, with a walking track and splash pad.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

MAGINE THE COST TO LIVE in a Charlotte neighborhood where you could walk to a grocery store, a brewery, a park, a movie theater, even an Amtrak station—all within a few blocks. Hard to imagine. That place doesn’t exist here. Know where it does? Downtown Kannapolis. And for Charlotteans, the costs there are hard to imagine. There, in the new Vida mixed-use district, apartment rents begin at $955, $500 less than the average studio apartment in Charlotte. Nearby homes list for less than $200,000, about half of Charlotte’s average home price. For nearly two decades, this town went quiet after its mill closed. But now, the downtown’s ambitious revitalization compels a question that would’ve seemed laughable five years ago but seems reasonable today: Could Kannapolis exert a gravitational pull strong enough to make it one of Charlotte’s affordable alternatives? IT’S A THURSDAY EVENING IN JUNE—no holiday, no special occasion—but each corner of tiny downtown Kannapolis hosts a crowd. A steady stream of fans enters Atrium Health Ballpark to watch the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers defeat the Carolina Mudcats on Thirsty Thursday. Several hundred people pack Veterans Park with camp chairs and picnic blankets for a free concert by the Tim Clark Band. The scent of buttered popcorn stretches a block beyond the newly renovated Gem Theatre, where families watch the premiere of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Every table is filled in front of Old Armor Beer Company on West Avenue. All of this happens within a third of a mile. If you came here five years ago, downtown would be quiet—“dead,” according to many who lived here. If you came here two years ago, the entire downtown would’ve been fenced off and shuttered. Yet even this June evening is a shadow of the town’s former glory, when, three times a day, shift changes at the mill crowded so many people into downtown, you could barely maneuver through it. But now, downtown Kannapolis is coming back to life. The revitalization project comes at a crucial time. As surging real estate prices force more people out of walkable neighborhoods in Charlotte—and in New York and California and Illinois, for that matter—they seek livable, affordable downtowns elsewhere. As remote work severs daily commutes, revived Carolina mill towns like Kannapolis hope to lure new residents. It’s a place that compels a visitor to check Zillow and wonder, “Could I?” “When people used to talk about Kannapolis, they used to turn their nose up and not have much interest in living here, in hanging out,” says Meredith Little, who grew up in nearby Mount Pleasant and once shared that opinion. “And right now, everyone wants to come to Kannapolis. People are wanting to buy in Kannapolis.” OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Little laughs as she Meredith Little was initially skeptical speaks, as surprised as about Kannapolis’ anyone at the transformacomeback. But she tion of the city—especially and her two sisters opened 3 jem’s now that she’s a business boutique downtown owner there. Last fall, she last fall. and her two sisters opened 3 jem’s boutique, a trendy women’s clothing and accessory shop, in downtown. Kannapolis has proved Little wrong, but her doubled profits soothe the sting. “These downtowns (like Kannapolis) are small, but they were industrial powerhouses in their day, and so you have that urban fabric you can build on,” says Chuck McShane, director of market analytics for the Carolinas at CoStar Group and a contributor to this magazine. “Places like Kannapolis, places like Salisbury, and places like Albemarle—places that were just outside the commuting distance from major urban centers—I think there’s going to be a big interest in those places going forward. Places like Kannapolis have a big opportunity to position themselves.”

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE. A North Carolina town finds early 20th-century prosperity in textiles—then, when industry moves overseas, faces crises of economy and identity. To survive into the 21st century, it embarks on public-private partnerships that lure new industries and build attractions to entice residents to settle down and visitors to spend up. Old mills house mixed-use developments. Up goes a minor-league ballpark that anchors a district of new shops and restaurants. Rebranding begins. North Carolinians have heard this story plenty. It’s Charlotte’s story, and Gastonia’s, and Durham’s, and High Point’s. It’s Kannapolis’, too. But here, the story introduces a new angle. The thing that hastened its downfall—downtown Kannapolis’ ownership by one person—propels its resurgence. Single ownership of a city means interconnected fortunes of those within it. Good times are very good; bad times are disastrous. But this time, the sole owner is using that angle to the city’s advantage: Renovate an entire downtown all at once, set a strategic course, then end single ownership forever.

This used to be a company town. James William Cannon, founder of Cannon Mills, owned the entire town of Kannapolis, starting in 1905. Workers rented houses Cannon owned. They borrowed books at the town library, exercised at the YMCA, took their kids to schools, and prayed at churches—all owned by Cannon. He owned the police, roads, and water and sewage systems. Kannapolis had no mayor or council. Just Cannon, and then his son, Charles, who took over in 1921. It was the country’s largest unincorporated town. Look at it generously, and the Cannons’ goal was to create a town that met the personal and professional needs of healthy, happy employees. Look at it cynically, and the intention seems like tight workforce control. As older residents recall the Cannon days of cheap rent, wellmaintained homes, and a thriving neighborhood, there’s argument for the former. As Charles Cannon twice called the National Guard to quell unionization efforts, there’s argument for the latter, too. “It worked both ways. (The Cannon family) built the hospital, they built the schools, they did a lot of good … but then again, you were sort of owned by them, too,” says

Carla Clay, 74, who grew up in Kannapolis. “The uptown jail was about as big as Mayberry’s. There was really no crime. If you worked in the mill and you lived in a mill house, and if you got in trouble, they would make you leave the house and you would lose your job.” For decades, Cannon Mills seemed too big to fail. In the early 20th century, it was the world’s largest producer of sheets and towels. But it did fail, and when it did, the fates of the mill, city, and residents intertwined. In 1982, David Murdock—a billionaire from California— bought the struggling Cannon Mills along with all of Kannapolis. Kannapolis incorporated as a city two years later. In 2003, the mill shut down, and 4,340 workers lost their jobs in one day. Downtown storefronts went dark as Murdock focused on a new venture: the $1.5 billion North Carolina Research Campus, housed in large universitystyle buildings that tower where the mill once stood. The research in these buildings revolves around a single concept: People can live longer if they eat the right plants, and enough of them. There, scientists have devised shelf-stable fruit compounds that can nourish people in developing countries or amid natural disasters, as well as astronauts and soldiers on extended missions; they’re learning to make crops resistant to pests and disease with genetics, not pesticides. Murdock began his quest to extend life span through vegetables and fruits when his wife, Gabriele, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1983. Even though he didn’t find an answer before she died two years later at age 43, his mission continues in these buildings. But the campus has had recruiting problems. “We were told we couldn’t get anybody to come because the downtown is dead,” says Kannapolis Mayor Darrell Hinnant. He and the city manager approached Murdock with a plan. “We said, ‘Well, you know, something has to happen with downtown, so if you’re not going to do anything, why don’t you sell it to us, and let us do something with it?” In 2015, the City of Kannapolis bought 46 acres of downtown. Now, it’s selling downtown buildings and lots, one by one. For the first time, downtown Kannapolis doesn’t have a single owner. But between buying the downtown and selling it, the City of Kannapolis needed a vision to guide what would happen next. Kannapolis needed two things for a successful revitalization project. First, it needed residents to raise their own taxes to pay for big changes in their own downtown. No easy thing, especially in a small, conservative city rooted in its history. Next, the project needed to compel millennials and Gen Zers—families, recent grads, and entrepreneurs—to find Kannapolis cool enough to move there and become its new taxpaying residents and business owners. No easy thing, especially in a small, conservative city rooted in its history. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Five years ago, this stretch of West Avenue (above and below) was lifeless. Now it’s the most prominent example of the city’s transformation.

A new linear park along West Avenue adjoins renovated storefronts (above) that independent businesses, like this bakery (right), have occupied.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Live music on the steps of First Presbyterian Church.

Once Charlotte completes its planned Gateway Station uptown, Kannapolis residents could get to the center of the larger city in 35 minutes by train. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

On Aug. 7, country singer Jo Dee Messina headlined a free concert at Village Park with fireworks.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

COURTESY

Hinnant added a third goal: Make Kannapolis Mayor Darrell longtime residents proud. He wanted Hinnant. to stick by the people who had stuck by Kannapolis through Cannon, through Murdock, and now, through its reinvention. He wanted the new downtown to be a tribute to old days. He had a model for this lofty plan: Durham. The City of Kannapolis hired the same group that ushered Durham from a ghost town that lost its textile and tobacco jobs to a downtown that tops lists of best places to live for both recent grads and retirees. The Development Finance Initiative at University of North Carolina School of Government (DFI) came to help Kannapolis replicate the model. Although the law required only one public hearing to approve the city’s investment, Hinnant knew the public would need more time and information. The city held three public hearings and more than 20 community meetings about the tax hike that would fund the project. The mayor and council shared concept images from DFI. They promised that a three-block section would maintain its original exteriors and oak trees to ensure that Kannapolis still felt like Kannapolis. They pledged to avoid gentrification by requiring nearby affordable housing at below-market rates; they secured funding from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to improve older homes—by adding things like handicapped-accessible ramps, new hot water heaters, and new roofs—so cashstrapped residents could continue to live there. “It’s important for us as a community to make sure that all this growth and reimagining doesn’t gentrify our community,” Hinnant says. “It would be tragic for us to have all this growth, and all of a sudden, a segment of our community has to move out because they can’t afford to live in it. So part of my strategy and my commitment to the entire community is: This has to be good for everybody.” The City Council approved the tax hike in June 2015. The first goal was achieved. Two more to go. EVEN THOUGH THE MODEL resembles that of Durham, High Point, and others, Kannapolis had a distinct advantage: Buying an entire downtown meant the city could tear up roads all at once to improve infrastructure—water, sewer, fiber cable—and renovate streetscapes without disturbing existing businesses. For nearly two years, chain-link fencing blocked all of downtown amid construction. Then, on Oct. 10, 2019, the fences came down. “When we announced that we were going to take the fences down, there were 2,500 people anxious to go inside the fence to see what was happening,” Hinnant says. “And I’ll tell you, the biggest comment I heard was, ‘Wow, I couldn’t believe it was going to be this.’” The biggest change was a new linear park that runs along West Avenue. Instagram-ready seating arrange-

It’s important for us as a community to make sure that all this growth and reimagining doesn’t gentrify our community.

—KANNAPOLIS MAYOR DARRELL HINNANT

ments—swings, Adirondack chairs, benches—offer places to gather amid pop music that plays from speakers hidden in the landscaping. On one side of the park are the original, renovated storefronts, now occupied by independent businesses: a coffee shop, ice cream shop, clothing boutiques, bakery. On the other side of the park is the new Cannon Ballers stadium, voted Ballpark Digest’s best Low-A minor league stadium, which has a playground, splash pad, and walking paths the community can use when games aren’t being held. Around the corner, the Gem Theatre—the circa-1936 movie theater—has a marquee that’s lit up once again. Around the time of the downtown unveiling, Little, 32, and her two sisters were looking for a new location for their boutique. They were committed to finding a location that all three sisters would like—a nice idea in theory but, nearly three years into their search, one that seemed impossible in practice. “We kept hearing about up-and-coming Kannapolis and that we needed to come out there and look. So we went, back when nothing was open but the brewery and stadium,” Little says. “We knew immediately. We looked at each other and said, ‘This is it. This is what we’ve been waiting for.’” Their visit in 2020 was intended to be a scouting trip, but the three women decided on the location that day. “We literally said, ‘Sign us up right now. Don’t you dare give this away.’” OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

The Gem Theatre, which remains open as it undergoes its own renovations, has been a Kannapolis landmark since 1936.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

Their 3 jem’s boutique opened in Kannapolis on Black Friday. Business has since doubled, foot traffic is “booming,” and they’re upfitting the basement to store more merchandise to meet customer demand. They still run their Salisbury boutique as well, but some of their regular customers in Salisbury now drive past that store to visit the Kannapolis shop, where they can also go to the movie theater, the popcorn store, the ballpark. Little says that they see groups of high school girlfriends and 30-something moms with small kids in tow coming not just to shop but to make a day of it. Check off goal two: Make young people dig downtown Kannapolis.

towns—as Charlotte relocates its Amtrak station uptown over the next few years— means that someone living in downtown Kannapolis could enjoy a car-free commute to uptown Charlotte within 35 minutes. Although it’s the most recent addition to the hub-and-spoke model of development in the Charlotte region, Kannapolis wasn’t the first. And likely won’t be the last. “Now that the Charlotte region is growing outward, I think there are a lot of opportunities for those small-town downtowns to be really interesting places for new suburban dwellers,” says McShane, citing Rock Hill as another example. But what do older, longtime dwellers think of Kannapolis’ transformation? Talking with seniors downtown, the reaction to the changes was universally positive. Clay agrees; despite her wariness about the pace of changes to come, she believes that the improvements to downtown were as much a return to the old days as the start of new ones. Once again, she sees kids line up at the Gem, and she and her friends take walks around the city. Last spring, as Hinnant enjoyed one of the season’s first Cannon Ballers games, he noticed a 92-year-old native Kannapolis resident with his friends. The mayor asked the man what he thought of the changes to his hometown, and nervously awaited his answer. “He told me, ‘I didn’t think I’d live long enough to see this,’” Hinnant says. “It brings tears to my eyes that he’s so happy.” Goal three. Check.

The Cannon family “did a lot of good” for Kannapolis, says Carla Clay (above), but it’s taken Kannapolis nearly two decades to recover from the 2003 closing of Cannon Mills. Now, Clay marvels at the changes, like a storefront under renovation on West Avenue (below).

AS OF JUNE, the downtown revitalization project is 40% complete, with plans in place for most of the remainder. Soon, a hotel will rise beside the ballpark. The city’s also sold land to developers who will create high-end townhouses and condos— two projects expected to add more than $50 million in private investment. “All of the sales that we have made so far have been sold to private companies, and they are investing their money into downtown,” Hinnant says. “And so the state loves that because that’s private investment bringing wealth and investment into our state and into our community.” The city’s next challenge will be luring companies to set up locations in or near downtown, allowing office space to catch up with residential and retail. It seems a precarious balance without that element, as uptown is still a 30-mile trip down I-85, and traffic’s getting no easier. But the possibility of rail travel between the two down-

JEN TOTA MCGIVNEY is a Charlotte writer who has written for SUCCESS Magazine, Our State, and Southern Living. Reach her at jennifer.mcgivney@gmail.com or on Twitter, @jen_mcgivney. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Time to get away for a while! The destinations on the following pages will provide the perfect escape.

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winning recipe – Mamaw’s famous oyster stuffing served with a heaping view of the intercoastal waterway. Discover sensational holiday deals at CrystalCoast.com

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SEA ISLAND: SO MANY REASONS TO VISIT THIS 5-STAR RETREAT

s a private beach resort, Sea Island’s beautiful setting is surrounded by ocean, river and marshes, providing the backdrop for an exceptional array of outdoor activities – and the ultimate getaway for travelers. The only resort in the world to receive four Forbes Five-Star awards for 13 consecutive years, Sea Island is an extraordinary destination for spending time with family and friends and for executive retreats and meetings (world leaders gathered here for a previous G8 Summit). Located on the southeastern coast of Georgia, Sea Island features mild year-round temperatures, five miles of private beach, a Beach Club with three pools (there are seven in all at the resort), tennis center, Yacht Club, Shooting School, and children’s programs, as well as three championship golf courses, including Seaside and Plantation, home of the PGA TOUR’s RSM Classic. Sea Island offers over 90 outdoor activities including fishing, boating, sailing, paddle boarding and an abundance of nature-oriented experiences, such as dolphin boat tours, falconry, and up-close visits with owls and raptors. Including a new and highly

popular bowling alley and pub, dining options range from Forbes FiveStar to casual, most of which offer outdoor seating. Accommodation options include 265 rooms and suites at The Cloister, on Sea Island, and 43 rooms and suites and seven cottages at The Lodge, nestled between the Seaside and Plantation golf courses on St. Simons Island. In addition, over 140 cottages are available on Sea Island, ranging from two to eight bedrooms, many with pools, offering the flexibility of a private home while being close to amenities and the beach. The Inn, on nearby St. Simons Island, offers casual accommodations in a select-service setting. In addition to captivating experiences, settings and facilities, Sea Island has been known for generations for providing genuine Southern hospitality to its guests. Sea Island’s Quarter Century Club, which honors team members who have worked in the company 25 years or more, consists of over 100 team members with multiple new inductees in 2022. To learn more, visit Seaisland.com.

SEA ISLAND Plan your trip at seaisland.com or call 66-526-7442

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ONE SWELL HOLIDAY

elcome to the Crystal Coast, where you’ll discover flurries of holiday adventures across 5 miles of pristine North Carolina shoreline. This incredible beach destination is made up of several small towns, all offering their own ta e on Crystal Coast fun. rom sportfishing charters in Morehead City to delighting in sensational cuisine while overloo ing waterfront views in Beaufort, the possibilities for pure holiday oy are endless. verywhere you loo on The Crystal Coast, you’ll find a wealth of incredible vacation properties that will ma e this season extraspecial for you and your loved ones. hether it’s a charming beachside cottage with a fully furnished outdoor itchen or a luxurious sound-side hideaway with easy access to the ocean, our special seasonal offers will ma e your dream holiday a reality. Don’t let these fantastic deals pass you by. rom everyone on the Crystal Coast, have a very happy holiday season!

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THE CRYSTAL COAST See special deals on lodgings at bookthecoast.com

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As parents, we know you might not have the time to visit each individual school. That is why our annual School Fair introduces you to both public and private schools as well as a few local colleges, all in one family-friendly event.

Learn more at CharlotteParent.com/schoolfair

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Many parents in the Charlotte region face the question year after year:

Which school is best for my child?

Find proﬁles of area schools at various levels, from elementary through high school, to aid in your selection process.

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Carmel Christian School CCS is a greater Charlotte area private Christian school serving almost 1,100 students in Grades K-12. We offer an excellent education built on biblical truth, which e uips students to reflect Christ to the world. Students participate in a challenging college preparatory curriculum taught through the lens of a biblical worldview. We are a community in which academic excellence, artistic expression and athletic distinction are marked by intentional discipleship. We partner with Christian parents to nurture and challenge the potential of each student. Quick Facts: • STEM: Programming for all grades; Award-winning High School International Space Station Team • Athletics: 27 Middle/High School Athletic Teams, Collegiate Athletic Signings, State Championships • Arts: Elementary, Middle and High School Musicals, Visual Art, Digital Art, Theatre, Choir, Band & Dance • Missions: Students serve communities locally and internationally Join us for an Admissions Open House or tour this Fall and discover Our Story! Visit carmelchristian.org and click on Start Here under Admissions. Now Accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might and the wonders that He has done. Psalm 78:4 Carmel Christian School_OCT.indd 1

1145 Pineville-Matthews Road Matthews, NC 28105 704-849-9723, #2 carmelchristian.org 8/27/21 10:35 AM

Charlotte Latin School Choosing the best school community for your children is a critical decision. We all want a school with dedicated teachers who bring learning to life and stretch our children’s minds to achieve their full potential. At Latin, crafting an education that is individualized and personal is important to our faculty. We want our students to grow up with strong character and to be confident leaders. Leadership, honor, work ethic, friendship, teamwork, inclusivity, empathy, and compassion are taught not only in the classroom, but also on the athletic field, the stage, and in clubs and organizations. Charlotte Latin is a community that is intentionally designed to capture every teachable moment as each year builds on the next, pedagogically and personally. Our 128 contiguous acres provide a setting with plenty of space for children to explore, while state-of-the art facilities like our new Inlustrate Orbem Building, world-class Horne Performing Arts Center, nationally-known ab ab, Bec Student Activities Center, eight athletic fields, an outdoor challenge course, and Lake Latin, provide space for children that enhances their educational setting. Charlotte Latin School has more than 1,500 students. Kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade are the primary entrance points.

9502 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28277 704-846-7207 charlottelatin.org/admissions

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Trinity Episcopal School Creating scholars, nurturing spirituality and embracing diversity are the cornerstones of Trinity Episcopal School - the only K-8 independent school in Uptown Charlotte. Our talented, diverse, and dedicated educators engage each student in ways that develop creative problem solving, critical thinking, and collaborative skills. Using what are often called “the longest hallways in Charlotte,” Trinity has the distinct advantage of an extended campus that includes center city destinations such as ImaginOn, Discovery Place, and the Mint Museum. Our school community nurtures spirituality through the reason, acceptance, and service found within the Episcopal tradition. Service-learning partnerships at every grade level with local community organizations opens children’s eyes to the broader world, and develops service as a habit of the heart. We embrace the richness of diversity by encouraging students to be socially-conscious and civically-engaged ambassadors of grace, honor and respect for others. We instill honor through high expectations for responsibility, respect, kindness and integrity, all found in our Honor Code. The powerful combination of creating scholars, nurturing spirituality, and embracing diversity enables us to inspire, develop and send forth the future leaders of tomorrow.

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750 E. 9th Street Charlotte, NC 28202 704-358-8101 tesadmission.com 8/26/21 3:25 PM

Charlotte Country Day School Ready. For. Anything. Ready to explore. Ready to create. Ready for whatever life has in store for me. Country Day Ready. Charlotte Country Day School is preparing the world’s next generation of leaders, thinkers, and doers. From junior kindergarten to our rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, our exceptional faculty incorporates the newest and most sophisticated technologies to teach an innovative and integrated curriculum. Since 1941 our mission has been to introduce young learners to the world of ideas. Our students learn to explore a variety of interests and develop lifelong relationships, in an environment that embraces each individual child. ere, you’ll find a profound commitment to lifelong learning, hands-on experiences, individualized attention, and a caring, inclusive community. ou’ll find teachers, coaches, administrators, and advisors wor ing in close partnership. Most importantly, you’ll find a dynamic educational experience that cultivates our student’s intellectual, social, physical, emotional, and creative qualities. Come experience how Country Day can help prepare your child to succeed in a world none of us can yet imagine. Call our team or visit our website for visit opportunities.

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1440 Carmel Road Charlotte, NC 28226 704-943-4530 charlottecountryday.org/admissions 8/27/21 10:56 AM

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Charlotte Preparatory School CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE & INNOVATION IN EDUCATION At Charlotte Prep, our PreK-8th grade model and intentional size provide a community where children receive an outstanding education in a nurturing environment. Individual intellectual, physical, and emotional growth are genuinely valued. Our Four Pillars: Respect, Courage, Integrity, and Perseverance, guide our daily routine. We develop self-confident leaders who model creative problem-solving skills and can lead others with kindness and confidence. Our curriculum and engaging learning philosophy invite students to stretch their minds, while our environment allows our students to harness the power of childhood. A few Charlotte Prep facts: • 40 of our students are from diverse bac grounds, 4 countries are represented • 4 of students ualified for u eTip over the last decade • 8:1 student to faculty ratio • 0 high school pressures in our Pre-K-8th Grade environment We are #OnePrep, and we invite you to join us for a Virtual Information Session. Please contact us at admissions@charlotteprep.org.

212 Boyce Road Charlotte, NC 28211 704-366-5994 charlotteprep.org

Palisades Episcopal School Celebrating 15 years of joyful learning! Palisades Episcopal School (PES) is an accredited independent school honoring Christ and committed to providing a classical education challenging the mind, body and spirit. An Episcopal school that welcomes students and families from all faith perspectives, PES serves students from both North and South Carolina in Junior Kindergarten – 8th grade on a nine-acre campus in Southwest Mecklenburg County. At P S, children find real oy in learning through hands-on opportunities for integrated study of scientific, cultural, historical, and literary investigations. ith mastery of s ills as the goal rather than ust memori ation of facts, PES students are provided time to think, discuss, process, and apply their knowledge, which in turn promotes intellectual curiosity and creates lifelong learners. Intimate class si es and low teacher-student ratios allow for differentiated instruction across every grade. Service integration helps students develop citi enship s ills and fosters values of integrity, courage, responsibility, compassion, and hard work. PES students graduate knowing how to connect their heads to their hearts and are academically prepared for high school and beyond. Bus Service – Equestrian – Performing Arts – Athletics Open House Information: Every day is an Open House at PES - in-person or virtual tours are available at your convenience! Palisades_211000.indd 1

13120 Grand Palisades Parkway Charlotte, NC 28278 704-583-1825 pescharlotte.org 8/30/21 11:54 AM

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Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Enrolling for PreK-12

Each day, we help our students develop a strong foundation of Catholic values through prayer, study, and outreach. Helping students see the value in a life of faith and service means they will carry these principles with them in their academic pursuits and throughout their lives. Our rigorous and challenging curriculum is taught by top-notch faculty who use cutting-edge technology to ensure students are prepared to meet a progressive future. Each MACS school engages in grade-level and school-wide service learning projects throughout the year. High school students travel on mission trips domestically and abroad to help serve needy communities and spread the good news. Middle and elementary school students collect and donate necessities for needy families and charities throughout the year. Charlotte Catholic | Holy Trinity | St. Gabriel | St. Patrick | St. Ann | Christ the King St. Matthew | St. Mark | Our Lady of Assumption

1123 S. Church Street Charlotte, NC 28203 704-370-3273 discovermacs.org

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8/30/21 1:37 PM

FREE OR O OUTDNT!* E EV

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2021 TPC PIPER GLEN, 4300 Piper Glen Dr. (event will take place on the lawn adjacent to the clubhouse)

10 AM - 1 PM Charlotte Parent will host its annual School Fair (in person!) on the clubhouse lawn of the beautiful TPC Piper Glen golf club in South Charlotte. Representatives from private, public and charter schools in the Charlotte/ South Charlotte area (extending from Uptown through Rock Hill) as well as area boarding schools will join the event. Schools grades range from Pre-K – Grade 12. Join us (it’s FREE) and speak directly with school representatives to get your questions answered. Entertainment and goodies will be provided for children to make it a fun family outing for the whole crew. PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: View the list on charlotteparent.com/schoolfair *This is an outdoor event, in the event of rain – the event date will be moved to the following Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, same location & time.

THE GOOD LIFE

PART Y P I C S

Seen FABFEST

Upcoming Calendar of Events Submit your event online at charlottemagazine.com/calendar, and look forward to seeing more from these: OCTOBER 10/1-3 Taste of Charlotte at Truist Field

Spirit Square 7/10/2021

1. John Tosco 2. Larry Sprinkle 3. Phil Winfield, Joey Molland 4. Beatles Singalong 5. Fans check out Beatles items 6. David Palmer 7. Nowhere Men

10/2 Moo & Brew Craft Beer, Burger and Music Festival at AvidXchange Music Factory Festival Grounds 10/2 Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure (Virtual or designated areas citywide) 10/13-17 Charlotte Film Festival (Citywide)

DANIEL COSTON

10/16 Theatre Charlotte’s 2021 Gala at VanLandingham Estate

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

WELCOME BACK FEST

Romare Bearden Park 7/24/2021

1. Jesse Cureton 2. Dae-Lee 3. Adrian Crutchfield 4. The crowd takes in the show 5. Orquesta Sabrosalsa 6. Houston Norris and Sam Tayloe of Time Sawyer

NC LITTLE LEAGUE STATE TOURNAMENT

Keith Field 7/12/2021

DANIEL COSTON

1. Wilson pep talk at the mound 2. Tyce Thompson 3. Wilson players 4. Lake Norman players

Continued on next page OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

Myers Park Neighborhood 7/30/2021

1. Derek Raghavan, Stacy Nicholson, Declan Walsh 2. Mimi Royall, Wendy Fu 3. Samantha Rose Mazzoway, Charles Bowman 4. Jessica Levy, Luoise Delp, Janet Cline 5. Harry Pirie, Jack DeMao, William Hause 6. Kevin Yount, Joe Pagani

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

DANIEL COSTON

Charlotte magazine (ISSN 1083-1444) is published monthly by Morris Communications at 214 W. Tremont Ave., Suite 303, Charlotte NC 28203-5161. Entire contents Copyright © 2021 by Morris Communications. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Periodicals postage paid in Charlotte, NC and additional offices. To subscribe, renew, or change address, go to www.charlottemagazine.com or write to: Charlotte magazine, 214 W. Tremont Ave., Suite 302, Charlotte NC 28203-5161. Subscription rate $19.95 for one year (twelve issues). For renewal or change of address, include the address label from your most recent issue. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Charlotte, P.O. Box 433237, Palm Coast, FL 32143-9616. Unsolicited photographs, illustrations, or articles are submitted at the risk of the photographer/artist/author. Charlotte magazine assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited materials and may use them at its discretion.

24 HOURS OF BOOTY: 2021

JIMMY AWARDS WATCH PARTY

McGlohon Theater 7/15/2021

1. Kate McCracken, Bryson Battle 2. Bryson Battle wins Jimmy Award

DANIEL COSTON; COURTESY

CROSSWORD

BY ANDY SMITH

ANSWERS can be found online at charlottemagazine.com/crossword. OCTOBER 2021 // CHARLOTTE

YOU ARE HERE Each month, we’ll throw a dart at a map and write about where it lands. LOCATION: 3100 Central Ave.

. tral AVE 3100 cen

Around and Around, Around the Clock THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE when you step into 24 Hour Laundry on Central Avenue is the colorful mural of a clothesline with shirts that proclaim “welcome” in more than a dozen languages—Arabic and Somali, Thai and Vietnamese. The mural encircles the room. Owner Marc Fuller commissioned a local artist to paint it after he bought the laundry in 2016. It seemed right for the laundromat to reflect one of Charlotte’s most culturally diverse neighborhoods, Commonwealth Park. “This is often a first stop for people who come to this country—and you feel that excited energy,” Fuller says, gesticulating

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2021

with both hands to make his point. The dryers spin, and oscillating fans attempt to take the edge off the oppressive afternoon heat. Fuller owned three laundromats in Charlotte, but he sold the other two on South Boulevard just before COVID, after development scattered the neighbors who had been his customers. This laundry, the only 24-hour laundromat in Charlotte, was always his favorite. Before the virus, Fuller hosted English classes here and distributed donated school supplies. When the pandemic hit, he passed out kits with hand sanitizer, vitamin C, and face masks.

Fuller is a lifelong traveler who’s visited about 90 countries, and he always choosing to eats and stays where the locals do. So it’s natural for him to want to know the cultures of the people who live in his city— and to respect that many of them can find time to wash clothes only at night. “That’s one thing I want to contribute to the city—a place you can go to get your laundry done at any time of the day. The way that Charlotte is growing, that kind of service is needed,” Fuller says. “Who are we to tell someone when they can and cannot do their laundry?” —Cristina Bolling

SHAW NIELSEN; CRISTINA BOLLING

Marc Fuller’s slice of multicultural Charlotte is open whenever you need it

The BEST means care that is

truly life-changing

Carolinas Medical Center

Levine Children’s Hospital

Carolinas Rehabilitation

You have a choice when it comes to healthcare. And when you want the best, the choice is clear. With Atrium Health you’ll find advanced technologies, with more personal attention and better outcomes. That’s why we’re ranked among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report. We always give you our best, because you and your family deserve care that’s second to none.

AtriumHealth.org/TheBest

Charlotte Magazine October 2021

Articles inside

Beer

You Are Here

Playlist

The Story Behind

On the Line

Now Open

Hot Listings

Life Lessons

Neighborhoods

Weekender

Community

Style

Building History

Room We Love

Connect