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THURSDAYS
APRIL 17 – MAY 22
5 – 9 PM at Symphony Park
The Ladies Issue
Women of Charlotte: this issue is dedicated to you and the many hats you wear as you close out spring obligations and head into summer. May is a time to recognize women who have made an impact and to honor mothers, whether the traditional kind or simply those who shine their light on others. I think author Glennon Doyle said it best in her letter to Oprah Winfrey the week after Oprah’s mother died.
“Some of us who can check the box ‘mother’ never really learn how to offer mothering love, and others of us who don’t check the box, harness it and offer it widely and wildly. How much better off the world would be if we gathered up mothering love and used it like a floodlight instead of a pointed laser aimed only at the few we’ve been assigned.”
Charlotte is full of amazing women, including small business owners, educators, artists, philanthropists, and stay-at-home moms — all tireless champions of their families. We hope the features in these pages pay tribute to mothering love.
In our May issue, we feature women who are making a difference in our Charlotte community: Sarah Olin and Elena Arecco Bridgmon, who founded LUMO Leadership to help women find work/life balance, Coley Collett Hull, who has revitalized furniture manufacturing in North Carolina, and Ohavia Phillips, who turned a difficult past into her rally cry for positivity.
With Gratitude,
LIZ BROWN, PUBLISHER @QUEENCITYMAG
May 2025
PUBLISHER
Liz Brown | liz.brown@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Carroll Walton | carroll.walton@citylifestyle.com
COPY EDITOR
Matias Arredondo | matias.arredondo@citylifestyle.com
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Gillian Horn
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Liz Brown, Krisha Chachra, Catherine Ruth Kelly, Carroll Walton
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Carlos Causo, Robin Hill, Melissa Key, Laura Sumrak
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Adam Finley
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Megan Cagle
blob:https://teams.microsoft.com/508bdd4f-4825-47d8-9d9c-2b5d00ac2a70
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Whether reconfiguring existing spaces, adding new rooms, or changing floor plans, our design and build process elevates your remodeling experience while transforming your house into a place you lovingly call home.
city scene
WHERE
NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1:
3:
4:
7:
Philip and Amy Blumenthal, Andrew Blumenthal and Whitney Watson 2: Blythe McAulay, Ashley Shaw, Rees Launer, Rad von Werssowetz, Laurens Threlkeld and Stephanie Fountaine
Peter and Alison Keane
Weston and Marty Andress 5: Isaac Aoki, Natalie Frazier Allen, and Chloe Allen 6: Star dancers (left to right): Brent Fatticci, Natalie Frazier Allen, Alex Funderburg, Rad von Werssowetz, Bill Hyder and Amy Sobel
Charlotte Wickham, Nicole Fruga, Posey Mealey, and Callie Dobbins
JEFF CRAVOTTA
HEATHER FINK
PETER ZAY
HEATHER FINK
PETER ZAY
PETER ZAY
HEATHER FINK
Charlotte Ballet’s Dancing with the Stars of Charlotte Gala
8: Lead singer for Gump Fiction, Natalie Lacy, performing Madonna’s “Vogue.” 9: 2025 Icon class and FBL Committee, which helped raise $775,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 10: Actress, Event Host and FBL Committee Member Angie Harmon 11: Angie Urbania & Brad Wallace, the top fundraising Icon at FBL 10th Annual Gala 12: Marcy & Zane Basrawala 13: Lara Aboulhosn and Mignonne Gavigan 14: Aynsley Mahoney
Fashion Breathes Life 10th Annual Gala benefiting The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Photography by
Luba Abramova of Photo Chemistry by Luba
Meet our experienced dermatology team!
Now offering Mohs Surgery
Dr. Euphemia Mu is excited to return to her hometown of Charlotte, NC as a Mohs surgeon and dermatologist.
A ROUNDUP OF NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES
Sip for a Cause with Drink Pink!
This summer, raise a glass and make a difference! From Memorial Day through June, Madelyn’s Fund’s Drink Pink campaign partners with restaurants and bars across the Carolinas. Order a featured pink drink or menu item, and a portion of sales supports NICU families in need. Every sip counts. Cheers to giving back— don’t forget to tag @madelynsfund #DrinkPinkCLT. Learn more at madelynsfund.org/drinkpink .
Dr. Charles Brown, Dr. Euphemia Mu, Katie Caggiano, PA-C, Danielle Tashakori, PA-C High School | Myers Park College | Princeton Med School | Johns Hopkins Residency | New York University Fellowship | Mount Sinai RENATA by
Dilworth Dermatology & Laser is accepting new patients
Renata Gasparian opens new store
Renata’s new store is now open and located at 1419 East Boulevard at Twin Oaks. RENATA by Renata Gasparian was born to create a women’s ready-to-wear collection of continuity, where pieces are seasonless and new designs complement the prior ones. Learn more at https://renatagasparian.com/.
Photography courtesy of RENATA
Photography courtesy of Madelyn’s Fund
Lovin’ Life Music Festival
The Lovin’ Life Music Festival returns to Uptown for the second year after a sold-out debut in 2024. The festival features more than 50 artists performing on two stages for three days the weekend of May 2-4. The 2025 headlining musicians include the Dave Matthews Band, Gwen Stefani, Ludacris, Weezer, Teddy Swims, Best New Artist Grammy nominee Benson Boone, The Revivalists and more. Learn more at LovinLifeMusicFest.com.
Pre-Prohibition: The Golden Age of Cocktails at Supperland Speakeasy
Colleen Hughes, Beverage Director and 2025 James Beard Nominee, reflects on 1889 with this new fourcourse tasting menu experience. Each drink, paired with a dish from the Supperland culinary team, is crafted to showcase the depth and artistry of pre-prohibition mixology on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from April 17–June 14. Seatings at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Price: $175 per person. Groups can buy 10 seats for available time slots. For group bookings, email Supperland@icloud.com
May is Melanoma Awareness Month
A crucial time to prioritize skin health.
At Piedmont Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, we know that early detection is key in the fight against skin cancer.
Annual skin checks can catch melanoma and other skin cancers early when most treatable.
Our Board-Certified Dermatologists and Micrographic Dermatologic Surgeons provide expert screenings, advanced treatments, and personalized care to help you protect your skin.
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BLAKENEY LOCATION
5815 BLAKENEY PARK DRIVE, SUITE 100
CHARLOTTE, NC 28277
PHONE: 704-542-2220
COTSWOLD LOCATION
309 S. SHARON AMITY ROAD, SUITE 200
CHARLOTTE, NC 28211
PHONE: 704-344-8846
Savas Trunk Show at Taylor Richards & Conger
Join Taylor Richards & Conger May 1-3 for their Savas Trunk Show event. Shop their collection in-store, browse the full S25 collection, and view the generous selection of luxury leather fabrics for made-to-measure orders.
2025 PGA Championship
The PGA Championship returns to Quail Hollow Club for the first time since 2017. The PGA moved the event from August to May, which means cooler weather! Practice rounds begin Monday, May 12. The tournament is Thursday, May 15–Sunday, May 18. New this year: Uber/ Lyft dropoffs are allowed on property, a pedestrian bridge, and “championship plus” ticketing, combining admission and concessions. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and Quail Hollow at PGAChampionship.com/ practice-rounds
Want to be featured?
GET IN TOUCH AT CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/ QUEENCITY
WING HAVEN ON TROPICAL TOUR
ARTICLE BY KRISHA CHACHRA
Local members gain inspiration from private tours of gorgeous Miami gardens
In the spirit of cultivating a love for southern horticulture, the Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary staff recently curated a trip to Miami for their members to tour private gardens for inspiration.
“We wanted our members to experience something they wouldn’t normally have access to beyond public garden spaces in Miami,” explains Development Director Susan Evans, who helped organize the trip. “Most of our members have a passion for gardening, so the trip had to be very special, informative and memorable.”
Wing Haven, which offers workshops, lecture series, wellness sessions, bird walks and adult and children’s education programs, decided to visit Miami’s gardens after Executive Director Barrett Ranson Shannonhouse was connected with famed Miami-based landscape designer Fernando Wong.
“Fernando’s work is internationally recognized, and he has a reputation for creating stunning, functional landscapes for private estates that have been featured in many major garden and design magazines,” says Shannonhouse. “It was really special that he offered us the opportunity to visit some of the private gardens he designed.”
The group of 16 participants, including Shannonhouse and Evans—who have both served in their roles at Wing Haven for more than a decade—had access to two private estates: the
Wing Haven members with Miami-based landscape designer Fernando Wong
Photo courtesy of Wing Haven Sunrise Photo by Carlos Causo, courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
“Shangri-La” at the Strong residence and “Oak Alley” at the Hoover residence.
“Much like in Charlotte, Florida weather requires outdoor spaces to be everyday living spaces,” Shannonhouse explains. “Observing how Wong layered greens and other colors with plants and vines, transitioned sunny areas to sitting areas while balancing hardscapes with natural environments was exquisite.”
Attendees learned new methods of displaying flowers and greenery.
“Everyone brought home styling ideas for their own gardens,” Shannonhouse says. “Several plants like ferns and jasmines found in Florida can translate into our environment in Charlotte. We also observed techniques like using pops of color or vines across French doors to break up greenery.”
In walking the public gardens of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the group observed the importance of protecting trees.
“Trees play such an important role in our landscapes,” says Shannonhouse. “We have a fully native garden at Wing Haven and hope to incorporate more. Native trees enhance the ecosystems and require little water and maintenance.”
The group, which was made up of Wing Haven members and avid gardeners, spent two days in February at the luxurious Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables and dined at Fontana restaurant upon arrival. In between visiting the two public gardens, the tour included lunch at Mamey Miami. After the second night, the group reconvened for the private tour of the residences with Wong. Then, it took a break at the outdoor “secret garden” restaurant Glass and Vine before ending the experience at the Cuban supper club Social 27.
“We try to build flexibility around the main events so our attendees can experience the local culture and cuisine of the area,” says Shannonhouse. “We chose high-end accommodations that are walkable to the local scene, retail and restaurants and make sure we have comfortable transportation along with local guides.”
Wing Haven has offered driving-distance day trips for at least a decade, but only recently revamped its overnight trips for members and garden enthusiasts.
“We used to take international trips, and I’m hoping to bring that back to our schedule in the future,” Evans says. “We pick destinations where we can secure private or exclusive opportunities. If you visit on your own you wouldn’t have access to the places we’re taking you.”
The average trip accommodates 20-25 people—both couples and singles ranging from 40-60 years old. Members of Wing Haven get first dibs on securing a spot before garden trips are open to the public. Wing Haven also hosted an overnight trip to
Victoria amazonica
Photo by Carlos Causo, courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
The Casino
Photo by Robin Hill, Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Chihuly glass sculptures in a pond
Photo by Carlos Causo, courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
“Gardeners are generally happy people who love meeting other like-minded people who love nature.”
Charleston in April. A day trip to a flower farm in Concord is scheduled for June 10. The cost per person varies, but the three-night trip to Miami, which included hotel rooms, tours and several meals, was $2,250 for members and $2,500 for non-members based on double occupancy.
“We have several members who attend multiple trips a year,” says Shannonhouse. “Gardeners are generally happy people who love meeting other like-minded people who love nature.”
She also reflects on how the trips reinforce Wing Haven’s purpose.
“We’re offering some of the same qualities at Wing Haven as these elite gardens, such as garden rooms—separate spaces for roses or vines, for instance—that give people respite, relaxation and refuge.”
Shannonhouse believes visiting a garden and spending time outdoors improves overall health.
“People are seeking sanctuary in nature and find Wing Haven to be restorative,” she says. “As the city of Charlotte becomes more urban, people are looking to live in nature. Wing Haven may sound sleepy, but a garden is actually a very active place.”
KRISHA CHACHRA is a Charlotte-based travel writer for regional and national magazines. She has visited more than 50 countries on six continents and embraces the fact that she is now in her spa era. Contact her at krishachachra.com or on social media at @destinationsanddelish and @krishachachra
Begonia coccinea (Scarlet Begonia) at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Photo courtesy of Wing Haven
Petrea volubilis (Queen’s wreath) at “Oak Alley” at the Hoover residence
Photo courtesy of Wing Haven
LUMO
LEADERSHIP COACHES PARENTS, CAREGIVERS TO ADVOCATE IN CORPORATE WORLD
Champions for Women
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELISSA KEY
Photo Courtesy of Capitol
LUMO founders Sarah Olin and Elena Arecco Bridgmon
I know women who would push a truck out of traffic for their child, but they wouldn’t ask for a day off for a root canal.
Women in the workforce face challenges balancing parenthood with bustling careers. Companies struggle to find ways to keep them from burning out. Sarah Olin and Elena Arecco Bridgmon founded a business coaching firm in Charlotte to help both sides bridge that gap.
LUMO Leadership specializes in supporting working parents and caregivers. The name LUMO is a nod to “Luscious Mother,” Olin’s nickname for women’s retreats at her previous firm in New York.
After Olin and her husband moved south, she met Arecco Bridgmon at the daycare both of their daughters attended. Arecco Bridgmon was ready for a change from corporate America. She could relate to what Olin jokes: “I’m not just the Hair Club for Men President, I’m also a client.”
“We work inside organizations to support women, working parents and caregivers to help them pivot and change their lives,” Arecco Bridgmon said. “They go from surviving, hanging on by a threat, to thriving.”
Olin’s original client list included NBA coaches and employees at the United Nations. She got a foothold in Charlotte after reaching out to Laura Vinroot Poole, founder of Capitol, the luxury women’s fashion boutique, after seeing an article about Poole in Vanity Fair.
“Laura said, ‘Everyone who works at my store is a woman or mother,’” Olin says. “Her No.1 salesperson was pregnant, and Laura was afraid of losing her. I said, ‘I have a specialty coaching program where we support parents and caregivers before, during and after parental leave. She said, ‘Sign me up.’ That was seven years ago. We’ve been together ever since.”
Now LUMO uses a team of 23 coaches based from Atlanta to Canada, supporting women and men in local companies like Blumenthal Arts, the Charlotte Airport, Wells Fargo, and CMS, as well as national companies like J.Crew, Calvin Klein, and the Lincoln Center among others.
To the corporate world, LUMO pitches dollars and cents, pointing to verified statistics like: U.S. businesses lose an annual $57 billion in revenue because of a lack of supportive workplace policies for parents and families.
For smaller groups, LUMO coaches relate on a more personal level. They’ve guided clients through remote working during COVID. They role-play to prepare clients for conversations, asking for raises or more flexible hours.
“The modern woman needs to understand what her needs are and then ask for them to get met,” Olin says. “There’s always a solution, but we have to be willing to get uncomfortable, be vulnerable and have hard conversations. We always say, ‘You need to champion yourself the same way you would champion your child.’ I know women who would push a truck out of traffic for their child, but they wouldn’t ask for a day off for a root canal.”
Olin has used her own experiences as a mother to encourage clients. She describes guilt she felt leaving her husband to care for their young daughter one weekend a month for business trips to New York. Now, she points to the strong bond her husband and 12-year-old daughter share that wouldn’t have been possible if she stayed home.
“We believe women need to become unreasonable in their requests because what’s often asked of them is unreasonable,” Olin says.
For information, visit LUMOLeadership.com
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Dr. Teague also focuses on prevention, offering advanced screenings and diagnostic tests designed to identify risk markers before they become health problems.
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HOME ON POINTE
ARTICLE BY CATHERINE RUTH KELLY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA SUMRAK
A Charlotte homeowner’s ballet background influences the design aesthetic of her family home
At the age of 3, this Myers Park homeowner began taking ballet, advancing to the UNC School of the Arts in high school before becoming a professional ballerina in Atlanta. Knowing she wouldn’t dance forever, she kept up her undergraduate studies. After three years, she pivoted to full-time academics at the University of Florida, where she not only finished college but graduated from medical school.
The vintage cane chairs were repainted a soft white to blend with the room’s graceful aesthetic. Family heirlooms and photos fill the built-in shelf.
The
“The arts enraptured me from a very young age,” the homeowner says. “But I always had a real interest in science and stayed focused on academics, so it was a natural transition for me to go back to school full-time.”
She met her husband while living in Philadelphia during her medical residency. After getting married, they relocated to
Charlotte in 2018, halfway between his family in Boston and her family in Florida.
In 2021, the homeowners moved into their current home with their first child, who was 1 year old. They engaged local designer Shadie Copeland, who was recommended by their new next-door neighbor.
living room walls are swathed in Cole and Son Nuvole al Tramonto. The antique barley twist bench cushion is covered in a Brunschwig & Fils striped velvet and accented with Samuel & Sons tassels. The homeowner sourced the vintage Murano chandelier through a dealer in Texas.
“When we met, it was clear that Shadie had an appreciation for tying the old with the new,” reflects the homeowner. “That was appealing to me because I collect things and am always on the hunt; we have lots of mementos from different parts of our lives we wanted to use.”
Copeland started her Charlotte interior design business in 2019 after honing her skills at New York City and Denver firms. She sketched room layouts before focusing on paint colors, furniture and fabrics.
“This house has 10-foot ceilings and very large scale rooms, so I immediately recognized the need to create spaces within spaces,” Copeland says.
The homeowners originally had a dining table centered in the generously sized breakfast room adjacent to the kitchen. Copeland reconfigured the space, adding a second light fixture and a second rug to create two vignettes: a sitting area and a breakfast nook.
“The breakfast table holds sentimental value, so they wanted to use it, but it was too small to be centered in that room,” says Copeland. “By creating two different areas, we transformed it from an ordinary breakfast room to a great dual space.”
The homeowners owned several rugs that served as color inspiration throughout the house. As they worked with Copeland to select fabrics, paint and wallpaper, their preferred aesthetic was apparent.
“As a dancer, she was drawn to soft colors, elegance and simplicity, and they both wanted family heirlooms and photos included in the decor throughout the house,” Copeland says.
The living room exemplifies the pas de deux between Copeland’s expertise and the homeowners’ style. They first selected the wallpaper, pastel ombre panels of billowy clouds, to set the stage for the room decor. Copeland created a sitting area in the center of the room, deftly balancing the darker woods of cherished antiques with softer hues in fabrics, trims and accessories.
“All of these pieces have beautiful lines to them,” notes Copeland. “The lightness, the elegance, the feminine curves are all subtle and graceful, just like my client’s aesthetic.”
The pièce de résistance in the living room is the palm leaf Murano chandelier that delicately unfurls from the
A Charlie McCullers original photograph of the homeowner, taken during her tenure with the Atlanta Ballet, hangs over the antique sideboard. The vintage table was found on Chairish. The homeowner purchased the rug before decorating the house, and the size and colors worked perfectly in the dining room.
“As a dancer, she was drawn to soft colors, elegance and simplicity, and they both wanted family heirlooms and photos included in the decor throughout the house.”
A pair of Visual Comfort lanterns hang above the kitchen island. Sink hardware is by Newport Brass.
Oly Studio’s bird chandelier illuminates the breakfast area, where a custom upholstered bench with a scalloped silhouette lines the table.
Copeland designed a gallery wall for family photos, displayed in Aerin frames.
ceiling. The homeowner found the pale pink blown glass fixture through an antique dealer in Texas.
“The chandelier was absolutely perfect with the soft pink color and the palm leaves, which remind me of my home state of Florida,” the homeowner says.
Despite the elevated style and sophistication emanating from this room, it’s not off-limits for the homeowners’ three young children and dog. They regularly use the space.
“While it looks so formal, we’ve hosted toddler singalongs in there,” says the homeowner. “We had our Christmas tree in there. It’s a central part of the home, and we are in there daily.”
Similarly, the dining room showcases a mixture of old and new pieces enveloped by a beautiful backdrop of intricate chinoiserie garden wallpaper. The
homeowner’s photograph above the antique buffet was taken during her tenure with the Atlanta Ballet, and the newly purchased clover chairs add a modern yet refined style around the vintage table.
“We love the soft velvet fabric for the dining chairs, but I told Shadie to be sure to order extra rolls because there will be pasta sauce in that room!” the homeowner says.
The homeowners’ ultimate goal was to create a family-friendly home in which every room is approachable and comfortable. They regularly entertain family and friends.
“I love thinking of the times when every dining chair is filled, and there is music in the living room,” says the homeowner. “Shadie really helped us create a welcoming but elegant space that still suits the dynamics of a family on the go.”
Visual Comfort swing arm sconces accent the wall above a vintage daybed, repurposed and reupholstered for the homeowner’s family room. Gingham fabric on chairs and draperies is by Chelsea Textiles.
The twin beds in the daughter’s room are hand-me-downs from the homeowner’s aunt. The homeowner enjoys scouring antiques stores in Cashiers, N.C., where she found the child’s rocker, blue chest and hydrangea print.
A daughter’s bathroom is wrapped in Cole and Son Hummingbirds wallpaper, a nod to the family of hummingbirds that lives in their yard.
6842 Carnegie Blvd., Ste. 200
(980) 423-1272
endodonticsofsouthpark.com info@endodonticsofsouthpark.com
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COLEY HOME’S FOUNDER FOLLOWS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HER MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER IN THE UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE BUSINESS
Furniture Legacy
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF COLEY HOME
Coley Collett Hull has combined lessons passed down by the women in her family with her own modern sensibilities to create a flourishing local furniture business, Coley Home.
Her grandparents, Dottie and Bill Coley, founded Lee Industries, the upscale furniture manufacturer in Newton, N.C., more than 50 years ago. Hull studied textiles at N.C. State and spent four years in textile design in New York City, before moving back to Charlotte with her husband and opening Coley Home in 2019.
Her initial concept of making beds expanded to include upholstered chairs, sofas, sectionals and more, emphasizing direct sales to the consumer, as well as to designers.
Hull, who is expecting her third child, sat down with Queen City publisher Liz Brown and editor Carroll Walton to talk about her family legacy, balancing work and motherhood, and the powerful influence of women in her life.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY LEGACY IN THE FURNITURE BUSINESS.
My grandparents started Lee Industries, another furniture manufacturer in the Hickory, Conover area. They sell to Crate & Barrel, Circa (and other) stores. My mom (Ginny Collett) worked there her whole life. She grew up in Hickory, and then moved to Charlotte and had all of us. She
CONTINUED >
was a sales rep for a while and then took over all the design and fabric sourcing. My grandmother did all the fabrics before her. So I was around it a lot. We were always going to High Point Market. I went to school for textile design. I always knew I wanted to do something with it.
HOW DID THE CONCEPT OF COLEY HOME COME ABOUT?
When I moved back here, we had this idea of just doing this bed-in-the-box product, which was our first launch. The headboard is foam and rolls up and expands, like the Casper mattress. The bed frame also fits in a box.
WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU ENCOUNTER AS A NEW BUSINESS?
At first, we were set on manufacturing in Charlotte, and that was a terrible idea. We didn’t have the skilled labor to sew the slipcovers. I can do the marketing and the design, but I don’t know how to sew. It’s hard to manage something you don’t know how to do.
WHO DID YOU TURN TO?
Trent Wright, who was the head of manufacturing at Lee. He had over 700 employees. He left four or five years ago for another manufacturing company. He
Family photo of Ginny Collett in a Lee Industries chair
Coley Home's showroom is located on Thrift Road in Charlotte.
said, “Coley, let me make your headboards, cut and sew your upholstery, and then we’ll send it back to Charlotte and package it.” So we did that for a while. During COVID, U.S. manufacturing was quite challenging because they were shutting down (and businesses) were importing. Then, the building next door came up for sale. At that time, we had 30 employees. We just moved all the employees over to the other building and started our own manufacturing.
HOW WAS MANUFACTURING YOURSELF IMPORTANT?
It is the key to the whole thing. Everyone’s been through so much with COVID and the supply chain. If you don’t have the right leader getting the right team together, it can be really challenging. Being able to control the whole thing from start to finish is so key. For a customer, if we have damage, we can fix it quickly. Our lead times go up. We wouldn’t be where we are if we didn’t run our manufacturing.
WHAT ADVANTAGES COME FROM SERVING CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY ONLINE?
They can send in their own fabrics. Twenty or 30 percent of our business is customer’s own material. They can go to Schumacher and source a fabric, send it to us and put it on our frame.
WHAT’S BEEN THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR PRODUCT?
At first, we pictured it as a slightly lower-end, more youthful furniture solution for someone moving to New York for the first time, wanting an easy bed. That’s not what it is now. We still have foam headboards, and we sell a lot of them. But now we have hardwood beds, too.
HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO EXPAND?
My mom always says it’s never a straight line. Our customers started to want sofas and sectionals. My mom and I wanted that too. We were designing for ourselves, and we have higher taste, so it morphed in that direction. But once we had the capabilities and the (product development) team in place, we followed that direction.
WHAT ARE YOUR MOM’S STRENGTHS IN BUSINESS AND HAVE YOU BORROWED SOME OF HER IDEAS?
We’re really similar. We look alike. Everyone says, “You’re twins.” She’s good at making decisions. She
Coley Home's manufacturing facility in Claremont, N.C.
makes them and moves on, which is important. And she’s always open to trying new things. She took Lee to the next level, design-wise. My grandmother had a beautiful, traditional taste. My mom is still traditional but added a little bit of youthfulness.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR WORK AND HOME LIFE, AS A SOON-TO-BE MOM OF THREE UNDER THE AGE OF 5?
My house is chaotic because my kids are so young. There’s no working from home. There’s so much to do; I just want to clean or organize. I’m a big [proponent of] when I’m home, I’m home, and when I work, I’m at work. I feel like it’s really important to have boundaries. When we started Coley Home, I didn’t have kids. My husband and I would work all the time. Now the weekends are for my family.
IS CONTINUING YOUR FAMILY LEGACY IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Definitely. My grandmother and my mom were such a big part of Lee. Now my mom and I get to do this together, so it’s really fun.
GIVEN YOUR FATHER’S SUCCESS AS A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPER (JOHN COLLETT), DID YOU AND YOUR SISTER WANT TO FOLLOW IN HIS ENTREPRENEURIAL FOOTSTEPS? [ ADDY COLLETT OWNS THE HEALTH CLUB IN CHARLOTTE. ]
My dad loves business. He had restaurants growing up, Harper’s, Upstream, Mimosa, Mama Fu’s and Moe’s, as an investor. He gets so inspired by what people are doing. And with my mom and my grandparents, Lee has an incredible culture. I feel like Coley Home does, too, now. Everyone’s like a family.
Learn more at ColeyHome.com
Coley Hull pictured with her daughter and mother Ginny Collett
VILLAGE life
The Village on Morehead has ushered in sophisticated retirement living in the Queen City. Surrounded by the heritage neighborhoods of Eastover, Myers Park and Dilworth – its impeccable finishes, Aspenwood service detail, dining and resort-style amenities make it the premier address. Spaces designed for entertaining, fitness, relaxation and a dedicated team provide a secure, lock and leave lifestyle for members.
Should you be looking for yourself, loved-one or friend, this beautiful community provides all the comfort, care, and exceptional amenities you can expect from Village Life
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON
Charlotte Hornets host and content creator turns childhood secret into motivation for positivity
Oh-mazing
Ohavia
When Ohavia Phillips was a student at Myers Park High School, her teachers used to try to break up her conversations by moving her around the classroom. It was no use for the girl with dreams of becoming a talk show host.
“I was friends with everybody, so that never worked,” says Phillips, laughing. Now she’s a Spectrum Arena host, Charlotte area event emcee and media entrepreneur. “The back of the class? The back was VIP. They moved me to the side. The side is VIP. You can move me anywhere. It’s going to be VIP wherever I go.”
Photo by Jordan Rawlington
This is her fourth season as infectious hype girl for the Charlotte Hornets. Whether Phillips is working a crowd at a game, fundraiser, or corporate event, her personality is as wide as her smile. You would never know in her high school days, as a member of the dance team, a pageant girl, and honor student, she was carrying a big secret.
Shortly after the Phillips family moved to Charlotte from Brooklyn, NY, her mother moved with Ohavia and her four younger siblings into a shelter for domestic violence victims at Safe Alliance. Living there, she wasn’t allowed to reveal her whereabouts anyway.
“At 14 years old, your friends are looking for you,” says Phillips, who helped care for her younger siblings, ages 12, 9, 3, and infant, while her mother worked as a nurse. “They want to go to the mall, and I can’t go, and I can’t give them a reason.”
Only after she began pursuing a career in media, making YouTube interviews as a student at UNC Charlotte, did she talk about her past, but only to a point. She didn’t use the words “domestic violence
shelter” until she applied for an internship at Time Warner Cable News and had to explain why she’d lost track of important paperwork.
While she kept her story private, she worked to tell other people’s stories after her internship turned into a full-time job as a TV reporter and producer.
“I wanted to pitch a series where we could highlight young people doing incredible things in the city,” shares Phillips. “[My boss] said, ‘You don’t understand. It doesn’t work like that. This is television news. If it bleeds, it leads. We don’t want to hear positive stories.’”
Phillips quit. She started her own media business, something she’d been dabbling with on YouTube anyway. In that setting, establishing connections in interviews, she began to tell the whole truth about her past.
Photo by Jordan Rawlington
Photo by Kris Campbell
“I felt like I didn’t have to keep the secret anymore,” Phillips says. “I was really free. That also helped me step into my true authenticity. Folks always talk about the light [of mine] they love, the energy they love. I credit it to stepping in fully to a story others would hide. Some wouldn’t want to share because it would affect the brand. I didn’t care about any of that. I said, ‘I’ve got to be free, and I don’t know who I can help.’”
In 2019, Phillips was asked to emcee an event for Teal Diva, a nonprofit supporting women with gynecologic cancer. Attendees there with companies like Bank of America and Ally Financial spread the word. More invitations came to emcee for the Black Leadership Alliance, the Harvey Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture and other organizations.
In 2021, Hornets arena host Jacinda Jacobs recommended Phillips to fill in for her while she was on maternity leave.
“I didn’t have to do an audition,” Phillips says. “I didn’t have to file any paperwork. They took one look at my Instagram, and here we are… It’s funny how all the bread crumbs have made this delicious loaf.”
Phillips just published a book called “Wearing Expectations Like a Designer.” She is getting married
this month to local musician Dennis Reed Jr. She has set a goal of establishing a scholarship at UNC Charlotte for a student who comes from a single-parent home.
Her mom, Mahalia Hanson, has left nursing to begin working as a life coach. She’s also writing a book with Phillips’ help.
“She is the strongest woman I know,” Phillips says. “She never made excuses, and she never gave up when she could have. That’s where I get that grit from.”
As for her positivity? Phillips says that came from her faith.
“The things I’ve been through, anybody else would be walking around like the Grinch, and rightfully so,” she says. “These are things that when you’re 14 years old, it’s not fair that it happened to you. I should be a menace to society. [But] I know what it’s like when hurt people hurt other people, and I want to be different.”
Photo by Kris Campbell
A W o m a n ’ s t o u c h i n
t r a n s f o r m i n g s p i n a l c a r e
A t P r i m a r y S p i n e I n s t i t u t e c o - f o u n d e r L i l a L e v e t b l e n d s e x p e r t i s e w a r m t h
a n d p r e c i s i o n t o r e d e f i n e s p i n a l c a r e A s a w o m a n i n a t r a d i t i o n a l l y m a l e -
d o m i n a t e d f i e l d s h e h a s c r e a t e d m o r e t h a n j u s t a c h i r o p r a c t i c o f f i c e i t ’ s a
s a n c t u a r y o f s t r e n g t h h e a l i n g a n d e m p o w e r m e n t W i t h a b a c k g r o u n d i n
b a l l e t a n d a d e e p c o m m i t m e n t t o h e l p i n g p e o p l e m o v e a n d f e e l b e t t e r , L i l a
a n d t h e t e a m t a k e a s c i e n c e - d r i v e n a p p r o a c h u s i n g a d v a n c e d i m a g i n g X -
r a y s , a n d p r e c i s e d i a g n o s t i c s t o u n c o v e r t h e r o o t c a u s e o f s p i n a l i m b a l a n c e s
U n l i k e t r a d i t i o n a l c h i r o p r a c t i c c a r e P r i m a r y S p i n e I n s t i t u t e d o e s n ’ t b e l i e v e i n i n d e f i n i t e t r e a t m e n t s H e r e , y o u f o l l o w a s t r u c t u r e d , t a i l o r e d p l a n , a c h i e v e r e a l r e s u l t s a n d g r a d u a t e r e t u r n i n g o n
Lila Levet
Coaching Confidence + Leadership to Girls
Is Your Daughter Struggling to Find her Confidence?
Whether it’s feeling overwhelmed in school, hesitant on the field, or unsure of her own abilities, through coaching, she will:
• Learn to Trust her Voice and Be Bold
• Thrive in Group Settings
• Build Time Management Skills
• Cultivate Resilience
• Establish Goals and Go After Them!
Sweet Potato Salad
Eat Local
Sweet Potato Purée
INGREDIENTS
• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon honey
• 2 teaspoons miso
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place all ingredients (besides the miso and honey) in large roasting pan. Mix and wrap in foil.
3. Cook for 50 minutes or until tender.
4. Remove from pan. Peel sweet potatoes.
5. Blend purée until smooth and fold in miso and honey.
6. Salt to taste.
Brown Butter Vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup blended oil
• 2 roasted lemons
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
DIRECTIONS
1. In sauce pan, melt butter over high heat.
2. Once it begins to foam, carefully stir with whisk until it browns evenly.
3. Remove from pan and add the blended oil.
4. Cut roasted lemons in half, remove seeds. Reserve pulp and zest.
5. Purée roasted lemons until smooth.
6. Pour over the butter and oil mixture.
7. In large bowl, combine the honey, mustard, vinegar and salt.
8. Pour over the butter and oil mixture and reserve in a warm place.
FINAL STEPS
Clean a head of radicchio, quarter, and put into mixing bowl. Pour warm dressing over and toss gently. Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Spread sweet potato purée on the bottom of the plate and then top with radicchio mixture. Serve with jumbo lump crab meat or grilled shrimp for a healthy entrée.
Follow along for the highly anticipated opening of restaurant Leluia Hall on Instagram @leluiahall.
Leluia Hall chef Cristian Medrano, a native of Peru, worked in Tampa, Orlando, and Washington D.C., before Charlotte.
ARTICLE BY QUEEN CITY STAFF | PHOTOGRAPHY BY HADLEY HENRY
THE MODERN MARTINI
ARTICLE BY QUEEN CITY STAFF
A DRINK THAT IS SOPHISTICATED AND ALWAYS IN STYLE. HERE ARE FIVE MUST-TRIES IN CHARLOTTE.
Martinis are the classic cocktail for the refined palate. Whether you enjoy them wet or dry, shaken or stirred, dirty or not, their versatility is what makes them the perfect choice for your next gathering or night out on the town.
L’OSTRICA, LOLO MARTINI
The LoLo Martini, made with Sipsmith London Dry gin, Dolin Dry and Dolin Blanc, is a savory gin martini with a splash of Manzanilla sherry and kombu saline, which add depth and body without being heavy-handed. It’s delightful on its own, but even better with the Lolo oyster sidecar, which comes topped with Tsar Nicoulai caviar. It’s available year-round on their cocktail menu, which can be enjoyed with tasting menus or at the bar.
L’Ostrica, Lolo Martini
Photo by Unify visual marketing
OSHEN, WASABI MARTINI
RADA, SAN SEBASTIAN MARTINI
Try this unique cocktail featuring gin, tximista vermouth, bay leaf, basque pepper brine, and olive with your choice of tapas and shareable plates. Rada opened in January in Myers Park.
A bold and flavorful cocktail where the smooth vodka base meets the refreshing essence of cucumber syrup, creating a perfectly balanced sip. The subtle sweetness lightens the alcohol, while a vibrant wasabi kick adds just the right amount of spice—leaving a lingering warmth without overpowering the other flavors. It’s an adventurous twist on a classic martini for sure.
OROSOKO, STAR MARTINI
EVER ANDALO, FOR EVER MARTINI
Ever Andalo’s Italian menu wouldn’t be complete without an approachable yet thoughtful martini. This one features Tito’s vodka, botanist gin, Carpano dry vermouth, olive brine, house-cured spiced olives, and lemon twist. Beverage Director and 2025 James Beard Nominee Colleen Hughes created the “For Ever Martini,” blending the brightness of lemon with the savory, zesty flavors of spiced marinated olives. Try pairing it with an order of raw oysters, housemade burrata and focaccia bread, or marinated white anchovies.
This martini has a name so scandalous you have to visit to find out more. Said to be inspired by a dancer’s perfume, this crowd-pleasing cocktail with vanilla and passion fruit, accompanied by a shot of sparkling wine, has spread far from its origins at London’s Townhouse Bar in the early 2000s. The balance between a tropical fruit-forward cocktail and crisp bubbles will delight the most discerning palates. Pairs well with both Latin and Asian seafood items on Orosoko’s menu.
Photo by Chris Rodartes
Photo by Justin Driscoll
Photo by Laura Pol
THE REST OF OUR LIVES
Reading a Judy Goldman memoir is like curling up into an easy conversation with someone you’ve known for years—easy in the way she talks to you, though never in the choice of subject matter. Whether she’s writing about loss, the challenges of marriage, the complexity of race, or most recently, the most taboo topic of all: aging, she splits opens her own life, so readers can explore their own.
In her latest book The Rest of Our Lives , which is in stores this month, Charlotte’s own Goldman entices readers into a treacherous topic like she’s handing you a frothy latte to go with it. She entertains with stories from her past while revealing the unexpected ways history can repeat itself. She challenges herself, and by extension her reader, with questions about the future, while facing the fleeting nature of the present. “Stalled at the intersection of now and next,” she boils down what is ultimately most important.
And as always, Goldman keeps readers rooted in the power of place. For that alone, Charlotteans both young and old, and even a little older, this read is a must.
From author Judy Goldman:
“We tend to think of old age as something foreign, alien, but really, it just echoes all those important stages we passed through on our way from then to now, bringing a fear of the unfamiliar as well as the exhilaration of trying out a new existence. I’d like it to guide 80-year-olds, 40-year-olds, and everyone in between!”
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JUDY GOLDMAN
Goldman reflects on aging in latest memoir
Heal Joint Pain Without Surgery
