Charlotte Magazine December 2020

Christmas Events From a Distance p. 32

The Forgotten Sci-Fi Film That Launched From Here p. 21

Bleu Barn Bistro’s Next Move p. 40

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CONTENTS CHARLOTTE / DECEMBER 2020 / VOL. 25, NUMBER 12

Features 64

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Gifts that give back

44

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR The ones who gave us hope in 2020

BY MICHELLE BOUDIN, TAYLOR BOWLER, ALLISON BRADEN, GREG LACOUR, AND ANDY SMITH

45 46 48 50 52

Black Lives Matter Mural Taiwo Jaiyeoba Dr. Katie Passaretti Sam Diminich

54 56 58 60

Bubba Wallace Jeff Jackson Molly Grantham Kass Ottley

Michael Jordan

ON THE COVER: Lettering by Maribeth Kiser.

ON THIS PAGE: Black and white CHARLOTTE SKYSCRAPER CHESS SET ($135) by Joel Bonasera of Making Things CLT. See his ornaments and more online at makingthingsclt.com. Photograph by Adam Whitlow.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

5

24

21

15

40

12 20 CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE 8 From the Editor 11

Connect

RUSTY WILLIAMS; COURTESY, ROBERT MADLE; PETER TAYLOR; JONATHAN COOPER

112 You Are Here THE GUIDE 102 Restaurants The city’s savviest restaurant listings

THE BUZZ 15 Life Lessons Jamal Harvey unites a city through kindness 18

Economy The economic impact of COVID

THE GOOD LIFE 21 Community The 1950s sci-fi film that debuted in Charlotte 24

Philanthropy Bright Blessings helps underprivileged kids during COVID

25

FOOD + DRINK 38 Now Open MOA Korean BBQ serves a grill-at-yourtable experience 40

Local Flavor The couple behind Bleu Barn North End

Real Estate Midcentury modern homes

41

Bite-Sized News Foodie news on a small plate

26

History The story of Charlotte, part 13

42

The Story Behind The Stanley’s Philly cheesesteak

30

Room We Love A Boho-style loft

42

32

Seasonal Fun A socially-distanced Christmas

Recipe A festive frozen oat latte from CupLux

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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F RO M T H E E D I TO R

REST IN PEACE, MISS JUDY

Volume 25, Number 12

DECEMBER 2020

morrismedianetwork.com

www.charlottemagazine.com

As we greet our new Charlotteans of the Year, we say goodbye to a past honoree

THE CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR issue is among my favorites each year, and I’ve been honored to play some role in the program since it debuted in 2014. As with the Best of the Best Awards in May and the Top Doctors list in July, honoring the city’s leaders felt heavier than usual this year.

Leadership was rare in 2020, and each new obstacle brought division, complex moments reduced to binary arguments. One thing I love about this year’s Charlotteans of the Year is that each operates in nuance: An activist enacts revolutionary change within the system’s channels. Charlotte’s director of planning finds that Andy Smith immediate actions bring long-term growth. andrew.smith@charlottemagazine.com Neither high-profile sports star we included sees himself as an activist, though both used their enormous platforms to advocate for change this year.

This fall, we lost another bold leader in Charlotte: Judy Williams, a pillar in this city. After her goddaughter was murdered, she founded Mothers of Murdered Offspring in 1993. Over 27 years, she honored hundreds of families with vigils and constant support. After a battle with lung cancer, Williams died Saturday, October 10. Her legacy also speaks to nuance: She validated the anger of those left behind but looked for positive ways to channel it. In 2017, Williams told Adam Rhew, then an editor here, that she’s “the comforter. I’m here to help you to get through this. God has trained me over the years in how to help people who need to know that somebody cares.”

One year before, magazine staffers walked the streets of uptown during the protests after Keith Lamont Scott’s death. (On page 29, writer Chuck McShane writes on how pivotal this moment was in Charlotte’s recent history.) Our art director, Jane Fields, captured audio of Williams as she addressed a crowd at Marshall Park. Her words speak to the complex emotions that accompany a loss like Scott’s, and how many of our discussions this year are just continuations of what’s transpired before. I’ll let her words close this column: “We gotta learn how to listen. This is about doing something for Mr. Scott.

And we need to pray for his family. He had children. … Anybody pray for the children? Ain’t nothing more important to Mr. Scott than his family. We forgot about his family. We’ve got caught up in everything else. … Let’s get our focus together. ... Let’s not forget why we’re here: This man lost his life yesterday. His family is without him. …

“Last night, we had all of this rioting. Anybody take up a collection for the family? While they were busy looting Walmart, did you take up a collection for the family? What have you done for the family? They don’t care about this violence, they got to bury their loved one. We want to ask you before the rain comes down, we want to do a tribute to Mr. Scott. I know there’s a minister here somewhere. Everybody join hands.”

8

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Smith SENIOR EDITOR Greg Lacour LIFESTYLE EDITOR Taylor Bowler ART DIRECTOR Jane Fields CONTRIBUTING Allison Braden EDITORS COPYEDITORS/ Allison Braden FACT-CHECKERS CONTRIBUTING Jonathan Cooper PHOTOGRAPHERS Logan Cyrus Peter Taylor Adam Whitlow Rusty Williams CONTRIBUTING Maribeth Kiser ILLUSTRATORS Chris Nickels Shaw Nielsen Kim Rosen CONTRIBUTING Cristina Bolling WRITERS Michelle Boudin Allison Braden Shawn Flynn Allison Futterman Chuck McShane

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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.

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ONLINE EXTRAS, EVENTS, AND CONVERSATIONS

REACT

Responses to the October issue of Charlotte magazine

To: “A Chat With the Ghost Poster,” p. 8 Required reading for friends and spooky fam Tweet from @JasonMeowthew To: “Community Crystallized,” p. 28 I’ve so enjoyed working on this project. This was a great opportunity to … work with so many local artists, creatives and activists, while connecting with others around NC and the US. Facebook comment by Jonell Jaime Logan

Nice write up. The project sounds amazing Facebook comment by Monica Montgomery Nyathi To: “Entrée Boo,” p. 58 Ri Rá is a favorite of mine and I’m not surprised to hear that ghosts roam there. I’ve been to Cajun Queen, but hadn’t heard about their haunting. Fun article!

Instagram post by @lowedown25

To: “Charlotte Haunts,” p. 42 My husband laughed when he brought in the mail and saw the cover, because he knew how excited I’d be for the ghost stories. It was a fun mental break in an emotionally draining time.

Instagram post by @lowedown25 As someone who grew up near Gettysburg, PA (with its plethora of stories about the ghosts of Civil War soldiers), I loved the ghost stories in @CharlotteMag. It was such a fun read.

Tweet from @sebare This new @CharlotteMag is like they know what I want. Excellent cover art!

Tweet from @n8creative To: “School Spirit,” p. 44 I hope Anna Burwell roams miserably for the rest of time.

Facebook comment by Jennifer Smith Daniel

To: “Sting Pride,” p. 60 Oh how I miss watching the Sting play!! We were there for those finals!!

Brings tears to my eyes & warms my heart!!

Tweet from @Marsue1767 Man my squad! I miss all yall!

Tweet from @loveme_someme20

ON THE WEB

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

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CMS Board Approves Revised Plan for In-Person Instruction 2.

The Gallery That May Return a Piece of NoDa to Its Gritty Roots 3.

GALLERY: Protesters March in Uptown After Breonna Taylor Decision

Sure enjoyed this, @jvanmeter31 Tweet from @howardmegdal

Loved the stories about Queens University!!

“No, no, no, no. I would not be here at night.”

Instagram comment by @queencityvoyager To: “Stage Fright,” p. 52 Based on construction progress, I’m guessing the ghost died again of boredom.

Tweet from @Go_Daddy_Go

Charlotte magazine’s tablet edition is available via the Apple Newsstand and at magzter.com.

Why do ghosts love theaters so much?

Tweet from @GhostsOrWeird I was walking by there one day and was able to peek inside that place, it was so mysterious and would be scary as hell to go in there at night lol.

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INSIDE: LIFE LESSONS / ECONOMY

BUZZ

THE

WHAT MATTERS NOW IN THE CITY

JONATHAN COOPER

LI F E L E SS O N S

JAMAL HARVEY

The 1985 police killing of his brother still powers his efforts to unite his adopted city

BY SHAWN FLYNN

ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 20, 1985—nearly three decades before repeated police killings of Black people lit the fuse of the Black Lives Matter movement—31-year-old Lloyd “Tony” Stevenson helped two employees at a 7-Eleven in Portland, Oregon, foil a robbery, then got into a fight with a witness in the parking lot.

Continued on next page DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

15

THE BUZZ Police arrived, and a white officer placed Stevenson, a Black father of five and former Marine, in a choke hold, the same type of restraint that police would use in the killing of Eric Garner in New York City in 2014. Stevenson collapsed, and he died 45 minutes later in a Portland hospital. Portland’s Black community was furious and took to the streets. An inquest jury ruled the case a negligent homicide, but a grand jury later declined to indict the officer.

Jamal Harvey was Stevenson’s younger brother. “That changed things a lot for me as a kid,” he says, “because from 12 years (old) on, whether it was right or wrong, I didn’t feel I could trust the police at all.”

Harvey, 47, moved to Charlotte in 2007 and began to volunteer for community organizations like the Girl Scouts and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Carolinas chapter; he’s also a bill payments supervisor for AvidXchange. After a CharlotteMecklenburg Police officer shot and killed Keith Lamont Scott in 2016, he and some of his nonprofit contacts founded Queen City Unity, a community organization that offers diversity and financial education to young people and helps organize food and clothing drives for the poor and homeless. The group is driven by the idea, which Harvey emphasizes as board chairman, “that we can unite our community through acts of kindness.”

We sat down with Harvey to discuss his life, his mission with Queen City Unity, and how the police killing of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that followed stirred memories of his older brother’s death. His words have been edited for space and clarity.

I’M A DAD AND A HUSBAND. I start there. Other than that, I’m a guy who is 47 years old who has seen a lot of things.

Not everything, but enough to know what’s right and what’s wrong. I always choose to lean on the side of doing right by myself and other people. That’s kind of how I live my life.

CHILDHOOD WAS PRETTY AWESOME. I was born in Oakland in 1973. We moved to Portland in 1976. Moved to a workingclass neighborhood. I went to Catholic school. Pretty average upbringing.

16

I WAS 12 when my brother was killed by the police. As I look back on that now, I really could’ve gone one of two ways. I credit my parents for not letting me go down the “angry Black man” way.

You know, “Everything is bad, and everybody is out to get us.” While that might have been the case, they didn’t allow me to think that way.

“Oh, my goodness.

Every time something like this happens again, it brings me back to being a 12-year-old kid and having my dad come in and tell me, ‘This is what happened to your brother,’ and not understanding it.”

—JAMAL HARVEY

MY BROTHER WAS A MARINE for years.

He was my personal G.I. Joe doll. He was a security guard when he left the Marines, and he was studying to be a state trooper in Oregon. My brother was 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, big, burly guy.

Heart of gold, though. He attempts to stop the robbery, and the police show up and they see a Black guy and a white guy wrestling in the parking lot, and they grab my brother and choke him and kill him. So it’s a situation where, had he been committing the robbery and the police did that, I’d feel a lot different because he would’ve been in the wrong.

He was there trying to do the right thing.

THEY ASSUME HE’S THE GUY committing the robbery when everybody around is screaming, “You got the wrong guy! You got the wrong guy!” Then to compound that, officers printed T-shirts that said, “Don’t Choke ’Em, Smoke ’Em.” They were wearing those at my brother’s funeral. They were throwing opossums and rats on our porch because we were suing the city, so that really shaped a lot of how I thought about things and about people.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

I DO REMEMBER the demonstrations.

They marched day in, day out for probably 10 days or so. It did start that wave of social justice in action. The thing that disappoints me is that we’re 35 years later, and people are carrying some of the same signs they carried when my brother died. Almost the exact same verbiage on the sign. It’s kind of hurtful.

I LEARNED AT 12 that the world is not all sunny and roses. My dad would talk to me about things: You have to be careful. You’re a young Black kid. You go to private school.

People are going to look at you and assume things about you without getting to know you. You’re going to have to go out of your way to show people you’re a Harvey, what it means to be a Harvey. I always wanted to make sure that I was making myself proud and my family proud.

MY DAD WAS BORN IN 1924 in Forest, Mississippi. He left at age 16 and joined the Army because he felt it was safer to go to Europe and fight the Germans than be in Mississippi.

So when you look at the history of me and my family, I should’ve been one of those knuckleheads who is like “hate whitey” because my dad went through all these awful things growing up and then went through another awful thing in 1985. Through all that, he didn’t fall into the trap of saying, “This is how I am going to act.” He was always, “Raise yourself up. Don’t fall into the trap of how other people think you should be acting.”

THE ERIC GARNER ONE was really tough. It was really tough. It was a choking situation. It was a police officer’s hands around this man’s neck. This brought me right back to my brother with the police officer’s hands around my brother’s neck. I just don’t understand why these things keep happening.

OH, MY GOODNESS. Every time something like this happens again, it brings me back to being a 12-year-old kid and having my dad come in and tell me, “This is what happened to your brother,” and not understanding it. There’s some kid or some teenager who someone is having this conversation with, and they

don’t know how to process it, and their first reaction is going to be anger.

A FEW OF US GOT TOGETHER after Keith Lamont Scott to figure out what we were going to do. We were going to write an op-ed. Then through our conversations, we developed Queen City Unity. That quickly morphed and turned into not just a response to the riot group but, “How can we unite Charlotte?”

That’s how we came up with the name.

“Something terrible has happened. How can we do things to bring our community together?”

WE’VE FED THE HOMELESS. We’ve done food drives. One of the things I’m most proud of is, we got 10,000 pounds of clothes for foster kids. Shoes, hats, gloves, things like that. We wanted to turn a negative into a positive.

I’M NOT A REAL BIG “go out, march, and protest” guy. Personally, I don’t know if that works. They marched when my brother died 35 years ago, and they’re

still marching. I’ve always tried to work myself into the system and effect change from inside the system. I worked in the public defenders’ office for 12 years in Portland. You can go and bang on City Hall’s door, and they’re not going to let you in, and they’re just going to say you’re a crazy guy outside screaming. Or you can work and get inside City Hall and know the people inside City Hall and go knock on Bob’s door and say, “Bob, have you thought of it this way?”

BEFORE THE GEORGE FLOYD incident happened, I would’ve told you nothing would ever change. Normally, the thing hits the news media for three or four days, and then it goes away. But the thing that really struck me is, when I looked at the protests, there were very few people who looked like me. There were more people who looked like my wife, who’s white, and I was like, “Wow, this is really surprising me.” To see so many people who didn’t look like me protesting, holding signs, giving their time and testimonies, really makes me

think that we are gaining traction in the diversity and inclusion area in this country.

THE MESSAGE I DELIVER to everybody is: Be kind. Just be kind. There are going to be these things that happen to you in your life that are going to be unfortunate.

Losing someone in a tragic way is one of the worst things that could happen to you, but don’t let it shape how you treat other people. I have not let it shape me where I hate every single police officer.

THERE IS A PERCENTAGE of police officers who are good. There is a percentage of police officers who are not good. I treat everybody with respect until they give me a reason not to. For the readers of this article: Live your life for you. Move past adversity. Don’t ever forget what happened. Let it shape the way you think.

Don’t let it shape the way you act.

SHAWN FLYNN is a writer, nonprofit consultant, and former reporter and manager for Spectrum News in Charlotte.

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17

THE BUZZ

ECO N O MY

A DIAGNOSIS OF CHARLOTTE’S COVID ECONOMY Business Alliance digests data that illustrates how virus has swamped commerce

BY GREG LACOUR

WHAT WE REFER TO AS “the economy,” as if it were a single entity that’s either healthy or sick, is easy to gauge if you think of it as a synonym for the stock market; just check the ticker. The true state of the economy is harder to measure. State unemployment numbers, for example, count people who have filed for benefits. They don’t include those whose benefits have run out, or who have given up on finding work. As with COVID cases, authorities have no way of knowing your condition until you report it to someone who tracks the numbers.

Since mid-March, a consortium of Charlotte-area governments, nonprofits, and companies have taken part in a Charlotte Regional Business Alliance data analysis that tries to clear away the

confusion. The project aims to present a fuller, more nuanced picture of our area’s economy under the coronavirus: in manufacturing, tourism, unemployment, consumer spending, and other areas. The CRBA issues a daily digest of COVID-related workplace information and maintains a portal and dashboard on its website (charlotteregion.com; click on “COVID-19 portal” in the upper right corner) with data it regularly updates.

As you might expect, the overall portrait on September 30, the end of the third quarter, was mixed: bad compared to 2019 but recovering. “After slow improvement in consumer expenditures after the trough in mid-April, improvement has ... remained between 5% and 10% below the baseline,” Antony Burton,

the Business Alliance vice president for economic research, who oversees the project, wrote in a September 28 blog post. “The trends of higher spending at grocery stores and lower spending at restaurants, hotels, and transportation have remained.” The Charlotte region’s unemployment rate dropped from July to August. Manufacturing activity rose, as did, to a lesser extent, the service sector. Hotel-motel receipts, no surprise, plummeted in spring and plateaued afterward.

One thing that’s unequivocal in his analysis: “Continuing to control the virus will be key to the economic recovery.” The main indicators move toward health, but whether they arrive depends on us. —Greg Lacour

KEY INDICATORS

February 22: 6% (high for the year to date) April 16: -40.3% (low for the year to date) September 20: -5.3% (most recent) Context: “The extra $600 per week included in the March stimulus package expired at the end of July, and there is evidence that spending by the unemployed dropped sharply after the benefits expired.”

Unemployment rate, August Charlotte region: 7.1% (down from 9.2 % in July) Some “peer cities”: Nashville region: 8.3% Atlanta region: 6.3% Dallas region: 6.3% Raleigh region: 6.1% Context: “Comparing against peer metros, the Charlotte region had the second-highest unemployment rate but was about middle-of-the-pack among U.S. metros overall. The Charlotte region’s unemployment rate was slightly higher than the state unemployment rate overall in August but lower than the national rate. …

In addition, the regional labor force (those working or looking for work) has about 65,000 fewer people than this time last year.”

Source: Charlotte Regional Business Alliance dashboard and September 28 Daily Digest

18

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

Hotel occupancy rates, Mecklenburg County Week of February 29: 77.4% Week of April 11: 22.1% Week of September 19: 39.6% Occupancy rate, Charlotte region, January through August 2019: 69% 2020: 44% Hotel industry revenue, January through August: 2019: $761 million 2020: $401 million Context: “After climbs in demand since mid-April in Mecklenburg County, it leveled off at about 11,000 rooms per night, between 50-60% of demand in 2019. … At the regional level, demand is down about 34.8% through August, with year-to-date occupancy down about 36% and ADR (average daily rate) down about 19%.”

SHUTTERSTOCK

Consumer spending, Mecklenburg County (relative to projections)

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GOOD LIFE

COMMUNITY / PHILANTHROPY / REAL ESTATE / HISTORY / ROOM WE LOVE / SEASONAL FUN

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CO M M U N I T Y

Forbidden Planet, Forgotten History In 1956, the movie that redefined science fiction cinema premiered in uptown Charlotte

BY ALLISON BRADEN ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS NICKELS

ON A BALMY LATE WINTER FRIDAY IN 1956, The Charlotte Observer announced that electronic “brains” would be on display at Hotel Charlotte that weekend. The exhibit was part of the second annual Southeastern Science Fiction Conference, an early ancestor of today’s popular “cons.” Organizer Robert Madle, who moved to Charlotte and founded the Carolina Science Fiction Society in 1953, had helped host Philadelphia’s worldcon, which made that city a scifi mecca. Now he was determined to bring the fandom south.

The Carolina Science Fiction Society grew to about 15 members— all men except for one Jess Vines—who often met at Madle’s Plaza

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

21

THE GOOD LIFE

IT WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED if Madle hadn’t moved to 1620 Anderson St. with his young family in 1953. He found himself in a city already looking ahead.

22

(Left) Bob Madle (seated, center) founded the Carolina Science Fiction Society in 1953 after he moved to Charlotte from Philadelphia. The group, shown here at Madle’s home on Anderson Street in Plaza Shamrock, included Bob Shrader, Bob Green, John Borchert, and Marty Klein.

(Left) Madle, who lives in Rockville, Maryland, celebrated his 100th birthday June 2.

(Below) Madle and son Robert Jr. in front of their home, circa 1956.

Not long after, Madle went to work as a civilian researcher for the Army, and the Science Fiction Society dissolved.

Three years before he arrived, the winner of the Observer’s City of the Future essay contest had written that Charlotte’s “star of destiny is evidently set high in the heavens and shining brightly as a major city of the future.” In Charlotte, Madle worked in public relations at Shaw Manufacturing but left a bigger mark in the science fiction community.

Bob, as friends called him, grew up on sci-fi in Philadelphia. At 14, he joined the Science Fiction League, impressed with the vision of founder Hugo Gernsback. With sci-fi fandom in its infancy, Gernsback wrote in the early ’30s that the genre would change the planet. At the time, Bob thought the future “would be a wonderful world of tomorrow when science rules everything.” (Bob would later help launch an award named for Gernsback; today, the Hugos are the premier awards in science fiction.) By age 19, Bob showed up in The Who’s Who in Fandom, and he remains, 81 years later, a towering figure in sci-fi fandom. When I ask how his interest in science fiction began, he pauses. “Well,” he says, “I guess I was born that way.”

So if anyone can explain the tectonic shift unleashed by Forbidden Planet, it’s Bob. “Science fiction movies were usually second or third class,” he explains. “But this one was first class and played at firstclass movie houses.” Unlike the B-list fare

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

of the time, this film took science fiction seriously, depicted faster-than-light travel in a manmade craft for the first time, and used a slew of otherworldly special effects.

MGM still didn’t expect it to be a blockbuster—the unprecedented all-electronic score was partly a cost-cutting measure— but the actors were instructed to play it straight. The genre was growing up.

SOON AFTER THE CONVENTION, Bob took a research job as a civilian employee with the Army in Washington, D.C., and the society dissolved. The Forbidden

COURTESY, JANE MADLE

Shamrock bungalow. Of course, the club held trivia quizzes, discussed the latest scientific discoveries, and swapped opinions on science fiction literature and cinema.

But they also introduced their passion to the wider community. In 1954, for example, the society co-sponsored a showing of The Thing From Another World at the Visulite Theatre. The convention would be better still: two full days of illustrious speakers, out-of-this-world exhibits, and best of all, an exclusive world premiere of the movie Forbidden Planet.

“MGM somehow found out that we had a club here,” Madle, now 100, tells me from his home in Rockville, Maryland.

“And MGM had a screening room—it was a little neat little room, seated about 40 people—and it was just like Hollywood, only it was Charlotte.”

But this premiere was no black-tie event. Bombshell star Anne Francis didn’t spill out of a limo onto a red carpet on Tryon, and no one else from the production was there, either. It didn’t matter.

“Just the idea of premiering Forbidden Planet was something special,” Madle wrote later, “but then so was the movie— we all thought it was fantastic, no pun intended.”

Forbidden Planet follows Commander John J. Adams, played by Leslie Nielsen (!), and his crew as they travel to distant planet Altair IV. They intend to rescue scientist Dr. Morbius, who was marooned after a previous mission went awry, and his daughter, Altaira. The pair live in relative comfort, attended to by Robby the Robot, the first mechanical prop of its kind and the first movie robot with a personality. But an invisible monster stalks the planet and jeopardizes the expedition. In the end, the monster is not some extraterrestrial Other but a vicious product of Dr. Morbius’ own id. The enemy is us.

Madle and his fellow club members couldn’t have known it then, but they were the first public audience to watch a movie that would redefine its genre.

The pantheon of sci-fi classics—from Star Trek to 2001: A Space Odyssey—can trace its lineage to this low-budget production that premiered, of all places, in uptown Charlotte.

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Planet premiere became a footnote in city history, not even remembered by those in Charlotte who know film best. Sam Shapiro, who teaches film history at UNC Charlotte, screened the movie twice as part of his longrunning film series for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library but never knew it had premiered just blocks from the main branch. Lawrence Toppman, the Observer’s film and arts critic who retired this year after four decades with the paper, had never heard of Forbidden Planet, either. (He watched it after I told him about it.)

Given Charlotte’s scant film and sci-fi culture, that’s no surprise. The Manor Theatre’s demise this year left Charlotte without a single art theater. The Charlotte Film Society has announced plans to open its own independent venue in 2021, but its success will depend on a consistent audience.

“We’ve had a very mainstream attitude toward films,” Toppman says. “The independent film community, both for viewing and for making, has always struggled here.”

The Charlotte of the ’50s was a placid bastion of prosperity, a businessminded town reluctant to explore the dark side of the American Dream. “It was a world that saw itself as progress and hope and ambition,” Toppman says. “(Forbidden Planet) is saying, ‘That’s lovely. You want to think about some of the stuff that’s under that?’

Charlotte at that time didn’t particularly want to think about the stuff that was under that. It just wanted to rush into the future.”

That future is now. The wonderful world Bob envisioned in the ’30s still hovers beyond our grasp, and the invisible enemy lurks on our home planet.

As Charlotte chases that shimmering star of destiny, Forbidden Planet asks us to pause and consider where we’re headed.

ALLISON BRADEN is a contributing editor to this magazine. She would never have known about the Forbidden Planet premiere if it weren’t for her dad, who watched the movie as a kid at the Emory Theater’s Saturday matinee and found it full of terror and wonder.

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P H I L ANT H RO PY

Blessings, Interrupted Social service agencies struggle to adapt to the disconnected world of COVID

BY ALLISON FUTTERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY RUSTY WILLIAMS

SHERRI MILLER is a social worker at Niner University Elementary at Amay James, a school program led by UNC Charlotte education experts to support students from high-need, low-performance schools.

Since spring, Miller’s had to make the drive from her home in Mount Holly to Matthews to pick up more than 120 snack bags and hygiene kits at a time from Bright Blessings, a nonprofit best known for its birthday celebrations for Charlottearea students who are homeless or living in transient housing.

Miller delivers the bags and kits to the homes of about 20 students. She keeps a safe distance and wears her mask. “Hey, Ms. Miller!” kids yell when they see her at the door. They take their snacks and hygiene supplies and run off to compare, trade, and barter.

“They get excited about a new toothbrush of their own because they

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

may not have one,” Miller says. “It gives them a sense of belonging. It’s as simple as that.”

Normally, Bright Blessings would give them to students at school as part of its Bless-a-Birthday program, which also threw monthly parties for 40 or more kids living in local shelters. Volunteers would set up decorations, arrange crafts and games, and give out goodie bags.

The closure of school campuses and restrictions of gatherings at shelters have derailed all that and forced Bright Blessings and their beneficiaries to adjust as well as they can.

“It’s a hard position to be in. Some are just getting the birthday packages to the child, and some are still trying to host a little party for the birthday children with the staff,” says Executive Director Tisha Henderson. “Each shelter is handling it a little differently.”

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(Opposite) Niner University Elementary social worker Sherri Miller (left) and Bright Blessings Executive Director Tisha Henderson.

RUSTY WILLIAMS (5); COURTESY

(Clockwise from left) Under COVID restrictions, Miller has to drive from her home in Mount Holly to Matthews to pick up snack bags and hygiene kits from Bright Blessings, a community nonprofit that ordinarily would distribute them at school to students who are homeless or living in transient housing.

Instead, volunteers deliver the bags to students’ homes and other sites.

Charlotte has an engaged, wideranging community of almost 500 social service nonprofits that do everything from meal preparation to tutoring.

But most of those services hinge on person-to-person contact, which COVID restrictions have largely prohibited.

In response, nonprofits throughout Charlotte have had to do essentially what Bright Blessings has—adjust on the fly.

Nonprofit leaders are doing what they can to provide agencies with guidelines. SHARE Charlotte, an umbrella organization for more than 450 area nonprofits, has created a program called “Share from Home,” through which volunteers can help in specific ways without exposing themselves or others to COVID. Volunteers do things like write grant applications, thank-you notes for donors, and cards for veterans or women recently released from prison; create flash cards for students in need; or manage social media for organizations that need help, says Amy Jacobs, SHARE Charlotte’s executive director.

Jacobs herself used to volunteer for Bright Blessings, so she understands what Henderson, Miller, and the Bless-aBirthday kids have missed out on under COVID. “We would sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and would say each child’s name. So

even though it was all the kids whose birthdays were in that month, that all felt special,” she says. “There was a lot of excitement and happiness. Parents were grateful that their kid got a break from whatever they were dealing with.”

The delivery of snack bags and hygiene kits was Bright Blessings’ way to adjust to the situation, although COVID has hurt the organization, too: Henderson has had to furlough two of her eight employees, and volunteers’ availabilities have shrunk as the need for them has grown. The restrictions have caused logistical problems. Over the summer, parents had to travel to school systems’ designated lunch pickup sites to receive the packages, and many didn’t have cars.

Even so, by July, Henderson says, the snack-and-hygiene bags had helped Bright Blessings surpass the nearly 18,000 kids it served in all of 2019. “We’re still here and still serving. It may look different, but we’re still trying to serve in whatever way we can,” she says. “We used to hug, but they know we can’t hug now. But I still see the same smiles. … We will figure out a way to continue helping however we can.”

ALLISON FUTTERMAN is a freelance writer based in Charlotte.

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THE GOOD LIFE

H I STO RY

The Story of Charlotte, Part 13: A City Divided The years 2008 to 2016 brought Charlotte a financial calamity, a profound division between rich and poor, turmoil in government, unparalleled growth, and the most violent demonstrations in the city’s history. Afterward, Charlotte was a different place

BY CHUCK McSHANE | ILLUSTRATIONS BY KIM ROSEN

Mecklenburg County celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2013. The following spring, this magazine launched a yearlong, 12-part series, “The Story of Charlotte,” which traced the city’s history from its 18th-century origins at the intersection of two indigenous hunting and trading paths to its emergence as a Southern economic powerhouse in the 1990s and 2000s. That series ended with the 2007 opening of another economic tool, the light rail.

Plenty has happened here since: a financial crisis that temporarily halted Charlotte’s boom; a post-recession recovery that led to both skyrocketing real estate prices and the growing rage and despair of poor citizens, most of them racial minorities, who increasingly sensed they were being left behind; the 2012 Democratic National Convention; a national debate over restroom access for gay and transgender people; and much more.

Amid the disruption and anxiety of 2020, we decided the time had come for an update.

We asked Chuck McShane, who authored the original series, to bring us up to 2016 in Charlotte’s story. Here’s Part 13 of the series.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

SEPTEMBER 14, 2008. A spry 65-yearold, Joe Biden campaigns as a vice presidential candidate on a Sunday. The national Democratic Party wants to put North Carolina, which Republicans have won in every presidential election since 1976, into play for Barack Obama.

“I could walk from here to Greensboro,” Biden says to the crowd at Phillip O. Berry Academy, off Freedom Drive in west Charlotte. “I wouldn’t run into one person who thought we’d made economic progress unless I ran into John McCain.”

Throughout the year, people like those in the crowd today watch as adjustablerate mortgages come due and families face foreclosures, all while the stock market slowly but steadily declines. News

of major bank failures like Bear Stearns’ have trickled out since spring. Still, hope remains that the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which insure about half of the mortgages in the country, might shore up the economy.

The hope is not rewarded. That weekend, regulators meet with the CEOs of the largest banks to try to save others on the brink. Under pressure from regulators, Charlotte-based Bank of America finalizes a deal to buy Merrill Lynch for $50 billion. Wall Street’s Lehman Brothers bank prepares bankruptcy papers after a deal with Barclays falls through. When the news breaks on Monday, the stock market plunges nearly 500 points, more than 4% in one day.

More crises follow that week. Without bailouts, financial leaders say, the economy will screech to a halt. With them, activists and some politicians say, the government chooses “Wall Street over Main Street.” On Tryon Street, the lines between Wall and Main have always been blurry. This is Charlotte, a former textile hub that, through boardroom bravado and smart leverage of its assets, has evolved into the second-largest banking center in the United States. The bankers who work on or near Tryon will quote that statistic to anyone who will listen, and they’re on solid ground when they do: Of all the dollars earned in this city, 17% come from paychecks with financial company logos.

Here, banks subsidize bus shelters and kids’ baseball leagues, homeless missions and history museums. Banks have revived once-moribund uptown, where 28 construction cranes, at work on condos and commercial towers, hang overhead. One, at Stonewall and Tryon, finishes a new headquarters tower for Wachovia, the city’s second-largest (and nation’s fourthlargest) bank. But the building frenzy won’t last much longer.

The LYNX Blue Line light rail, sleek and open only 10 months, drops blue-shirted bankers off in front of the old Wachovia headquarters on College Street, where the digital stock ticker shows a stream of red. By Monday, Sept. 29, Wachovia stock—which had traded for $10 per share at closing on Friday—has dropped to $1.84 per share. After another week of whiplash for Charlotte employees, as rumors swirl about competing offers to buy the bank, San Francisco-based Wells

Fargo takes over. The headquarters under construction on Stonewall becomes the Duke Energy Center.

The loss of Wachovia hurts Charlotte’s pride, but the job losses hit its pocketbook. By December, unemployment is up three points, to 9.3%.

“A punch in the gut,” Mayor Pat McCrory calls the loss of Wachovia and mounting financial crisis. McCrory, a Republican in his seventh term as mayor, is running for governor against Democrat Bev Perdue. No Charlotte mayor has ever won a gubernatorial race, and McCrory runs on an outsider’s message. “I’ve never been in the governor’s mansion,” he tells a Greensboro talk show host. “So if I win, I’ll be going through the gates for the first time.”

McCrory promises to protect families by “putting career criminals and gang leaders in jail or deportation” and push through key infrastructure projects in fast-growing Piedmont cities rather than just the rural east, “where the powerful politicians and lobbyists happen to live.” But the economic pain and Obama’s hopeful message tips the state blue.

McCrory announces he won’t run again for mayor.

One message from McCrory’s campaign is undeniable: Charlotte is different from the rest of North Carolina, and the difference grows more distinct every day.

Mecklenburg County, which voted for Republican George W. Bush in 2000 and Democrat John Kerry by a small margin in 2004, chooses Obama with 62% of the vote. Newcomers from the Northeast and Midwest stream into the city and surrounding suburbs—about 25,000 people per year moved into Mecklenburg County alone during the 2000s. Before the crash, the city rode the financial sector’s growth while smaller counties in the state watched their textile manufacturers shutter or flee.

Now, the cranes uptown begin to disappear. In the suburbs, developers abandon half-finished subdivisions and let the grass grow around lonely PVC piping. The skeleton frame of the Park condominium project looms across the street from the Government Center. Apartments remain empty as laid-off young bank analysts abandon their uptown leases. In 2010, fewer than 4,000 people move to Mecklenburg County. From 2007 to 2010, more than 63,000 jobs in the Charlotte

metro area disappear—5,700 of them in finance. Unemployment hovers around 11% through 2011.

IN 2009, ANTHONY FOXX becomes the city’s second Black mayor and the first Democrat to hold the seat since 1987, when the first Black mayor, Harvey Gantt, left office.

Foxx, a West Charlotte native, represents a new type of leader in Charlotte.

With Wachovia gone and Bank of America ailing, the “rich uncles” who have bankrolled so many projects and progress have shallower pockets. Before, a small group of uptown business leaders made decisions and cut checks quickly. As the city becomes larger and more diverse, more neighborhoods and communities compete for their share. “It’s almost as if the communities and the neighborhoods have become silos, taking care of their own areas,” Mary Hopper, of University City Partners, tells The Charlotte Observer.

Foxx, whom President Obama later appoints U.S. Transportation Secretary, breaks from his predecessors: “I think we’re seeing Charlotte shift,” he says, “from a top-down style to a bottom-up approach.”

The slowdown doesn’t stop Charlotte from seeking the national stage. While the National Rifle Association picks Charlotte for its 2010 Annual Meeting, Foxx and the business community, led by Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, seek a convention to showcase Charlotte to a global audience and boost its ailing economy. The city, which expects to use 15,000 hotel rooms in a region that stretches from Salisbury to Rock Hill, might be a long shot for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

But the 2008 election has revealed North Carolina as a swing state.

The Democrats take notice. In the first week of September 2012, delegates, lobbyists, and media personalities pour into Time Warner Cable Arena. Security is tight, and a maze of wire fencing establishes a tight perimeter. Office workers groan at the inconvenience. But downtown restaurants and hotels embrace the business. City boosters boast $164 million in economic impact.

On Tuesday night, Foxx takes the stage and gives a quintessential Charlotte speech. He recalls the city’s successful integration of public schools in the 1970s with the help of a busing plan DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GOOD LIFE dismantled under a 1999 court order.

Charlotte, he tells the crowd, is a “hub of energy and commerce. A place where business and government work together and make great things happen. In this election, we are also a city where Americans have come together to move our country forward.”

As the mayor speaks, dozens of Occupy Wall Street protesters camp out in Marshall Park. Some march down Trade Street with signs as they demand amnesty and foreclosure relief, and chant slogans like, “Banks got bailed out; you got sold out.”

BY 2014, CHARLOTTE is growing again.

On the light rail line along South Boulevard, apartment buildings rise as recent college graduates stream into the city for jobs at the banks and insurance companies that emerge from the long recession.

The Charlotte area has added more than 56,000 jobs since 2012. Among the Oxford-shirted bankers walk young people who wear T-shirts with tech startup names like Skookum, Stratifyd, and AvidXchange.

They spend their weekdays in new office towers, which replace parking lots that Panthers fans used for tailgate parties on football Sundays. They spend nights and weekends in South End, where a new generation of business developers convert aging warehouses and abandoned shops into breweries, CrossFit gyms, and pet spas. In every direction from uptown, young professionals move into trendy neighborhoods, like Plaza Midwood and NoDa. Charlotte ranks as the top destination for “millennials,” the largest generation since the Baby Boomers, now in its 20s. Charlotte ranks as the secondfastest-growing large city in the country.

Charlotteans love to quote rankings.

But when Harvard economist Raj Chetty analyzes obscure economic mobility data from the 50 largest metro areas in the country, Charlotte lands in an unenviable position: 50th of 50. If you are born poor in Charlotte, you are more likely to stay poor than in any of 49 other large cities.

That, along with the 2014 arrest of Mayor Patrick Cannon for accepting bribes from

undercover FBI agents in exchange for favorable rezoning on a fictional project, shakes Charlotte’s self-perception.

The bankers, lawyers, and CEOs who make deals and decisions on Tryon Street are used to driving down treelined Selwyn or Providence roads to their homes in Myers Park, Ballantyne, or SouthPark. It’s easy, if you have enough money, to never see the horseshoeshaped swath of the city that sweeps north from South Boulevard, curls west to east above uptown, then cuts south to Independence Boulevard—where income and education levels are lower and unemployment higher than in the affluent pie slice from uptown south to Ballantyne.

That map becomes familiar enough for local leaders to use “crescent and

AS CHARLOTTE REELS from the twocities implications of Chetty’s study, its residents absorb more evidence that Charlotte lives in a social and cultural sphere separate from the rest of North Carolina.

In March 2015, the City Council votes down a revised nondiscrimination ordinance, the original version of which would have prohibited discrimination against LGBTQ Charlotteans in bathrooms, vehicles for hire, and other “public accommodations.” The draft ordinance, if adopted, would have allowed transgender people to use public bathrooms that matched their gender identities.

Democratic mayoral candidate Jennifer Roberts, a longtime Mecklenburg County commission chair, makes the ordinance part of her campaign that fall against Republican and former councilmember Edwin Peacock III. When Peacock calls the ordinance “a very minor issue we cannot let ourselves get distracted by,” Roberts recoils. “Discrimination is never a minor issue,” she says.

Roberts wins narrowly in the November election, along with two new Democratic City Council members, Julie Eiselt and James Mitchell. In February 2016, the ordinance passes.

Much of the backlash to Charlotte’s ordinance comes from social conservatives in rural parts of the state.

But a Charlotte Republican, N.C. state Representative Dan Bishop, sponsors a bill in the General Assembly the next month that would invalidate the Charlotte ordinance—and any similar action by any North Carolina local government. “(C)ities are not authorized to do radical social engineering as agents of the radical left,” Bishop says. The General Assembly passes House Bill 2, and Governor Pat McCrory, the former Charlotte mayor, signs it into law on March 23.

The reaction to North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” makes headlines around the world. Groups cancel their conventions. Boycotts are organized.

Businesses halt their expansion plans in protest. PayPal cancels its plans to bring 400 jobs to a Charlotte office; Deutsche Bank pulls back on 250 jobs in the

Middle-class families flee the crescent for new suburban subdivisions, and surrounding counties like Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, and Gaston, even Lancaster and York in South Carolina, grow faster.

28

wedge” as shorthand for Charlotte’s zones of relative poverty and prosperity.

Now, the wedge inches outward as rent and housing prices rise toward uptown.

Middle-class families flee the crescent for new suburban subdivisions, and surrounding counties like Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, and Gaston, even Lancaster and York in South Carolina, grow faster.

Most newcomers now move directly to those suburban counties.

“We cannot be two different cities,” newly appointed Mayor Dan Clodfelter says at the launch of an economic mobility task force. A study shows that half of Charlotte renters can’t afford rising rents. A publication that tracks real estate trends recommends Charlotte to American investors as the third-hottest real estate market.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

Triangle. The NBA moves its upcoming 2017 All-Star game, which it had awarded to Charlotte, to New Orleans.

There’s a disconnect “between corporate suites and Main Street,” McCrory tells Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press as more than 200 corporations draft a letter to oppose the law. Small-town churches and business are grateful, McCrory says, adding that the new law protects their daughters from predators who lurk in restrooms and locker rooms. In cities like Charlotte, hotel and restaurant owners join the chorus of corporate leaders who urge repeal. “This legislation,” Roberts writes, “threatens to undermine the economic growth and prosperity of Charlotte and North Carolina.”

Despite the headlines, growth continues. Another 52,000 people relocate to the Charlotte area in 2016, drawn by 34,000 new jobs in the Charlotte metro area. Some bars and breweries replace their bathroom signs with gender-neutral ones that read “We Don’t Care.”

McCrory barely loses the governor’s race that fall to Democrat Roy Cooper.

In March 2017, the legislature passes a replacement bill for HB2, which establishes the legislature as the sole authority to regulate access to bathrooms, showers, and changing facilities; and institutes a moratorium on any new local ordinances on regulating public accommodations or private employment practices until Dec. 1, 2020.

AT ABOUT 4 P.M. on Sept. 20, 2016, Keith Lamont Scott sits in his truck in the parking lot of The Village at College Downs apartments in University City.

Two undercover Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers watch an apartment from the parking lot of this aging complex and prepare to serve a criminal warrant on another resident.

Scott is parked next to the unmarked car. He’s smoking marijuana, police say, and shows his gun to the officers, who approach and order him out of the truck.

They yell for him to put his gun down.

An officer opens fire, and Scott hits the ground, shot in the abdomen. Within an hour, the 43-year-old father of seven is dead.

Social media spreads outrage—and information later proven false. Lyric Scott, Keith Scott’s daughter, takes to Facebook Live: “The police just shot my daddy four times for being Black.” A neighbor says Scott was merely reading a book as he waited to pick up his son at the bus stop. But a subsequent investigation by the district attorney’s office shows that Scott was armed with a loaded handgun and ignored multiple commands to drop it.

No one knows that in the hours that follow the shooting. By nightfall, protesters fill Old Concord Road outside the apartment complex and demand the city release video footage of the shooting. Flash-bang grenades and helicopter spotlights illuminate the dark street, where crowds clash with cops in riot gear and smash police car windows.

Bottled-up frustration from previous police shootings of Black men, from the 2013 death of Jonathan Ferrell to the police killing of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa only four days before—not to mention the growing divide between the haves and have-nots in Charlotte— boil over. Charlotte has had protests before, but nothing quite like this. After midnight, protesters march to Interstate 85, where they spill onto the highway, stop traffic, and start fires with items they pull from tractor-trailers.

The next night, Sept. 21, the protests move uptown. Early in the evening, a crowd departs from Marshall Park, chanting “Black Lives Matter” and holding signs with messages like, “#StopKillingUs.” As the crowd approaches College and Trade, the mood changes. A group converges around the Omni Hotel, where riot police fire tear gas canisters. Amid the smoke and noise, a shot is fired. The crowd scatters. Justin Carr, 26, lies near the hotel entrance on Trade Street, shot in the head. Another protester, Rayquan Borum, is arrested (and eventually convicted of murder in 2019). Carr dies the next day.

Through the night, protesters grab trash cans and hurl them through office and hotel windows; riot police shoot rubber bullets; protesters stop traffic and jump on cars. It all plays out before national news outlets, which lead with the story. The upheaval makes its way onto the presidential campaign trail.

On Twitter, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton ties the Scott shooting to Crutcher’s: “We have two more names to add to a long list of African-Americans killed by police officers,” she writes. “It’s unbearable, and it needs to become intolerable.” Meanwhile, Republican candidate Donald Trump tells a crowd in Pittsburgh, “There is no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct.”

Early the next morning, hotel owners board up broken windows and sweep shards of glass from the sidewalk.

Uptown is empty as large businesses tell their employees to work from home.

Down in the wedge, shops close early as false social media rumors swirl that protesters are busing into SouthPark and Stonecrest.

The next night, National Guardsmen and their vehicles line uptown streets, which remain peaceful. After CMPD releases part of the footage from the shooting, the marches continue through the weekend, but the violence ebbs.

The following Monday, Sept. 26, the council chamber at the Government Center fills with furious Charlotteans, the vast majority of them Black, who have come to express their rage to the City Council. Roughly half the crowd holds up their fists during the Pledge of Allegiance. The proceedings are repeatedly interrupted by tears and chants to “shoot back.” During the public comment period, speaker after speaker opens with, “No justice, no peace!” then demands the resignations of police Chief Kerr Putney and Mayor Roberts.

“I am here,” begins Braxton Winston, 33, a Black protester who gained prominence on the streets in the past week, “to indict the Charlotte government …” A little less than a year later, in the Democratic primary, Roberts loses her reelection bid to Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles, who wins the general election in the fall and becomes the first Black woman to occupy the mayor’s seat.

Voters elect five new members of the City Council, too. Braxton Winston is one of them.

CHUCK McSHANE is the vice president for business analytics and data at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and the author of A History of Lake Norman: Fish Camps to Ferraris. Contact him at chuckmcshane @gmail.com. On Twitter: @chuckmcshane.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GOOD LIFE

Lofty and Loungy

The team at House of Nomad creates a global-inspired lounge area SET IT OFF The loft is directly across from the media room and down the hall from the kids’ bedrooms, so they first needed to create a sense of purpose for the big, open space. “This was the last room we did in the entire home,” Minkhorst says. “It needed to be functional but relaxing enough that they’d want to spend time there.”

They designed a lounge area where the homeowners could hang out while the kids play or have a glass of wine after they put the kids to bed.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

BERKELEY MINKHORST AND KELLEY LENTINI, owners of House of Nomad, designed every room in their client’s custom build in Quail Hollow. They warmed up the spacious, modern interior with global-inspired décor and natural elements like wood and organic raw textiles for a relaxed, inviting feel. The homeowners had settled on the design for the second-floor media room and large playroom for their two young children, but they struggled with the design and purpose of the adjoining loft area. “We wanted to keep it light and airy and flow really well into the other spaces,” Minkhorst says. “It was a design challenge because it needed to be kid-friendly but their domain.” —Taylor Bowler LAYER IT UP Minkhorst and Lentini installed a black metal pendant light from Noir, which set the tone and brought the ceiling down to make the space feel more cozy and less lofty. They chose a textured Moroccan area rug for some visual interest and anchored the space with leather and teak chairs.

The pillows, poufs, floor candles, and planter all came from House of Nomad’s Myers Park shop, and they hand-sourced the rattan coffee table from Bali. “When you mix different layers, you’re able to create more of that cozy, comfortable vibe,” Minkhorst says. “You can still go modern but not go sterile.”

TACK ON SOME TEXTURE The secret to nailing a modern, globalinspired look, Minkhorst says, is the right mix of natural materials. Start with a clean, white backdrop and incorporate wood, leather, raw textiles, and metals.

They accented this space with floor candles wrapped in natural wood and finished it off with a plant from Malone’s Nursery. “We use plants in all of our designs, both real and faux ones,” she says. “It helps bring some life into the room.”

COURTESY

RO O M W E LOV E

THE GOOD LIFE

McAdenville, a town thousands visit each year for its light displays, is making adjustments.

S E A S O NAL F U N

A (Socially Distant) Charlotte Guide to Christmas Take in the holiday cheer, but don’t gather too near

BY ANDY SMITH

THE HOLIDAYS ARE DIFFERENT this year, but Charlotte’s still celebrating. Many of the city’s Christmastime staples have made adjustments, while others were already primed for lowcontact cheer. Here are eight ways to feel merry, at a distance, in December:

McAdenville Is Back … With Some Changes MORE THAN 500,000 VISITORS flock each year to the massive Christmas display in this small Gaston County town just 18 miles west of Charlotte. This month, the nationally recognized McAdenville is once again covered with lights for the 65th year, but COVID-19 brings changes.

The nightly lighting schedule is truncated to 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m., Dec. 1-26. There will be no tree lighting ceremony or Yule Log Parade, and the Christmas Town 5K is now a virtual race, meaning participants can run the 3.1

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

miles either on McAdenville’s course or anywhere else they please sometime between Nov. 21-28.

But thankfully, the lights still shine. That’s because the sponsoring company Pharr and the town’s residents know the effect the display has on the region: Earlier this year, McAdenville briefly brought back the lights to spread cheer during the early days of the pandemic.

Visit ChristmasTownUSA.org for more details on this month’s festivities.

On Hillside Avenue at the edge of Myers Park, enormous spheres made from chicken wire and colored lights hang from the trees.

The Light Balls of Hillside Avenue in Myers Park IT STARTED IN 2012, when a Myers Park High junior working on her Girls Scouts Gold Award turned the attraction into a fundraiser. She collected 18,000 pounds of canned and dry goods for Loaves & Fishes. They’ve continued the Hillside Holiday Hunger Drive-thru ever since.

Here are other light displays confirmed to return this year, via families and neighborhood groups:

ARNDT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

HARD FAMILY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

14904 Carbert Ln., Huntersville

1641 Shadow Creek St., Concord

ZIMNOWSKI LIGHT SHOW

LIGHTS ON INDIAN BEECH

15419 Hugh McAuley Rd., Huntersville

FANTETTI CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW

263 Palaside Dr. NE, Concord

9592 Indian Beech Ave., Concord

Gingerbread Lane at The Ballantyne

SHUTTERSTOCK ; COURTESY; TWEETSIE RAILROAD

Each year, The Ballantyne (10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.) hosts “Gingerbread Lane,” a competition open to creators in pro, amateur, and child categories. Participants craft gingerbread houses that the hotel displays, and visitors can vote on their favorites. There’s a $1 donation per entry; all proceeds benefit Levine Children’s Hospital.

This year, visitors can view the gingerbread masterpieces inside the hotel’s spacious Carolina Room to allow for social distancing. There’s also an option to donate online. The public, as usual, is invited inside the hotel to take part in the display. The Gingerbread Hut sells hot cocoa and is open during the same hours (Dec. 4-27, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.). Masks are required for all visitors.

Take a look at some of the dazzling entries from last year:

Tweetsie Railroad in Service A two-hour drive from Charlotte, Tweetsie Railroad (300 Tweetsie Railroad Ln., Blowing Rock) is more than just a train ride for your aspiring conductor: It’s an enormous Wild West-themed park. The site offers a three-mile trek through the Appalachian Mountains, live shows, amusement rides, and more. Tweetsie has been in operation since 1957, and organizers say they plan to bring back its Christmas attractions, though with socially distant guidelines.

The winter wonderland version of the park is $44 for adults, $38 for kids 3-12, and free for those 2 and under. Hours and days vary; check tweetsie.com for more info.

Continued on next page DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

33

THE GOOD LIFE

Speedway Christmas:

BY THE NUMBERS

LIKE McADENVILLE, SPEEDWAY CHRISTMAS at Charlotte Motor Speedway (5555 Concord Pkwy.

S., Concord) has the socially distanced benefit of being a drive-through event. Here are some figures for its 11th edition, running Nov. 21-Jan. 17:

4 million 95,000 7,920 feet The seating capacity of the stadium on a nonCOVID year

The length of the Speedway track that surrounds the displays

Skating and Strolling at the Whitewater Center THE U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER (5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.) has been open at reduced capacity for the past several months, and its holiday attractions, which debuted in 2019, will return as well. Skate on the 17,000-square-foot upper pond and explore the ice trail beginning in November, and stop by the on-ice Airstream for cold and hot beverages.

The centerpiece of the Whitewater Center’s holiday display is Lights, artist Meredith Connelly’s lightbased outdoor installation that runs along a half-mile of trails. “When I approached it, I was thinking about how I (am) when I hike. I don’t look straight: I’m the person that stops and looks at the tiniest mushroom on the trail,” Connelly told this magazine just before Lights opened last winter. “That’s what I want other people to do in a way, is to look at all areas of the woods.” Massive mushrooms appear in Lights, along with fantastical bulbous forms, nests, glowing roots, cocoons, and more.

Here are three other ice skating rinks confirmed to open this season:

❄ HOLIDAY ON ICE, 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. ❄ WINTER WONDERLAND SOUTHPARK, 4400 Sharon Rd. ❄ EXTREME ICE CENTER, 4705 Indian Trail Fairview Rd., Indian Trail

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

The price per car, depending on the day of the week

The station to tune into while you’re there to listen to the displays’ accompanying Christmas music.

A (Virtual) Christmas Carol THE CHARLOTTE CIRQUE AND DANCE CENTER, the school headed by aerial and contemporary dance figure Caroline Calouche, reimagines the classic tale. The live virtual show runs Dec. 19-20, and the center will broadcast it from the school.

Tickets are $30.

COURTESY CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY; U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER

The number of lights around the 3.75-mile course

25-$30 101.3 FM

$

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For details email advertising@charlottemagazine.

FOOD DRINK

INSIDE: NOW OPEN / LOCAL FLAVOR / BITE-SIZED STORIES / RECIPE / THE STORY BEHIND

+

EXPLORE THE TASTES OF CHARLOTTE

When you order MOA’s Korean barbecue combo, your server cooks your meat selections and sides on your tabletop grill.

N OW O P E N

DINNER AND A SHOW TKTKTKTKTKt

MOA Korean BBQ & Bar serves an upscale grill-at-your-table experience

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER TAYLOR

THE FIRST THING YOU’LL NOTICE when you walk into MOA Korean Barbecue & Bar is the high-definition TV on your way to the hostess stand. Its heat sensor clocks the temperature of everyone who enters. Owner Sean Kim modeled it after the technology many businesses and restaurants in South Korea have employed to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Continued on next page DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

37

FOOD+DRINK

MOA’s wine display holds more than 600 bottles (above). Popular appetizers include the seafood Korean pancake (below).

MOA KOREAN BBQ & BAR

128 S. Tryon St. 704-503-9412 moakoreanbbq.com

11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.–10 p.m.

Tuesday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Sundays Closed Mondays

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

If your temperature is below 100.4 degrees, the hostess will seat you. You’ll pass a sleek bar with blue velvet-covered bar stools in front and a display of more than 600 wine bottles in back. Above the bar, a second-floor mezzanine with an additional wine display overlooks the dining room. There’s a mix of leather booths, four-top tables, and longer tables with grills in the center—plus two private dining rooms and four additional tables on the patio. The interior is dark brown with pops of royal blue, and brass light fixtures hang from the lofty ceiling. This isn’t a trip to Benihana; think sleek uptown steakhouse-meets-authentic Korean cuisine.

Stop in for lunch and order off an abbreviated menu that includes bibimbab (a Korean rice dish), katsu (Japanese-style fried pork or chicken), or a lunch box with your choice of meat or veggie stir-fry, white rice, tofu, mandoo (Korean dumplings), and soup or salad. À la carte options include the Korean seafood pancake ($11), made from savory potato with shrimp, squid, and vegetables. The Kimchi bulgogi nachos ($10), a pile of tortilla chips topped with Korean-marinated beef, panfried kimchi (a traditional Korean dish of salted and fermented vegetables like cabbage and radish), pico de gallo, and cheese, are also great to share.

If you’re new to Korean food, the Japchae ($13-$18) is your safest bet. The clear potato starch noodles are dressed up with snow peas, cabbage, red bell peppers, onions, and your choice of meat, seafood, or veggies. The Korean tacos ($11$13) are another conservative choice; they come with your choice of tofu, chicken, spicy pork, or beef, and a side of parmesan truffle fries.

For the most authentic experience, come for dinner and bring a few carnivorous friends to try the tabletop barbecue.

Start with some sake, a specialty cocktail, or a glass of wine, then listen to your server, because it’s about to get overwhelming. You can order your meats à la carte ($20-$50) or in combos ($80-$200), and choices include pork belly, ribeye, brisket, chicken bulgogi, marinated shrimp, and a bunch more. When you opt for a combo, the chef selects your sides, which might include seaweed salad, corn cheese, or kimchi. Then sit back, have another sip of sake, and watch your server cook everything in front of you.

(Above) The shrimp and vegetable tempura lunch box comes with white rice, vegetable rice balls, Korean dumplings, and soup or salad. (Below) The Whole Cow combo feeds 2-4 people.

You’ll smell your Korean feast as soon as the meat hits the grill, but there’s plenty of ventilation, so don’t worry about smoke or noise interrupting your conversation. Tell your server if you want anything spicy or mild, then fill up your plate as many times as you like. Just be sure to try everything because each meat is a different carousel of flavors.

If you saved room for dessert—and you probably didn’t, but don’t let that stop you—there’s green tea soufflé cheesecake ($8) and Hotteok with ice cream ($8), a chewy, deep-fried Korean pancake with a cinnamon, brown sugar, and peanut filling, topped with vanilla ice cream. Keep in mind this isn’t a place you come if you’re into portion control. If you’re still hungry when you leave, you’re not doing it right.

Don’t leave without trying: The seafood Korean pancake ($11) will be your new favorite comfort food.

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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FOOD+DRINK

LO C AL F L AVO R

Out of the Blue

After a harrowing year, Tara and Brenton Ebersold prove the local food movement is more than a fad

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER TAYLOR

LIKE MOST OF US, Tara and Brenton Ebersold had a tough year. Bleu Barn Bistro, their farm-to-fork food truck and catering business, took a hit during the pandemic, and they had to postpone plans to open their food stall in Camp North End. But it didn’t compare to the grief that enveloped them at the start of 2020.

The Ebersolds’ six-day-old baby boy, Elijah, died December 7, 2019, after a complication at birth. They didn’t seen it coming; Tara’s pregnancy was healthy and uneventful. They relied on family and friends in the months that followed, and they shifted their focus to the food stall they planned to open in March..

Both had a longtime interest in the culinary field. Tara cooked with her grandmother, an Italian immigrant who grew her ingredients in her backyard, and Brenton prepared family dinners from the time he was in grade school. They met 12 years ago during their first class at Johnson & Wales and launched their food truck in 2014. “We started the food truck out of wedlock,” Brenton says. “It’s been with us longer than we’ve been married.”

(The wedding was in October 2016.)

Bleu Barn Bistro stemmed from their love of eating fresh and in season. In the beginning, they visited farmer’s markets every Saturday to build relationships with the farmers who would supply the meat and produce for their grab-and-go sandwiches, tacos, and salads. They opted for a food truck over a white-tablecloth restaurant because of the lower financial

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risk, and it also allowed them to go to festivals and breweries where they could build a following and regularly change their menu.

The Ebersolds added Bleu Barn Catering to their portfolio in 2015 and Bleu Barn Pantry in 2018, incorporating all the businesses under the Bleu Barn Bistro umbrella. “At the end of a season, a farmer would have 50 pounds of unused peaches, so instead of them losing money, we could help with food waste and turn it into something else,”

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

(Top, left) Bleu Barn Bistro’s Barn Burger is a local grass-fed beef patty topped with applewoodsmoked bacon and a freerange egg, and the Fresh Catch Sandwich is cornmeal-fried rainbow trout with tangy market relish, chipotle maple aioli, and arugula on a toasted bun.

(Above) Bleu Barn Pantry sells pickles, sauces, jams, jellies, and preserves.

BITE-SIZED STO R I E S

Foodie News on a Small Plate

Bleu Barn Bistro owners Tara and Brenton Ebersold opened their first food stall in Camp North End this year.

Tara says. “We make our market relish with leftover broccoli stems that aren’t so pretty but still taste great.”

Business was steady, and a permanent location seemed like the next step. They eyed spots in NoDa and South End, but when they toured Camp North End, they knew the adaptive-reuse concept aligned with their goals. “They’re big on building their community and let small businesses thrive,” Brenton says. “The people there are like-minded. Greg (Collier), Samantha (Allen) … everything’s creative, not mass-produced.”

Then the pandemic put those plans on hold. But the Ebersolds had something else to focus on: In late February, Tara discovered she was pregnant again. Emotions were mixed.

“Pregnancy after loss is just hard,” she says.

“We’re not as open as last time; we’re more cautious now.”

They kept the news to themselves and pressed on with Bleu Barn Bistro. They used the time at home to test recipes and tend their garden, and they noticed a welcomed trend: While grocery stores couldn’t keep up with demand, more neighbors had fresh meat and produce delivered to their homes.

“Farmers got to shine a little during the pandemic,” Tara says.

“They’re not getting hit—that’s Tyson and the big factories,” Brenton adds. “Smaller farms are actually getting overloaded.

People feel safer with food that comes from their state.”

When North Carolina moved to Phase 2 in June, the Ebersolds officially opened Bleu Barn North End alongside La Caseta and SARU by Bow Ramen in Camp North End’s Gama Goat building. “It’s one of the best locations you could open during a pandemic,” Brenton says. “It’s an open-air concept with plenty of space to spread out and social-distance.”

The Ebersolds believe more people will continue to eat and support local food. Next year they hope to expand their commissary kitchen off Tyvola Road into a storefront with a café. “I think people understand it’s not just a fad,” Brenton says. “Ten years ago, they said farm-to-table was a fad. But it’s still here and it’s stronger than ever.”

As of September, though, they were focused on the arrival of a baby girl. They plan to celebrate Elijah’s birthday on December 1 because they want their daughter to know she had an older brother. But for the first time in almost a year, they’re allowing themselves to feel excited about what’s ahead for their family. “We’ve been guarding ourselves of that; it’s my heart’s way of protecting itself,” Tara says. “It’s been a crazy year, but I’m ready to take a breath of fresh air.”

BW SWEETS BAKERY, which expanded its flagship location on East W.T. Harris Boulevard this year, has opened a new location at Centro Railyard in South End. Look for ice cream, cake slices, cupcakes, bread, doughnuts, and a plethora of other pastries.

SUPERICA has opened its second location in Strawberry Hill. The 5,900-squarefoot Tex-Mex eatery has a spacious patio, arcade games, and an Airstream-style satellite bar.

THE GIDDY GOAT, a new coffee shop and roaster, is now open in the former Sushi Guru space in Plaza Midwood. It serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and afternoon snacks, plus beer, wine, and cocktails in the evening.

BLACOW BURGER SUSHI BAR, which opened in University City in July, has opened a second location in South End. The new spot will have a full sushi menu, gourmet short rib steak burgers, and appetizers like kimchi fries, spicy tuna dumplings, and “ultimate poutine.”

GOLDEN COW CREAMERY will open its third location in spring 2021 in uptown’s new Ally Center City building at the corner of Stonewall and Tryon streets. —Taylor Bowler

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor for this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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R EC I P E

CUPLUX COFFEE’S FROZEN OAT MILK LATTE IAN KOLB opened CupLux Coffee with his father and brother on Freedom Drive in 2017. The drive-thru coffee shop makes all of its flavored syrups and sauces, which Kolb often uses to experiment with new drink recipes. He calls his Frozen Oat Milk Latte a “revamped version of the Frappuccino,” and he gave it a festive twist for the holidays. Make it at home for your friends and family to enjoy. —Taylor Bowler

KOLB’S TIP

Make it an “Adultte” and swap Kahlua for simple syrup as needed for 2020.

What You’ll Need: Blender 2 lowball glasses Ingredients: 2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved with 2 tablespoons hot water 3 tablespoons coconut milk 2 tablespoons raw simple syrup (1 part filtered water to 1 part raw sugar) 6 ounces oat milk 2 cups ice

Directions: 1. Dissolve the instant coffee in two ounces of water, preferably hot.

2. Pour the coffee into the blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend until you reach your desired consistency.

3. Serve in two lowball glasses; top with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon.

T H E STO RY B E H I N D. . .

LIKE MOST RESTAURANT OWNERS, Paul Verica had to find creative ways to feed his customers when coronavirus forced him to halt dinein service. He hosted a number of pop-ups in front of The Stanley, his farm-driven restaurant in Elizabeth. His most popular was a cheesesteak pop-up on a Saturday in April. The Stanley sold 120 sandwiches in two hours. Verica knows what he’s doing: The Philadelphia native made the supersized sandwiches exactly the way he eats them at home, with thin slices of beefsteak, caramelized onions, and white American cheese stuffed into Amoroso’s rolls shipped from the City of Brotherly Love.

They were such a hit that Verica offers them on the Stanley’s brunch menu—but only when he can get the rolls THE STANLEY delivered. Anything else would disrespect Philly’s 1961 E. 7th St., culinary masterpiece. Follow @_thestanley_ 980-299-2741 to find out when you can get your next thestanleyCLT.com cheesesteak fix. —Taylor Bowler

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

COURTESY

The Stanley’s Cheesesteak

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By MICHELLE BOUDIN, TAYLOR BOWLER, ALLISON BRADEN, GREG LACOUR, and ANDY SMITH Lettering by MARIBETH KISER

More than any year before it, 2020 made demands of us. Our nine Charlotteans of the Year responded by breaking through boundaries. A doctor informed a confused, frightened public. A globally recognized superstar stepped out, finally, on racial injustice.

Here are their stories, and ours.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR Black Lives Matter Mural 45 Taiwo Jaiyeoba 46 Dr. Katie Passaretti 48 Sam Diminich 50 Michael Jordan 52 Bubba Wallace 54 Jeff Jackson 56 Molly Grantham 58 Kass Ottley 60

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

UPTOWN’S ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’ MURAL

A group of artists coalesced this summer to make a statement big enough for the world to see

BY ANDY SMITH // PHOTOGRAPH BY LOGAN CYRUS

ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 8, demonstrators marched through uptown for the 11th consecutive night to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The next morning, 17 artists gathered on one block of the space where protesters had marched— South Tryon Street between 3rd and 4th streets—and, chalk in hand, outlined the 16 letters that spell “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” Next came the paint rollers. Then news crews and pedestrians trickled in to watch a block-long painting come to life. The street mural was inspired by a similar one crafted in Washington, D.C., that week; Charlotte’s was born from a partnership of the arts organizations Charlotte is Creative, Brand the Moth, and BlkMrkt CLT—and the city, which paid each artist $500 and approved each design without revision.

The artists carried the mural from conception to completion in 72 hours.

Charlotte’s “Black Lives Matter” mural made international headlines and appeared

in the introduction video for the NBA’s season inside the bubble at Disney World. The city temporarily closed the block to vehicular traffic as thousands of visitors came to view and photograph the mural. At first, the city planned to reopen the block at the end of September. But officials postponed the reopening until the end of the year, with an eye toward turning stretches of uptown streets into pedestrian-friendly plazas.

A cynical refrain echoed throughout social media nationwide: A mural doesn’t solve anything. Charlotte’s artists say that was never the point. The painting, on a public street in the heart of the city, is meant to remind us of the work we need to do as we try to unite our community. “Public art,” coorganizer and artist Dammit Wesley said in an Instagram post, “is a single cog in the wheel of change.”

From Dammit Wesley’s pop art-inspired “B” to Dari Calamari’s pulsating “R,” the mural radiates the vibrancy and diversity within the group listed here with their Instagram handles: Dammit Wesley, @dammit_wesley Dakotah Aiyanna, @dakotahaiyanna Matthew Clayburn, @matthewclayburn Abel Jackson, @artbyabel Garrison Gist, @2gzandcountin Owl & Arko, @owl.clt and @arko.clt Kyle Mosher, @thekylemosher Franklin Kernes, @fk.creative Kiana Mui, @kmuiii Marcus Kiser, @marcus_kiser Georgie Nakima, @gardenofjourney Zach McLean, @part_t1m3 Frankie Zombie, @frankie.zombie_ CHD:WCK!, @chdwckart John Hairston, Jr., @jagolactus_ Dari Calamari, @daricalamari

ANDY SMITH is executive editor of this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

TA I WO JA I Y EO BA

Life was chaotic in 2020, but Charlotte’s city planner charted a winner’s path—and we don’t have to take the car

BY GREG LACOUR // PHOTOGRAPH BY LOGAN CYRUS

“HISTORY IS FOND OF REPEATING ITSELF … unless we alter its course! That’s what I’m committed to as our city’s Planning Director. Take steps to change the historical inequities in the growth and development of our city. #2040Plan” Taiwo Jaiyeoba—@winnerspath in the Twittersphere— tweeted that at 9:05 p.m. on Monday, September 28, the night before I wrote the story you’re reading. Story subjects seldom write the lead paragraph, but in 227 characters (including spaces), Jaiyeoba unintentionally crystallized the reason this magazine has named the city planning director and assistant city manager a Charlottean of the Year.

The year being 2020, no one seemed to know where they were going, especially in government. Even decent, conscientious public officials usually followed rather than led.

In Charlotte, the city government provided basic services but, with COVID, fell under the shadow of Mecklenburg County, which handles public health and schools. Meanwhile, the City Council entangled itself in a thornbush of frivolous ethics complaints, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police tear-gassed nonviolent protesters during the George Floyd demonstrations.

Jaiyeoba, whom the city hired as planning director in January 2018, was one of the few local public officials with a handle on his work and a vision to match. It’s true that disease outbreaks and lockdowns don’t strictly affect urban planning. But Jaiyeoba, who turns 52 this month, was already working on two massive projects that will shape Charlotte for decades to come: the city’s first comprehensive plan since 1975 and a corresponding rewrite and simplification of outdated land use regulations. He expects to present both to council members on schedule in 2021.

Jaiyeoba, in other words, was already thinking of the future and the specific steps the city should take to meet it.

This year in particular, he’s communicated not just what those steps are but how they fit his conception of what Charlotte could become.

“Especially now, with the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic and then the racial inequity protests that we’ve seen in the country, it’s highlighted a lot of challenges that we have as a city,” he tells me in late September. “But what

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

I’ve also found is that, as you try to pivot to respond to those things, there are folks who just think you’re moving too fast.

And I say things like, ‘Well, we are the 15th-largest city by population in the country. We should be setting examples, not waiting for people to set them for us.’ As long as it doesn’t violate regulations or laws and ordinances—if it is a good thing that can help people rather than hurt—we should be doing those things.”

It’s a common criticism of cities, especially in the South.

Jaiyeoba, a native of Nigeria who’s led planning efforts in California and Michigan, believes it’s partly because institutions in Charlotte, a city built on financial services, have internalized an aversion to risk that sand-traps bold ideas.

But he’s encouraging his peers to consider the risk of not evolving. Much of his work over the last three years has championed inclusion—adjusting regulations to allow for more affordable housing, increasing public transit options, and gradually weaning Charlotte streets from the dominance of the automobile.

In June, Jaiyeoba took note of a Black Lives Matter mural that activists had painted on two blocks of 16th Street in downtown Washington, D.C., just north of Lafayette Square, which is across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House.

Jaiyeoba took to Twitter to amplify the idea, and a group of Charlotte activists painted a similar mural on the 200 block of South Tryon Street, between Third and Fourth streets (page xx). Jaiyeoba convinced the city to close the block to cars until the end of 2020 and study how officials might make Tryon more suitable for pedestrians. Even with COVID, Charlotteans have embraced the new, car-free uptown plaza.

Not very Charlotte; not even, in the strictest sense, planned.

Neither is the future. “We need to learn to be open to the fact that authenticity will not be neatly organized. Authenticity is not going to be tidy,” Jaiyeoba says. “But it’s going to be appreciated. That was an authentic moment in time that we needed to capture—and look at it.”

GREG LACOUR is the senior editor for this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

D R . K AT I E PA SSAR E T T I

As COVID loomed, the doctor in charge of Atrium Health’s infection response answered the call, within the hospital and outside it

BY ANDY SMITH // PHOTOGRAPH BY LOGAN CYRUS

SIX YEARS AGO, Dr. Katie Passaretti answered a 3 a.m. call in July from Carolinas Medical Center. A patient in the emergency department had recently traveled to Liberia and, the ER doctor thought, might have contracted a contagious virus with a high mortality rate. Carolinas HealthCare System, since renamed Atrium Health,

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

potentially had the first case of Ebola in the U.S. amid a pandemic in 2014.

Passaretti, medical director of infection prevention for Atrium Health, is the person you call in this scenario. She immediately told the doctor how to isolate the patient, then headed in for the first of many stressful days.

The patient turned out to have

malaria. It was the first national “ruleout” for Ebola, two months before the first U.S. case. Passaretti’s team used the false alarm to prepare dozens of facilities and tens of thousands of employees. She supplemented that work inside the hospitals with TV appearances, locally and nationally, to share clear information on what Ebola is and

how to prevent it. Ebola caused just two deaths in the United States that year, but the lessons and preparation remained relevant.

“These diseases are going to change.

They’re going to keep coming, and they’re going to impact us to a variable extent,” she tells me in September. “But the basic principles are all the same: We have to figure out how these patients present and their risk factors, how to implement the right isolation, (and) have the right personal protective equipment. It’s about continuing education.”

PASSARETTI TELLS ME THIS over Zoom because, as of September, more than a million people worldwide had died of COVID-19. One-fifth of those have been American. This year, the 44-year-old Ballantyne resident once again became a much-needed source of knowledge locally and nationally, penetrating rampant misinformation on platforms that are now exponentially noisier than six years ago. (In that time, Facebook has gone from 890 million active users to 1.69 billion.) Aside from her appearances on MSNBC, CNN, and FOX, Atrium uses social platforms like Facebook and Twitter for Passaretti to answer frequently asked questions, of which there are plenty.

There have been several epidemics in the U.S. since Passaretti arrived in Charlotte in 2011. She had spent the previous 17 years at Johns Hopkins University, where she obtained her B.A. and M.D., and completed a residency.

One of her greatest gifts, her peers say, is her ability to explain the most complicated aspects of illnesses with clarity to patients and the general public.

These days, she works not only against social media but the dissonance—and political pressure—surrounding the Center for Disease Control. Days before our conversation,

multiple news organizations reported that political appointments at the U.S. Health and Human Services Department had attempted to shape the CDC’s weekly reports on the pandemic to benefit President Trump’s reelection campaign. The CDC, “for better or worse, is the guiding body for infectious diseases,” Passaretti says. “So any discrediting of them makes people question the recommendation that I as an infectious disease provider put out there. As soon as a recommendation comes out from them and I’m still trying to process it, I get 1,000 emails asking, ‘Is this right?’ ... But when most people listen to reasons why guidance changes, they understand. There are physicians within the CDC that have a very, very difficult job and are trying to do it.”

PASSARETTI’S STRATEGY involves respectful dialogue, working against the reputation of condescending medical professionals. “I try to acknowledge whatever someone is telling me, and then say, ‘Well, this is the data I have.

Where is your information coming from?’” she says. “I try to make it a conversation. I have a good sense of what people’s kind of pushback is, and I try to address that out front when I do education on Facebook or elsewhere.

I know it’s never going to be successful with everyone, but you have to meet people where they are.”

Like her national counterpart, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Passaretti is constantly barraged with questions about what we should and shouldn’t do: Should my kids be in school?

Which holiday traditions can we keep this year? Is it safe to fly? The answer isn’t always clear.

“On a micro level, these are things doctors deal with all the time,” Passaretti says, “like when you’re trying to

get an individual to take their diabetes medication. They might say, ‘Well, but I don’t have anywhere to store my insulin because I have no refrigerator.’ So we have to figure out what we can do considering the data and variables; medicine can never really be cut and dried. That’s what you always hear about the art and the science of this.”

Modifications have to be nuanced and “actually doable” for both individuals and the general population if you want to see results, she says.

Passaretti says her days vary widely.

She sees patients with infectious diseases, both COVID and non-COVID; other days are “meeting-heavy, working on practice changes, how to implement different testing strategies in different settings.” You might see her dispelling myths about the virus on Atrium’s YouTube channel. When we talk in September, Atrium is preparing for flu season. Scientists may develop a COVID vaccine in 2021, she says, but people shouldn’t forget about the readily available flu vaccine.

Otherwise, Passaretti and her team prepare for potential viruses that we haven’t even heard of yet—all while remaining vigilant against this recent arrival that won’t be leaving us any time soon.

“Unfortunately, this is much more of a marathon than anyone thought it would be,” she says, “and that means it comes down to really circling back to the same stuff: You’ve got to wear the mask, you’ve got to stay home when you’re sick, you’ve got to wash your hands, and you’ve got to try to limit those bigger get-togethers. And that’s not going to change for a while longer, and we just need to get into this ‘new normal’ to protect our communities— and each other.”

ANDY SMITH is executive editor of this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

49

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

SA M DIMINICH

When COVID devastated the food and beverage industry, Upstream’s executive chef used his skills to connect customers with local farmers

BY ALLISON BRADEN // PHOTOGRAPH BY LOGAN CYRUS

CHEF SAM DIMINICH says no two Charlotte farms are alike. Some look pulled from a postcard, while others are backyard plots or even shipping containers. “It’s not Instagram-perfect,” he says of one. “But their bounty is beautiful and delicious, and they’re very, very passionate about what they do.”

Diminich launched his business, Your Farms, Your Table, in late March to connect Charlotteans with these local farmers.

He scours markets and farms daily for fresh, seasonal produce and crafts a three-course menu around what he finds.

Then he cooks and delivers the $30 gourmet meals to homes all over town. Customers never know what they’re going to get. In the seven months since he started, Diminich has never made the same menu twice.

The business model is so well timed, I would have believed Diminich had it in the works long before the coronavirus. Demand for local food and doorstep convenience long predates the pandemic.

But this wasn’t how Diminich’s 2020 was supposed to go at all.

In January, he beat Bobby Flay on the Food Network with a sumptuous lobster risotto, and the SouthPark restaurant Upstream, where Diminich had been executive chef since late 2018, was coming off a jubilant holiday season. “Food, service, management, team, staffing were as strong as they’ve ever been, and we were all very proud of that,” he says. “But COVID had other plans.”

On Tuesday, March 17, Diminich got the email: He was laid off.

With two kids at home, Diminich couldn’t afford to mope. He looked for work at an Amazon warehouse, joining a line that snaked around

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the building while his 13-year-old son waited in the car.

That night, a farmer friend called. “He is desolate,” Diminich recalls. “He has a season’s worth of crops and no place to go.

He just lost 25 wholesale accounts.” Afterward, Diminich thought about his friend’s plight: There’s got to be something I can do.

With his sister Stephanie Lockhart, Diminich founded Your Farms, Your Table. At first, customers placed orders via Instagram, and he prepared every meal at his Cotswold apartment. Today, the business has a polished website and commercial kitchen space. (Upstream, meanwhile, announced in June that it wouldn’t reopen post-pandemic.)

Diminich’s career has taken so many turns this year that he tells me the story in chapters—but one aspect of his work hasn’t changed.

Diminich, 44, says his life began again on November 16, 2014, “my very first day of sobriety.” He knows firsthand the courage and resolve it takes to fight addiction; now, COVID restrictions and widespread job losses have made the battle even harder.

Diminich co-leads the Charlotte chapter of Ben’s Friends, a support organization for food and beverage professionals who struggle with substance abuse. On September 26, galvanized by a spike in relapse rates, he donated 100 percent of his sales— almost $4,000—to the nonprofit.

Fellowship and recovery depend on a close network of people who care about each other, and so does Diminich’s business. “I’ve never felt more like a commodity,” he says of that fateful email. “What I wanted to do was build a small

business that’s community based, that’s here to support those who support us.”

The day before we talk in early September, Diminich spent two hours at Simpson’s Produce at the Kings Drive Farmers Market. When we get off the phone, he’ll finish walking his pit bull, Sandy, attend a daily virtual meeting of Ben’s Friends, then get to work on today’s main course, Korean BBQ chicken. He has some late harvest peaches, too. When we hang up, he’s still not sure how he’ll use them, but he’s confident he can wring something wonderful from uncertainty.

ALLISON BRADEN is a contributing editor to this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

51

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

M I C H A E L J O R DAN

In a turbulent year of protests and a pandemic, he reminded us what greatness looks like

THE YEAR IS 1992. I live in a suburb of Chicago where kids ride bikes with skinned knees and little parental supervision. A visit to the McDonald’s at the top of the Sears Tower is a rite of passage for every kindergartner, and the whole neighborhood is abuzz when someone’s mom gets tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show. Every third-grader I know can sing the “Be Like Mike” jingle by heart, and not just because we like orange Gatorade. Mike’s our hometown hero with the famous tongue wag who wears the sneakers that make you fly.

Michael Jordan turned ’90s kids like me into basketball fans. But as so many of us cheered for His Airness, others wondered why he seemed to shy away from what they rightly considered far more important than basketball or business success: matters of social justice. This year, Jordan finally entered that arena, and at 57, three decades after his peak as an athlete, reminded us why he’s still the Greatest of All Time.

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WHEN THE LAST DANCE AIRED on ESPN this year, millions tuned in every Sunday for five weeks, and not just because there weren’t any live sports on TV. The Bulls’ run of six titles over eight seasons remains one of the greatest feats in professional sports, and for those of us who grew up cheering for them, the show allowed us to go back in time.

When the NBA first approached him about a film crew following the Bulls during the 1997-98 season, Jordan says then-Commissioner David Stern told him if nothing came of the footage, at least he’d have some great home movies to show his kids. “It turned out to be true,” he tells me via email, “only the rest of the world got to see those home movies, too.” Jordan’s three older kids, Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine, got to see a new side of their father. “They knew me as Dad, with the perks of free sneakers and Bulls’ tickets and some sense that their lives were different than some of

their friends’ lives. All these years later, they had great reactions to things they might have remembered but not fully understood.”

Jordan’s competitiveness is legendary, and his rivalry with the Detroit Pistons’ Isiah Thomas, a Chicago native, was fierce—that much we knew. But we didn’t know all the details of his relationships with teammates Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Steve Kerr.

The stories weren’t all flattering. MJ mocks general manager Jerry Krause’s height and punches Kerr in practice.

But the documentary makes us consider whether that was part of Jordan’s greatness, too—his willingness to command respect at the cost of being liked.

And that underscores one of the biggest contradictions of Jordan’s life, one that The Last Dance doesn’t hesitate to address. As the most prominent Black athlete of his era—maybe of all time— Jordan steered away from politics and advocacy for Black Americans during

COURTESY KENT SMITH/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES

BY TAYLOR BOWLER

and after his athletic career, in contrast to forebears like Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Arthur Ashe.

Most famously, Jordan declined to publicly support Harvey Gantt, Charlotte’s first Black mayor, during his 1990 U.S. Senate race against Jesse Helms in Jordan’s home state. Jordan was 27 then, and he maintained a depoliticized image that helped him land endorsements with Nike, Gatorade, McDonald’s, and Hanes.

Asked about it then, he responded with a one-liner—“Republicans buy sneakers, too”—that fed a popular perception that would dog him for nearly 30 years: that he cared only about winning championships, gambling, and his business brand. Even President Obama admits in the docuseries that he wanted Jordan to publicly endorse Gantt and push harder on issues of social justice.

“I never thought of myself as an activist,” he says in The Last Dance. “I thought of myself as a basketball player.”

That began to change this decade, as highly publicized police killings of Black people jump-started Black Lives Matter.

In 2016, Jordan wrote a personal essay for The Undefeated that referred to his father’s 1993 murder by a pair of armed robbers, then pledged $1 million to both the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Institute for Community-Police Relations.

Then, in May, came the event that galvanized Jordan as it did so many others: George Floyd’s killing. “I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” he wrote in a statement he shared on the Jordan Brand’s social media accounts. “I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country.” It was by far the most pointed and openly political public statement Jordan had ever made.

The fact that he voiced it made headlines around the world.

“Frankly, I just had enough,” he tells me. “Despite all that I have in this world, I am not immune from racism. My family is not immune from racism. I have a

voice, a platform, and the means to try to effect change on a big scale.”

JORDAN’S NAME WILL ALWAYS BE synonymous with Chicago, but we claim a big piece of him in Charlotte, too. In 2010, he became majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets—and the only Black majority owner in U.S. pro sports. “Even when I lived in Chicago, North Carolina never stopped being home for me,” he says. “It was truly a dream come true to become the majority owner of an NBA team, and for it to be the Hornets made it even more special.” He shared his statement after George Floyd’s death on the Hornets’ Twitter account, too.

He owns a lakefront home in Cornelius and a penthouse condo within walking distance of Spectrum Center.

But a Jordan sighting in Charlotte is rare.

He remains notoriously private, with no social media presence and few public interviews. He’s so private, in fact, that he wouldn’t allow The Last Dance crew to film at his own house—those interviews were actually filmed at three different homes near his residence in Jupiter, Florida.

If you look closely, though, you’ll see the trail he leaves across the city. His $7.2 million donation funded the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic on Freedom Drive. By the second half of 2020, cars lined up outside its drive-up clinic because patients didn’t need an appointment or a primary care provider to get a COVID-19 test. In September, Novant opened a second clinic on Statesville Avenue. He also donated proceeds from The Last Dance to Friends of the Children, a national nonprofit with a Charlotte chapter that provides mentors to at-risk youth.

Along with Jordan Brand, he’s pledged $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations dedicated to racial equality and focused his first three rounds of grants on fair voting. He pushed to have Spectrum Center used as a polling place, which the Mecklenburg County Board

of Elections approved, and says he’ll continue to work with organizations to undo “centuries’ worth of damage.”

JORDAN’S NEXT MOVE involves another sport with deep ties to Charlotte: NASCAR. He’ll join longtime Cup driver Denny Hamlin to form a single-car team for the 2021 season with Bubba Wallace as the team’s driver. The move symbolizes more than a historic deal for NASCAR. With the sport’s only fulltime Black driver behind the wheel, it’s another step toward diversity—and a mark of the NBA legend changing the culture of a sport.

Since he retired from basketball for the third and final time in 2003, he’s had little success as an NBA owner. His public image as the ultimate winner eroded with the years; a generation of kids knows him from the “Crying Jordan” meme, which he alluded to this year at the memorial service for Kobe Bryant, an athlete many viewed as his successor.

Still, he remains the highest-paid athlete of all time, and he’s been good to his home state. For years after his basketball career ended, his greatness didn’t shout.

It whispered—until the time finally came for it to raise its voice.

“I think ‘greatness’ comes with a vision for success, commitment to putting in the time and a lot of hard work, and dedication to whatever it is you’re doing, whether it’s your job, a hobby or something else,” he says. “You can’t be afraid to fail; that’s how you learn.”

Greatness refuses to be limited or controlled by fear. It outlasts bad days marked by protests and pandemic.

Greatness is an athlete who can take you back to a time when sneakers made you fly, when Donald Trump was just that guy who made a cameo in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, when pinky promises were forever.

And this ’90s kid will never forget it.

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

53

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

B U B BA WAL L ACE

NASCAR has always represented and celebrated people like him, uncomplicated country folks who careen around the track or cheer for those who do. But for a few weeks in summer, without really meaning to, Bubba Wallace became a symbol for an anxious nation once again confronting its racial demons.

He’s moving forward, knowingly, as both

BY GREG LACOUR

DOWN DEEP, he’s just another North Carolina country boy who loves to drive fast cars around a track. That’s what Bubba Wallace wants you to know in case you’ve registered a different impression of him this year, when he somehow transformed into a Rorschach test for a jittery, exhausted, plague-ridden nation forced once again to look hard into the mirror. Him? Bubba Wallace, the kid who grew up in Cabarrus County and started on go-karts at age 9? This year was complicated for him—in more ways than he thought possible or even wanted—but Wallace insists he’s not.

“I never saw myself as an activist,” he wrote in July for the Derek Jeterfounded publication The Players’ Tribune. “I’m just a guy who likes to drive fast, you know?”

In September, after the furor died down, he tells me: “I’m just kind of a laid-back and chill guy.”

It all flared over a matter of weeks in spring and early summer. First, the Ahmaud Arbery video went viral. Then, on Memorial Day, George Floyd. Less than two weeks after that, Wallace raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a T-shirt that read, “I Can’t Breathe. Black Lives Matter.” The next day, he called for NASCAR to remove the Confederate battle flag from its races, and two days after that, NASCAR did. That night, at Martinsville Speedway, Wallace drove his No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro adorned with a

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#BlackLivesMatter paint scheme and this slogan on the hood and back bumper: “Compassion, Love, Understanding.”

Then, in late June, came the infamous “noose incident” at Talladega: What NASCAR officials, drivers, and media believed was a hate crime directed at the sport’s only full-time Black driver turned out to be a pull rope that had hung in the garage stall since the previous year, long before Wallace was assigned the space. Racist social media trolls had a ball with that one, accusing Wallace of being another Jussie Smollett, making up racial offenses to generate sympathy. President Trump asked via Twitter if Wallace would apologize for “just another HOAX.” Wallace responded with a statement that read, in part, “Love should come naturally as people are TAUGHT to hate. Even when it’s HATE from the POTUS.” THE PRINCIPLE APPLIES TO ANY SPORT, but spatial and situational awareness can determine life or death on the track. When you drive, you need to know where you are and where you’re going, and where you are in relation to everyone else, and where they are, and where they might be going. You develop a sense of your presence and its effect on others, and theirs on you.

You plan turns of the wheel knowing the next moment’s circumstances might force the opposite.

“‘Keep your head on a swivel.’ I was told that by a guy in the sport a couple of years ago and didn’t really know the exact meaning of it, and I’m not sure I still really do,” Wallace says over the phone. It’s just after noon on a weekday in early September, and he mentions that I’m his last scheduled interview, a welcome wind-down from the time over the summer when he would do 10 or more every day. “But seeing how it can apply to so many different things is super important. Make sure you’re always paying attention when you’re walking through. That applies to everyday life.”

He may be “the new face of NASCAR,” as a Charlotte Observer headline in late June asserted, but he matters for more than that. At 27, the son of a white father and Black mother, Wallace is one of a growing number of professional athletes who embrace their social power and what they’ve accepted as an obligation: to propel America toward a more just version of itself. You may be thinking of Colin Kaepernick, who’s paid dearly for his protests, or LeBron James, who’s led the NBA into the #BlackLivesMatter space.

But for Wallace to do the same for NASCAR, a sport born in the South and associated for decades with don’t-treadon-me, Southern-by-the-grace-of-God, rebel-flag-flyin’ obstinance—and to do it in an era when white supremacy is

COURTESY, BARRY CANTRELL

louder and prouder than at any time since the civil rights movement—is something else entirely. Wallace may have thought of himself as just another country boy who loved to drive fast, but at some point this year, he came to accept that it was never going to be that simple.

“You definitely have to have big, broad shoulders to carry the weight of everything that’s going on, especially when you’re in my position,” he says. “I know a lot of people are just, ‘Shut up and drive, that’s what you get paid to do.’ I knew those people would be out there, and you’ll never change those minds.”

IN HIS PIECE FOR THE PLAYERS’ TRIBUNE, Wallace wrote about how he wouldn’t have thought he’d be at the center of a national debate about the Confederate flag, or about the intersection of race and sports. “Then,” he wrote, “everything in the world just shifted.”

It could apply to so many things in this hellish year, which has pushed most of us into places we’d have run from, frightened, at New Year’s. “I’m learning to embrace it,” Wallace wrote, and for the most part, it’s working for him. (Of course, it certainly helps when Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin embrace you.)

But that’s what got Bubba Wallace out there to begin with, after all: driving fast and making the necessary adjustments.

“All this extra stuff is just an add-on,” he tells me, “and you have to be able to navigate your way through that.” That applies, as he says, to everyday life.

GREG LACOUR is the senior editor of this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

55

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

J E F F JAC K S O N

As the pandemic derailed his door-to-door campaign style, a young, charismatic state senator used social media to connect with his constituents

BY TAYLOR BOWLER // PHOTOGRAPH BY LOGAN CYRUS

ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON last spring, not long after the county stay-at-home order went into effect, I got a call from a 704 number I didn’t recognize. It was N.C. Senator Jeff Jackson, whom I’d never met, calling to ask how I was doing.

He wanted to know if my family was staying healthy, if my fridge was stocked, if my kids were driving me crazy. It felt like a chat with a neighbor I hadn’t seen in a while.

Then I wondered, Would somebody go to the trouble of impersonating a state senator to make prank calls? Or is this really something Senator Jackson does in his spare time? I asked my co-editors, who both assured me that, yes, that’s just the kind of guy he is.

Jackson, 38, is an attorney, Army National Guard captain, and father of three. He’s the youngest Democratic state senator, and personal calls to his constituents in District 37 are on brand for him. “This year, my big plan was to knock on 10,000 doors,” he says. “That’s my campaign style. I started in January and hit 1,100 doors.” When coronavirus struck, he switched to phone calls. “I called people in an election mindset, but I ditched that real quick and switched to, ‘How are you doing?

How is your family?’” he says. “The last thing people wanted was a campaign pitch.”

As the virus spread, Jackson’s Instagram page was the first place many of us went for news on school closures, Governor Cooper’s reopening phases, or where to find (or donate) face masks in Charlotte. “At first, I used (social media) because I was a young, broke politician, and I couldn’t afford TV commercials,” he says with a laugh. “Now it’s part of my job. Constituents want to hear from me on Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit. It’s their expectation that I’m on those platforms, so I’m using them to convey good information.”

He demonstrated his social media savvy during an ice storm in February 2015, when he live-tweeted from an empty Senate chamber because he was the only legislator to brave the icy roads and show up to work. Jackson had been in the Senate for less than a year; he was appointed to fill the remainder of Dan Clodfelter’s term, so he hadn’t even won an election yet. But his hashtag #JustOneLegislator and string of posts proved he knows how to deliver a political message in

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the digital age—which he did again in June, when he took to Twitter to challenge Charlotte-Mecklenburg police on why they tear-gassed nonviolent protesters uptown.

As roughly 200 demonstrators marched on a block of 4th Street in response to George Floyd’s murder, CMPD boxed them in, detonated tear gas from both ends of the street, and fired pepper balls near them. In a detailed post on Medium, Jackson broke down the incident with a series of photos and videos and shared updates from his conversations with Charlotte City Council members and CMPD. When he assures his constituents he’ll get to the bottom of something, we believe him.

Jackson was up for reelection in a year dominated by a presidential race, but for him, it’s a redistricting election, which has been his primary policy issue from day one. “Gerrymandering has been a huge problem in North Carolina for decades,” he says. “We can’t let politicians draw the districts anymore because every time they do, they cheat, and you’re deprived of a competitive election. It’s a corrupt system, and it’s indefensible from an ethical standpoint.”

He won’t say if a U.S. Senate run is in his future; at press time, his goal was to help Democrats retake legislative majorities in November—and for voters to raise their standards.

“Take basic things like honesty and decency seriously, and treat them as voting issues,” he says. “Every time we lower our standards, crummy politicians love it. When we raise our standards, it cuts off their oxygen.”

On my second call with Jackson in four months, I ask him to name the most important quality in a political leader. I know he has an afternoon of calls ahead of him, but instead of giving me a rushed, rehearsed response, he pauses, then says, “You just have to like people.”

He sends his regards to my kids and wishes me luck on the home schooling. I know I’m one of at least 30 people he’ll speak to that day, but once again, Senator Jackson makes me feel like the most important one.

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

57

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

M O L LY G R ANT H A M

While 2020 continued to flatten us, the anchor, author, and mom made working parents feel seen

BY MICHELLE BOUDIN // PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOGAN CYRUS

AS ANCHOR of the 5:30 and 11 p.m. broadcasts on WBTV, Molly Grantham is used to reporting the news. The 43-yearold mother of three is not accustomed to being the news.

But that’s what happened to her family in July when they became the subjects of a story she couldn’t have scripted.

Grantham had just given birth to her son Hobie when she; her husband, Wes; her 9-year-old daughter, Parker; and her 6-year-old son, Hutch, all contracted the coronavirus. Each had different symptoms. Parker had a sore throat and fever.

Hutch had fever and a runny nose. Wes was lethargic and lost his sense of taste and smell. The County Health Department said 10-day-old Hobie was “the youngest person tested in Mecklenburg County” and the “youngest presumptively positive case.” Molly had body aches and pneumonia as she stayed up all night to watch Hobie’s chest rise and fall.

“I was checking his breathing every hour just looking to see which way his rib cage was moving,” she says. “The doctor told me, if it moved a certain way, to take him to the ER.”

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Once her family had recovered after two weeks in isolation, she shared the experience in a detailed Facebook post that national news outlets like CNN and People magazine picked up. Parents from all over the country read her story in disbelief and reposted it on social media as a warning to anyone who had begun to relax their social distancing rules at home or believed children were immune to COVID. At press time, the post had been shared more than 65,000 times. “I was really surprised when it went viral because we had just lived it,” she says. “What we went through with COVID—it is almost indescribable, but when you’re in the middle of it, living it, it doesn’t seem as crazy as when you get some distance and look back.”

Grantham has lived her professional life on camera in Charlotte since 2003, when she joined WBTV as an investigative reporter. She launched #MollysKids (a segment that highlights area kids facing extraordinary medical challenges) and is a spokeswoman for Susan G. Komen Char-

lotte. She’s also captain of Team Molly, her Race For the Cure team, where she’s helped raise a million dollars each year for breast cancer research. But it’s her weekly Facebook posts about her struggles as a working mother that endear her to more than 140,000 followers.

In 2017, Grantham wrote her first book, Small Victories: The Off-Camera Life of An On-Camera Mom, an extension of the raw Facebook posts she shared while on maternity leave with her second child. “I missed me,” she says. “I missed work. I loved my two kids but wanted adult conversation and felt trapped inside as the moving world outside kept going. I was, quite honestly, posting to save my own sanity.”

This year she published her second book, The Juggle Is Real, while the rest of us baked banana bread and Marie Kondoed our drawers. She calls it a serial memoir that will serve as a scrapbook for her kids. “Let’s face it, life is insane,” she says. “Too many surprises. Nothing predictable. This

year alone, we’ve dealt with coronavirus, an unexpected third pregnancy, and now home school.”

Now she’s learning to juggle in pandemic mode, and she continues to share her experiences on social media with a humor and candor that makes working parents feel seen.

“Nothing is standard,” she says. “Nothing is what you know that normally applies to parenting and work. You have to figure out what makes sense that day. I can’t plan anything—nobody can plan anything. There’s no structure. I am Type A, but I have an adaptability about me and can be very laid back, especially on parenting. I think news plays a role in that because any day you start can go to hell in three hours, and everything is blown up.”

But, of course, any parent can relate to that.

MICHELLE BOUDIN is a reporter for NBC Charlotte and a frequent contributor to this magazine.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

59

CHARLOTTEANS OF THE YEAR

K A SS OT TL EY

She’s walked the walk as an activist since she was a child in New York City. She’s talked the talk, too, even with the cops.

But she and the people she leads in the streets are tired of talking

BY GREG LACOUR // PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOGAN CYRUS

KASS OTTLEY WAS MARCHING once again, this time on the evening of September 23, a few hours after the attorney general of Kentucky announced that he wouldn’t charge any Louisville police officers in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor in March. Ottley walked about eight miles that night, leading a column of about 100 protesters through uptown despite a nagging case of plantar fasciitis that had hobbled her for months. “I’ve just kind of been ignoring it,” she tells me two days later. Ottley estimated she had walked 83 miles on the streets of Charlotte since police in Minneapolis killed George Floyd on Memorial Day. By the time you read this, she likely will have marched even more.

Ottley’s been at this since she was a child in New York City. Her mother, a telephone operator, took her to a protest during a phone company workers’ strike in 1971, when she was 6. She kept up her activism in New York even as she worked a corporate job in sales and marketing but put it aside to raise her two children and establish herself in Charlotte; she and her husband moved here in 1997 when his job transferred.

But after a decade or so, she says, she began to sense that not all was quite right in her adopted city. It intensified after the 2013 Charlotte-Mecklenburg police killing of Jonathan Ferrell—a case that went to trial but ended two years later with a hung jury and dismissal of charges against the officer who’d shot him. The result fed the

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often-violent reaction to the police killing of Keith Lamont Scott in 2016. By then, Ottley was back on the streets, marching and shouting with hundreds of other Charlotteans.

But it’s how Ottley, who works as an administrator for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, has approached her interaction with—and often passionate opposition to—CMPD that distinguishes her. Activists here and in other American cities often don’t engage with law enforcement at all. (“F--- 12” is a common exclamation, here and elsewhere.) Ottley understands completely. But she’s been willing to talk at length with CMPD leaders, including former Chief Kerr Putney and new Chief Johnny Jennings, about her issues with the department and its policies and practices.

“We gotta get honest before we can change things,” she told Putney and department spokesman Rob Tufano during a CMPD vidcast in May, a few days after police killed Floyd.

Tufano asked if she condoned the property damage and destruction during the Floyd protests.

“We’re talking property over people,” she shot back. “There’s a huge difference. And I hate to say it, but a lot of these companies and businesses in the Black community do absolutely nothing for the Black community except drain their resources and take them back to their communities. So do I condone the violence? No. But I definitely get it.”

I interviewed Ottley in late September. Here are some of her answers, edited for space and clarity.

I’VE BEEN HERE 23 YEARS. I was born and raised in East Elmhurst, Queens.

We lived one block over from where Malcolm X was; we lived on 96th Street, and he lived on 97th Street and one avenue over. Malcolm X was a huge influence in my neighborhood.

The first Muslim school was in my neighborhood, on 108th Street, and at that time, that was something that wasn’t even really heard of. Elijah Muhammad, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong—they all lived in that community.

BACK IN THE DAY, everything was Black-owned. So I know what it’s like to come from a neighborhood where everything is Black-owned, the money is kept in the community, and the community thrives. And I also know what it looks like, you know, when that changes.

I WENT TO MY FIRST PROTEST with my mother. She was an operator for the telephone company, and I guess there was something going on with their salaries. And I remember I was six, and I had a sign, and I was yelling, “Ma Bell, go to hell.” (laughs) My aunt was not happy. She was like, “You got that baby out there?”

AS MY KIDS STARTED TO GET OLDER, I started noticing here in Charlotte, just things changing, you know, seeing more and more homeless people, more and more people on the streets, and I’m like, “Wow, you know, what is happening here?” That’s what really kind of sparked me to want to get back out and really start doing things. The whole report, 50th out of 50 in upward mobility, is horrible. You drive to uptown Charlotte, and you would think this is the greatest area, and then you get just outside of uptown, and you have a tent city full of homeless people. It’s like no one even sees them, like they’re invisible.

I STARTED MY ORGANIZATION, Seeking Justice Charlotte, about 10 years ago. It’s a grassroots organization. I was trying to connect all the other organizations together. That was my goal. Initially, it was called Seeking Justice Consortium, but people kept not being able to say “consortium.”

IT WAS DEFINITELY IN RESPONSE to police shootings, police brutality, trying to focus on police reform, then it kind of got into jail reform. I remember when Michael Laney got shot on Beatties Ford Road (in 2012). That was traumatic. La-Reko Williams, who got tased to death at the light rail (in 2011).

I mean, there’s a lot of things that happened here. I was just tired of seeing so many incidents, you know, and I was like, “OK, we’ve got to do something.” Then it became about fighting for affordable housing. Then our literacy program started because I love kids, and I love books. I love to read. I found that a lot of the kids didn’t read because they didn’t have access to books.

THE FIRST TIME I GOT A DEATH THREAT was when I was doing the event for Jonathan Ferrell’s mother. Right after the trial, she wanted to have a candlelight vigil at the site, which I felt like shouldn’t Continued on next page DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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be a problem. So I organized that, and I got death threats from people in that neighborhood. And I was shocked— I mean, really shocked. Another time was when we all spoke at City Council, I didn’t realize that when you give your information to City Council, it’s public. So, of course, I put down where I live, and somebody mailed me a death threat. In the mail.

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from an organizer and activist side, I think the fear is gone. People are not afraid anymore.

I FELT LIKE WE WERE BEING IGNORED. You know, you’re telling us to come and speak, and we’re coming, and we’re speaking, and it’s like, “OK, are you finished?” and that’s it. And I was like, “Wait a minute, we elected these people. They’re supposed to be our leaders, and what are they really doing? Do you hear the people?” Because it seems like they’re very out of touch with the community, and I still feel that now.

I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, I’m a lot older.

You know, a lot of these protesters are kids, and that’s how they choose to express themselves, and that’s them.

I personally feel like, to be heard, you have to be in the room. If I’m outside of the building, and I’m screaming and hollering, they might hear some of what I’m saying. But if I’m standing in the room—and I’m not changing my messaging, and I’m not compromising anything, I’m saying exactly what I feel needs to be said—I need to be in that room, because I need you to hear me, and I need you to see me. And so in order to change the system, or even dismantle the system, you have to be in the room where they can hear you.

I THINK VIDEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA are why these cases are now front of mind for people—and people are just tired. To hear about something is one thing. To actually see it, it’s totally different. And I think as these different cases evolved, like Walter Scott in North Charleston and some of these other cases, a lot of times people say, “Well, he shouldn’t have been doing this. He shouldn’t have been doing that.” We’ve seen Black people get shot complying, not complying, running, sitting still, standing, laying down—I mean, at a point, you run out of excuses, and you have to really face that there’s something wrong here. And I think also,

THESE YOUNGER PEOPLE want to burn the room down, and I get it. I also get that they’re tired, because I know I’m tired. You know, like I said, I went to my first protest ever at six years old. I’ll be 56 years old in December, and I don’t even think I could count how many protests, marches, events I’ve had, forums I’ve been to, conversations I’ve had, and it’s like, OK, am I going to live to see this work come to some fruition, or am I just spinning my wheels? Everybody’s sitting here, you know, saying “Black Lives Matter,” and it’s on every major city street at this point, pretty much. But what are you actually doing to prove that’s how you

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

feel? What are you changing? Because we’re talked out. We’re tired of talking.

I’VE ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT running for some type of public office.

A lot of people have asked me that, and I’m kind of thinking about it. I don’t know yet. I’m just throwing the idea around. But I feel like we need leadership that’s connected to the people. I think a lot of the leaders we have in Charlotte have been in their positions for far too long, and they’re too comfortable. They get up on that level, and they forget where they came from and the fact that the people put them in that position. I think we need leadership in this city that has the best interest of the people of the city at heart.

I JUST WANT THIS CITY to be as beautiful as the skyline of uptown Charlotte is, and I feel like we have that potential.

If you really think about it, we have this beautiful façade; you look, and you’re like, “Oh, my God, this is so beautiful.”

I thought Charlotte was the greatest thing ever when I moved here. I still love Charlotte. But you start to notice the cracks. You start to notice the discoloration. You start noticing the blemishes and the things wrong. And either you can notice them and just ignore it—It doesn’t affect me; I don’t live over there—or you can say, “This is my city, and I love it here, and I want to be part of the solution.”

GREG LACOUR is the senior editor of this magazine.

The Gift of Giving THROUGH GIVING BACK

Our guide includes local small businesses with thoughtfully curated items, many of which support additional causes or empower women. We’ve also included suggestions to provide for others experiencing hardships this year.

REMINDER: GIVING TUESDAY ARRIVES DECEMBER 1 Giving Tuesday is a global movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.

Consider donating to local businesses highlighted in the red circles throughout this guide.

Yellow Stripe Stuffed Giraffe ($40), and Orange Floral Elephant ($35) Empower for Hope sells accessories, clothing, toys, and other items in partnerships with women refugees and immigrant artisans, from Charlotte and the East African nation Burundi.

EMPOWER FOR HOPE empowerforhope.org Friday, the Sloth ($45), locally designed by Kaylyn Dunlap of Dunlap Love; and Pink Picasso’s Lily Llamacorn’s Paint by Numbers Kit ($30) Dunlap, mother to an adoptive special-needs family, uses plush toys to help orphans and the special-needs community.

Sold at MOXIE MERCANTILE moxiemercantile.com

GREAT STOCKIN G STUFFER !

PAPER TWIST 704-366-3100 papertwist.com

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ADAM WHITLOW

For those who could use any kind of hug this year: LITTLE NOTES PANDA HUG ($15)

ALL THE SKILLS Repairs are easier when you have the right tools

Teach Girls How to Build Their Future Get a head start on building and repair work with Girls Garage by Emily Pilloton, who has taught and worked with thousands of youth, ages 9 -18, on public architecture projects.

Sold at PARK ROAD BOOKS 704-525-9239

SHE BUILT THIS CITY, a local non-profit business, sparks interest in construction for women of all ages. It aims to empower girls 9-17 and women with construction trade skills through after-school programs, workshops, events, and career and counseling services.

Visit She Built This City on Facebook or @she.built.this.city on Instagram for event updates, or make a donation at shebuiltthiscity.org

This 12-in-1 Screwdriver ($24.95) by Gentleman’s Hardware will get you out of a tight spot. Don’t let the name fool you — it works just as well for women.

ADAM WHITLOW; CHRONICLE BOOKS

Sold at PAPER SOURCE papersource.com

Leave it to these dutiful devices to remain steadfast in design and function. For something you can count on, gift this Jotblock Drafting Set ($29).

Know someone who is always searching for the right tool? Give them the titanium coated Credit Card Tool ($20) with 15 utensils in one slim card.

GREAT STOCKIN G STUFFER !

Sold at PAPER TWIST 704-366-3100 papertwist.com

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CREATURE COMFORTS To nurture your mind, body, and spirit

Share your plants with friends with this Monstera Propagation Station (Style 1, below, $30) or (Style 2, right, $25) from worthy, and very capable, women.

Sold at WORTHY + BADASS worthyandbadass.com

GREAT STOCKIN G STUFFER S!

Do your plants need some encouragement? Plant Animals ($9 each) can help! Choose from koalas, monkeys, and more.

Sold at MOXIE MERCANTILE moxiemercantile.com Michelle Castelloe, owner, supports local makers and creators in the community, fair trade and socially conscious brands.

Moxie Mercantile also regularly donates a percentage of sales to local and national causes.

Garden in A Bag ($10 ea) Treat your furry friends to some healthy organic snacks that taste great and look pretty, too. Perfect for uptown apartments and condo dwellers.

We introduced Delilah, who won our top dog contest, last month. She’s the brand ambassador for these resort-quality, 400-thread-count organic 100% Hemp Sheets ($350, queen, other sizes available).

Sold at MOXIE MERCANTILE moxiemercantile.com

Spend more than $250, and Delilah Home will donate one organic cotton bed sheet set to Beds for Kids in your honor. Mention code Bedsforkids when purchasing.

DELILAH HOME delilahhome.com

Highest demand in-kind items include rain ponchos, new undershirts and boxer briefs, and more. Visit the websites below to assist homeless neighbors and housing programs. mensshelterofcharlotte.org urbanministrycenter.org roofabove.org

Snuggle up with Resilience, a cozy, cotton, oversized throw blanket ($150). Small blankets for kids also available ($60). Happiness, Strength, Confidence and others also available.

10% of your purchase goes to help victims of domestic violence. Thread Talk also offers options for corporate gifting.

THREAD TALK threadtalk.com

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ADAM WHITLOW; COURTESY

Help Those Experiencing Homelessness

BEAUTY REST

Small gifts worthy of great rewards

Discover these locally made, USDA-certified personal care and beauty products. Face Glow Discovery Kit: Minimalist ($69.99) includes Honey Gentle Cleanser, Rosewater Toner, Konjac Sponge, and choice of Face Serum or Beauty Cream. Other skin type kits available online.

For every online order, a nontoxic product is donated to a child in need. Also, donate a new or gently used makeup bag for upcycling to the children.

ROSES AND AZALEA rosesandazalea.com

AT This small-batch local perfumery added STOGRE CKING STUFFER hand sanitizer spray to their line this ! year. It’s one thing we can’t get enough of, and it smells amazing, too. Essential oil-infused Hand Sanitizer Spray (below) available in multiple sizes, from $10-$65.

For a group activity, choose an at-home Fragrance Bar Kit ($34 each) for your scienceloving friends (and one for yourself). All will have fun creating custom scents and discovering the process behind it.

JESSIE WYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY; CARRIE ALLEN

JULES & VETIVER julesandvetiver.com

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CHANGING PATTERNS

The zippered Mini Tonati Natural ($75), is made from woven recycled plastic and includes a removable fringe wristlet. Available in cinnamon (shown) or black. (See other items, including limited edition Kitenge Wrap Skirts online.)

Fashion and Compassion is a 501c3 nonprofit serving women overcoming situations like human trafficking, abuse, addiction, incarceration, poverty, and ethnic persecution.

FASHION AND COMPASSION fashionandcompassion.com

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CHRISTINA HUSSEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Accessorize with these small-batch artisans

Local designer Sarah E. Kaplan used her Great Aunt May’s 1920s brooch as inspiration for the 14K gold May Necklace ($77). Earrings include the 14K gold Dome + Labradorite Earrings ($45). See additional designs online.

Sarah E. Kaplan, founder and designer of VUE by SEK, creates small-batch, locally and ethically made jewelry geared toward individuality.

VUE by SEK vuebysek.com

Yogi-style Love Culture/Tribe Earrings ($39) are made by twin designers Faith and Hope Rivers. For even more positive vibes, catch them during an Open Studio on every first and second Saturdays.

Chosen Women’s Apparel offers items are sourced from social enterprises, nonprofits, and fair-trade organizations. The Madeline Necklace ($95) by Sel de Vie is inspired by the need to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Each piece is named after a child or young adult warrior who is battling the disease.

MoaZen Jewelry is a socially responsible affordable luxury brand with its roots in community.

MOAZEN JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES moazenjewelry.weebly.com

The Sel de Vie jewelry line gives 25% of all proceeds to Cystic Fibrosis research.

Sold at CHOSEN WOMEN’S APPAREL 704-919-1077 chosenapparelboutique.com

Recently Set Aside Corporate Wear for Something More Casual?

Donate your women’s professional wear to DRESS FOR SUCCESS CHARLOTTE so that others may look sharp for job interviews. For details, visit charlotte.dressforsuccess.org

GREAT STOCKIN G STUFFER !

This clever little Zipper Triangle Wristlet is part-puzzle, part-functional accessory.

Perfect for kids or to carry small necessities. Unzips to store flat ($10). Add a couple of elastic hair Scrunchies (from $10) to fill up their stockings.

Empower for Hope sells accessories, clothing, toys, and other items to empower women and combat poverty. Read more about their mission online.

EMPOWER FOR HOPE empowerforhope.org

ADAM WHITLOW

For menswear donations, see SUIT UP CHARLOTTE (certain restrictions apply for donations). For details, visit suitupcharlotte.org

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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SPONSORED CONTENT

45 Years Later, Helen Adams Realty Carries on Founder’s Legacy Helen Adams was born in Charlotte in 1928 with real estate in her bones.

Reputation Is Everything Helen’s approach to the business was simple: Offer the highest level of personal service, unmatched local knowledge, and unwavering ethical standards. This traditional, relationship-based approach still sets her firm apart.

In pursuit of Helen’s passion for providing outstanding service, Helen Adams Realty has surveyed every client post-transaction since 2006. Repeat and referral clients make up 75 percent of the firm’s business—a testament to their agents’ service and care.

“Your reputation is the only asset that truly belongs to you,” says Jeff Adams, President and son of the fearless founder. “If you understand this,” he says, “then you realize your true worth is measured not by deals but by the people and relationships behind them. Serve others and the rest will take care of itself.”

“Welcome to the Family” Today, Helen’s son and grandchildren uphold her legacy as they lead the firm toward a future that is rooted in her standards of excellence.

Rebecca Adams Starrs, Frank Adams, Laurens Adams Threlkeld, and Eliza Adams have joined the family firm, as third-generation leaders, while learning firsthand from Jeff and the management team.

“What inspired me to join [the firm] was our grandmother’s legacy of caring for her clients,” says Frank Adams, Director of Affiliated Businesses and an agent at the Randolph Road office.

“Our dedication to our clients, commitment to technology, and specialized agent training has allowed us to be Charlotte’s trusted real estate advisors for the last 45 years. Focusing on these commitments will allow for another 40-plus years of success,” Frank elaborates.

Whether agents are new to real estate or seasoned pros, Helen Adams Realty has them covered. The firm’s personalized approach in partnering with agents ensures their individual goals are always top-of-mind.

Their staff assists with everything from custom graphic design and strategic marketing to business planning and relocation partnerships.

Continuous support through training classes and small group sessions provides value to experienced and new agents alike.

The feeling of family extends beyond the Adams’ ownership structure.

The firm’s tight-knit community offers support and collaboration that is unlikely to be found anywhere else.

In fact, when an agent or staff member joins Helen Adams Realty, the message is not “welcome to the firm,” but “welcome to the family.”

Growing with Charlotte for Decades Helen’s achievements as a female entrepreneur and community leader laid the foundation for a thriving, multi-office real estate business. The firm has grown alongside its clients and neighbors in Charlotte.

In 2018, Helen Adams Realty opened its fourth office and first across state lines in Fort Mill, South Carolina. This office joined the firm’s other sites on Randolph Road (1975), Ballantyne (2000), and Cornelius (2005).

Operating offices in the booming suburbs of Charlotte helps provide hyperlocal service to agents and clients.

Having four locations means that agents can be an even greater asset to their clients—they can take advantage of the firm’s campus-style approach, accommodating their client needs and workflow.

Helen Adams Realty is now the largest independent residential real estate firm in the area. Today, second- and third-generation family members successfully operate the firm while serving Charlotte’s finest neighborhoods with a stalwart commitment to perfecting their craft and upholding Helen’s legacy.

Learn more at HelenAdamsRealty.com/History

Helen Adams Realty 2301 Randolph Road, Charlotte, NC 28207 704-944-9237

COURTESY

As a sixth-generation Charlottean, her great grandfather was the president of Charlotte’s first Mutual Building and Loan Association, and her father was a drugstore owner with many local landholdings.

In 1975, Helen launched a venture of her own, founding her namesake firm with four female colleagues.

Forty-five years later, her legacy and deep local roots are carried on by her son, grandchildren, and the firm’s agents and staff.

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CHARLOTTE

PEOPLE ARE WHAT MAKE THIS CITY SPECIAL Charlotteans have a can-do spirit, high standards for quality, and, more often than not, look at their business as a calling. Over the next several pages, we’d like to introduce you to Charlotteans who are at the tops of their respective fields. They work in a variety of industries, but they are united by their commitment to excellence and to the community they—and you—call home. They are the Faces of Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE PLASTIC SURGERY Face of Plastic Surgery ALEXANDER HOMESTEAD WEDDING & EVENT VENUE Face of Event Venues

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CLOSETS BY DESIGN Face of Custom Closet Design CRAZY JANE’S Face of Interior Design

PERRY’S DIAMONDS + ESTATE JEWELRY Face of Diamonds & Estate Jewelry

REAL LIVING MARGARET FORD REALTY Face of Real Estate

ESSENTIAL AESTHETICS AND LASER Face of Aesthetics

SODOMA LAW Face of Family Law

HOBART FINANCIAL Face of Wealth Management

CAROLINAS PAIN INSTITUTE Face of Pain Management

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FACE OF PLASTIC SURGERY

CHARLOTTE PLASTIC SURGERY

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Charlotte Plastic Surgery is the only practice to win Charlotte magazine’s coveted BOB Award for “Best Plastic Surgery Practice” and it’s no wonder—with almost seven decades of jaw-dropping transformations under our belt, we have thousands of satisfied clients in the Charlotte area and beyond. Our six highly skilled, board certified plastic surgeons are nationally and internationally ranked, and even travel the country training other

physicians on the latest treatments and cutting- edge techniques. However, our greatest accomplishment is the satisfaction of our many loyal clients who trust in our proven results and dedicated care so much, they choose us to help them feel their very best. When you choose Charlotte Plastic Surgery, you bloom.

704-372-6846 charlotteplasticsurgery.com

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

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FACE OF EVENT VENUES

Well-respected for her expertise, Tirzah Caffee leads a team of event professionals at the Historic Alexander Homestead. A natural oasis in the city of Charlotte, her venue is minutes from NoDa and Plaza Midwood. Producing seamless custom events and giving top-notch customer service is Tirzah’s passion. Alexander Homestead recently hosted country music star Luke Bryan’s Two Lane Beer launch party and was the venue for Lifetime’s Married at First Sight Season 9 currently on Netflix.

704-737-1023 alexanderhomesteadweddings.com

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

ALEXANDER HOMESTEAD

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FACE OF DIAMONDS & ESTATE JEWELRY

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

PERRY’S DIAMONDS + ESTATE JEWELRY Over the past 42 years, Perry’s has established itself as one of the nation’s finest family-owned and operated jewelers to buy, sell, trade, consign, and appraise your fine, antique, vintage, and estate jewelry as well as diamonds and coins. Our knowledgeable staff includes 10 GIA Graduate Gemologists, two FGAs from The Gemmological Association of Great Britain, and two master goldsmiths. Perry’s also offers state-of-the-art on-site jewelry and watch repair, and custom jewelry design.

704-364-1391 perrysjewelry.com

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FACE OF INTERIOR DESIGN

EMILY DECKER

CRAZY JANE’S In business since 1996, Crazy Jane’s is a full-service interior design firm and retail showroom located in Charlotte’s South End Design District.

Owner Tom Holley has a varied design and retail background, having served as a director and buyer for luxury boutiques in New York City, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco before settling back in Charlotte.

He shops markets in High Point, Atlanta, New York, and Europe to bring his style of texture, sophistication, comfort, and luxury to Charlotte from the mountains to the coast and beyond. He offers anything and everything needed for your home, tailored to your lifestyle. There’s never a design fee and shipping and delivery is always free.

704-332-5454 crazyjanesinc.com

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FACE OF CUSTOM CLOSET DESIGN

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

CLOSETS BY DESIGN August marked 16 years of business for Laura VanSickle, co-owner of Charlotte-based Closets

by Design. This local entrepreneur, along with her business partner Eric, employs 30 talented designers with a passion for organization so you can live your best, clutter-free life. We have an incredible team: designers with a passion for organization, installers with over a decade of experience, and a talented group of craftsmen who custom cut your entire job on-site in our local 36,000-square-foot facility. Stop by their showroom off of Westinghouse Boulevard in South Charlotte (1108 Continental Blvd., Suite A) to see the possibilities for custom closets, home offices, wine cellar racks, murphy beds, and pantry organizers that will transform your home and lifestyle—for the better.

704-588-7272 charlotte.closetsbydesign.com

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FACE OF AESTHETICS

ESSENTIAL AESTHETICS AND LASER Not all med spas are created equal. Armed with a new, luxurious, state of the art facility, the most innovative laser technology available, a full permanent makeup studio, and seven of the most talented women in the industry, we are prepared to exceed your expectations. Come experience the difference. Kim Kardashian did.

980-960-9292 ealasercenter.com

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

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FACE OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

HOBART FINANCIAL

The team at Hobart Financial Group is committed to providing honest, thoughtful advice and service that goes beyond expectations. They want to provide each client with the encouragement and inspiration to realize their dreams and create lives that are never typical.

And while most firms focus on just their clients, Hobart advisors believe that everyone should have access to financial knowledge coupled with independent advice. They’ve made it their mission to provide opportunities for people from all areas of the country and all walks of life to learn more about financial fundamentals.

888-553-0122 hobartwealth.com

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Face of Real Estate

REAL LIVING MARGARET FORD REALTY 2020 has taught many things including this, Real Estate is essential. How and where we live matters more than ever. Our team of highly experienced brokers ask great questions, listen, and then strategically help guide and move you toward your best outcome and lifestyle. We are Improving Lives Through Real Estate.

Reach out today and let’s get started with yours.

704-362-2233 margaretford.com

Photographed at 2928 Forest Park Drive, Myers Park

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FACE OF FAMILY LAW

SODOMA LAW

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Meet Nicole Sodoma, managing principal, family law attorney and founder of Sodoma Law. The fearless attorneys, staff, and divorce concierge’s commitment to extraordinary client service is what sets them apart every day. The firm’s “whole person” approach recognizes that life is not over when your case is complete. Often, it is just the beginning. It is the firm’s mission to help each client build the divorce dream team they need to be successful from start to finish.

Divorce isn’t easy; but it can be a Divorce Well Done.

704-442-0000 sodomalaw.com

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CAROLINAS PAIN INSTITUTE

KIM HUMMEL PHOTOGRAPHY

FACE OF PAIN MANAGEMENT

DESILU PHOTOGRAPHY

The nation’s leading specialists in advanced pain treatment have extended our reach! We are delighted to announce the opening of our new office in Charlotte!

Carolinas Pain Institute is a nationally recognized comprehensive pain management practice with decades of experience treating the most complex, acute, chronic and cancer pain needs of our patients. Our focus is on providing a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to pain management using evidence-based techniques.

Our world-renowned team of board-certified providers is comprised of several thought leaders in the field of Pain Medicine who are continuously introducing the latest technologies and treatments to improve each patient’s quality of life.

Carolinas Pain Institute is an independent, referral-based practice and has served North Carolina for over 16 years.

With offices in Winston-Salem and Charlotte, we look forward to meeting you and getting you on your path to wellness!

336-765-6181 carolinaspaininstitute.com James Deering, MD Charlotte office (opposite) Kamal Ajam, MD Leonardo Kapural, MD, PhD Richard Rauck, MD Christopher Gilmore, MD James North, MD Winston-Salem office (this page)

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FIVE STAR AWARD WINNERS

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Uncovering Charlotte's elite real estate agents, mortgage professionals and home/auto insurance professionals REAL ESTATE AGENTS

MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS

Five Star Professional par tnered with Charlotte magazine to identify real estate, mortgage and insurance professionals in the Charlotte area who deliver outstanding service and client satisfaction. The Five Star Pro f e s s i o n a l re s e a rc h te a m s u r ve ye d homebuyers, home sellers and industry peers, and analyzed online consumer evaluations. Survey respondents rated their service professional on criteria such as overall satisfaction and whether they would recommend the provider to a friend. The research methodology allows no more than 7% of professionals in each category to receive the award.

Recognizing Outstanding Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Professionals and Home/Auto Insurance Professionals RESEARCH — How Our Winners Are Chosen

• The 2020 Five Star Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Professionals and Home/Auto Insurance Professionals do not pay a fee to be included in the research or the final lists.

• Each professional is screened against state governing bodies to verify that licenses are current and no disciplinary actions are pending.

• The inclusion of a real estate agent, mortgage professional or insurance professional on the final list should not be construed as an endorsement

by Five Star Professional or Charlotte magazine.

Determination of Award Winners Professionals who satisfied each of the following objective criteria were named a 2020 Charlotte-area Five Star Real Estate Agent, Five Star Mortgage Professional or Five Star Home/Auto Insurance Professional: Evaluation Criteria: 1. Qualifying rating.

Eligibility Criteria: 2. Holds an active license and employed in their field for a minimum of five years.

3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review.

4. Satisfies minimum production on a one-year and three-year basis.

5. Successful completion of a Blue Ribbon Panel review.

Real estate agents, mortgage professionals and home/auto insurance professionals are pooled only with other candidates from their profession.

The final list of 2020 Charlotte-area Five Star award winners is a select group, representing approximately 2% of real estate agents, 2% of mortgage professionals and 1% of home/auto insurance professionals in the area. To see the full list of winners, visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

HOME/AUTO INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS

FIVE STAR PROFESSIONAL

PROPRIETARY RESEARCH PROCESS Nomination of Candidates The Five Star Professional research team surveyed homebuyers, home sellers and industry peers, and analyzed online consumer evaluations to identify professionals that excel in key attributes of customer service.

Evaluation Score Using our scoring algorithm, each nominee is given an evaluation score based on surveys in our database.

High scorers are named candidates.

Candidate Submission of Business Information Candidates must complete either an online or over-the-phone interview.

Eligibility Criteria Candidates must be in the industry for at least five years, have a favorable regulatory history and meet minimum production thresholds.

Blue Ribbon Panel A Blue Ribbon panel of industry experts reviews the final list of candidates.

Final Selection Less than 7% of professionals in the market are selected.

2020

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The Sarver Group Keller Williams Realty 19721 Bethel Church Road • Cornelius, NC 28031 Phone: 704-506-2323 matt@thesarvergroup.com • www.thesarvergroup.com FS • 3

Left to right: Tiffany Todd; Tara Boucher; Angela Kirsch; Sue Zimmerman; 2020 Rising Star winner Leah Phillips; Thirteen-year winner Matt Sarver; Britt Sarver; 2020 Rising Star winner Brook Eldridge; 2020 Rising Star winner Jereme BennettStone; Cari Sherrill; Danielle Federico; Evan Todd; Sue Milne; Amanda Derrick; Two-year Rising Star winner Aaron Dworsky; Jessica Dorr

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The Sarver Group at Keller Williams Realty in Lake Norman is founded by 13-year Five Star Real Estate Agent Matt and Britt Sarver, who are proud to have four Rising Star nominees on the team. Their team approach with a full-time listing manager, closing coordinators and marketing team provides a five-star customer service approach for each of their clients in order to exceed their expectations. They are thankful for the nearly 200 families that have entrusted The Sarver Group with their real estate needs, resulting in over $80 million in home value in 2020.

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The Lipszyc Team Left to right: Brian Lipszyc, 2020 winner Debra Lipszyc, Broker, Realtor

Giving Tree Realty 1244 E Boulevard • Charlotte, NC 28203 Phone: 980-277-1192 deb@debsncdreamhomes.com www.debsncdreamhomes.com FS • 5

I’m often asked, “why real estate?” Simply, I’ve always loved helping others achieve their goals. In this case, I help people realize their dream of homeownership or moving closer to family and friends!

Working together has also enabled giving back to the communities and charities I love. I’m humbled and grateful to receive this milestone award. I attribute my success to my supportive husband, and to my clients with whom I’ve cultivated a tradition of trust and a long-lasting partnership. I look forward to helping you in the upcoming year!

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Deana “Dee” Langley Realtor, Broker, Owner, GRI, CDPE, SPS

Six-Year Winner Coldwell Banker – Arboretum Office 7903 Providence Road, Suite 150 • Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-989-97793 • dee@deelangley.com athomewithdeelangley.com • @deelanglleyrealty • #DeeLangleyRealtor

I feel the need … the need for Dee to list my home!

With over 18 years of experience in administration, sales and marketing, Dee brings a skill set to the table that other Realtors cannot. If you’re a buyer, she will work with you to find the right home at the right price. For sellers, she will take care of everything you need, from showings and advertising to paperwork and overseeing inspections.

She can even provide a consultation on selling tactics.

No matter the situation, you can count on her to be honest, straightforward and on your side — every step of the way!

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Scott Pridemore President, CRS, CLHMS

Eleven-Year Winner Pridemore Properties 6743 Fairview Road, Suite C • Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: 704-562-0792 • scott@pridemoremail.com www.pridemoreproperties.com FS • 7

Scott enjoys creating clients for life and building lasting relationships with his buyer and seller clients. In fact, his clients say it best because 80% of his business has come from client referrals and repeat business. He attributes his successes to loyal clientele and a consistent commitment to exceptional customer service standards. Scott says, “A satisfied client is not enough. It’s about constantly striving to produce results beyond the ordinary.”

Scott has found new and unique ways to guide his clients through this constantly changing real estate market. He has developed an aggressive marketing plan to get listings sold and has put together a team of topproducing real estate agents who are leaders in the marketplace.

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Valarie R. Brooks

ABR®, CDPE, CLHMS, Owner, Broker, B.A.

Ten-Year Winner Valarie R. Brooks Real Estate Team & Business Academy VRB Lifestyles Properties 2125 Southend Drive, Suite 352 • Charlotte, NC 28203 Office: 704-488-2420 Valarie@ValarieRBrooks.com • ValarieRBrooks.com

I have never been betrayed by hard work. Throughout my real estate career and my life, I have lived and learned that working hard, being kind and never giving up will bring amazing things.

Being nominated as a Five Star Real Estate Agent by my clients and consumers is undoubtedly an amazing thing. This award gives me the opportunity to do even more for my clients, as each day brings on new opportunities. I practice being honest and showing consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles. That is my value and my clients deserve it. It is not about me — it is about the results that I bring to my clients.

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Prism Properties & Development

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YEAR WINNER Left to right: Nine-year winner Michael Calabrese; Two-year winner Brian Simpson

Real Estate With a Personal Touch Michael Calabrese has over 20 years of experience in real estate sales and property management. Michael has a vast knowledge of the real estate market, property marketing and sales negotiation. Michael leads his team with integrity and expertise. His goal is to ensure all PPD clients are satisfied with the service and knowledge they receive to ensure a lasting client relationship with his PPD team. Michael is a tenacious and skilled negotiator, always putting his clients’ needs first. He utilizes these skills to guarantee his clients homeowning dreams become a reality with the most cost effective result for their budget.

∙ Real estate sales ∙ Leasing ∙ Property management ∙ Real estate investment advisors

Brian Simpson, a Charlotte-area native, has specific knowledge of the area and the different communities within. Brian’s 11 years of real estate experience and 15 years of experience in the architecture and the construction industry have proven to be an asset to his clients when managing their investments, as well as servicing the needs of the tenants.

His personal commitment to his clients is surpassed by none. He believes in taking the time with each client to educate them on the management and leasing processes. Brian loves to educate first-time investors on investing in real estate and helping individual homeowners with a single home investment.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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9709 NE Parkway, Suite 300 • Matthews, NC 28105 Phone: 704-628-7096 info@prismpd.com • www.prismpd.com @prism_properties • #prismproperties

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Mike Soden Homes Broker-in-Charge

Photo 7.5” wide by 3.6” high at 300 dpi. Maximum of 12 people.

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YEAR WINNER Nine-year winner Mike Soden

Helping Families Make the Right Move ∙ Nine-year winner of the Five Star Professional award, placing Mike in approximately the top 2% of brokers in the Charlotte area

Prestige Properties Of The Carolinas

∙ 15 years’ experience as a Charlotte-area broker, consistently performing as firm’s top annual producer ∙ Exceptional negotiator and marketing specialist, focusing on areas such as Waxhaw, Marvin, Weddington and Ballantyne

105F Waxhaw Professional Park Drive • Waxhaw, NC 28173 Phone: 704-621-2314 mike@mikesodenhomes.com • mikesodenhomes.com

Mike Soden is a real estate broker-in-charge, licensed in both North Carolina and South Carolina. He and his wife relocated to Charlotte from Chicago in 2006. They love raising their two daughters in Charlotte with everything that is has to offer. In his free time, Mike enjoys watching his daughter’s soccer games, playing golf and taking family trips to the beach. With 15 years of real estate sales experience in Charlotte and a marketing degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana, Mike’s business savvy and depth of knowledge are a tremendous asset to anyone searching for the right Realtor.

Mike explains, “My approach is to provide consistent and reliable service with a professional attitude, but most importantly, to take the time to understand all of my clients’ needs.”

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Debbie Kempter CRS, GRI, SRES®, ABR®, CLHMS, ASP®

Providing the Personalized Service You Deserve ∙ Proud recipient of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission 2013 Phillip T. Fisher Scholarship award for outstanding academic achievement in the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) program

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YEAR WINNER

Debbie Kempter is a native New Yorker who has called Charlotte home since 1996. She was raised with a strong work ethic, a close-knit family and an inherited artistic ability, which together help her provide superior service to clients. Debbie’s outgoing personality, excellent communication and listening skills and extensive real estate education allow her to get along well with all parties, resulting in smooth transactions and very happy clients.

Ten-year winner Debbie Kempter, Broker, Realtor

Licensed since 2005, Debbie is very proud of the “alphabet soup” after her name!

Earning these designations show a commitment to knowledge and excellence in her field, which allows her to work with a wide range of buyers and sellers.

222 Baldwin Avenue • Charlotte, NC 28204 Phone: 704-264-9608 • debbiekempter@prostead.com www.debbiekempter.com

Debbie is honored to receive this award for the tenth time and is very grateful that over 95% of her business comes from referrals.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Cathy Burns Broker, Realtor

Experience and Professionalism Count! ∙ Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™, Certified Military Residential Specialist (CMRS) ∙ Consistently ranked in the top 5% of real estate brokers in the greater Charlotte region (CMLS) I’ve won 14 years in a row — wow! I am blown away by my clients’ continued support! I am passionate about this industry and am honored to be entrusted with helping others achieve their real estate goals. I invite you to put my market savvy and experience to work for you. I am committed to delivering exceptional results! My vision is to be a real estate advisor of choice and trusted community partner, and I achieve this through my core values: Integrity: I will do the right thing, at the right time, in the right situation for my clients and my community.

Commitment: I will continually improve my knowledge and skills to ensure excellence in all facets of my day-to-day operations and service to my clients and my community.

Professionalism: I will display the highest level of excellence in my industry and will back up this image by delivering solutions and unparalleled service.

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YEAR WINNER

3440 Toringdon Way, Suite 205 • Charlotte, NC 28277 Cell: 704-307-3839 cathy@cathyburns.com • www.cathyburns.com

Cathy Burns, Broker, Realtor Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Kristen Bernard

Maureen Roberge

Realtor, Licensed in North and South Carolina

Owner, Broker

LKNHomes.com Head and Shoulders photo 1.7” wide by 1.8” high at 300 dpi

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5925 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28209 Phone: 704-300-0855 kristenbernard@kw.com kristen.localcharlottehomes.com It’s More Than Real Estate — It’s Your Life

YEAR WINNER

∙ Personal touches, win-win deals and positive results ∙ Achieving results through listening and understanding A former elementary school teacher, Kristen Bernard understands the importance of connecting with her clients and communicating effectively. She prides herself on her ability to earn the trust of her clients in order to guide them through making informed decisions on their own.

A specialist in residential real estate, she understands that buying or selling a home prompts many questions and concerns for clients. Kristen will address those questions with her expert market knowledge and educate her clients on the real estate process so their concerns become things of the past.

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17115 Kenton Drive, Suite 202A Cornelius, NC 28031 Phone: 704-323-9222 maureen@lknhomes.com www.lknhomes.com Lake Norman Leader in Real Estate

YEAR WINNER

∙ 2009 – 2012 and 2014 – 2020 Five Star Real Estate Agent ∙ GRI: Graduate, Realtor Institute ∙ CRS: Certified Residential Specialist ∙ Integrity and enthusiasm Maureen Roberge, a broker and owner of LKNHomes.com and LKN Commercial, has won numerous awards and holds multiple industry accreditations. Maureen strives to expand her knowledge of the industry by completing a multitude of certifications and memberships. She is always excited to be a part of the real estate process for many families. Her core values include maintaining relationships and providing top-notch service to her clients. With Maureen’s team of experts, you will truly see and feel the difference.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Molly Zahn Harrison

Kathy Norman

Real Estate Broker

Realtor, Broker, ABR®

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YEAR WINNER

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5925 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28209 Phone: 704-737-0440 molly@mollyzahn.com www.mollyzahnteam.com #mollyzahnteam The Molly Zahn Team

∙ Local expert in selling, buying and investing in residential real estate in North and South Carolina ∙ Team of highly seasoned real estate professionals dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service

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YEAR WINNER

5925 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28209 Phone: 704-609-3728 kathy@kathynormanhomes.com www.kathynormanhomes.com Licensed in North and South Carolina

∙ Accredited Buyer’s Representative ∙ Native Charlottean with incredible local insights

Molly Zahn Harrison is one of Charlotte’s top-producing real estate professionals, offering 15 years of experience to guide her clients down the right path. Molly and her team provide top strategic marketing, video and home preparation to their sellers.

Buyers benefit from strong market knowledge, trends and experience to guide their buying process. Molly’s business is built off of strong client relations and referrals — they believe in being your real estate professional for life.

With over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing, Kathy Norman is well-equipped to provide you with the best possible real estate experience. She has a strong work ethic and a true passion for helping people, which has led her to become a consistent top-producer in the Charlotte area.

As a full-service Realtor, Kathy can help anyone — from first-time homebuyers and sellers to downsizers, she’ll find the perfect solution for your current stage in life.

For a superior real estate experience, give Kathy a call today!

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Nadine Wynn

Danielle Edwards

Realtor, Broker, ABR®, CLHMS, SFR®

Realtor, Broker, ABR®, SPS, CLHMS

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19721 Bethel Church Road Cornelius, NC 28031 Phone: 704-806-6711 nadine@teamnadine.com www.alakehome.com #TeamNadine Your Real Estate Solution

YEAR WINNER

∙ Keller Williams University Certified instructor teaching across the Carolinas for Keller Williams Realty ∙ No. 1 Keller Williams Realty team in North and South Carolina, 2010 and 2013 ∙ No. 1 in individual sales in the Lake Norman region, 2012 and 2016 ∙ Over $357 million in closed sales since 2003 ∙ 2009 – 2011 and 2013 – 2020 Five Star Real Estate Agent award winner ∙ Certified teacher, speaker and coach at The John Maxwell Company

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12104 Copper Way, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-604-2999 drivendanielle@gmail.com SoldOnDanielle.com Exceeding Expectations From Sign to Sold for 14 Years!

YEAR WINNER

∙ Licensed broker in North and South Carolina ∙ Charlotte Regional Realtors Communications board member ∙ RE/MAX Platinum, 2020 ∙ RE/MAX Diamond Team, 2020 ∙ RE/MAX Hall of Fame, 2020

When you can have the best, why settle for the rest? Nadine’s dedication to her profession and dynamic enthusiasm for excellence pushes her to deliver extraordinary results. If that’s the type of Realtor you want and need, call Team Nadine!

Danielle Edwards is committed to providing an unprecedented level of expertise that ensures her clients successfully achieve their personal real estate goals. Through her passion and unlimited energy, she clearly distinguishes herself with proven results while creating a fully engaging, fun and impressive experience.

From each transaction, Danielle will proudly make a donation to either the Charlotte Humane Society or the Charlotte Levine Children’s Hospital.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Lisa Holden

Robin Husney

Realtor, ABR®, Broker-In-Charge, CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™)

ABR®, e-PRO®, Broker, Realtor

839 Kilarney Court Matthews, NC 28104 Cell: 704-650-0302 Office: 704-893-2134 lisaholden@holdenrealty.net holdenrealty.net

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Serving the Charlotte Area With Pride!

YEAR WINNER

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YEAR WINNER

7810 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Ste. 103 Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-517-6370 robin@robinhusney.com www.robinhusney.com Serving the Carolinas

∙ Multimillion-dollar producer ∙ Home stager

∙ Multimillion-dollar producing agent ∙ National Association of Realtors member ∙ North and South Carolina Associations of Realtors member

Lisa has been helping buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for over 20 years!

She is a top producer in her market and knows what it takes to get top dollar for her sellers and great deals for her buyers. Lisa will make sure your home is market-ready before listing by staging, marketing and strategically pricing your home. She will help maximize your investment in a short amount of time.

Lisa is licensed in North and South Carolina, so if you are looking to buy or sell a home, call Lisa and she will help you get moving!

Robin Husney is an extremely dedicated, hard-working agent who consistently exceeds her clients’ expectations. Her keen negotiation skills, responsiveness and years of customer service experience set her apart as a broker in the Greater Charlotte area.

She has a particular expertise in assisting sellers with getting their homes marketready, utilizing professional stagers and photographers and helping her clients arrive at the best listing price. She thrives when showing buyers around the town she is so proud to call home. Robin’s goal is delivering nothing less than 100% satisfaction for her clients.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Anne Brade

Sylvia Hefferon

Broker, Realtor, CLHMS, CRS, ABR®

Realtor, Broker, GRI CRS

RE/MAX Executive Head and Shoulders photo 1.7” wide by 1.8” high at 300 dpi

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Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-650-4951 anne@annebrade.com teambrade.com Facebook: @TeamBrade linkedin.com/in/annebrade Respectful | Responsive | Results

YEAR WINNER

12104 Copper Way, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-564-3458 sylvia@sylviahefferon.com www.sylviahefferon.com

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∙ Over 31 years of experience selling in Charlotte ∙ Assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs ∙ RE/MAX Hall of Fame Award winner

∙ Assisting buyers and sellers ∙ Successful marketing strategies ∙ Effective negotiation tactics Thank you again to my clients who independently nominated me for the 12th year!

It is an honor to be a trusted real estate advisor and to provide counsel for your property investments. Excellent service is my focus, so you can make the best investment possible!

As a Charlotte-area real estate professional for over 31 years, I know the importance of understanding your unique situation. From finding answers to your questions to addressing your concerns and discussing your options honestly, my goal is to make your real estate experience as pleasant as possible.

Listening to and keeping you informed while protecting your best interests are essential facets of my service. I know the market and I know the business, but most importantly, I know how to put your needs first.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Sarah Zdeb

Sarah Rutkowski

Owner, Broker-In-Charge, Realtor

Broker, Realtor, ABR®, SPS, Licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina

10215 Prosperity Park Drive, Suite 210 Charlotte, NC 28269 Phone: 704-941-3640 office@jparnc.com www.jparnc.com

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YEAR WINNER

At Your Side Every Step of the Way

YEAR WINNER

JPAR Carolina Living

∙ Full-service, flat-fee brokerage, capped model ∙ No monthly fees and multiple offices ∙ First-class technology, training and mentorship Sarah has been serving the Charlotte, North Carolina area in commercial and residential real estate since 2001. Her focus on building strong, long-lasting relationships with her clients and fellow agents has given her a reputation for exceeding expectations and providing five-star service. Sarah is changing the real estate game and sharing the expertise and knowledge she has gained over her career. Now, as the owner of multiple Charlotte-area JPAR Carolina Living offices, she has assembled an all-star team to foster the growth of other like-minded real estate professionals and empower them, so they can’t imagine not succeeding!

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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YEAR WINNER

12104 Copper Way, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28277 Office: 704-926-2542 Cell: 704-777-0356 sarah@soldbysarah.com soldbysarah.com Lead With Integrity

∙ 17 years of experience ∙ Constant communication ∙ Excellent attention to detail ∙ Voted Charlotte’s Best Realtor by Charlotte magazine’s BOB Awards Thank you to all my clients for this opportunity and trusting in me with the sale or purchase of your home. I am so blessed to work with wonderful clients daily.

My passion for real estate and integrity will continue to shine. I am so proud to be part of this elite group of Five Star Real Estate Agents. Thank you!

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Michelle Duyck

Scott Sadler

Realtor, Licensed in North and South Carolina

Real Estate Broker

5925 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28209 Phone: 704-451-3135 mduyck1@gmail.com michelleduyckhomes.kw.com #michelleduyckhomes

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YEAR WINNER

The Right Realtor Makes All the Difference Call Michelle Today

∙ “Educates you and guides you through the entire process with a smile on her face” — Alex and Cory Busker ∙ “Truly understands the desires and needs of her clients and acts selflessly to accomplish her clients’ goals” — Linda Haigh ∙ “Always available and used great negotiation skills when we received an offer on our home” — Jim and Linda Student

Pinnacle Team Real Estate 2901 Coltsgate Road, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28209 Phone: 704-641-1335 scottsadler@remax.net www.scottsadler.com

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Setting the Standard for Excellence in Charlotte-Area Real Estate for 28 Years!

YEAR WINNER

∙ RE/MAX Hall of Fame ∙ Diamond Club award winner ∙ Titan Club award winner ∙ Platinum Club member

Meet Michelle Duyck: Michelle has lived in Charlotte for over 30 years, and has been a licensed Realtor since 1998. Passion and perseverance are what define Michelle. She is passionate about her clients and real estate! Her passion shows in her customer service and attention to detail. Her perseverance shows when looking for the perfect home for her clients and negotiating the right price!

I’m the co-founder of RE/MAX Executive, the No. 1 RE/MAX franchise in the Carolinas, and I have been selling Charlotte for 28 years! I’m a relocation specialist and I excel as a listing agent known for my tech-savvy marketing approach. My production ranks me in the top 1% of real estate brokers in our market. I’m a RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement winner, former RE/MAX Broker/Owner of the Year for the Carolinas and Broker/Owner of the Year for all of North America. Call today for a confidential consultation!

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Anna Granger

Hannah Harshman

Realtor, Owner, Broker-in-Charge, MBA, ABR®, e-PRO®, SPS, SFR®

Realtor

Keller Williams Realty South Park 4410 Mint Hill Village Lane, Suite 202 Mint Hill, NC 28227 Phone: 704-650-5707 annagrangerhomes@gmail.com www.1stchoicepropertiesinc.com

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YEAR WINNER

Helping You Make the Right Move!

∙ Licensed and full-time real estate professional since 2004 ∙ Ownership of process, quick follow-up, knowledge and experience ∙ Named one of the 10 best real estate agents to work with in North Carolina by the American Institute of Real Estate Professionals ∙ Multimillion-dollar producer Thank you to all my clients for your continued business, confidence, trust and referrals.

To all my associates and business partners: Thank you! You are a vital part of my business, and I greatly appreciate your outstanding, reliable service!

Licensed in North and South Carolina. Lic. 214639.

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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5925 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28209 Phone: 859-797-6038 hannah@boundaryrealestate.com hannah.localcharlottehomes.com #boundaryrealestategroup Guiding You Home

∙ Keller Williams Young Professional Social Chair ∙ Licensed in both North and South Carolina ∙ Specialized buyer’s agent Hannah Harshman is a member of the Boundary Real Estate Group at Keller Williams Realty South Park. She is licensed in both North and South Carolina, and was recently appointed Social Chair of the Keller Williams Young Professionals Charlotte metro chapter. Hannah is originally from Lexington, Kentucky and studied communications and broadcast journalism at the University of Kentucky. Before real estate, she owned a nationally award-winning dance studio in Orlando, Florida and since moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, she has continued teaching dance at Miller Street Dance Academy. Hannah and her husband have three children and live in South Charlotte.

Rising Star Real Estate Agent Award Winner

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REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Paula Birmingham

Lisa Satterfield

Broker, Realtor, ABR®, ALHS, AHS

Broker, Realtor, CRS, Licensed in North and South Carolina

∙ Accredited Luxury Home Specialist ∙ Accredited Home-Staging Specialist ∙ Accredited Buyer’s Representative

12 YEAR

WINNER

Paula assists buyers and sellers as their trusted real estate advisor on the shores of beautiful Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte.

She is a partner in an award-winning team in the company’s top 5% and is backed by an exceptional staff at the No. 1 real estate company in the Carolinas, Allen Tate Company.

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YEAR WINNER

Keller Williams Ballantyne 3430 Toringdon Way, Suite 200 • Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-904-4554 • lisa@teamsatterfield.com • teamsatterfield.com

14225 Market Square Dr. • Huntersville, NC 28078 • Phone: 704-651-9980 paula.birmingham@allentate.com • www.richardson-birmingham.com Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Steven Bueche

Liz Young

Real Estate Agent, Lic. 199775

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YEAR WINNER

Realtor

∙ Working for you

∙ North and South Carolina Realtor with 15-plus years of experience ∙ Top-producing and award-winning agent at RE/MAX Exectutive

2020 changed the way business operates. Now more than ever in real estate, knowledge, community and people matter. With over 30 years of experience, I am ready to help you buy or sell your home. I’m honored to be a ten-year recipient of the Five Star Real Estate Agent award. Let’s get to work.

I’ve assisted hundreds of homebuyers and sellers in Charlotte and surrounding counties. I have enabled my sellers to walk away with the most money possible at the closing table. My buyers enjoy my thorough representation and skilled negotiations throughout the homebuying process. I have the experience and expertise to help you achieve your real estate goals. I can assure a seamless experience from the first time we meet to closing and beyond!

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YEAR WINNER

2901 Coltsgate Road • Charlotte, NC 28211 Cell: 704-578-9513 • Office: 704-540-7500 soldbylizyoung@gmail.com • lizyoungrealtor.com

7903 Providence Road, Suite 150 • Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 704-400-1586 • sbueche@cbcarolinas.com • stevebueche.com Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Logan Abrams

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YEAR WINNER

Team Satterfield is comprised of agents who are long-time residents of the Charlotte area. We know and love the “Queen City” and look forward to working with you to sell your current home or find your new one. We offer a high level of listing services and would love to show you why what we do works. Our full team is available to meet your schedule, not to try to get you to fit into ours. Making it happen isn’t only our motto but also our reality — let us show you how we can make it happen for you!

Pauline Katsoudas

Broker, Licensed in North and South Carolina, Lic. 230121

Broker, Licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina

Logan is just like that Dunphy guy, only awesomer! Seriously though — Logan displays intelligence, integrity and innovation in his practice. Over 94% of Logan’s business is comprised of past clients and referrals because he always puts client needs first.

He has extensive experience with transactions in both North and South Carolina and is consistently among the top 1% of brokers in the Charlotte market. Logan is a true real estate professional, and his clients appreciate the difference.

∙ Serving both buyers and sellers Pauline is a Charlotte native, one of the few born and raised here.

She is a true expert ready to guide you through the competitive market in the Charlotte, Matthews, Waxhaw, Weddington, Indian Land, Fort Mill, Lake Norman and Lake Wylie areas. She has the skills to ensure her clients are well-represented throughout the transaction, and her annual sales volume consistently places her among the most elite agents.

2901 Coltsgate Road, Suite 100 • Charlotte, NC 28211 Phone: 704-239-8763 • logan@charlottesagent.com www.charlottesagents.com • zillow.com/profile/loganabrams Real Estate Agent Award Winner

6

YEAR WINNER

RE/MAX Executive • 12104 Copper Way, Suite 100 • Charlotte, NC 28277 Cell: 704-301-1250 • paulinekatsoudas@yahoo.com www.paulinekatsoudas.remaxagent.com Real Estate Agent Award Winner

Make sure you find a professional who has high ethics and a passion for helping people.

They should see their career choice as more than a job. It should be backed with drive and passion.

FS-16

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS

Beth Gionis

Karyn L. McAlpin

Realtor, Broker

11

YEAR WINNER

Senior Mortgage Advisor, NMLS ID No. 505392

∙ Strategic Pricing Specialist ∙ Strategic negotiation specialist ∙ Top 2% of Charlotte-area Five Star Real Estate Agents, 2020 Beth is known for working diligently and tirelessly to get her clients the highest possible return on their investment. She is an effective communicator and is well respected and liked by her industry peers and vendors. Her current and past clients refer her to their friends and family as well as call on her repeatedly.

18505 Statesville Road, Suite A-01 Cornelius, NC 28031 Phone: 704-754-0192 kmcalpin@mcleanmortgage.com www.karynmcalpin.com #karynmcalpin

Prostead Realty • 222 Baldwin Avenue • Charlotte, NC 28204 Phone: 704-609-6653 • beth@sellingcharlotterealestate.com sellingcharlotterealestate.com Real Estate Agent Award Winner

2

Trust Me and My Team to Help You Finance Your Next Home!

YEAR WINNER

Hire a professional who finds a way when there is a bump in the road.

∙ 25-plus years of experience ∙ Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA ∙ Down payment assistance ∙ Love what I do As a trusted mortgage advisor for more than 25 years, I work with clients to finance their first home, second home, move-up home, and/or investment property. NCHFA down payment assistance is one of my most popular programs, in addition to traditional loan products like conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA. McLean Mortgage is dedicated and committed to teamwork. This ensures that our clients, our referral partners and every other party in the transaction receives the same high level of service at MMC. Mortgage Professional Award Winner

FIVE STAR PROFESSIONAL FIND US ONLINE

Want to learn more about Five Star Professional?

Visit our website to learn more about these and other outstanding award winners at www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Facebook.com/FiveStarProfessional | Twitter.com/FiveStarPros | Linkedin.com/Company/Five-Star-Professional FS-17

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS

HOME/AUTO INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS

To see the full list of winners, visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Real Estate Agents

Molly C. Zostant ∙ Prostead Realty

Cindi Moore ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Audra Miller ∙ Anchor Realty LKN

All Areas

Charlotte

Kathy Morris ∙ Morris Depew Realty

Joe Puma ∙ Puma & Associates Realty

Lisa Alford ∙ Alford Realty Group, Inc.

Logan Abrams ∙ RE/MAX Page 16

Patrick Riggins Nooney ∙ RE/MAX

Wisdom H. Stikeleather ∙ Southern Homes of the Carolinas

Sondra Leigh Blaser ∙ Wilkinson ERA Real Estate

Jim Acord ∙ Carolina United Realty

Donna Boyce ∙ RE/MAX

Stevanna Kay Baskerville ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Kathy Norman ∙ Keller Williams Page 12 Cheryl Ollis ∙ Coldwell Banker

Mecklenburg

Brigitte Perry ∙ Elite Realty Pros

Laura L. Miller ∙ RE/MAX

Juan Carlos Beltran ∙ Wilkinson ERA Real Estate

Stan Perry ∙ Helen Adams Realty

Kristen Bernard ∙ Keller Williams Page 12

Amy Peterson ∙ Allen Tate Real Estate

Monroe

Mona Depew ∙ Morris Depew Realty

Justin Boston ∙ eXp Realty

Beth Gionis ∙ Prostead Realty Page 17

Leigh Bryant ∙ Keller Williams

Scott Pridemore ∙ Pridemore Properties Page 7

Lorraine Carol Giordano ∙ Keller Williams Realty

Steven Bueche ∙ Coldwell Banker Page 16

Christine Hotham ∙ Helen Adams Realty

Edie Butler ∙ Keller Williams

Paul W. Jamison ∙ Keller Williams

Michael Calabrese Jr. ∙ Prism Properties & Development Page 9

Anne Brade ∙ RE/MAX Page 14 Valarie R. Brooks ∙ Valarie R. Brooks Real Estate Page 8

Tiffany Clements Johannes ∙ RE/MAX

Cathy Burns ∙ eXp Realty Page 11

Maureen Regele ∙ Bon Maison Properties

Robin Husney ∙ Dickens Mitchener Page 13

Isabel Nichols Roberts ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Jan Konetchy ∙ Wilkinson ERA Real Estate

Jimmy Robert Rountree ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Suzanne Coddington ∙ Dickens Mitchener

Sarah Rutkowski ∙ RE/MAX Page 14

Darren Conover ∙ RE/MAX Rhonda Copp ∙ R P MS Realty

Shelly Jordan Rydell ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Jeff Lynch ∙ RE/MAX

Harvey Corzin ∙ Coldwell Banker Realty

Billy Shugart ∙ Shugart Realty Group

Melissa Martin ∙ Southern Homes of the Carolinas

Lynne Cosper-Lainis ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Brian Simpson ∙ Prism Properties & Development Page 9

Allen D. Dargins ∙ Realty Resources Of The Carolinas

Consuelo M. Souders ∙ Keller Williams

Josh Dearing ∙ Costello Real Estate & Investments

Sarah Szczodrowski ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Kathy Lancaster ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates Deana Brummett Langley ∙ Coldwell Banker Page 6

Katharine Allen McFalls ∙ Keller Williams Lesa McGary ∙ RE/MAX Executive Dianne Taylor McKnight ∙ RE/MAX Executive

Waxhaw

Rachel B. Reardon ∙ RE/MAX

Suzanne Jennings Campbell ∙ Allen Tate Real Estate

Pauline Katsoudas ∙ RE/MAX Page 16

Judy Boyce Chapman ∙ Appleseed Realty

Mike Soden ∙ Prestige Properties of The Carolinas Page 10

Rising Star Real Estate Agents All Areas Martha Wilcox ∙ Lake Norman Realty

Charlotte Andy Griesinger ∙ Keller Williams Hannah Harshman ∙ Keller Williams Page 15

Gail Gaskin Mills ∙ Allen Tate Realtors

Michelle Duyck ∙ Keller Williams SouthPark Page 15

Ryan Minges ∙ Southern Homes of the Carolinas

Danielle Edwards ∙ RE/MAX Executive Page 13

Jennifer Vick ∙ Keller Williams

Ethan Rowan ∙ Realty One Group Select

Renee Sain Montgomery ∙ Carolina Peacock Realty

Paula Evans ∙ Evans Realty & Associates

Julie Wall-Burris ∙ Lilac Realty

Andi Michelle Morgan ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Liz Young ∙ RE/MAX Page 16

Cornelius

Rita Fleming-Johnson ∙ eXp Realty

Michael Bruce Nester ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Kyle Frey ∙ My Townhome Realty

Ann Montgomery Yountz ∙ Keller Williams

Tracy Gentry ∙ Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Molly Zahn-Harrison ∙ Keller Williams Page 12

Mortgage Professionals

Phil Puma ∙ Puma & Associates Realty

Rhonda Gibbons ∙ Savvy & Company

Sarah Zdeb ∙ JP & Associates Realtors Page 14

Jeff Furr ∙ Movement Mortgage

Inna Radko ∙ Keller Williams

Joan B. Goode ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Susan Renckens ∙ SGR Realty

Anna Granger ∙ 1st Choice Properties Page 15

Concord

Robyn Riordan ∙ Coldwell Banker

Linda Granzow ∙ 1st Choice Properties

Maureen Roberge ∙ LKNHomes.com Page 12

Tracy Gregg ∙ 5 Points Realty

Scott Sadler ∙ RE/MAX Executive Page 15

Aubrey Grier ∙ Dickens Mitchener & Associates

Bryan Saldarini ∙ eXp Realty

Jack Marvin Gustafson ∙ RE/MAX

Lisa Satterfield ∙ Keller Williams Ballantyne Page 16

Sylvia Hefferon ∙ RE/MAX Executive Page 14

Jamie Schettino ∙ Terra Vista Realty

Lisa Holden ∙ Holden Realty Page 13

Georganna Smith ∙ Prostead Realty

Beth Anklin Ivey ∙ Prostead Realty

Sylvia Smith ∙ CENTURY 21

Chip Jetton ∙ Cottingham Chalk Realtors

Belinda Hicks Broderick ∙ Pridemore Properties

Cindy Snyder ∙ RE/MAX

Debbie Kempter ∙ Prostead Realty Page 11

Jackie Stutts ∙ RE/MAX

Suzanne Levine ∙ Mathers Realty

Sue Valentine-Plyler ∙ Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Debra A. Lipszyc ∙ Giving Tree Realty Page 5

Ginny Williams ∙ Keller Williams

Jennifer Manchester ∙ Suburban Properties of Charlotte

Nadine Wynn ∙ Keller Williams Page 13

Mary Beth McIntyre ∙ Belle Properties

Julie Tache ∙ Homes With Cachet

Chris Phillis ∙ eXp Realty

Glen Tucker ∙ RE/MAX

Anthony DiGioia ∙ DiGioia Realt

Karyn L. McAlpin ∙ McLean Mortgage Page 17 Irene Isabel Saraber ∙ Citizen’s One Home Loans Jeffrey Trout ∙ Uwharrie Bank Mortgage

Cornelius

George Violante ∙ LendUS

Paula Birmingham ∙ Allen Tate Real Estate Page 16

Rising Star Mortgage Professional

Matt Sarver ∙ The Sarver Group/Keller Williams Realty Page 3 & 4

Denver Michael Morgan ∙ RE/MAX

Huntersville

Alex Austin ∙ Executive Home Lending

Home/Auto Insurance Professional Christian Gallardo ∙ Allstate

David DiGioia ∙ DiGioia Realty Dave Edwards ∙ Welcome Home Properties Mike Hege ∙ Pridemore Properties

Lake Norman Brian Fisher ∙ Keller Williams Kay Fisher ∙ Keller Williams Realty

REALTOR® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a Member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

FS-18

THE GUIDE

Restaurants YOUR GUIDE TO CHARLOTTE’S DINING SCENE KID CASHEW

Dilworth 300 EAST

$-$$

NEW AMERICAN The interior of this old house-turnedrestaurant is welcoming, as is the menu of familiar and surprising sandwiches, salads, and entrées. Save room for dessert by pastry chef Laney Jahkel-Parrish. 300 East Blvd. (704-332-6507) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR

BONTERRA

$$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Its setting may be a historic Southern church, but Bonterra serves up modern Southern flavors with top-notch service. Wine lovers will be impressed by the more than 200 wines by the glass. 1829 Cleveland Ave. (704-333-9463) D, BAR

CAPISHE

$-$$

ITALIAN The pasta dishes and pizza prepared by Chef David Cavalier, previously of Kindred, are impressive for a fast-casual restaurant. Arrive early for lunch to beat the long lines. 500 E. Morehead St., Ste. 100. (980-8199494) L, D, BAR

COPPER

$$$

INDIAN Ease into Indian cuisine with standard dishes like chicken tikka masala, or be more adventurous with the spicy seafood medley “anjeeri.” 311 East Blvd. (704333-0063) L, D, V, BAR

DOLCE OSTERIA

THE MAYOBIRD

AMERICAN The daytime partner to The Summit Room focuses on specialty coffees, quiches, and pastries, and, of course, chicken salad sandwiches. 1531 East Blvd.

(980-237-2543) B, L, B/W

ZEN FUSION

Elizabeth/Cherry CAJUN QUEEN

$$$

$$

$$-$$$

AMERICAN This upscale marketplace, with sandwiches, salads, and daily specials, is a welcome afternoon spot for a grab-and-go meal or a bite and people-watching.

1609 Elizabeth Ave. (704-333-2757) B, BR, L, D, V

CUSTOMSHOP

$$-$$$

EARL’S GROCERY

$

THE FIG TREE RESTAURANT

$$$$

NEW AMERICAN The No. 2 restaurant on our 2018 Best Restaurants list, the Fig Tree specializes in fresh and fla-

vorful cuisine with an emphasis on wine pairing in a 1913 bungalow. 1601 E. 7th St. (704-332-3322) D, BAR

PIZZERIA OMAGGIO

$$

PIZZA Among a sea of by-the-slice joints, owner Daniel Siragusa sticks by his Italian roots with personal pizzas.

Some think they can’t possibly eat the whole pie, but they do. And then they order dessert. 1055 Metropolitan Ave., Ste. 130. (704-370-0777) L, D, BAR

THE STANLEY

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Chef Paul Verica’s menu reflects a respect of seasonal produce, with playful dishes such as “Asparagus—as many ways as we could think of,” and a more robust cocktail program. 1961 E. 7th St. (980-2992741) D, BR (Sun), BAR

SUNFLOUR BAKING CO.

$-$$

BAKERY With locations in Dilworth, Harrisburg, and Ballantyne, Sunflour serves croissants, cinnamon buns, sandwiches, and soups. Regulars spend mornings here with a cup of coffee, letting them fade into afternoons.

2001 E. 7th St. (704-900-5268) B, L, D, V

Huntersville/Lake Norman ALIÑO PIZZERIA

$$

DRESSLER’S

$$$

PIZZA Enjoy your Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizza at a community table with paper towels on hand to catch the drips from crust dipped in herbs and olive oil. A second location is at Concord Mills. 500 S. Main St., Ste. 401, Mooresville. (704-663-0010) L, D, B/W

NEW AMERICAN Part steak house, part upscale American cuisine, dishes are delivered with consistency and a smile, both here and at the Metropolitan Avenue location. 8630-1A Lindholm Dr. (704-9871779) D, BAR

FLATIRON KITCHEN + TAPHOUSE

$$$

STEAK HOUSE High-quality steaks are a given here, but the seafood and vegetables are treated with the same respect. 215 S. Main St., Davidson. (704-237-3246) BR, L, D, BAR

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

PIZZA Two words: pistachio pizza. Seriously, try it. Then grab a spot on the patio beneath the bistro lights and enjoy a bottle of wine with friends. There’s a second location in Providence Commons, too. 2230 Park Rd., (704-900-0929) L, D, BAR

102

$$

FUSION Here, fusion means a sampling of dishes from the Far East and Spain. 1716 Kenilworth Ave. (704-3589688) L (weekdays), D, BAR

AMERICAN This small Dilworth restaurant has soups, salads, and delicious, oversized sandwiches made with fresh, thick bread filled with innovative combinations.

2410 Park Rd. (704-372-2009) L, D, BAR

INIZIO PIZZA NAPOLETANA

$

NEW AMERICAN Owner and executive chef Trey Wilson uses top-notch, seasonal ingredients to create fresh takes on American cuisine in a hip, rustic atmosphere.

1601 Elizabeth Ave. (704-333-3396) D, BAR

ITALIAN The open layout lends an air of conviviality to this slick eatery, which has house-made pastas, thincrust pizzas, note-perfect risotto, and daring meat entrées. 2418 Park Rd. (704-333-3062) L, D, BAR

FRAN’S FILLING STATION

$$

$$

VEGETARIAN Fern moved from Plaza Midwood to Dilworth in mid-2016. It still has ferns on the wall, and the menu is still full of flavorful vegetarian cuisine. 1419 East Blvd., Ste. A. (704-377-1825) L, BR, D, V, BAR

FIAMMA RESTAURANT

LEBOWSKI’S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL

AMERICAN Dishes at this neighborhood favorite include burgers, brats, and the popular “Beef on Weck.”

1524 East Blvd. (704-370-1177) L, D, BAR

CAJUN Nightly live jazz complements New Orleans creole favorites like shrimp étouffée and crawfish Diane in this century-old house. 1800 E. 7th St. (704-377-9017) BR, D, BAR

ITALIAN This classic, cozy, family-run neighborhood trattoria serves a mix of fresh, regional Italian cuisine and a tidy, all-Italian wine list. 1710 Kenilworth Ave. (704-332-7525) L (weekdays), D, B/W

FERN, FLAVORS FROM THE GARDEN

$$

MEDITERRANEAN This bright and rustic restaurant from the owner of Georges Brasserie serves meat family-style from a wood-fired grill and a selection of small plates. 1608 East Blvd. (704-208-4148) L, D, BAR

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

$ $$ $$$ $$$$

Most entrées under $10 Most entrées $10-$17 Most entrées $18-$25 Most entrées $26 & up Best Restaurants

B BR L D V

Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar Patio seating available Reservations suggested

REVIEW POLICIES—The restaurants on these pages are recommendations of the editors of Charlotte magazine.

They are not related to advertising in any way. Restaurant visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by the magazine. Reviews are written by members of the editorial staff. We regularly update these listings. New additions are denoted by “new listing” and revised reviews are indicated by “update.”

HELLO, SAILOR

$$-$$$

KINDRED

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Davidson’s sweethearts, Joe and Katy Kindred, opened this lakefront spot. Expect Carolina classics like fried catfish and seafood platters, as well as tiki drinks. 20210 Henderson Rd., Cornelius.

(704-997-5365) BR, L, D, BAR

LEROY FOX

$$

MAMA RICOTTA’S

$$

SOUTHERN A casual eatery known for its fried chicken, Leroy Fox serves Southern classics and upscale pub grub, with an additional location in South End. 705 S. Sharon Amity Rd. (704-366-3232) BR, L, D, BAR

THE DUMPLING LADY

$-$$

EL THRIFTY

$-$$

ASIAN One of Charlotte’s most popular food trucks has a brick-and-mortar space in Optimist Hall. Order Zhang Qian’s authentic Sichuan dumplings, noodles, and dim sum, and brace for spice. 1115 N. Brevard St. (980-595-6174) L, D, V

NEW AMERICAN Chef Joe Kindred, a James Beard Award semifinalist, serves homemade pasta dishes and creative small plates in historic downtown Davidson. 131 N. Main St., Davidson. (980-231-5000) BR, L, D, BAR

ITALIAN Frank Scibelli’s (Midwood Smokehouse, Yafo, Paco’s) first restaurant does simple Italian dishes with stylish twists in a spot fit for couples, families, and everyone else. 601 S. Kings Dr. (704-343-0148) L, D, BAR

MEXICAN The Mexican cantina and gaming venue in Optimist Hall serves creative tacos and cocktails with a side of duckpin bowling. 1115 N. Brevard St. (980-9497837) L, D, BAR

SABI ASIAN BISTRO

PROVIDENCE ROAD SUNDRIES

NEW AMERICAN Grab a table in the botanist room or the open patio on a warm night, and enjoy elevated comfort food like smoked cashew mac and cheese and guinea hen stew. 3032 N. Davidson St. (704-9100132) L, D, BAR

$$

ASIAN Find Asian-inspired dishes, from sushi to stir fry to sweet-and-sour chicken, in a sleek interior. 130 Harbor Place Dr., Davidson. (704-895-5707) L, D, BAR

KABAB-JE ROTISSERIE & GRILLE

$$

MIDDLE EASTERN With a second location in Stonecrest, this Mediterranean and Lebanese spot serves dishes like hummus shawarma and lamb kabobs.

2233 Matthews Township Pkwy., Ste. E. (704-8450707) L, D

LOYALIST MARKET

$-$$

AMERICAN This charming eatery is a sandwich shop by day and a cheese shop by night. Choose from over 60 artisan cheeses and cured meats from the U.S. and abroad, along with gourmet food products, wine, and local beer. 435 N. Trade St., Ste. 102. (704-814-9866) L, D, BAR

NEW ZEALAND CAFÉ

$-$$

FUSION A wooden latticework ceiling and indoor trellis add charm to this neighborhood favorite, where sushi is fresh and affordable. 1717 Sardis Rd. N., Ste. 6A. (704-708-9888) L, D, B/W

SANTÉ

$$$ - $$$$

FRENCH The food is far from colloquial here, and the exposed brickwork and antiqued tin roof lend credence to the French name. 165 N. Trade St., Matthews.

(704-845-1899) D, BAR

YUME BISTRO

$$

JAPANESE The flavorful ramen and other Japanese classics here defy the restaurant’s plain interior. They also opened a new location in Wilmore last year. 1369 Chestnut Ln., Matthews. (704-821-0676) L, D

Myers Park/Cotswold DEEJAI THAI

$$

THAI This family-owned eatery offers takeout, but with its modern dining room and bright patio, you’ll want to settle into a table. 613 Providence Rd. (704333-7884) L, (weekdays), D, BAR

FENWICK’S

AMERICAN Classic bar food and friendly service have made this a neighborhood hangout for generations.

1522 Providence Rd. (704-366-4467) L, D, BAR

STAGIONI

Matthews/Mint Hill

$$

AMERICAN A Myers Park mainstay since the 1980s, Fenwick’s is a go-to for a comforting meal made with fresh ingredients, delivered with warm service. 511 Providence Rd. (704-333-2750) BR, L, D, BAR

$-$$

$$$

ITALIAN Meaning “seasons,” this concept from Bruce Moffett serves Italian standards. A must-visit for Chef Eric Ferguson’s delicious, handmade pastas, woodfired pizzas, and slow-roasted meats. 715 Providence Rd. (704-372-8110) D, BAR

VOLO RISTORANTE

$$$

ITALIAN Volo translates to “flight,” which is the Italian answer to a tasting menu. Let the chef choose a meat, vegetable, or seafood flight for you, or order off the dinner menu and enjoy a plate of gnocchi, risotto, or tortellini paired with a glass of chianti. 1039 Providence Rd. (704-919-1020) D, BAR

NoDa/North Charlotte AMÉLIE’S FRENCH BAKERY

$

FRENCH Enjoy a flaky croissant on the outdoor patio or order from the café menu of soups and sandwiches any time of day—or night. Amélie’s now has two additional locations in uptown and Park Road Shopping Center. 2424 N. Davidson St. (704-376-1781) B, L, D

BAO + BROTH

$-$$

ASIAN Follow the smell of ramen and steamed pork belly buns to this food stall, the fifth restaurant from chef Bruce Moffett, and have a seat among the other diners in Optimist Hall. 1115 N. Brevard St. (704-6252269) L, D

BENNY PENNELLO’S

$

PIZZA A full Benny P’s pie is 28 inches, almost double the standard—but if you divide it into eight slices, one is the ideal-sized meal for one person. 2909 N. Davidson St., Ste. 100. (980-949-8398) L, D, B/W

CABO FISH TACO

$-$$

SEAFOOD This NoDa “Baja seagrill” serves up the title dish as well as quesadillas, burritos, and salads in a fun, surf-themed atmosphere. 3201 N. Davidson St. (704-332-8868) L, D, BAR

CRÊPE CELLAR KITCHEN & PUB

$-$$

FRENCH The crêpes—both sweet and savory—are delicious, but the restaurant’s fare goes beyond its French roots with flavorful salads, entrées, and craft cocktails. 3116 N. Davidson St. (704-910-6543) BR, L, D, BAR

THE GOODYEAR HOUSE

HABERDISH

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Southern appetizers, fried chicken, and apothecary cocktails from Colleen Hughes draw a hip crowd to this mill town southern kitchen. 3106 N. Davidson St. (704-817-1084) BR, L, D, BAR

HARRIET’S HAMBURGERS

$

AMERICAN The burger joint with a pick-up window at Optimist Hall has a simple menu of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and fries, but they get everything right.

1115 N. Brevard St., Ste. 6 L, D

HEIST BREWERY

$-$$

AMERICAN This is bar food to the extreme. Beer is incorporated into several dishes at this brewpub. The beer cheese is made with Heist’s own beer and served alongside pretzels made with leftover mash. 2909 N. Davidson St., Ste. 200. (704-375-8260) BR, L, D, BAR

JACKBEAGLE’S

$

AMERICAN A mainstay for the locals, this place serves unconventional bar bites like mac-and-blue-cheese with bacon. 3213 N. Davidson St. (704-334-5140) BR, L, D, BAR

LEAH & LOUISE

$$

SOUTHERN A James Beard-nominated chef and Soul Food Sessions co-founder Greg Collier serves the dishes he grew up on, like hot fried quail and dirty grits, in a space modeled after a Memphis-style juke joint. 301 Camp Rd., Ste. 101 (980-309-0690) D, BAR

PAPI QUESO

$-$$

ROOM AND BOARD

$-$$

AMERICAN Expect all the staples from the popular food truck, along with new grilled cheeses, mac and cheese, and melts from the brick-and-mortar location in Optimist Hall. 1115 N. Brevard St. (704-5791779) L, D, V

AMERICAN Inside a two-story Victorian home and former boarding house, have your choice of sandwiches, burgers, and wings, or come for Sunday brunch and get a “hangover pizza.” 3228 N. Davidson St. (980-4303136) BR (Sun) L, D, BAR

ROY’S KITCHEN & PATIO

$$

CARIBBEAN Come for a fruity cocktail, but don’t expect a trip to Margaritaville—this is a relaxed neighborDECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

103

THE GUIDE hood hangout with cornhole, ping-pong, and rotisserie chicken you can smell cooking down the street. 3112 N. Davidson St. (704-910-2031) BR (Sun), D, BAR,

Plaza Midwood/East Charlotte ACE NO. 3

$

AMERICAN The new counter-service burger joint from the team behind Sea Level and the Waterman offers a straightforward menu of burgers, fries, and shakes.

1001 Belmont Ave. (704-910-2200) L, D,

CILANTRO NOODLE

$-$$

VIETNAMESE Even if you think cilantro tastes like soap, don’t let the name of this fast casual restaurant fool you—the herb add-on is optional. Structured like Chipotle, build-your-own meals include a base starch (banh mi, vermicelli noodles, white rice, fried rice), one protein, and five toppings. 2001 Commonwealth Ave. (704-345-9490) L, D, V, B/W

COALTRANE’S

$-$$

AMERICAN Rotisserie chicken with South Americaninspired sides makes for a healthy and fast lunch or dinner. 1518 Central Ave. (980-265-1290) BR, L, D, BAR

COMMON MARKET

$-$$

FUSION Even the pickiest eater can find something to order here, with menu options ranging from burgers and pizzas to cabbage rolls and stuffed peppers. 1427 E. 10th St. (704-347-2626) L, D, V, BAR

$ Most entrées under $10 $$ Most entrées $10-$17 $$$ Most entrées $18-$25 $$$$ Most entrées $26 & up

B BR L D V

104

MIDWOOD SMOKEHOUSE

$$

BARBECUE With North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, and dry or sauced ribs, there’s a ’cue for everyone—and traditional sides to pair. The restaurant has a number of Charlotte locations including Ballantyne and Park Road Shopping Center, but the Plaza Midwood spot is its flagship post. 1401 Central Ave. (704-295-4227) L, D, BAR

MOO & BREW

$$

$-$$

$-$$

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

$

SEAFOOD/SOUTHERN The fourth restaurant from Bruce Moffett serves a mix of Rhode Island shore food, like oysters and stuffed clams, and southern comforts, like fried chicken and mac and cheese. 1205 Thomas Ave. (704-321-4716) D, BAR

SOUTHERN A neighborhood joint with an eclectic clientele, good, down-home Southern food, and a funky wait staff. 1220 Thomas Ave. (704-344-0343) B, L, D, BAR

INTERMEZZO PIZZERIA & CAFÉ

LUPIE’S CAFE

AMERICAN The building, interior, and menu have barely changed since owner Lupie Duran opened in 1987. It’s an ideal spot for cold days, specializing in handmade burgers, four kinds of chili, meatloaf, and “chicken n dumplins.” 2718 Monroe Rd., (704-3741232) L, D, B/W

$

AMERICAN This 1950s-style diner features retro teal booths, a jukebox, and classic dishes like burgers, fried pork chops, and fried chicken. 1901 Commonwealth Ave. (704-375-8959) L, D, BAR

DISH

$

AMERICAN A playful list of burgers, craft beers, and friendly servers make this spot an easy choice for a casual dinner out. The patio is packed on nice nights.

1300 Central Ave. (980-585-4148) L, D, BAR

DELI A neighborhood hangout with additional locations in South End and Oakwold, this market and deli serves quick and delicious sandwiches, local craft beers, snacks, sweets, and more. 2007 Commonwealth Ave. (704-334-6209) B, L, D, B/W

DIAMOND RESTAURANT

LANG VAN

VIETNAMESE Regulars love this no-fuss spot for its authentic cuisine, with loads of flavor and fresh ingredients. 3019 Shamrock Dr. (704-531-9525) BR, L, D, V, B/W

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar Patio seating available Reservations suggested

NC RED

SAL’S PIZZA FACTORY

$$

$$

PIZZA The New York slices at this east Charlotte joint have thick cheese and generous toppings—the classic style of pizza that fuels nostalgia and harkens back to a time when you didn’t know what calories or gluten were. 3723 Monroe Rd. (980-219-7108) L, D, BAR

SOUL GASTROLOUNGE

$$

NEW AMERICAN Expect to wait a while at this no-reservations spot, known for small plates like pork belly tacos with compressed watermelon, and a rotating list of craft cocktails. 1500-B Central Ave. (704-348-1848) D, BAR

SNOOZE: AN A.M. EATERY

$$

AMERICAN The Denver-based breakfast spot has a huge menu, but you’re free to mix and match. Choose any two benedicts with the Benny Duo, or get the Pancake Flight with three different flavors. There’s also a morning cocktail menu with mimosas, mojitos, and a dirty drunken chai. 1331-A Central Ave. (704-2435070) B, BR, L, BAR

THREE AMIGOS

$$

MEXICAN Three Amigos remains a constant on Central Avenue, specializing in enchiladas and other Mexican staples like tinga de pollo and carne asada tacos.

It’s always fresh, too—they’ll never save rice, beans, or meat for use the next day. 2917A Central Ave., 704536-1851. L, D, BAR

THE WORKMAN’S FRIEND

$$-$$$

IRISH Enjoy Irish classics like fish and chips and shep-

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

herd’s pie in this rustic dining room, or grab a pint at the custom-built walnut bar. 1531 Central Ave. (980224-8234) BR, L (Fri-Sun), D, BAR

YAMA IZAKAYA

$$

JAPANESE Enjoy true, labor-intensive ramen, complete with add-ons like corn and pork belly, as well as traditional Japanese small plates and a sushi menu.

1324 Central Ave. (704-910-6387) D, V, BAR

ZADA JANE’S CORNER CAFE

$-$$

SOUTHERN This funky neighborhood restaurant with shuffleboard courts, a large patio, and colorful walls serves breakfast and brunch all day. 1601 Central Ave. (704-332-3663) B, BR, L, BAR

South End BARCELONA WINE BAR

$$$

NEW AMERICAN Nosh on Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired tapas or customize a charcuterie board with meats from different regions in Europe. Choose from more than 400 wines, and don’t miss the olive oil cake. 101 W. Worthington Ave., Ste. 110. (704-7410300) D, BAR

BARDO

$$$

BEEF ’N BOTTLE

$$$

NEW AMERICAN This foodie destination serves seasonal small plates and creative cocktails. The dining room looks into a big, open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work. 1508 S. Mint St., Ste. B. (980585-2433) D, BAR

STEAK HOUSE An old favorite, this steak house is just what you’d expect, serving up thick and juicy cuts in a dark interior. 4538 South Blvd. (704-5239977) D, BAR

BREWERS AT 4001 YANCEY

$$

AMERICAN In addition to craft beers, this LoSo brewery has Southern-inspired bar food like fries topped with jalapeño gravy and bacon crumbles. 4001-A Yancey Rd. (704-452-4001) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR

THE DUNAVANT

$$$

STEAK HOUSE The signature steak and bottomless fries dinner, which includes bread, a choice of soup or salad, and the option of three sauces, tastes more expensive than its $25 fixed price. 2322 Dunavant St., Ste. 200. (980-335-0125) BR, D, BAR

EIGHT + SAND KITCHEN

$

AMERICAN Come here for breakfast, brunch, lunch, an afternoon snack, or an evening out. The made-fromscratch bakery has sandwiches, salads, and artisan breads, and the café serves drinks all day. 135 New Bern St. B, BR, L, B/W

FUTO BUTA

$$

JAPANESE This ramen house promises authenticity, irreverence, and delightful, salty bowls of the hot noodle soup. 222 E. Bland St. (704-376-8400) L, D, B/W

ILIOS CRAFTED GREEK

$-$$

MEDITERRANEAN Get authentic Greek fare from the team behind Ilios Noche in a fast casual setting. Build

Charlotte’s Top Spots Go Curbside Amid the coronavirus epidemic, many restaurants on our “50 Best” list started offering curbside options. As of late October, these spots were doing just that:

Uptown THE ASBURY

235 N. Tryon St. 704-342-1193 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Sat-Sun, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. To-go menu on its site.

Chef Mike Long’s inventive menu mixes countryside favorites like biscuits and deviled eggs with bold flavors and contemporary techniques.

STOKE

100 W. Trade St. 704-353-6005 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. To-go menu on its site.

Hotel dining gets an upgrade with this wood-fired grill, family-style concept in Marriott City Center.

ANGELINE’S

303 S. Church St. 704-445-2540 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Sun-Thurs, 5 p.m.-9 p.m., and Fri, 5 a.m.-11 p.m.

The Italian-inspired entreés at this uptown spot are all excellent, and the whipped ricotta with sourdough, lavender honey, and pistachio is the most imaginative appetizer on the menu.

South End/Dilworth BARDO

1508 S. Mint St. 980-585-2433 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Tues-Thurs, 5 p.m.-10 p.m., and Fri-Sat, 5 p.m.-11 p.m. (They’re also offering to-go cocktail kits for $8 that make two cocktails and include instructions.)

This foodie destination serves seasonal small plates and creative cocktails. The dining room looks into a big, open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work.

COPPER

311 East Blvd.

704-333-0063 OPTIONS: Takeout and curbside pickup during regular hours.

The restaurant also has free delivery with a minimum order of $40 within a 5-mile radius. Ease into Indian cuisine with standard dishes like chicken tikka masala, or be more adventurous with the seafood medley “anjeeri” and dial up the spice.

300 EAST

300 East Blvd.

704-332-6507 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, with regular menu options and new family-style options. Owners say hours vary based on demands.

The interior of this old house-turned-restaurant is welcoming, as is the menu of familiar and surprising sandwiches, salads, and entrées. Save room for dessert by pastry chef Laney Jahkel-Parrish.

BONTERRA

1829 Cleveland Ave. 704-333-9463 OPTIONS: Takeout, curbside pick-up, and delivery (within 3 miles) are available. Hours are 5:30 p.m-9 p.m. right now.

Its setting may be a historic Southern church, but Bonterra serves up modern Southern flavors with top-notch service. Wine lovers will be impressed by the more than 200 wines by the glass.

FUTO BUTA

222 E. Bland St. 704-376-8400 OPTIONS: Takeout and curbside pick-up daily until 9 p.m.

This ramen house promises authenticity, irreverence, and delightful, salty bowls of the hot noodle soup.

NoDa/North of Charlotte HABERDISH

3106 N. Davidson St. 704-817-1084 OPTIONS: Order online and pick up to-go orders on the patio or curbside 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Southern appetizers, fried chicken, and apothecary cocktails from Colleen Hughes draw a hip crowd to this mill town southern kitchen.

KINDRED

131 N. Main St. 980-231-5000 OPTIONS: Curbside pick-up, Tues-Sat, 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

Every meal at the Davidson restaurant starts the same way: with cloud-like milk bread, an appetizer with such a following, Kindred made T-shirts. The subsequent dishes are just as beautiful, and they’ve earned chef and co-owner Joe Kindred a James Beard nod for the past four years.

HELLO, SAILOR

20210 Henderson Rd. 704-997-5365 OPTIONS: Takeout, Wed-Sun, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Davidson’s sweethearts, Joe and Katy Kindred, opened this lakefront spot. Expect Carolina classics like fried catfish and seafood platters, as well as tiki drinks.

Plaza Midwood/Elizabeth MIDWOOD SMOKEHOUSE

1401 Central Ave. 704-295-4227 OPTIONS: Curbside pick-up for online orders, with hours varying between locations With North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, and dry or sauced ribs, there’s a ’cue for everyone—and traditional sides to pair. The restaurant has a number of Charlotte locations including Ballantyne and Park Road Shopping Center, but the Plaza Midwood spot is its flagship post.

SOUL GASTROLOUNGE

1500 Central Ave. 704-348-1848 OPTIONS: Takeout or curbside pickup 5-11 p.m. daily Expect to wait a while at this no-reservations spot, known for small plates like pork belly tacos with compressed watermelon, and a rotating list of craft cocktails.

SWEET LEW’S BBQ

923 Belmont Ave. 980-224-7584 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Wed-Thurs, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sun, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Demand for Lewis Donald’s barbecue hasn’t wavered since the “shack” opened last year. Donald co-owns Dish in Plaza Midwood, and he’s currently selling his Sweet Lew’s to-go items there.

PIZZERIA OMAGGIO

1055 Metropolitan Ave., Ste. 130 704-370-0777 OPTIONS: Sun, 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Mon-Wed, 10:30 a.m.9 p.m., Thurs-Fri, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sat, 11 a.m.10 p.m.

In a sea of by-the-slice joints, owner Daniel Siragusa sticks by his Italian roots with personal pizzas. Some think they can’t possibly eat the whole pie, but they do.

And then they order dessert.

South Charlotte ROOSTER’S WOOD-FIRED KITCHEN

6601 Morrison Blvd.

704-366-8688 OPTIONS: Orders can be placed online and hours vary by location Guests can park in one of the designated Rooster’s ToGo parking spaces outside of the restaurant and pick up at the hostess stand. Chef Jim Noble’s menu features gussied-up, Southern-tinged American and European peasant fare like hand-tossed pizzas and roasted chicken. A second location is in uptown.

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GUIDE

Night Life Our city, which once banned cocktail sales, offers plenty of opportunities to imbibe. Try one of these after-dark spots THE QUEEN & GLASS

$$-$$$

COCKTAIL BAR / LOUNGE This intimate Dilworth lounge has creative cocktails and a small plates menu of shareable spreads, salads, and flatbreads. 1315 E. Blvd., Ste. 115 (980-299-0816)

THE CRUNKLETON

$$$

COCKTAIL BAR The region's best bartenders applied to work at Gary Crunkleton's Elizabeth bar and restaurant.

Known for his impeccable classic cocktails, the mixologist and restaurateur opened the first Crunkleton in Chapel Hill. 1957 E. 7th St. (704-919-0104)

IDLEWILD

$$

COCKTAIL BAR You can't go wrong with a classic Manhattan, but if you’re feeling adventurous, Idlewild's bartenders will create a cocktail based on your drink preferences. 424 E. 36th St., Ste. 2 (704-572-8678)

CICCHETTI

$$-$$$

WINE BAR / RETAIL At this wine bar, restaurant, and retail shop, it’s drinks first, food second. Shop the shelves for a bottle of wine, and savor it over a small plate of meatballs or bruschetta. 100 N. Tryon St. (980299-0039)

SOPHIA'S LOUNGE

$$$

COCKTAIL BAR If the ornate armchairs or the velvet sofas on which you could pose like a French girl don’t make you feel like royalty, the custom-designed chandeliers and regal artwork should do it. The cocktails here, rightfully, are fit for a queen. 127 N. Tryon St., Ste. D (704) 503-9322)

NUVOLE ROOFTOP TWENTY-TWO

$$-$$$

BAR / LOUNGE Sip a cocktail and take in sweeping views of uptown from this sleek rooftop lounge on the 22nd floor of the AC Hotel & Residence Inn. Bring a few friends and order shareable plates like lobster club sliders and the bison tartare. 220 E. Trade St., Ste. 2200.

(980-960-9800)

MERCHANT + TRADE

$$

BAR / LOUNGE This 19th floor rooftop lounge overlooking Romare Bearden Park is a great place to visit before dinner, or to cap off the night. Just remember to dress to impress, because access to sweeping views of the city requires some style. 303 S. Church St. (704445-2550)

FOXCROFT WINE CO.

$-$$

WINE BAR The wine bar, restaurant, and retail hybrid has a relaxed atmosphere, wines from every region

of the world, and deliciously simple food. Dilworth is Foxcroft's flagship post, with additional locations in SouthPark and Waverly. 1235 East Blvd., Ste. 1 (704602-2133)

DILWORTH TASTING ROOM

$$

WINE BAR On a warm summer night, there’s no better place to savor a glass of chardonnay. Grab a table on the patio under the trees and relish the little white lights when the sun goes down. 300 E. Tremont Ave. (704-595-3337)

PETITE PHILIPPE

$-$$

WINE BAR / RETAIL Wine bottles are on display in cabinets resembling bookcases, and chocolates are clustered under glass on a marble slab at this Myers Park tasting room. Milling around, asking questions, and sampling are encouraged. 2820 Selwyn Ave., Ste. 160. (704-332-9910)

LINCOLN STREET KITCHEN & COCKTAILS

$$

COCKTAIL BAR Grab a spot in the main dining room, step outside to the ground floor patio, or head upstairs to the rooftop patio and take in views of uptown as you sip on a signature cocktail—they're all $13 here.

1320 S. Church St., Ste. 400, (704-595-3337)

Breweries Here’s a directory of local breweries, where you can enjoy award-winning beers—and the latest libations Charlotte NODA/OPTIMIST PARK/ NORTH CHARLOTTE BIRDSONG BREWING COMPANY

1016 N. Davidson St. 704-332-1810 birdsongbrewing.com

HEIST BREWERY

2909 N. Davidson St. #200 704-375-8260 heistbrewery.com Other location in Druid Hills

NODA BREWING COMPANY

3701 N. Davidson St., Ste. 203 980-237-1803 divinebarrel.com

2921 N. Tryon St. 704-900-6851 nodabrewing.com Other locations in Optimist Park and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

FONTA FLORA OPTIMIST HALL

PROTAGONIST CLUBHOUSE

DIVINE BARREL

1115 N. Brevard St., Ste. D 980-207-2470 fontaflora.com

FREE RANGE BREWING

2320 N. Davidson St. 980-201-9096 freerangebrewing.com

106

3123 N. Davidson St., Ste. 104 980-938-0671 protagonistbeer.com

SALUD CERVECERIA

3306-C N. Davidson St. 980-495-6612 saludcerveceria.com

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

ELIZABETH/PLAZA MIDWOOD CATAWBA BREWING COMPANY CHARLOTTE

933 Louise Ave., Ste. 105 980-498-6145 catawbabrewing.com

DEVIL’S LOGIC BREWING

1426 E. 4th St. 704-666-1001 devilslogic.com

LEGION BREWING

1906 Commonwealth Ave. 844-467-5683 legionbrewing.com Other location in SouthPark

PILOT BREWING COMPANY

1331 Central Ave., Ste. 104 704-802-9260 pilotbrewing.us

RESIDENT CULTURE BREWING COMPANY

LOWER LEFT BREWING CO.

2101 Central Ave. 704-333-1862 residentculturebrewing.com

4528 Nations Crossing Rd. 704-469-9861 llbrewco.com

SOUTH END/SOUTH CHARLOTTE/MORA BREWERS AT 4001 YANCEY

OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY

4001-A Yancey Rd. 704-452-4001 visit.brewersat4001yancey.com

EDGE CITY BREWING

6209 Old Post Rd., Ste. 109 980-949-6199 instagram.com/edgecitybrewery

LENNY BOY BREWING CO.

3000 S. Tryon St. 980-585-1728 discoverlennyboy.com

4150 Yancey Rd. 704-525-5655 oldemeckbrew.com

THE SUFFOLK PUNCH

2911 Griffith St., Ste. A 704-319-8650 thesuffolkpunch.com

SUGAR CREEK BREWING COMPANY

215 Southside Dr. 704-521-3333 sugarcreekbrewing.com

Best Sips

SUNSTEAD BREWING

1200 S Graham St. 980-949-6200 sunsteadbrewing.com

Our favorite brews this month, chosen by Charlotte magazine staff

SYCAMORE BREWING

2161 Hawkins St. 704-910-3821 sycamorebrew.com

Vista IPA, $16.99, (4-pack), LOST WORLDS BREWING LOST WORLDS BREWING in Cornelius debuted this year as a fully realized concept: A brewery with an adventure theme in both its safari-style decor and first roster of beers. Among the real-life explorers highlighted in their brews is Yale University archeologist Hiram Bingham, featured on the Vista IPA can for his uncovering of Machu Picchu. Vista is a bold West Coast-style IPA, much like Bingham (who inspired the creation of Indiana Jones). It’s also a relief that a spot that’s so thorough in its visual execution has the tasty beers to match. —Andy Smith

TRIPLE C BREWING COMPANY + THE BARREL ROOM

2900 Griffith St. 704-372-3212 triplecbrewing.com

THE UNKNOWN BREWING CO.

1327 S. Mint St. 980-237-2628 unknownbrewing.com

WOODEN ROBOT BREWERY

1440 S. Tryon St., Ste. 110 980-819-7875 woodenrobotbrewery.com Other location in NoDa

UNIVERSITY ARMORED COW BREWING

8821 JW Clay Blvd., Ste. 1 704-277-6641 instagram.com/ armoredcowbrewing

WEST CHARLOTTE TOWN BREWING CO.

800 Grandin Rd. 980-237-8628 townbrewing.com

BLUE BLAZE BREWING

528 S. Turner Ave. 980-859-2586 blueblazebrewing.com

Belmont PRIMAL BREWERY

16432 Old Statesville Rd. 704-947-2920 primalbrewery.com Other location in Huntersville

Concord CABARRUS BREWING COMPANY

COURTESY

329 McGill Ave. NW 704-490-4487 cabarrusbrewing.com

COMMONER’S BREWING COMPANY

1048 Copperfield Blvd. NE, Ste. 101

704-886-6002 commonersbrewingcompany. com

HIGH BRANCH BREWING CO.

325 McGill Ave. NW, Ste. 148 704-706-3807 highbranchbrewing.com

RED HILL BREWING COMPANY

21 Union St. S, Ste. 3511 704-784-2337 Redhillbrewing.com

TWENTY-SIX ACRES BREWING COMPANY

7285 W. Winds Blvd. NW 980-277-2337 26Acres.com

SOUTHERN STRAIN BREWING CO.

65 Brumley Ave. NE, Ste. 3001 704-218-9106 Southernstrainbrewing.com

Cornelius ASS CLOWN BREWING COMPANY

10620 Bailey Rd. E 704-997-8490 Assclownbrewing.com

D9 BREWING COMPANY

11138 Treynorth Dr. 704-247-7200 D9brewing.com

ELEVEN LAKES BREWING COMPANY

10228 Bailey Rd., Ste. 201 704-998-9017 Elevenlakesbrewing.com

LOST WORLDS BREWING

19700-D, One Norman Dr. 980-689-2467 lostworldsbeer.com

Denver ROYAL BLISS BREWING

7532 Royal Bliss Ct. 704-951-8388 Royalblissbrewing.com

Fort Mill, S.C. AMOR ARTIS BREWING

204 Main St., Ste. 101 803-547-6464 amorartisbrewing.com

LAKE WYLIE BREWING CO.

1741 Gold Hill Rd., Ste. 100 803-802-0001 lakewyliebrewingcofortmill.com

Gastonia CAVENDISH BREWERY

207 N. Chester St. 704-830-0435 cavendishbrewing.com

Harrisburg PHARR MILL BREWING

Indian Trail

Pineville

SWEET UNION BREWING COMPANY

13717 E. Independence Blvd.

704-628-5211 sweetunionbrewing.com

Kannapolis 211 West Ave. 704-933-9203 oldarmor.com

Matthews SEABOARD BREWING, TAPROOM, & WINE BAR

213 N. Trade St. 704-246-6575 seaboardbrewing.com

121 Caldwell St., Ste. 101 803-366-7266 rockhillbrewingcompany.com

Monroe SOUTHERN RANGE BREWING CO.

DUST OFF BREWING

151 S. Stewart St. 704-706-2978 getsrb.com

130 W. White St. 803-324-4610 dustoffbrewing.com

Mooresville

Waxhaw

GHOSTFACE BREWING BREWERY & PIZZERIA

KING CANARY BREWING CO.

1218 Rosemont Dr., Ste. 100 lorebrewing.com

SLOW PLAY BREWING

274 Columbia Ave. slowplaybrewing.com

ROCK HILL BREWING COMPANY

PERCENT TAP HOUSE

LORE BREWING CO.

LEGAL REMEDY BREWING

129 Oakland Ave. 803-324-2337 legalremedybrewing.com

427 E. Statesville Ave. 704-799-7433 ghostfacebrewing.com

Indian Land, S.C.

400 N. Polk St., Unit B 704-889-6522 middlejamesbrewing.com

Rock Hill, S.C.

OLD ARMOR BEER CO.

105 Oakley Dr. 704-456-7657 pharrmillbrewing.com

4250 Main St., Ste. 109 980-258-8651 percenttaphouse.com

MIDDLE JAMES BREWING

THE DREAMCHASER’S BREWERY

115 E. North Main St. 704-843-7326 dreamchasersbrewery.com

562 Williamson Rd. 704-967-8472 kingcanarybrewing.com

JOLLY ROGER BREWERY

236 Raceway Dr., Ste. 12 704-769-0305 jollyrogerbrewery.com

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GUIDE a dish with your choice of roasted chicken, lamb, or pork, and chose from a rotation of sides like chickpea salad, Aegean slaw, and zucchini fritters. 1514 S. Church St. (980-237-1949) L, D,

the basic spaghetti and meatballs, which is good every time. 1414 S. Tryon St., Ste. 140 (980-279-8900) BR, L, D, BAR

sized slice of tiramisu for dessert. 7828-E Rea Rd. (980335-2758) BR (Sun), L, D, V, BAR

INDACO

O-KU

$$-$$$

SUSHI This second location of the Charleston-based Indigo Road restaurant group’s Japanese spot has great service, a beautiful interior, and dishes full of flavor.

2000 South Blvd., Ste. 510. (704-594-1922) D, BAR

INDIAN The sister restaurant of Copper has contemporary decor and a sharply dressed wait staff delivering Indian dishes to each table. 14815 Ballantyne Village Way., Ste. 170. (704-369-5777) L, D, V, BAR

$

NEW SOUTHERN Chefs Jon and Amy Fortes’ first restaurant makes you feel right at home, but the food lets you know it ain’t your mama in the kitchen.

3150 Hwy. 21 N., Fort Mill. (803-802-1711) B, BR, L, D, B/W,

$$-$$$

ITALIAN Atherton Mill’s rustic Italian restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas and hand-crafted pastas, proving certain dishes are classics for a reason. 2046 South Blvd. (704-741-9004) L, D, BAR

LET’S MEAT KBBQ

$$$$

PRICE’S CHICKEN COOP

THE BLUE TAJ

THE FLIPSIDE CAFÉ

$$-$$$

$$-$$

KOREAN BBQ Marinated meats at this all-you-caneat hangout come with Korean sides like steamed egg soufflé. 1400 S. Church St., Ste. B. (980-299-4389) L, D, (Mon-Fri) BAR

SOUTHERN Expect to eat your meal standing up— or sitting in your car—but rest assured it’s the best damn fried chicken in the country. 1614 Camden Rd. (704-333-9866) L, D (until 6 p.m.), Cash only. No seating.

LUNA’S LIVING KITCHEN

RAI LAY THAI CUISINE

$$

NEW SOUTHERN This sister restaurant of Flipside Café has a more formal and spacious dining room, which fits with its elevated menu. 129 Caldwell St., Rock Hill. (803324-3547) BR, L, D, V, BAR

SEOUL FOOD MEAT CO.

$$

NEW AMERICAN Inside the Ballantyne hotel, you’ll find Southern-inspired, white-tablecloth dining with dishes sourced from local farmers. 10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. (704-248-4100) B, BR, L, D, BAR

$$

VEGETARIAN This vegan gem is known for its raw version of lasagna, made with zucchini noodles, sundried tomato sauce, mushrooms, and a cashew-basil cheese.

Its juice bar is also a popular draw. 2000 South Blvd., Ste. 300. (704-333-0008) B, L, D, B/W, V

THAI Upscale Thai food in a sleek interior with attentive service makes this a fitting spot for South End. 1520 South Blvd., Ste. 130. (980-207-0991) L (MonSat), D, BAR

MAC’S SPEED SHOP

FUSION This hip spot fuses traditional American barbecue with Korean flavors all the way to the sides, which include ramen mac-and-cheese. 1400 S. Church St., Ste. A. (980-299-5143) L (weekends), D, BAR

$-$$

BARBECUE Solid barbecue and cold beer (150 choices) in a bike-themed space draw fun-loving crowds, with additional locations in Matthews and Lake Norman.

2511 South Blvd. (704-522-6227) L, D, BAR

MIDNIGHT DINER

$

AMERICAN This 24-hour classic diner has everything you’d expect, including an all-day breakfast, onion rings, milkshakes, burgers, and hand-cut fries, along with Southern fare. 115 E. Carson Blvd. (980-207-3641) B, L, D, B/W

MOCCO BISTRO

$

GREEK Despite the sounds of South Boulevard, the Greek pastries and coffees here can transport you to the Aegean Sea in just one taste. 4004 South Blvd., Ste. E. (980-207-0508) B, L, D, B/W

NIKKO

L D V

108

SUPERICA

$$-$$$

TEX-MEX Atlanta chef Ford Fry brings the newest location of his Tex-Mex concept, with tacos, fajitas, and enchiladas, to the Design Center. 101 W. Worthington Ave., Ste. 100 (980-321-9914) BR, L, D, BAR

THE WATERMAN FISH BAR

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN A seasonal menu includes small plates like Korean-inspired calamari and barbecueroasted octopus. The cocktail program focuses on innovative interpretations of classic drinks. 235 W. Tremont Ave. (980-209-0008) BR (Sun), D (Tues-Sat), BAR

$ Most entrées under $10 $$ Most entrées $10-$17 $$$ Most entrées $18-$25 $$$$ Most entrées $26 & up Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

BAJA The breezy vibes and bright flavors at this taco joint call for a Pacifico or a margarita. 2433 South Blvd.

(704-912-1889) BR, L, D, BAR

$$-$$$

ITALIAN Head to the ground floor of the RailYard for a dressed-up entree like squid ink mafaldine, or get

B BR

$-$$

SEAFOOD This oyster bar has all the staples: lobster rolls, clam chowder, and oysters four ways. At sunset, head to the rooftop terrace for a cocktail and views of uptown. 2729 South Blvd., Ste. D. (704-275-5558) L, D, BAR

JAPANESE Artistic sushi, a moody interior, and thumping sound system bring in dinner and late-night crowds, but quick service makes it a great lunch spot.

325 Arlington Ave., Ste. 108. (704-370-0100) L (weekdays), D, BAR

NORTH ITALIA

SOUTHBOUND

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar Patio seating available Reservations suggested

ZEPPELIN

$$-$$$

(Arboretum, Ballantyne, Pineville, Fort Mill) $$

AMERICAN This spot serves up hearty portions of diner staples, such as meatloaf and fresh-roasted turkey clubs, all made in-house. 16637 Lancaster Hwy. (704544-0313) B, L, D, BAR

CIVETTA ITALIAN KITCHEN + BAR

$$-$$$

ITALIAN This eatery in StoneCrest at Piper Glen has Italian-American dishes like snapper picatta, penne alla Civetta, and scallops risotto. Save room for a lasagna-

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

$$-$$$

GALLERY RESTAURANT

$$$-$$$$

NEW LISTING

OGGI RISTORANTE ITALIANO

$$$

ITALIAN Find comfort food like spaghetti and house meatballs and lasagna, or savor some squid ink linguini and a glass of pinot grigio on the patio. 16646 Hawfield Way Dr., Ste. 101 (704-716-9400) L, D, BAR

THE PORTER’S HOUSE

$$$-$$$$

STEAK HOUSE The newest member of the Rare Roots Hospitality Group (Dressler’s, Dogwood) is known for thick-cut steaks, modern sides, and craft cocktails. 7417 Waverly Walk Ave. (704-930-7878) D, BAR

RED ROCKS CAFÉ

$$-$$$

SPICE ASIAN KITCHEN

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Consistently good pasta,rock seafood, and steak make this restaurant a mainstay in the Strawberry Hill shopping center. Additional locations are in Indian Land and Birkdale Village. 4223 Providence Rd., Ste. 8 (704-364-0402) BR (Sun), L, D, V, BAR

ASIAN The dumplings and Pad Thai are consistently good, but the bibimap, bossam, and curry dishes are great for adventurous palates. During patio season, enjoy a cocktail or dessert at the rooftop terrace bar. 251 Textile Way, Fort Mill. (803-548-6868) L, D, V, BAR

WALDHORN

South Charlotte BIG VIEW DINER

FLIPSIDE RESTAURANT

$$

GERMAN Family-friendly Waldhorn offers authentic German dishes in a Bavarian-style setting. 12101 Lancaster Hwy., Pineville. (704-540-7047) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR

SouthPark/Park Road BAR MARCEL

$$-$$$

FUSION The menu features shareable plates of beef carpaccio or truffle and herb frittes—but order a flatbread pizza for yourself. 3920 Sharon Rd., Ste. 160.

(980-237-1919) L, D, BAR

BAKU

$$-$$$

JAPANESE Black and red decor, delicious sushi, techno beats, and a large pair of geisha eyes staring out at the crowd make for a dramatic setting in this shared plates restaurant. 4515 Sharon Rd. (704-817-7173) D, BAR

BARRINGTON’S

$$$-$$$$

NEW AMERICAN Bruce Moffett’s first restaurant is one of the best in town, with a classic menu and stellar service. 7822 Fairview Rd. (704-364-5755) D (MonSat), BAR

CAFÉ MONTE

$$-$$$

FRENCH Monte Smith has done a bang-up job re-creating a classic French restaurant, and diners react enthusiastically at brunch, lunch, and dinner. 6700 Fairview Rd. (704-552-1116) B, L, D, BAR

CANTINA 1511

$$

MEXICAN This easy, casual spot draws crowds for its fresh takes on Mexican cuisine and fine margarita list.

4271 Park Rd. (704-331-9222) L, D, V, BAR

DOGWOOD SOUTHERN TABLE + BAR

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Ingredients are fresh and cocktails are innovative at this spot, a sister to Dressler’s. 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Ste. D. (704-910-4919) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR

DOT DOT DOT

$$$

NEW AMERICAN Stefan Huebner’s creative cocktails may be the main attraction at this membersonly speakeasy, but chef Daniel Wheeler’s sweet potato gnocchi with bourbon glaze will convince you to stay for dinner. 4237 Park Rd., Ste. B. (704817-3710) D, BAR

EASY LIKE SUNDAY

$$

AMERICAN The fried chicken and cornmeal pancakes are worth standing in line for, but if you’d rather skip the weekend rush, go in the evening and have a boozy brunch after dark. 1600 E. Woodlawn Rd., Ste. 100.

(980-335-2428) B, BR, L, D, BAR

FLOUR SHOP

$$$

ITALIAN Watch your pasta get prepared in the open kitchen. Chef Trey Wilson’s shared plates are great for larger groups, but if you don’t want to share, get the lamb Bolognese. 530 Brandywine Rd. (980-299-3754) D, BAR NEW LISTING

FINE & FETTLE

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Chef Daniel Wheeler makes culinary art at this homey restaurant inside the Canopy by Hilton.

Feast on pork cheeks with edamame, a fried hen sandwich, or splurge on a fried PB&J with black pepper sorbet. 4905 Barclay Downs Dr. (704-552-1715) B, BR, L, D, BAR

GOOD FOOD ON MONTFORD

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Bruce Moffett’s small-plates bistro unites a variety of influences and flavors onto one menu, and each dish is worth ordering. 1701 Montford Dr. (704-525-0881) D, BAR

HARPER’S RESTAURANT

$$

AMERICAN Jazzed-up American cuisine makes Harp-

er’s a place to take out-of-town guests with varying palates. 6518 Fairview Rd. (704-366-6688) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR

HIBISCUS

$-$$

ASIAN Roger and Robert Kongham, the sons of Thai Taste’s owners, serve creamy curries, Thai classics, and sushi in a more formal dining room. 1600 E. Woodlawn Rd., Ste. 150. (980-256-4380) L, D, BAR

LEGION BREWING

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Unlike its flagship location in Plaza Midwood, the SouthPark brewery serves more than typical bar snacks. Chef Gene Briggs cooks pork belly gyros, duck fat chicken wings, and a full Sunday brunch. 5610 Carnegie Blvd. (980-256-4167) BR, L, D, BAR

LITTLE MAMA’S ITALIAN KITCHEN

$$-$$$

ITALIAN Think of this eatery as the prequel to Mama Ricotta’s, with family recipes and scratch-made pastas and mozzarella. Settle into one of the dining rooms with a plate of pappardelle or cozy up at the “Mozz Bar” and watch the chefs at work. 4521 Sharon Rd. (980209-0323) D, BAR

OAK STEAKHOUSE

$$$$

STEAK HOUSE Chef Tyler Honeycutt aces steakhouse classics like ribeye or filet, and be sure to save room for some lemon olive oil cake for dessert. 4477 Sharon Rd., Ste 125. (704-954-8900) D, BAR

PACO’S TACOS & TEQUILA

$$

MEXICAN Although you’ll find plenty of options on the menu, there are 10 varieties of tacos and more than 60 kinds of tequila. 6401 Morrison Blvd., Ste. 8A. (704-7168226) L, D, V, BAR

PEPPERVINE

$$$$

FUSION Chef Bill Greene serves a rotation of artistic small plates with unexpected pairings like lamb belly with kimchi porridge, or smoked butternut squash with miso. 4620 Piedmont Row Dr., Ste. 170B. (980283-2333) D, V, BAR

REID’S FINE FOODS

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Stellar service and a reliable menu have earned this market and restaurant a loyal following.

4331 Barclay Downs Dr. (704-377-7686) BR, L, D, BAR

RH ROOFTOP RESTAURANT

$$$-$$$$

AMERICAN The dining room has retractable glass walls, Japanese boxwood hedging, and a fountain in the center. The menu is standard (but upscale) American fare like lobster rolls, truffled grilled cheese, and ribeye steak. 6903 Phillips Place Ct. (704-790-4970) BR, L, D, V

ROASTING COMPANY

$

AMERICAN Since adding a full bar, Roasting Company fits in more comfortably with the Montford Drive scene, but still sets the standard for rotisserie chicken.

1521 Montford Dr. (704-521-8188) L, D, BAR

ROCKSALT

$$$-$$$$

SEAFOOD Head to RockSalt for the spacious patio and fresh seafood—from the raw bar, with several varieties of oysters on the half shell, or the daily catch.

512 Brandywine Rd. (704-503-9945) BR, L (weekends), D, BAR

ROOSTER’S WOOD-FIRED KITCHEN

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Chef Jim Noble’s menu features gussied-up, Southern-tinged American and European peasant fare, like hand-tossed pizzas and roasted chicken. A second location is in uptown. 6601 Morrison Blvd.

(704-366-8688) L, D, V, BAR

SIR EDMOND HALLEY’S

$$

AMERICAN This pub, named for the astronomer and mathematician, serves its entire menu until closing at 2 a.m. 4151 Park Rd., Ste. A. (704-525-7775) L (weekdays), D, BAR NEW LISTING

SOUTHERN PECAN

$$-$$$

SOUTHERN The team behind Café Monte serves Gulf Coast-inspired cuisine like pecan fried catfish, Louisianna barbecue shrimp, and oyster po’ boys. 6705-C Phillips Place Ct., Ste. C (704-749-2949) L, D, BAR NEW LISTING

TAQUERIA MAL PAN

$$-$$

MEXICAN Pace yourself with the chips and guacamole because the California burrito is the best burrito you’ll have in Charlotte—spoiler alert: it has French fries inside. 4625 Piedmont Row Dr., Ste. 115-D (980298-6138) BR, L, D, BAR

TOSCANA

$$$

ITALIAN An authentic northern Italian menu is paired with an extensive wine list, while courtyard dining adds to the experience on a nice night. 6401 Morrison Blvd., Ste. 6B. (704-367-1808) L (weekdays), D, BAR

YAFO KITCHEN

$$

YAMA ASIAN FUSION

$$

MEDITERRANEAN With additional locations in Dilworth and Plaza Midwood, this fast-casual concept serves Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired fare in a wrap, salad, or grain bowl. 720 Governor Morrison St., Ste. 120. (704-365-7130) L, D, B/W

FUSION This upscale Japanese restaurant has sushi, hibachi, and Asian-inspired entrées. A second location opened in Waverly last year. 720 Governor Morrison St., Ste. 130. (70s4-295-0905) L (Mon-Sat), D,BAR

University Area AMALFI PASTA ’N PIZZA

$$

ITALIAN The only other places where Italian food is this real, this good, and this cheap are called trattorias, and you have to take a plane to get to them. 8542 University City Blvd. (704-547-8651) L, D, B/W

FIREWATER

$$-$$$

AMERICAN The food here is primarily American bistrostyle, but the owner’s family tuna business makes apps like the tuna tartare standouts. 8708 J. W. Clay Blvd.

(704-549-0050) L (weekends), D, BAR

ZAPATA’S CANTINA

$$

MEXICAN Expect typical Mexican fare in a high-energy dining room, with an additional location in Ballantyne.

8927 J.M. Keynes Dr., in University Place shopping center. (704-503-1979) L, D, BAR DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

109

CLOUD BAR BY DAVID BURKE

Uptown 204 NORTH

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN This uptown spot with modern Southern food is best for cocktails and conversation at the bar. 204 N. Tryon St. (704-333-3747) BR, L, D, BAR

5CHURCH

$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Top Chef alum Jamie Lynch’s innovative, seasonal menu includes morel mushroom flatbread and mint crusted lamb loin. 127 N. Tryon St., Ste. 8. (704-919-1322) BR, L, D, BAR

ALEXANDER MICHAEL’S

$$ -$$$

AMERICAN The blackened catfish is cooked just right, the Cajun pasta is piping hot, and chatter fills the noreservations dining room. 401 W. 9th St. (704-3326789) L, D, BAR

ANGELINE’S

$$$

ITALIAN The Italian-inspired entreés at this uptown spot are all excellent, and the whipped ricotta with sourdough, lavender honey, and pistachio is the most imaginative appetizer on the menu. 303 S. Church St. (704-445-2540) B, BR, L, D, V, BAR

ARIA TUSCAN GRILL

$$$

THE ASBURY

$$$

ITALIAN This restaurant serves up an extensive Italian menu in an elegant, modern space. 100 N. Tryon St. (704-376-8880) L (weekdays), D, BAR

$$

AMERICAN Grab a seat on the rooftop patio, sip on a Queen City cocktail, and order the maple glazed bacon clothesline. The presentation is exactly as it sounds. 555 S. McDowell St. (980-237-5356) D, BAR

COCO + THE DIRECTOR

$

AMERICAN Marriott introduced this coffee and sandwich shop for locals and hotel guests alike to have a comfortable, casual dining option. 100 W. Trade St. (704-353-6003) B, L, D, B/W

COWBELL BURGER & BAR

$$

AMERICAN This sister restaurant to Leroy Fox has a trendy, pop-culture vibe—and a roster of fancy burgers (including a foie gras-topped offering for $20). 201 N. Tryon St., Ste. 1010. (980-224-8674) L, D, BAR

$$-$$$

$ Most entrées under $10 $$ Most entrées $10-$17 $$$ Most entrées $18-$25 $$$$ Most entrées $26 & up

B BR L D V

110

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar Patio seating available Reservations suggested

$$$

MALABAR SPANISH CUISINE

$$

ESSEX BAR & BISTRO

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Guests order from a daily prix fixe menu (ranging from five courses to nine courses), choose their wine and entrées, and the staff takes care of the rest. 511 N. Church St. (704-3326159) D, BAR

NEW AMERICAN On weekends, this Irish pub turns into one of uptown’s hottest nightlife spots. But during the day, come for a cozy meal with flickering candles and shared plates. 118 W. 5th St. (704-333-7989) BR, L, D, BAR

GLOBAL Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences run through this menu. Order a few tapas and a bottle of wine, head out to the patio, and watch the activity at Trade and Tryon. 101 S. Tryon St., Ste. 14.

(980-406-3857) L, D, BAR

FAHRENHEIT

$$$-$$$$

ITALIAN Chef Luca Annunziata serves lasagna just like his mom made it and carbonara as it’s served in Rome. 230 North College St. (704-602-2750) B, L, D, BAR

THE CELLAR AT DUCKWORTH’S

LUCE

ITALIAN Luce is a beautiful, intimate, luxurious restaurant with simple but innovative northern Italian cuisine. 214 N. Tryon St., Ste. J, in Hearst Plaza. (704-344-9222) L (weekdays), D, BAR

SPANISH This sister restaurant to Luce serves authentic regional cuisine from Spain for lunch and dinner. 214 N. Tryon St. (704-344-8878) L (weekdays), D, BAR

BASIL THAI

NEW AMERICAN The focus is on small plates, craft beer served in its proper glassware at proper temperature, and craft cocktails. 330 N. Tryon St. (980-3494078) D, BAR

$$$ - $$$$

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Located on the 21st floor of Skye Condos, chef Rocco Whalen’s restaurant is the place in Charlotte to eat a meal and see the city twinkle. 222 S. Caldwell St. (980-237-6718) BR, D, BAR

THAI Thai lovers can sate their cravings with tasty pad Thai, while the more daring can try dishes like crispy red curry duck, a rich, deep-fried half duck in a spicy red curry sauce. 210 N. Church St. (704-332-7212) L (weekdays), D, V, BAR

LA BELLE HELENE

FRENCH The Parisian menu offers rotisserie chicken and a mix of pour commencer and plats, plus decadent desserts and specialty cocktails. 300 S. Tryon St., Ste. 100.

(704-969-2550) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR

DANDELION MARKET

NEW SOUTHERN Chef Mike Long’s inventive menu mixes countryside favorites like biscuits and deviled eggs with bold flavors and contemporary techniques. 235 N. Tryon St. (704-342-1193) B, BR, L, D, BAR

$$-$$$

or prison. 129 W. Trade St. (704-375-1990) L (weekdays) D, B/W,

FORCHETTA

FIN & FINO

$$-$$$

$$$

SEAFOOD Come for the raw bar, but stay for bartender Brittany Kellum’s drinks. Then splurge on a slice of cheesecake. 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts, Ste. 100.

(704-800-5680) L, D, BAR

HALCYON, FLAVORS FROM THE EARTH

$$$-$$$$

NEW SOUTHERN With views from the Mint Museum Uptown, this restaurant’s local menu is popular for lunch and pre-theater dinners. 500 S. Tryon St. (704910-0865) BR, L, D, V, BAR

HAYMAKER

$$$ - $$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Enjoy locally and seasonally inspired dishes from North Carolina chef William Dissen in this bright, stylish space next to Romare Bearden Park. 225 S. Poplar St. (704-626-6116) BR, D, BAR

THE KING’S KITCHEN

$$-$$$

SOUTHERN Chef Jim Noble’s restaurant, which serves traditional Southern fare, donates profits to faith-based feeding centers and employs troubled youth and people who have just come out of rehab

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

McNINCH HOUSE

$$$$

MERT’S HEART AND SOUL

$-$$

SOUTHERN James Bazzelle’s pride and joy serves down-home Southern cooking, with a dash of Lowcountry, in a downtown-feeling place. 214 N. College St. (704-342-4222) BR, L, D,B/W

MIMOSA GRILL

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN This popular after-work spot has a seasonal menu, friendly service, tasty seafood dishes, and interesting grits. 327 S. Tryon St. (704-343-0700) BR, L (weekdays), D, BAR

MOA KOREAN BBQ

$$-$$$

KOREAN BBQ You can order Korean tacos and kimchi bulgogi nachos a la carte, but the tabletop barbecue is the main attraction. Watch your server cook beef brisket and pork belly as you sip a craft cocktail.

128 S. Tryon St. (704-503-9412) L, D, V, BAR

MURPHY’S KITCHEN & TAP

$$

IRISH Pies, tarts, meats, potatoes—everything you’d expect, you’ll find at this Irish pub with a large range of alcoholic beverage options. 445 W. Trade St. (704-3320557) BR, L, D, BAR

SEA LEVEL NC

$$-$$$

SEAFOOD Concrete beams and rustic brick give an industrial feel to this seafood restaurant, which serves up dishes that are accessible, inventive, and sustainably sourced. 129 E. 5th St. (704-412-2616) L, D, BAR

Charlotte magazine (ISSN 1083-1444) is published monthly by Morris Communications at 214 W. Tremont Ave., Suite 302, Charlotte NC 28203-5161. Entire contents Copyright © 2020 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.

THE GUIDE

SOHO BISTRO

$$

ASIAN Lightning-fast, friendly service complements hot, savory Chinese favorites such as Sha Cha Shrimp and Mongolian Chicken. 214 N. Tryon St., Ste. 110.

(704-333-5189) L, D, B/W

STOKE

$$$

NEW AMERICAN Hotel dining gets an upgrade with this wood-fired grill, family-style concept in Marriott City Center. 100 W. Trade St. (704-353-6005) B, BR, L, D, BAR

SUKOSHI

$$

SUSHI Think high-quality sushi in a fast-casual setting.

Chef Michael Chanthavong brings favorites from his menu at O-Ku, like tuna wrap-it-up and salmon citrus rolls. 101 S. Tryon St., Ste. 120. (980-495-3800) L, D, V

THE YOLK

$-$$

AMERICAN Greg and Subrina Collier’s breakfast-focused concept in 7th Street Public Market is open for breakfast and lunch, but shrimp and grits topped with Gouda cheese, jerk seasoning, and scallion pesto is delicious any time of day. 224 E. 7th St. (704-230-4346) B, L

includes options like fried chicken and pork and beans.

8470 Bellhaven Rd. (704-595-7710) D, V, BAR

NOBLE SMOKE

$-$$

BARBECUE Feast on Carolina-style pork and Texasstyle brisket, and grab a drink at the “Legends Counter” with custom plaques for Southern barbecue icons.

2216 Freedom Dr. (704-703-5252) L, D, BAR

BOSSY BEULAH’S

$

AMERICAN Think of Bossy Beulah’s as the kid sister—or sidekick—to Noble Smoke. Order your fried chicken sammie bunless or add American cheese, and pair it with a sweet tea or Cheerwine. 2200 Freedom Dr. (980-737-1400) L, D,

PINKY’S WESTSIDE GRILL

$

TOUCAN LOUIE’S

$

AMERICAN Housed in an old auto shop, this funky spot serves great burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and salads, as well as tasty sides like waffle fries. 1600 W. Morehead St. (704-332-0402) L, D, BAR

CARIBBEAN With state-sourced meats smoked inhouse and strictly N.C. cheese, this new cafe’s commitment to local ingredients is notable, but it’s their food’s Caribbean flair that elevates their grab-and-go sandwiches. 2753 Rozzelles Ferry Rd. (980-209-9791) B, L, D, B/W

CROSSWORD OF THE MONTH

By Andy Smith

ANSWERS can be found online at charlottemagazine.com/ crossword.

West/Northwest Charlotte COMMUNITY TABLE BISTRO

$

SOUTHERN At the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, a small, cafeteria-style restaurant sears, bakes, and fries comfort food on a daily rotation for an affordable price. 5301 Wilkinson Blvd. (980-636-1000) B, L (weekdays), V

ESTIA’S KOUZINA

$$-$$$

GREEK This upscale Mediterranean restaurant offers healthy and delicious dishes like gyro pitas, lamb burgers, and hearty salads. 609 N. Main St., Belmont.

(704-825-7005) BR, L, D, V, BAR

HEIRLOOM RESTAURANT

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Ingredients are sourced almost exclusively from North Carolina, and the tasting menu Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation Charlotte magazine October 2020

a. Total number of copies printed (Net press run) b. Paid circulation (1) Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions (2) Mailed in-county paid subscriptions (3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales (4) Paid distribution through other classes mailed through the USPS c. Total paid distribution d. Free or nominal rate distribution (by mail and outside mail) (1) Free or nominal rate Outside-County

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

25,849

21,746

19,864

18,044

0

0

416

365

0

0

20,280

18,409

43

34

(2) Free or nominal rate in-county copies

0

0

(3) Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other Classes through the USPS

0

0

(4) Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail

3,440

1,740

e. Total free or nominal rate distribution

3,483

1,774

f. Total free distribution (sum of 15c and 15e)

23,763

20,183

g. Copies not Distributed

2,086

1,563

h. Total (sum of 15f and 15g)

25,849

21,746

i. Percent Paid

85.3%

91.2%

DECEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

111

YOU ARE HERE

Each month, we’ll throw a dart at a map and write about where it lands.

LOCATION: The former Wilgrove Airport 10525 Parkton Rd.

Rd. arkton P 5 2 5 10

Grounded

THE GRASS GROWS TALL around the runway of the abandoned Wilgrove Airport in east Charlotte, which until June 30 hummed daily with takeoffs and landings, some by pilots in training.

Wilgrove, just off a curvy, semi-rural road, opened in the late 1960s. For 50-plus years, it operated as a gathering spot for pilots—and the site of Charlotte’s only flight school.

For the last 17 of those years, Alan Cobb was the airport’s manager, flight school director, and neighbor. The back porch of his home on Cedarbrook Drive overlooked the runway. So several times a day, he’d climb into his golf cart and zip over to the airport’s office and assortment of 30 single-plane hangars, about 10 of which sheltered his own aircraft.

It’s hard for Cobb, 71, to look out his back porch these days and see the airport vacant. The 53-acre site was sold for $2.9

112

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // DECEMBER 2020

million in September to LGI Homes, which plans to fill the property with new houses. Cobb also co-owns an engineering company and for years regularly flew his Piper Seneca or Beechcraft Bonanza A36 to a customer in Delaware, trading a 10-hour drive for a 2-hour flight. “Even a bad flight,” he tells me, “beats a good drive.”

Cobb now has only one plane, an American Champion Citabria he keeps at Goose Creek Airport in Indian Trail. He and his wife hope to find a spot next to the Goose Creek runway where they can live and once again hear the comforting buzz of takeoffs and landings.

“I tell people all the time, ‘I am a damned spoiled pilot,’” Cobb says. “Who else could have had more toys in their backyard?” —Cristina Bolling

SHAW NIELSEN; CRISTINA BOLLING

It was a pilot’s playground for more than 50 years until the housing boom brought it down to earth

AWAKE MINI FACE LIFTS

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(704) 532-9041

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