blvd. | around town Rendering of OpenTap
Just when it seemed Charlotte had reached maximum beer capacity, at least a half-dozen new breweries and taprooms have recently opened or announced plans to expand. Concord’s Southern Strain Brewing opened in March in Plaza-Midwood. Resident Culture Brewing opened a new taproom in South End. Asheville’s Burial Beer (Plaza-Midwood) and Hi-Wire Brewing (South End) and Texas-based Weathered Souls Brewery (South End) have new locations on tap for later this year. Even south Charlotte is getting in on the sudsy scene. Construction is expected to begin this spring on OpenTap, a craft beer and wine bar at 5010 Carmel Center Dr. OpenTap will offer 64 self-pouring taps in a 7,500-square-foot family-friendly space that will include an outdoor shade garden, a tree house mezzanine and a village green. “To my wife and I, there was an obvious need for a community hub where family and neighbors could congregate while enjoying wellcrafted beers and kids could safely play in an enclosed outdoor space,” says OpenTap co-founder Scott Thorne. Beer, wine, cider and hard seltzer will be offered; 12 of the 64 taps will dispense craft sodas and other kid-friendly beverages. opentapclt.com
Olde Mecklenburg Brewery will be an anchor tenant at The Bowl at Ballantyne, a new entertainment, retail and residential center. OMB plans to open a biergarten and restaurant with nearly 14,000 square feet of indoor space, a 7,000-square-foot patio and a second-level mezzanine in 2023.
Stepping stone for success
In March, Charlotte Country Day School and HoopTee Charities — founded by Charlotte Hornets President Fred Whitfield — teamed with the Dee-Lite Foundation to award four-year academic scholarships for four high-school students at CCDS. The scholarships valued at $500,000 include tuition, books, extracurricular fees and more. The Dee-Lite Foundation is led by Henry Shaw, a minority owner of the Hornets. “We want all the kids to truly be a part of the entire school experience from education to social activities,” Shaw said in a news release. “I want these kids to use education as a stepping stone for great success, and I’m rooting for them every step of the way.” SP
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RENDERINGS BY CLUCK DESIGN
On tap
