Charlotte Magazine February 2021

HOW WE WORK NOW Did COVID end ‘the office’ as we know it?

Top companies weigh in

Plus

Home Offices That’ll Inspire You p. 48 Inside the East Side’s Evolution p. 56 Gulf Coast Cuisine in SouthPark p. 31

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CONTENTS CHARLOTTE / FEBRUARY 2021 / VOL. 26, NUMBER 2

Features

38

(EMPTY) OFFICE SPACE After COVID, what does the future hold for Charlotte workplaces?

BY ELY PORTILLO

48

HOMEWORK The home office has become the primary place of business. What does this mean for the people who build them?

BY ANDY SMITH

Plus 56

EAST SIDE STORY As Charlotte builds for the future, community leaders on the east side are making sure the city’s most diverse area doesn’t get left behind

BY ALLISON BRADEN

ON THE COVER: Wardrobe stylist and media personality Stacee Michelle in Zimmermann frill blouse, $595; and Mother denim jeans, $278, Uniquities Boutique, 704-740-8743. Hair: Shassity Stevenson; Makeup: Krysta Medley. Shot on location at Skyhouse Uptown. Photograph by Rusty Williams.

ON THIS PAGE: Office space designed by Lisa Sherry Interieurs, lisasherryinterieurs.com. Photograph by Brie Williams.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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02 21 CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE 6 From the Editor 9

Connect

88

You Are Here

LAURA SUMRAK; SCOTT AREMAN; PETER TAYLOR; COURTESY

THE GUIDE 80 Restaurants The city’s savviest restaurant listings

THE BUZZ 11 Life Lessons Davidson alum Janet Stovall puts racial equity at the top of corporate America’s to-do list 14

Development A decade after Eastland Mall closed, the city finally has a plan

THE GOOD LIFE 17 Love Jesse Soloff learns about life and regeneration from a fiddle-leaf fig 20

Room We Love An informal dining room

22

Style Sarah Kaplan designs sustainable jewelry inspired by her love of art

24

Building History The story behind Walton Plaza

25

Real Estate New builds for a new year

26

Seen The city’s best party pics

28

Playlist The best things to do and see this month

FOOD + DRINK 31 Now Open Southern Pecan serves Gulf Coastinspired cuisine in SouthPark 34

Local Flavor Brian and Tiffany Lombard’s love story merges food, hospitality

35

Bite-Sized News Foodie tidbits on a small plate

36

On the Line Reid’s Fine Foods’ wine director Leyla Arcovio amid COVID

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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Volume 26, Number 2 F RO M T H E E D I TO R

WARM HEARTS

FEBRUARY 2021

morrismedianetwork.com

www.charlottemagazine.com

Making room for love in a tight space

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Smith

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

SENIOR EDITOR Greg Lacour LIFESTYLE EDITOR Taylor Bowler ART DIRECTOR Jane Fields CONTRIBUTING Allison Braden EDITOR COPYEDITOR/ Allison Braden FACT-CHECKER CONTRIBUTING Daniel Coston PHOTOGRAPHERS Logan Cyrus Chris Edwards Peter Taylor Rusty Williams CONTRIBUTING Katie Lukes ILLUSTRATORS Shaw Nielsen CONTRIBUTING Cristina Bolling WRITERS Allison Braden Lauren Levine Corriher Tom Hanchett Ely Portillo Jesse Soloff Kristen Swing

Charlotte magazine 214 W. Tremont Ave., Suite 303 Charlotte, NC 28203

CONTRIBUTORS

Email editor@charlottemagazine.com for writer’s guidelines. Unsolicited photographs, illustrations, or articles are submitted at the risk of the photographer/artist/author. Charlotte magazine assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited materials and may use them at its discretion.

LOGAN CYRUS; COURTESY

THE LARGE PIZZA at Benny Pennello’s is a monstrous 28 inches. It takes finesse to fit the box through the NoDa restaurant’s door frame—just a slight tilt so the contents don’t slide or fold. One takes extra care on Valentine’s Day: On the most romantic date of the year, Benny P’s lovingly reshapes the pie into a heart, topped with an arrow of breadsticks.

Benny P’s opened next to Heist Brewery in 2015. When our first daughter was a baby, we decided to forego a date night at one of the city’s dimly lit, high-dollar establishments.

The reservation game was too much for this Andy Smith pair of sleep-deprived parents. Instead, we andrew.smith@charlottemagazine.com started a tradition that continues today: a massive one-topping pizza shared among our kids and close friends.

As I write this in December, we’re still months from a life that resembles pre-pandemic times. The holidays were a major source of change and heartbreak for most of us. Multiple FaceTime sessions replaced family gatherings.

But our February tradition fits neatly within the confines of COVID-19 protocols. This year, I’ll take even more care in transporting that oversized box to the van. It’ll be nice to feel even a small amount of control over our traditions.

The centerpiece of this issue looks at how office life has changed over the past year (p. 38), but we’re all about work-life balance here at Charlotte magazine: We carved out space for love stories, too. I’m particularly excited to have Jesse Soloff back in our pages. Jesse’s first piece for us—the 2017 essay “Our First Home”—won a City and Regional Magazine Association Award. It recounted his last days with his first wife, Taylor, who died of peritoneal cancer in 2016. This month, Jesse writes about finding new love.

Jesse approached us with this stunning essay late last year, and it was difficult to hold until this issue. But love is worth waiting for, and I hope you can find your own way to celebrate it in February—with or without pepperoni.

Volume 26, Number 2 E S S AY S / F O O D A N D W I N E / T R A V E L / S H O P P I N G & M O R E

FEBRUARY 2021

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www.charlottemagazine.com

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Connect

ONLINE EXTRAS, EVENTS, AND CONVERSATIONS

REACT

Responses to the December issue of Charlotte magazine To: “Rest In Peace, Miss Judy,” p. 8 @andysmithlol Just read your very kind ‘from the editor’ message in @CharlotteMag Dec2020 recognizing my Mom #JudyWilliams and her legacy of service in #clt.

Thank you! She would be overwhelmed by all of the well-deserved attention for sure. We miss her so much!!!!

Tweet from @DavidHowardCLT To: “Life Lessons: Jamal Harvey,” p. 15 Wow. ... I had no idea just

how close police brutality and violence hit home for you, Jamal. Thank you for sharing your story. You are a strong leader of people whether in the office or in the community; thank you for your continued inspiration.

Comment from Dayne T. Shope to Harvey’s Facebook page I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I remember calling your house and asking for you and hearing the sadness in your mother’s voice. I was sorry then and will always be sorry for

your loss my friend. Change needs to happen. It has been far too long. Your family is amazing.

Comment from Jessica-Jude Chavez to Harvey’s Facebook page To: “The Story of Charlotte, Part 13: A City Divided,” p. 26 I just finished your history of Charlotte articles and I loved it. Thanks for the work Tweet from @branrobinson_ to writer Chuck McShane To: “A (Socially Distant) Charlotte Guide to Christmas,” p. 32

Thanks for pulling this together, guys!

Tweet from @cltiscreative I love Christmas lights so much Thank you for this guide Tweet from @Nikki704 To: “The Gift of Giving,” p. 64 Love seeing #GirlsGarage by @EmilyPilloton featured in @CharlotteMag’s #GiftGuide! Thank you, Charlotte Magazine! cc: @ChronicleKids Tweet from @EvaZimmerman

Readers supplied ample feedback on our annual Charlotteans of the Year package, which began on p. 44.

Can’t wait to dive in on this.

Always the best issue of the year, and looks to be some outstanding, thoughtful choices in a time like no other.

Tweet from @Matt_McKenzie1 To: “Taiwo Jaiyeoba,” p. 46 Congratulations to our friend, client and former coworker @winnerspath (Taiwo Jaiyeoba) who received the 2020 Charlottean of the Year award from @CharlotteMag. Looks like you’re in some great company!

Tweet from @HDRtranspo To: “Dr. Katie Passaretti,” p. 48 Congratulations to Dr. Katie Passaretti, medical director of infection prevention at Atrium Health, on being named a 2020 Charlottean of the Year by

@CharlotteMag. Tweet from @AtriumHealth To: “Sam Diminich,” p. 50 Inspiring!

Facebook comment by Marcy Allyn Rivers To: “Michael Jordan,” p. 52 GO MJ GO!!! This is exactly the leadership we need! So proud of you for jumping in and “doing something vs just saying something!” You continue to inspire us all! So glad you are in Charlotte!

Instagram comment by @martyandress To: “Bubba Wallace,” p. 54 Jesus, man of the year? more like the embarrassment of the year. He gave Charlotte and his team a BLACK EYE! I can’t

get to the unfollow Charlotte magazine fast enough, BYE! Facebook comment by James Conrad To: “Jeff Jackson,” p. 56 Taylor Bowler did a wonderful job portraying Jeff Jackson.

Kudos to both Facebook comment by Miranda Fortune Kaplan To: “Molly Grantham,” p. 58 We are glad @molly_grantham and her family are doing well! She is such a light in the Charlotte community!

Instagram comment by @lendscout To: “Kass Ottley,” p. 60 This Kass Ottley Q&A is terrific.

Tweet from @helenschwab

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

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA /charlottemagazine @charlottemag @charlottemag

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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INSIDE: LIFE LESSONS / DEVELOPMENT

BUZZ

THE

WHAT MATTERS NOW IN THE CITY

LI F E L E SS O N S

JANET STOVALL

Davidson alum aims to put racial equity at the top of corporate America’s to-do list

SCOTT AREMAN

BY KRISTEN SWING

JANET STOVALL describes herself as “single-minded” in her fight against racism in the corporate world. The communications expert has worked for more than two decades as the head speechwriter at various Fortune 500 companies, most recently at UPS, where she’s worked as an executive since 2017.

Few people of color work as executive speechwriters, and Stovall, 57, uses her own experiences as fuel to make sure issues of race are front and center in the minds and speeches of company leaders—most of them white men. Today, she is best known for her 2018 TED Talk on the importance of setting specific goals to achieve diversity and inclusion in business; as of early December, the video of the talk had drawn nearly 1.9 million views.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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THE BUZZ Stovall’s antiracism work ignited during her time as a student at Davidson College in the 1980s, when she and other students pushed the predominantly white institution to admit more Black students and hire more Black professors and administrators—and succeeded. She graduated with an English degree in 1985. Today, she lives in Atlanta but remains a steward of change for her alma mater as a member of both the college’s board of trustees and its Commission on Race and Slavery. Her words have been edited for space and clarity.

AS A YOUNG GIRL growing up in Rocky Mount, I never really thought about being Black. I went to integrated schools starting in the third grade, and by the time I got to high school, the main public school was about 50% Black and 50% white. I was in the marching band, head of the Color Guard, and president of my National Honor Society chapter.

I did my thing and never really thought about being Black.

THE SUMMER BEFORE I headed to Davidson College, there came a deeper understanding of some of my life experiences up until that point. I went through my mother’s books and found Roots and The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I read them back to back, and all of a sudden things that I either had never articulated or had never noticed became abundantly clear to me.

I THOUGHT ABOUT DRIVING PAST white neighborhoods where so many families had pools, yet I didn’t know a single person in any Black neighborhood in Rocky Mount with a pool. I realized I was always the one to go to my white friends’ homes; they never came to mine. I remembered one of my dearest friends, a white girl, coming to elementary school one day and telling me I couldn’t come over anymore because her father’s new wife didn’t want a Black girl at their house. At the time, I accepted it and moved on. But now, all these little things started adding up. I began to really see the inequities, how different our worlds were.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE different at Davidson, but I was hit with the

12

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

inequity from the minute I stepped onto campus in 1981. I walked out of my dorm one day right into the Civil War. A fraternity was holding its Old South Weekend, and they were in full Confederate regalia. I was shocked. I went to the dean to tell him I wanted the event kicked off campus, and he told me it had been taking place there for years. I realized then that racism went beyond individual or interpersonal bigotry, that the system was poisoned.

They thought this event was OK. That is when I started railing on Davidson.

IT ALL CAME TO A HEAD my junior year. Out of 1,200 students on campus, only 52 of us were Black. We had been saying we were angry and unhappy; Davidson was saying they wanted to fix it but didn’t know how. I realized I needed to quantify the issue, so I wrote Project 87. It was a challenge to Davidson to, by 1987, enroll 100 Black students, hire 10 Black professors, introduce five Black studies courses, and hire one Black dean.

UP UNTIL THEN, they could always tell me what they wanted to do or what they believed to be right. Now they were going to have to take action. Davidson’s new president said my requests were reasonable. He went to work on it, and it eventually came to fruition. It didn’t happen by 1987, but we got there.

MY FOCUS ON SYSTEMIC RACISM continued after I graduated. Throughout my career, I was writing for CEOs, and whenever I got the opportunity, I made sure—with my single-minded self—that I talked to them about issues of race and injustice. I had the ear of some of the most influential businesspeople in the world. It was not always easy. We would go back and forth on what went into speeches, but, by meeting somewhere in the middle, we have been able to effectively communicate the importance of valuing each other’s differences.

We have been able to build bridges with our words.

ABOUT A YEAR into being at UPS, I got talked into doing the TED Talk. I didn’t think I had anything important to say, but my colleagues kept pestering me to do it, so I started thinking about what I

really believe in and when I first knew it. The answer was Project 87.

THE MISTAKE WE MAKE about dealing with racism is that we deal with it as the subjective issue that it absolutely is. The feelings we have about it are subjective, but when you start trying to eradicate it, you have to take an objective approach.

Asking someone to do something because it is the “right thing to do” makes it the voluntary and optional thing to do. When you put numbers to it and hold people accountable to their stated values and mission, now that requires action and change.

I STARTED THIS BACK IN COLLEGE and had been preaching it in corporate America whenever I had the opportunity. I had been whispering it for years into the ears of all the CEOs I worked with and eventually got it coming out of some of their mouths. I realized that was the story I needed to tell.

MY HOPE IS THAT more companies start understanding the value of difference and start leveraging that value.

There needs to be equal representation, and it needs to include diverse people in decision-making positions, not just a diversity of bodies in the building.

AS WE WORK TOWARD THAT, we do have to recognize that diversity, inclusion, and equity are end states. That’s where we are trying to go. What we need is the action verb that gets us there. I like to use the word “leveling,” a true leveling of the playing field. If we can do that, we can get to the ideal state when it comes to equity and inclusion.

THE CONVERSATIONS we’re having now about equity are unlike any we’ve had before in this country. In the 1960s, with the civil rights movement, we were talking about basic access. Now we’re talking about equity, and that’s where my head was in the 1980s and what I’ve been fighting for ever since.

KRISTEN SWING is a communications director in Charlotte. Originally from Upstate New York, she has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in digital marketing from East Tennessee State University. She lives in Matthews with her husband and their two children.

Vote for the city’s

BEST OF THE BEST!

2021 VOTING SCHEDULE:

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THE BUZZ

The iconic Eastland Mall ice skating rink on opening day, July 30, 1975.

D E V E LO PM E NT

EASTLAND’S FUTURE, AT LAST

EASTLAND MALL—with its million square feet of retail space, four anchor stores, and beloved skating rink—was the crown jewel of Charlotte commerce and the heart of the east side from its opening in 1975 to the mid-1990s, when high crime in a declining area began to repel shoppers and merchants. Sears, the last major anchor, shuttered in 2009, and the nearly empty mall closed for good the following year.

The city bought the 80-acre property at Central Avenue and North Sharon Amity Road in 2012 and demolished the mall in 2013. For years, city officials entertained one eccentric proposal after another for the site: a film and television

14

production studio; a skate park with a wave pool; a mixed-use idea from an architect in Chile.

Nothing took root until November, when the City Council unanimously approved a proposal from the real estate investment company Crosland Southeast. The mixed-use project includes features that residents of surrounding neighborhoods like Winterfield and Wilora Lake said they wanted: retail and office space for jobs, shopping, and community services; sports fields and buildings the local community could use; housing; and public and park space to encourage residents to spend time there. The second act of the

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

Eastland site “has literally been a decade in the making,” council member Matt Newton, whose District 5 includes the property, said in November.

This seems like a good opportunity to review Eastland’s history and reorient ourselves toward a plan that’s finally in place. “This project, I believe, will provide the kind of impact necessary for that community to thrive,” council member Malcolm Graham said after a presentation in October, adding that he has fond memories of working at a menswear store at Eastland during the mall’s heyday. —Greg Lacour

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER ARCHIVES, CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY

A decade after the mall closed, the city finally lands on a concrete plan for the east side’s anchor

KEY DATES: 1972

1975

1997

1998

1999

2002

2007

2008

2009

The city and Mecklenburg County approve a rezoning of the property for development as a mall.

July 30: Eastland Mall opens at 10 a.m.

“In shoppingcenter-crazy Charlotte,” The Charlotte Observer notes, “the event was something like a Woodstock for the suburban set.” Firstyear sales are approximately $65 million.

A tenant sues mall ownership, claiming a 40% decline in sales: “(B)eginning in 1992 and continuing thereafter, numerous criminal incidents at Eastland Mall occurred and the general unacceptable behavior of people at the mall was allowed to exist and grow.”

Eastland Mall Associates sells to Glimcher Realty Trust for $54 million.

Concord Mills opens.

Northlake Mall opens.

J.C. Penney, one of Eastland’s four anchor stores, closes.

Eastland’s Belk anchor closes. The Urban Land Institute, which the city has asked to assess Eastland’s future, recommends demolition and redevelopment of the site as a mixed-use urban center.

Dillard’s Eastland anchor closes.

Glimcher Realty Trust defaults on its $42 million mortgage.

Sears’ Eastland anchor closes.

2010

2012

2013

2014

2016

2018

2019

2020

2022

June 30: Eastland Mall closes.

The city buys 80 acres of the mall property and issues requests for proposals for a film and TV production studio, then enters negotiations with a local production company.

Mall demolished.

The city scraps the film and TV studio plan.

The city sells 11 acres to CharlotteMecklenburg Schools for a K-8 partial magnet school.

The city selects Crosland Southeast as the site’s master developer.

Crosland begins to examine the site and consult local residents.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper announces plans to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to Charlotte.

Included in Tepper Sports’ deal with the city is a proposed $110 million in city hospitality funds for the team’s headquarters and practice fields at the old mall site.

The city approves an altered plan to reserve the eastern portion of the site for Tepper Sports to lease for its MLS youth program headquarters and fields, and the rest of the property for housing— including affordable units—a community atrium, a park, and office and retail spaces.

Projected completion.

So what happened to the MLS headquarters plan?

City officials blanched at the proposed $110 million public outlay and negotiated with Tepper Sports for a more modest commitment: $35 million—$10 million for the Eastland site, $25 million for soccer-related improvements to Bank of America Stadium and parts of uptown.

Also, under the original plan, “You were ending up with a lot of land that wasn’t necessarily open to the public,” Tracy Dodson, an assistant city manager and the city’s economic development direc-

tor, said in October. “So this, in my mind, is a bigger win for helping Eastland come to fruition in the vision that everyone has.”

Why did Crosland Southeast sign on as the project’s developer?

Since the 2014 Chetty study that ranked Charlotte 50th of 50 large American cities in upward mobility, the company has sought to develop real estate in ways that make sense economically and benefit the city, too, says Tim Sittema, the Crosland Southeast managing partner

who’s overseeing the Eastland development. The 80-acre Eastland site is large enough, and in an area projected to grow enough, to hold community assets like green space, small businesses, and affordable housing units even as it offers a return on the company’s investment. Those factors “gave us the confidence to pursue that site,” Sittema says. “It’s a call to action: How can the business community lean into some of these intractable social problems and make a difference here?”

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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CAMP SPOTLIGHT

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GOOD LIFE

INSIDE: LOVE / ROOM WE LOVE / STYLE / HISTORY / REAL ESTATE / SEEN / PLAYLIST

THE

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF LIVING HERE

LOV E

A Tree Grows

My late wife brought Fiona, a fiddle-leaf fig, into our new home and nurtured her to the end. Through emptiness, doubt, and pain, I cared for Fiona, too, and learned a thing or two about life and regeneration

BY JESSE SOLOFF ILLUSTRATION BY KATIE LUKES

WHEN TAYLOR AND I MOVED into the blue bungalow in NoDa, she had fought her cancer for more than two years. The disease had already taken her uterus, ovaries, and pieces of her small intestine but not her dream of a future that included a home with pictures of us on the walls, a fenced-in backyard for our 4-year-old dog, Cali, and blank spaces she saw as canvases to make her own.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GOOD LIFE

FIONA DIDN’T WILT. She took advantage of her prominent spot between two sets of windows and basked in the sunlight that moved from the back of the house to the front, day after day.

She held steady until I took notice again a few months later, in the spring. By then, I had canceled Taylor’s credit cards, slid off my wedding band, and figured out how she fit all the towels and linens in the cabinet above the dryer. I spread some of her ashes outside the Los Angeles restaurant where we got engaged; sold my car, a blue 2004 Jeep Liberty, and kept hers, a white 2010 Toyota Prius; and changed our cellphone plan from two phones back to one.

I filled a pint glass with water and slowly, in circles, poured the water into Fiona’s soil, letting the earth absorb it.

I took a damp paper towel and gently wiped each leaf clean of a dust layer that had blocked some of the sunlight. I turned Fiona 180 degrees to make sure light hit leaves that hadn’t faced the sun in months. I knew how to do these things because Taylor had done them.

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SINGLE FOR THE FIRST TIME in nine years, I started dating again. To say the landscape had changed from when I was 22 would be akin to likening Woodstock to an open mic night at your local coffee shop. It took me five months to kiss someone new, six months to go on a date, and seven months to sleep with someone who wasn’t my wife for the first time in almost a decade.

Fiddle-Leaf Fridays became a weekly routine: One pint of water. Slowly, in circles. Rotate 180 degrees. Open the blinds and angle them to guide light toward Fiona. I dusted less frequently as the plant grew taller and the top leaves became harder to reach. Every once in a while, I noticed that Fiona had sprouted a new leaf. Then I remembered that most of the leaves on her two stems didn’t exist when Taylor had brought her home.

A YEAR AFTER TAYLOR DIED, I met Katie by chance in a recently opened café. She was a local business reporter, and I recognized her from her newspaper headshot,

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

which doubled as her Jesse Soloff Twitter avatar. Buoyed and Katie by a fresh haircut and Peralta with Cali the dog an unseasonably warm and, in the November day, I introcorner, Fiona. duced myself in the sandwich line, then retreated to the back to contemplate the chicken salad or the turkey and why I hadn’t asked for her number.

Instead, I did something I, as a previously married man, never thought I’d do: I slid into her DMs. Impatient and unable to play it cool, I sent her a note on Twitter a few hours later, before the chicken salad had even settled, and learned she had enjoyed her lunch wrap, wanted to travel to New Zealand, and was available to go out for a drink once she got home from Thanksgiving break.

I was attracted to her dimples, her intellect, and the way she laughed long after a joke had concluded. But it had been only a year, and I was still dealing with the agony of Taylor’s cancer battle and death, so the thought of reinvesting my emotions in another person terrified me.

COURTESY

Taylor brought Fiona, a fiddle-leaf fig, home from a local nursery to fill one of those blank spaces in a front corner of our living room. Two stems in a V shape sat on a three-legged wooden stool from World Market. Fiona became a fixture in our two-person, one-animal family, and soon enough, as she did what she could to keep herself alive, Taylor did the same for Fiona.

“I just dusted a plant…#fiddleleaffig #obsessed #newhome,” she excitedly posted to Instagram on August 25, 2016.

She was astonished that Fiona’s leaves were large enough to collect dust.

When Taylor died a little more than three months later, I became a 30-yearold widower uncertain about the future, lost without my best friend, and a single parent of this three-foot-tall fiddle-leaf fig.

Care for Fiona was an afterthought when my life after Taylor began.

Questions about other things took up my mental real estate: Which of our two cars should I sell? What should I do with her clothes? Will I ever love again? I passed Fiona dozens of times every day, but I didn’t think about the watering or dusting she needed to survive. Fiddle-leaf figs are known to be difficult to care for, even with constant attention.

But what kind of existence was I sentencing myself to if I let that pain and fear dictate the rest of my days? In one of the final episodes of The Wire, the character Bubbles says, “Ain’t no shame in holding onto grief as long as you make room for other things, too.”

FROM SOIL TO SUMMIT, Fiona is now about six feet tall, nine if you include the pot and that three-legged wooden stool. I stand on the couch to dust the top leaves. The gap of the V shape broadens as the weight of new leaves pulls the two stems’ tops apart. I still slowly pour a pint of water into the soil every Friday, but the 180-degree rotation gets harder as the expanding plant brushes against the two walls that form the corner. I ask myself if I should replant Fiona in a bigger pot. But she’s spent more than four years in her soil, and I figure she’s content in her home.

As she grows, one of three things will happen.

Fiona could wither and die. Her leaves could slowly brown and fall to the hard-

wood floor. I’m prepared for this. It would be difficult to watch another physical connection to Taylor disappear. But I know, despite my engendering of Fiona and referring to a shrub as “her” instead of “it,” that she is, in fact, just a plant.

I could move. An opportunity could pull me away from Charlotte, and I’d have to transport a six-foot tall tree in its soil to Los Angeles or New York or Chicago. Are there specialty moving companies for plants? Or will I just buckle her into the back seat as I drive to a new home?

Fiona could keep growing. The weekly water and rotations and periodic dusting will enable her to grow new leaves and taller stems, and I’ll have to decide whether to buy a shorter stool or go without one, or renovate the living room to accommodate her rising presence. In this scenario, with steady nurturing, Fiona one day will touch the ceiling. That’s not something Taylor or I ever imagined. I think about how happy and proud that would have made her.

WHATEVER FIONA’S FUTURE, she is now not just my responsibility but Katie’s.

One morning about a year ago, before COVID kept us home, I was late for work, so I asked her to take care of Fiona. We’d lived together for more than a year, and she knew the Fiddle-Leaf Friday ritual.

I may never answer all the questions I asked myself after Taylor’s death. But the one that scared me most was: Will I ever love again?

That morning, I detoured from my route to the door to kiss Katie goodbye.

She finished pouring the water and turned toward me as the engagement ring on her left hand reflected the light.

JESSE SOLOFF works as an account director at GMR Marketing in Charlotte. His essay about Taylor Soloff’s cancer and death—“Our Last Home,” published in the April 2017 issue— won first place in the Essays/Commentary/ Criticism category of the 2018 City and Regional Magazine Association awards. He and Katie Peralta were married in the presence of their immediate families on September 5 in Black Mountain, and they continue to live with Fiona the fiddle-leaf fig and Cali the dog in the blue bungalow.

At the heart of this community is unity.

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PROUDLY AFFILIATED WITH ALDERSGATE FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GOOD LIFE

An Informal Dining Room And that rug really ties the room together

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

LAURA SUMRAK

RO O M W E LOV E

FROM THE GROUND UP The first thing most people notice is the blue-and-gold, screen-printed wallpaper, which came from an Oregon-based company called makelike. But Ebert determined her color palette based on the Turkish rug she found at Charlotte Rug Gallery. “The rug is the piece that brings this room together with the vibrancy and the pattern,” she says.

“That set the tone, and everything else fell into line with that.”

ALL ABOUT THAT BRASS Ebert incorporated the homeowners’ love of navy and brass tones with Iris Brass side chairs from Century Furniture and soft brass sconces and a chandelier from Circa Lighting. She chose a walnut credenza with a brass base from Century Furniture and installed an antique mirror with a gold leaf outline from Bungalow 5.

Kauffman & Co. custom-made the six-seat table.

MORE IS MORE

JESS EBERT, who owns Four Story Interiors, wanted her clients to use every room in their sprawling Myers Park home. So she made sure no space felt off-limits or too precious for their two young kids or the family dog. She designed a colorful, approachable space they could enjoy every day instead of a formal dining room they’d use only on special occasions. “This space definitely has drama,” she says.

“It’s not a casual look, but it’s still very usable.” —Taylor Bowler

The homeowners wanted plenty of color, but Ebert was careful not to overwhelm the space with too many patterns. “When you pick too many bold patterns, there are too many players, and there isn’t an opportunity for one to shine,” she says. “But when you have a mix of large and small patterns, or maybe a solid that has a texture, it works so much better.”

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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THE GOOD LIFE

ST YL E

Sarah Kaplan designs sustainable jewelry inspired by her love of art

BY TAYLOR BOWLER

IN AN INDUSTRY where fast fashion and mass-produced accessories reign, Sarah Kaplan is one of a growing number of jewelry designers concerned with artistry and sustainability. VUE by SEK, her collection of handcrafted jewelry, has one-of-a-kind pieces made with natural gold and rhodium-plated metals.

Every necklace and earring is nickel- and lead-free, and each gemstone varies slightly in shape, size, and color. Kaplan calls her designs “wearable art.”

Just as clothing brands are using more organic cotton and ecofriendly dyes, jewelers are starting to use recycled metals and commit to minimal waste. “I utilize every single piece,” Kaplan says. “Everything from our packaging to our materials is ecofriendly, and every stone is sourced in an ethical way.”

Before she launched VUE by SEK in 2018, the 31-year-old Winston-Salem native worked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. “I loved being surrounded by so many creative people,” she says. “I couldn’t help but want to start creating again, and jewelry has always been my art.”

Though she’d designed and beaded necklaces since childhood, Kaplan studied under a goldsmith to learn the

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

Winston-Salem native Sarah Kaplan worked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., before she launched VUE by SEK in 2018.

craft. She continued her fundraising and development work in Washington until 2018, when she and her boyfriend moved to Charlotte, where he opened a private investment firm. “I took on another development role at a nonprofit, but when COVID came along, everything came to a halt,” she says. “It was the perfect opportunity to make this a full-time thing.”

The self-described art history lover finds inspiration for her jewelry from public art around the city, contemporary sculptures, large modern paintings, and her collection of exhibition catalogs from her time at the museum. S-E-K are Kaplan’s initials, while VUE comes from the French word for “view,” because “my jewelry expresses your unique view in life,” she explains. “It’s the in-between piece you can wear every day, all day, or dress it up.”

Kaplan works with a Rhode Island-based foundry that does the metalwork and plating; when the pieces come back to her, she applies the gemstones, pearls, clasps, and chains. Pieces range from $45 to $90, and Kaplan wants to fix her prices there.

“I work with tight margins to make sure that happens. And I have a very lean team right now,” she says with a laugh. She’d

CHRIS EDWARDS

A View with a Sparkle

TAYLOR SAYA

hoped to move to a studio and grow her staff in 2020, but she decided to keep running the business out of her apartment during the pandemic. “I definitely miss having a team and those opportunities for collaborations. I don’t have the level of stuff I had when I worked with a goldsmith, but I have a ton of stones and wire tools to add them to my metal pieces—so my nails will never look good again.”

For her own wedding last October, Kaplan wore VUE by SEK’s layered dome and freshwater pearl earrings. She made a custom pair for her sister and sister-in-law as wedding gifts ahead of the ceremony, which she had to scale back to just family and a few local friends. Each of her would-be bridesmaids received a set of earrings and perfume, which inspired her VUE by SEK Bridesmaid Gift Set collaboration with Katrina Sellers, founder of the Charlotte-based perfume brand Jules & Vetiver.

VUE by SEK is available locally at Moxie Mercantile and Chosen, but Kaplan does the bulk of her sales online. She added the bridal collection last year and is working on a men’s cufflink line, which she plans to unroll this spring. “I’ve always been drawn to jewelry because it’s so much more than a trend,” she says. “Clothing and interiors aren’t as sustainable.

With jewelry, there’s a sentimental value.”

(Clockwise from left) 14K gold star necklace ($89), 14K gold star + dalmatian jasper earrings ($52), 14K gold may necklace ($77), 14K gold layered square studs ($45).

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

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23

THE GOOD LIFE

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

A Landmark in Black and White

The building now known as Walton Plaza was a source of Black pride when it opened in 1973. Does it have a future?

LOOKING FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS in Charlotte? You might miss the sevenstory office tower at McDowell and Stonewall streets in Second Ward. It’s not officially a landmark, but maybe it should be.

Black glass and white brick distinguish the structure, designed by A.G. Odell, Charlotte’s top modernist architect. The colors symbolized the hope that the tower would bring together both Black and white businesses. Look at how that played out, and you’ll understand a lot about Black achievement and white resistance in this city.

Julius Chambers led the project. A nationally renowned civil rights attorney, he was famous for representing the

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plaintiffs in Swann v. Mecklenburg, the landmark case that the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1971. The ruling kicked off a 28-year run for a desegregation program in CharlotteMecklenburg Schools that was hailed as a national model.

That year, an arsonist burned down Chambers’ law office. Undaunted, Chambers, his brother Kenneth, a physician, and optometrist colleague Raleigh Bynum gathered a consortium of Black professionals and bid for a prime center-city site newly cleared via “urban renewal.” The land had been part of Brooklyn, the city’s main district for Black people. Bulldozers had displaced more than 1,000 families and 200 businesses, making way for today’s

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

Government Center—and much empty acreage.

The glistening tower, originally named East Independence Plaza, opened in 1973 and instantly became a community hub. Jason Watt, the son of a Chambers law partner, recalled “the pride the building created and … how people who frequented the building, even non-investors, referred to the building as ‘our’ building.”

Harvey Gantt, the pioneering Black architect, located his Gantt Huberman design firm there and conducted campaigns that led to his 1983 election as Charlotte’s first Black mayor. Rowe Motley, the first Black Mecklenburg County commissioner, had his real estate office there, as did Pete

COURTESY TOM HANCHETT

BY TOM HANCHETT

Civil rights attorney Julius Chambers (below) on the day in 1971 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor in the Swann case that began Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ desegregation efforts. His law partner, Mel Watt (left), later served 11 terms in the U.S. House and directed the Federal Housing Finance Agency under President Obama.

R E AL E STAT E

Hot Listings New builds for a new year. —Taylor Bowler

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER ARCHIVES, CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY; COURTESY (2)

323 SARDIS LN. $999,000 LANSDOWNE Entertain guests in the spacious living area and dining room or relax outside on the covered back deck. Use the upstairs flex space for a playroom, gym, or home theater. 6 BD, 4 BA, 3,631 sq. ft., Savvy + Co., savvyandcompany.com

Cunningham, who served in the General Assembly. The law firm of Chambers Ferguson Stein took the top floor, from where it won far-reaching cases that included the 1978 suit that gave North Carolina its first 20th-century Black representatives in Congress. Law partner Mel Watt went on to head the U.S. Housing Finance Agency.

“I had never heard or seen Black men, businesspeople coming together and building an office building,” ophthalmologist Dr. Wesley Clement, who chose Charlotte to launch his practice after a nationwide search, remembered recently when I spoke to him at his home off Beatties Ford Road.

“Seven stories!”

Chambers’ achievement was rare but precarious. Black people alone could not sustain it. Surely white Charlotteans would rent space, so welllocated within a 10-minute walk of the Government Center. Instead, white people flocked to a white-developed tower, Cameron-Brown, two blocks away. First Union Bank and small real estate firms opened offices there, as did Charlotte-Mecklenburg government, which signed long-term leases for five floors. Chambers’ tower, meanwhile, limped along, never fully rented.

Finally, the Black consortium gave up the struggle. It accepted an offer from Mecklenburg County in 1994 “for $579,270 less than its tax value and $1.5 million below the owners’ list price,” the Observer reported. The county immediately filled the tower with government offices—including, ironically, those of CMS—and, in 1996, renamed the tower after Bob Walton, a prominent Black political figure who had died two years before, toward the end of his eighth term on the county Board of Commissioners. The county permanently closed Walton Plaza in 2019.

Julius Chambers’ building was a proud achievement—but a reminder of forces that have stymied opportunity. Large, Black-developed real estate projects remain rare.

The county still owns Walton Plaza, part of the land package that awaits redevelopment as Brooklyn Village, and holds it vacant. Could county officials find a way to keep it standing as part of the new project?

TOM HANCHETT, a local historian in Charlotte since 1981, is the author of Sorting Out the New South City: Race, Class, and Urban Development in Charlotte, 1875-1975 and former staff historian at the Levine Museum of the New South.

Follow him on Twitter at @historysouth.

2832 IRBY DR. $1,200,000 MYERS PARK This brand-new townhome along the Sugar Creek Greenway is walking distance from Park Road Shopping Center and Freedom Park. Make design upgrades to the gourmet kitchen, dining area, and family room or add an elevator to the three-story property. 4 BD, 4 BA, 3,034 sq. ft., HM Properties, hmproperties.com 516 HERRIN AVE. $875,000 NODA This modern farmhouse has an open floorplan with a chef’s kitchen, dining room, and butler’s pantry. The master retreat has a massive walk-in closet and bathroom with a double vanity, large shower, and soaking tub. 4 BD, 3.5 BA, 3,046 sq. ft., Pridemore Properties, pridemoreproperties.com 4000 COLUMBINE CIR. $3,495,000 FOXCROFT Natural light floods the main floor of this sprawling custom home. A detached two-car garage has flex space above, and the sweeping terrace overlooks an in-ground pool. 5 BD, 8 BA, 7,739 sq. ft., Dickens Mitchener, dickensmitchener.com Homes available as of December 1, 2020.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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Inaugural Baby Bundles Tennis Tournament

PART Y P I C S

Seen

Charity Event Dec. 4, 2020

1. Amy Kerr, Jessica Santee, Christina Cottingham, Katherine Costello and Ginny Comly 2. Cristina Buckfelder 3. Caroline Withers and Mallory Miller

Upcoming Calendar of Events Submit your event online at charlottemagazine.com/ calendar, and look forward to seeing more from these: FEBRUARY 2/26 The Wish Ball benefiting Make-A-Wish® Central and Western North Carolina, nc.wish.org MARCH 3/25 10th Annual Fighting For Women With Fashion (virtual), safealliance.org 3/27 Guys and Dolls All-Stars Charlotte benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, cff.org/charlotte APRIL 4/22 Charlotte Sustainability Awards, sustaincharlotte.org/awards MAY 5/21 Dancing With The Stars of Charlotte benefiting The Pink House, carolinabreastfriends.org

Colonial Dames

Charlotte Museum Of History Nov. 19, 2020

Nate Hinton NBA Draft Event

Ruth’s Chris Uptown Nov. 18, 2020 1. Ben Hinton, Tangela Hinton, Nate Hinton, and Dr. Benjamin Hinton 2. Nate Hinton with his mother, Tangela Hinton

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

DANIEL COSTON (6); KATIE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY (3)

1. Helen Penter and Deborah Hunter 2. Jeane Best and Woods Potts

Avett Brothers Drive-In Concert

Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 23, 2020 1. Seth Avett 2. Avett fans celebrating 3. Bob Crawford, Scott Avett, Seth Avett, and Joe Kwon 4. Avett fans waiting for the show

5 Fashion & Compassion Giving Tuesday event Dec. 1, 2020

DANIEL COSTON

1. Leandra Caprini-Rosica and Emily Adkisson 2. Avery McIntosh and Nicole Natchus 3. Beth Bell 4. Caroline Hammock and Alex Reardon 5. Sally Van Allen and Michael Deeb

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

27

THE GOOD LIFE ART S + E V E NT S

The Playlist THE BEST THINGS TO DO AND SEE THIS MONTH

BY ANDY SMITH

W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine AT THE MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN FEB. 24

OTHER EXHIBITIONS AT CHARLOTTE MUSEUMS: 28

Photos from the W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine exhibit at the Mint Museum Uptown include Ami Vitale's Ripple Effect, 2009 (top); Carol Guzy's Albanian refugee camp, taken March 3, 1999 (above, left; ©1999, Carol Guzy/The Washington Post); and The Makeover of Progress (above, right), taken 2019 by SHAN Wallace.

JOSEF ALBERS: THE INTERACTION OF COLOR at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art (through July 4)

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

UNFORGETTABLE MUSIC VENUES OF CHARLOTTE at Charlotte Museum of History (ongoing)

WORLD ALIVE at Discovery Place Science (ongoing)

COURTESY

DR. JEN SUDUL EDWARDS was working on this exhibition for the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles before she joined the Mint as chief curator and curator of contemporary art in 2019.

After COVID-19 delayed its Mint run, W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine arrives this month. The display is divided into six sections— Delineation, Defense, Deterrent, The Divine, Decoration, and The Invisible—that explore the use of walls in 132 photos from 67 artists across the world.

When the exhibition discusses walls, it refers to the term in senses including the “artistic, social, political, and historical, as well as how there are literal walls or barriers, such as fences or sand berms.” Often in these photo essays, the term assumes all of those forms: The Mint notes that when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, there were 15 border walls on Earth. In 2018, there were nearly 80. $15 admission, hours vary by day, 500 S. Tryon St.

FEBRUARY 2021

Gallery Shows in Charlotte Many Charlotte galleries require reservations for their latest shows.

Here are three artists, local and national, featured right now:

DAVID J. BUTLER The past Charlottean of the Year, photographer, and Hue House co-founder is showing work at Elder Gallery (1520 S Tryon St.) with Home through February 13. The group show also includes Crista Cammaroto and J. Stacy Utley.

HALSEY HATHAWAY The New York artist is known internationally for his absorbing abstract paintings with overlapping geometric forms. Through Kaleidoscope Eyes is on display at SOCO Gallery (421 Providence Rd.) in Myers Park all month.

MONIQUE LUCK Central Piedmont Community College's Ross Gallery displays Into Memory, the Charlotte mixed-media artist’s vibrant, collaged works that explore cultures and spirituality. Through March 11.

Monique Luck's collage, Lost in Your Grace, on display at CPCC through March 11.

REINALDO BRAHN AT MIDDLE C JAZZ FEB. 4 Brazil native Reinaldo Brahn moved to Charlotte 14 years ago. His performances injected the genres of his home country into the local scene, from classical sambas to Musica Popular Brasileira, the cross-genre movement that followed bossa nova. His returns to the uptown club with a set titled "A Piece of Brazil." $26, 7 p.m. 300 S. Brevard St.

THE 2021-22 HORNETS SCHEDULE: AN EXPLAINER This NBA season began during Christmas week, so it may be difficult to orient yourself. Here are this month’s games, as well as a broader look at what to expect: MON, FEB. 1: @ Miami WED, FEB. 3: vs. Philadelphia FRI, FEB. 5: vs. Utah SUN, FEB. 7: vs. Portland MON, FEB. 8: vs. Houston WED, FEB. 10: @ Memphis FRI, FEB. 12: vs. Minnesota SUN, FEB. 14: vs. San Antonio WED, FEB. 17: vs. Chicago FRI, FEB. 19: vs. Denver SAT, FEB. 20: vs. Golden State

COURTESY

The first half of the season ends on March 4 and pauses for the All-Star break and activities, which run through March 10.

The second half of the regular season begins March 11 and concludes May 16. A play-in tournament runs from May 18-21, followed by the playoffs and NBA Finals: May 22-July 22.

All of the Hornets home games are played at Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St. As of press time, the center wasn’t open to fans, but officials offered this: “In the meantime, we will continue to implement enhanced safety procedures and will share additional information on these measures as we get closer to having fans return to Spectrum Center.”

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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Coming Soon

4905 ASHLEY PARK LANE SUITE I • CHARLOTTE, NC 28210

FOOD DRINK

INSIDE: NOW OPEN / LOCAL FLAVOR / BITE-SIZED NEWS / ON THE LINE

+

EXPLORE THE TASTES OF CHARLOTTE

A fried shrimp Po’ Boy with a side of baked mac and cheese and a Hurricane Connie CAT-5 cocktail.

N OW O P E N

DOWN HOME AND UPSCALE

TKTKTKTKTKt

Southern Pecan brings a taste of the Gulf Coast to SouthPark

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER TAYLOR

SOUTHERN PECAN’S Gulf Coast-inspired cuisine is a nod to owner Monte Smith’s Galveston roots, and it’s a specific type of southern. You won’t find fried chicken, grits, hush puppies, or beignets. This menu is heavy on shrimp, catfish, oysters, and rice. It’s cornmeal-crusted, not deep-fried.

You order corn soufflé instead of cornbread and flatbread instead of biscuits. It’s Texas-meets-Louisiana packaged for an upscale SouthPark customer.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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FOOD+DRINK

(Clockwise from top) Roasted corn cakes topped with pulled pork and green chili crème; oversized canvas pendant lights hang in the dining room; sweet potato cheesecake.

SOUTHERN PECAN 6705 Phillips Place Ct., Ste. C 704-749-2949 southernpecanrestaurant.com Hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m. daily

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Smith, who also owns Café Monte and is a former general manager of The Palm in SouthPark, opened his latest venture in the former Wolfgang Puck Kitchen + Bar space in October. Diners accustomed to Wolfgang Puck will notice that Smith made mostly cosmetic changes to the interior. The booths, with their teal velvet bench cushions, are now separated by glass partitions. In the center of the room, orange leather barstools line Wolfgang’s original hexagonal wood bar, over which flatscreen TVs still hover. Oversized canvas pendant lights hang from the ceiling; on the walls, portraits of jazz and blues legends like Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, and Willie Nelson give the space some swagger.

The drink menu has bottled beer and local brews like Juicy Jay, Captain Jack Pilsner, and Triple C Baby Maker Double IPA. Order wine by the bottle or glass, or try a Gulf Coastinspired cocktail like the Lonestar ($13) or Hurricane Connie CAT-5 ($14).

Start with Louisiana BBQ Shrimp ($14.95), and use the toasty bread to grab as much of

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

the New Orleans BBQ au jus as you can. If you like corn soufflé—and you will after you try it here—you can order it as a side with your entrée or get the Roasted Corn Cakes ($7.95) from the shareables menu. It’s a bigger plate of the sweet soufflé topped with a savory heap of pulled pork and green chili creme, and it’s enough for a light lunch or an appetizer for two.

From the fryer, there’s Gulf Oysters ($18), Jumbo Shrimp ($16.50), or Catfish Nuggets ($15.50) served with your choice of a side and sauce. Sides, which you can also order à la carte for $6.95, include red beans and rice, baked mac and cheese, and scalloped potatoes. For sauces, you have remoulade, tartar, Creole honey mustard, and a handful of others. (Ask your server to bring a few if you can’t decide.)

If you stop in for lunch, try a Po’ Boy ($14.95) with fried shrimp, oysters, catfish, or New Orleans BBQ shrimp. For a hearty dinner, there’s Chicken and Dumplings ($16.95) and a Southern Pecan Shrimp Boil ($18.95), which

(Clockwise from top left) Chicken and Dumplings with broccolini and a side of succotash; Louisiana BBQ Shrimp with red beans and rice; Catfish Nuggets from the fryer.

comes in a spicy shrimp au jus, so ask for plenty of toasty bread for dipping. The dessert menu changes regularly, but look for a rotation of sweet potato cheesecake, chocolate chess pie, and key lime pie.

A meal at Southern Pecan doesn’t transport you to the Gulf Coast the way Leah & Louise sends you to a Memphis juke joint, and it’s not a family-run place steeped in history like Price’s Chicken Coop. You won’t see bowls of empty clamshells on the tables or leave with the smell of Old Bay seasoning on your fingers. It’s just solid, reliable seafood with some southern flair to enjoy after a day of shopping or a Saturday matinee.

Don’t leave without trying: The Roasted Corn Cakes ($7.95) topped with pulled pork and green chili creme.

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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FOOD+DRINK LO C AL F L AVO R

EAT, STAY, LOVE

Brian and Tiffany Lombard’s love story merges food, hospitality—and learning to expect the unexpected

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY BELLA LUX PHOTOGRAPHY

The raspberry lemon wedding cake (top) by Celestial Cakery doubled as their gender reveal for their baby. Passed hors d’oeuvres included General Tso cauliflower bites (above).

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AS EXECUTIVE CHEF at Foxcroft Wine Co. in Dilworth, Brian Lombard slings truffle fries, grilled octopus, and gourmet flatbreads five nights a week. Across town at Canopy by Hilton Charlotte in SouthPark, wife Tiffany oversees all day-to-day operations at the hotel. Before COVID, they hosted frequent dinner parties and dropbys from friends at their SouthPark apartment. Hosting people, even when they haven’t made plans and guests haven’t made reservations, is what they do.

“Whatever beverage you need or love, we’ll have because we took note the last time we hung out,” Brian says. “If you’re a gin or vodka person, we’ll have that. It’s in our nature to take care of folks.”

The ability to adapt is mandatory when you work in hospitality, and it’s shaped the Lombards’ relationship, too.

They met in 2014 at the Phelps Hotel in Cincinnati, where Brian, now 40, was a chef and Tiffany, 30, was food and bever-

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

age manager. “It was a rocky working relationship,” Tiffany says with a laugh.

“We’re both Scorpios, so it was clashing personalities,” Brian adds. “But once we learned the way the other works, we got along a little better, then became good friends.”

They zigzagged across the country for the next few years before they settled in Charlotte. Tiffany’s career took her to Marriott and Hilton properties in Clearwater, Florida, and New York City while Brian accepted a chef position in Austin, Texas. But they kept in touch and visited when they could. In late 2018, Tiffany moved to Portland, Oregon, to open another Hilton property and offered Brian a role as chef consultant.

“So I moved out there and thought, ‘We’ll see what happens,’” Brian says. “And we moved in together.”

Six months later, Canopy by Hilton Charlotte offered Tiffany the general

BITE-SIZED STO R I E S

Foodie Tidbits on a Small Plate

Tiffany and Brian Lombard got married in front of 24 friends and family members at Merchant & Trade on Nov. 21, 2020.

manager position, so they packed up and moved again. Brian worked in the kitchen at Hawkers Asian Street Food for a few months before he landed the executive chef position at Foxcroft Wine Co. Their lives seemed somewhat settled, finally. In November 2019, they went to Puerto Rico to celebrate their birthdays— hers is the 20th, his the 22nd—and came home engaged. They planned a wedding for Nov. 21, 2020, at Playa del Carmen in Mexico and invited 100 guests. So much for plans: By June, it was clear they’d have to cancel.

They always knew they wanted kids and decided to try for a baby as long as their wedding was on hold. They assumed it would take a while. But in September, they learned Tiffany was pregnant. They wanted to be married before their baby was born, so they kept their original date of November 21, the day between their birthdays, and scaled it down to 24 guests.

Tiffany found a strapless white dress off the rack at Savvy Brides and through her connections in the industry booked Merchant & Trade for a rooftop ceremony. She found face masks on Etsy that read, “spread love, not germs,” for each guest and hired Kacie Amann of Honey Belle Events to handle the rest. “I didn’t want to be doing what I do for work on my wedding day,” Tiffany says. “It was actually really nice having a small, intimate wedding where you really got to visit and talk to everyone.”

To stay within the indoor mass gathering limit of 10 people that had taken effect just days before, they rented both of the hotel’s ballrooms for the reception and arranged 6-foot spaces between the four-top tables. Guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and a steak dinner followed by a Celestial Cakery raspberry lemon wedding cake, which doubled as their gender reveal. The cake topper, which Brian found on Etsy, was a silhouette of a kneeling man kissing his wife’s pregnant belly.

Their honeymoon remains on hold. But the Lombards are content coming home to each other at the end of a long workday, where there’s usually a hot meal and good company waiting—some stability, finally, even though it’s happened under strange circumstances. “If I’m working late, she’ll call to ask if I’m hungry and whip something up—she’s learned a few things over the years,” Brian says. “She knows I’ll cook anyway but makes me feel like, ‘I got this, kick your feet up.’”

They’re also preparing to welcome their newest guest, a girl, in May. They hope to move into a house this summer, where Tiffany can create a cozy yet sleek pink floral nursery. “That attention to detail you have in hospitality follows you into your own home,” she says, “and just about everything else you do.”

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

800° WOODFIRED KITCHEN, a craft pizza concept that launched in Hollywood in 2011 and has expanded to 10 cities, including Miami, New York, and Chicago, opens in SouthPark’s Phillips Place this month. Look for wood-fired pizzas, salads, and grain bowls as well as family meal deals.

Atlanta-based COLLIER CANDY COMPANY has opened a second location in Optimist Hall.

The five-and-dime-inspired store sells a mix of new and vintage candy and premium sodas.

THE BELLA CIAO opened in the space formerly occupied

by Vapiano in uptown. Expect made-from-scratch pasta and pizza, plus calzones, salads, and grain bowls.

Jim Noble’s latest venture, THE JIMMY, will open in the former Nolen Kitchen space in Myers Park. The bistrostyle eatery will serve coffee and pastries by Copain in the morning and Mediterraneaninspired dishes for lunch and dinner.

Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams, chefs and co-owners of the popular WHAT THE FRIES food truck, will open a brick-andmortar restaurant on PinevilleMatthews Road. The truck will take a temporary hiatus when the restaurant opens in early 2021. —Taylor Bowler

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FOOD+DRINK

O N T H E LI N E W I T H

LEYLA ARCOVIO Reid’s Fine Foods’ wine director believes ‘every single wine has a story’

BY TAYLOR BOWLER

Age: “I’m a senior—you don’t want to know that” Family status: Married for 32 years, mother to two adult children Hometown: Lima, Peru Currently lives: SouthPark Currently reading: A Ladder in the Sky by John Boyne Favorite sports team: Green Bay Packers

Describe your role at Reid’s.

My role as a wine buyer is to satisfy a lot of palates and a lot of wallets because not everyone can spend $100 on a bottle of wine. To me, wine is about sitting around a table with friends and family. When we have a meal with it, it bridges the flavors of food and wine.

How many labels have you memorized? We have 1,500 labels in constant rotation. It’s not memorizing the wine so much as breaking down the wine’s flavors.

Where does it come from? What

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is the soil made of? Once you learn it, you relay that knowledge to the consumer. Every single wine has a story. We in the wine business are storytellers.

How do you help an undecided guest select a wine they’ll enjoy? I always ask three questions: What do you like? Is this a wine you want to sip or have with food? What price do you feel comfortable with?

What’s one wine you always have on hand at home? I taste a lot of wines during the week—I sip, I don’t drink—sometimes 100 different wines. So when I get home after a few days of tasting, I usually don’t drink. If I have a glass of wine at home, it’ll be red. My favorite is a brunello.

What do you think is an underappreciated wine? I think merlot had a good run many years ago, but pinot emerged and pushed it down. There are some really exquisite merlots. It needs to make a comeback.

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

THE TOUGH STUFF Chocolate or cheese?

Chocolate Coffee or tea?

I drink a cup of each every day Cabernet or chardonnay?

Cabernet Baked brie or glazed nuts?

Neither Napa or Bordeaux?

Napa Total Wine or Costco?

Neither Wine Spectator or Bon Appétit?

Bon Appétit More sleep or more free time?

Sleep Facebook or Instagram?

Instagram

What’s your favorite food and wine pairing? Lamb with syrah.

Champagne or Franciacorta with caviar is another divine combination.

What’s a delicious pairing that might surprise people? I had a bottle of red wine from the Rhone Valley, so I took it home to sample. My husband, who was a chef for many years, grilled some tuna marinated in olive oil and sea salt. We had avocados, so he made guacamole with it.

Grilled tuna with a mound of guacamole is absolutely fantastic with red wine. I took a picture to remember it.

What’s the most surprising thing about you? I’m not a beer or hard liquor drinker. You’re talking to someone who’s never had vodka.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Charlotte, other than your own? I don’t go out to eat often because my husband is a chef and the best food is at home.

But I love Bar Marcel and Toscana because I know the people. I feel at home there.

Any rules to live by in a restaurant? Cleanliness.

Restaurants should be like an operating room.

PETER TAYLOR

Where does your interest in wine come from? It started at a very early age. My family is European, so wine was always at the table. In the summer, it was lemonade, water, and white wine. In the winter, it was water or red wine. My grandpa would put drops of red wine in my water (laughs). Growing up in South America, it was a rich culinary world that allowed me to develop a palate and recognize a lot of flavors and different nuances in wine.

BB&T and SunTrust are now Truist

truist.com Truist Bank, Member FDIC. © 2020 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, BB&T, SunTrust, the Truist logo and Truist Purple are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation.

Near Trade and Tryon, early December.

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(EMPTY)

OFFICE SPACE After COVID, what does the future hold for Charlotte workplaces?

BY ELY

PORTILLO

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RUSTY

WILLIAMS

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A

N UNUSUAL SIGHT greeted Charlotte drivers last year on normally traffic-choked thoroughfares like Independence Boulevard, Providence Road, and Interstate 77: empty lanes.

For employees who suddenly faced indefinite telecommuting, a short walk to the kitchen table replaced rivers of brake lights and speedometers stuck in the single digits.

Those empty roads were one vivid reminder of the ways COVID-19 upended our lives. Of course, in many others, people with jobs they could do at home were lucky— thousands of essential workers, like supermarket clerks, Amazon delivery drivers, nurses, and doctors, didn’t have that option, and tens of thousands more in sectors like hospitality and entertainment have lost their jobs.

But as 2020 bitterly gave way to 2021, a question loomed for employers and office workers inured to endless rounds of Zoom calls: How long will all this last, and what would come next?

The question has ramifications far beyond our commutes. Employers face questions with multimillion-dollar answers: How much office space do we build? How do we structure, or restructure, our workforce? Serviceoriented businesses that depend on the daily flood of employees to uptown, University City, Ballantyne, and other employment centers continue to live with potentially catastrophic drops in business—although, as of this writing in early December, only a few, like La Belle Helene and Amelie’s uptown, have closed permanently. A longterm mass shift to remote work could make Charlotte’s $12 billion transit and mobility plan a tougher sell.

For Charlotte—a city that’s grasped at “world-class” status for decades, where boosters tout new skyscrapers and fete emissaries of prospective corporate relocators like royalty—the questions carry special significance. The city’s come a long way since The New York Times dubbed uptown a “somnolent streetscape of abandoned buildings and vacant lots” and “a Potemkin Village with a drawl” during the 1994 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.

But last year brought back recollections of that embarrassing time, with uptown empty of its 130,000 daily workers and darkened office towers that loomed over vacant light rail trains. What’s the distinction between a world-class metropolis and a bedroom community if we all work from our spare bedrooms?

Clear answers don’t exist here or in any other American city, and businesses will likely adopt a mix of telecommuting and in-office work that varies from company to company and industry to industry, somewhere between the poles of “offices are extinct” and “back to business as

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The Wells Fargo Center plaza uptown at lunchtime on a Thursday in December.

usual.” Some employees love ditching their commutes and doing laundry between meetings. Others have to squeeze work projects and emails between caring for toddlers or all-day virtual school and supervision of children too young to type. Companies unaccustomed to employee autonomy wrestle with the need to supervise remote workforces. Can the boss trust that you’re not watching YouTube during the staff meeting behind the mask of your Zoom screen? Does in-person work and collaboration have distinct value, and can remote work replicate or replace it?

To understand how large employers around Charlotte are thinking about those questions, I interviewed executives at four companies in different industries. None envision a fully remote future—some, like the Charlotte Hornets, depend on packing arenas, and others, like Truist, are building new offices and value in-person collaboration—but all expect lasting changes. Here’s what I learned.

TRUIST: Planting a flag uptown WHEN WORKERS eventually return to their uptown offices, they’ll see an unmistakable marker affixed to Charlotte’s newest bank, on one of the city’s most striking buildings. In late November, a helicopter flew the twostory-tall name and logo to the top of the Truist Center, in the former Hearst Tower at 7th and Tryon streets, which the company bought for $456 million. A product of the BB&T-SunTrust merger, Truist employs 2,000 in its new headquarters.

Before COVID, individual teams might have had the flexibility to work off-site one day or so a week, says Chief Human Resources Officer Kimberly Moore-Wright.

But a “large percentage” of Truist employees worked in the office. The bank’s workforce, except for a small contingent of employees who operate branches, has worked remotely since March—a special challenge for a company in the midst of combining two competitors.

“Just as we’re getting ready to go into the thick of that,” Moore-Wright says, “you overlay it with a pandemic no one could have expected.”

As the merged bank builds everything from business processes to physical offices, Moore-Wright says executives don’t want to make dramatic changes, like moving large numbers of employees to permanent telework based on conditions that may change soon. “‘Normal,’” Moore-Wright says, “keeps changing as we get through this.” And Truist still needs to operate its branches, physical locations with in-person customers who can’t do everything over Microsoft Teams or Slack.

But bank officials have found it easier to adopt new business practices—an unexpected benefit of throwing out the playbook. No one can protest, “That’s the way we’ve always done it!” when everything has to be rewritten anyway. But, as in many companies, managers find workers increasingly fatigued by their homebound routines. “You’re in the guest bedroom. You may be working even longer just because you’re there at home,” Moore-Wright says. “I think managers are becoming more attuned to that.”

Moore-Wright, who speaks to me via video from her office, is one of a small number of executives who work, socially distant and with masks, at headquarters. Heath Campbell, president of the bank’s Metrolina region, takes my call from a spare bedroom, outfitted with a Truist banner that serves as a makeshift video background.

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(Opposite) Truist employs 2,000 in its new headquarters uptown.

(Above) Chief Human Resources Officer Kimberly Moore-Wright and Heath Campbell, president of the bank’s Metrolina region, on a WebX video conference.

RUSTY WILLIAMS; COURTESY PERKINS & WILL

(Right) Post-pandemic, Truist may offer some employees the choice to work from home but still would prefer they work in the office.

The bank has rearranged the workspace into a more intimate arrangement of workstations, focus rooms, wellness nooks, and meeting spaces.

“Client-facing” bankers in his division have long had autonomy, Campbell says. They might spend a day driving from Mooresville to SouthPark to Ballantyne to meet clients. Such meetings illustrate the double-edged sword remote work offers: Bankers can pack more meetings into a day without driving from one to the other. But do you really get the same connection with clients through a screen?

After the pandemic, Campbell says, Truist probably will allow some office workers more flexibility to work from home if their presence isn’t required. But the bank still will try to convince workers to choose the office. “If you’re going to explore more autonomy for our team-

mates to choose their work environment, that means you’re giving them more decisions,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is make sure, with places like the Truist Center, when it’s built out and designed … they’ll choose that place first.”

For now, he misses the energy of in-person meetings, sporting events, restaurants, and entertainment. “We’re not meant to be in isolation,” Campbell says. “I’ve got a feeling, once you’ve got the vaccine—I think we’ll get a resurgence.” Just how far off that resurgence is remains hard to predict. As of press time, Truist had extended its telework policy from the end of January to at least March 1.

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RED VENTURES: What happens to the beer taps?

THE DIGITAL MARKETING and media company Red Ventures, based just south of the state line in Indian Land, S.C., built its image around a campus modeled after those of Silicon Valley tech firms. Employees enjoy beer taps, a bowling alley and basketball court, bistros, a library, and “The Arena,” where the company hosts packed “RedTalks”—TED-style events with speakers from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari.

“We have prided ourselves on our culture. A cornerstone of that culture was the in-office collaboration,” says Hallie Cornetta, the company’s head of human capital. “Everything is now done via video chats,” and Red Ventures is “erring on the highly conservative side” in assessing when to bring employees back.

So what does the future look like in a world where employees rifle through their own fridges for beer and snacks, and crowded indoor gatherings are a wild fantasy? Cornetta says Red Ventures will use 2021 to explore a “hybrid working environment.” That might even mean employees who want to work elsewhere for weeks or months—an option previously unthinkable for a fastexpanding company that normally trains new workers via “osmosis” and in-person apprenticeships.

“The world’s changed, and employees, especially great talent, want flexibility now more than ever,” she says.

“That means the ability to work from home or work from the beach for a month in the summer. Or work remotely entirely, if that’s the way we can attract the best talent.”

Remote work has yielded both benefits and problems.

Employees tend to burn out more quickly on Zoom, where their own faces stare back from the screen all day.

They have to schedule videoconferences to resolve questions once answered with a shout to the next desk. As employees move, sometimes to other time zones, they have to get up early or stay up late to make meetings.

Red Ventures has tried to manage burnout with selective long weekends and no-video or no-meeting days.

They’ve modified internal newsletters and encouraged more communications from other managers, the better to keep in touch with a workforce used to mass in-person gatherings with CEO Ric Elias.

Red Ventures could learn helpful lessons from teleworking. With the $500 million acquisition of CNET Media Group (whose brands include TVGuide and Gamespot), as well as travel guide company Lonely Planet, less than half of Red Ventures’ employees now live in the Charlotte region. Still, Cornetta doesn’t think an all-virtual future is in the cards for most workers.

“We know that some of our talent, arguably the majority of our talent, is still going to crave an in-office environment the majority of the time,” she says. “Having the

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flexibility to work from home or other places will be there, but we will absolutely continue to invest in our oncampus facilities and our amenities.”

Even for those who choose to work outside the office, “remote work” might not be so remote: Red Ventures recently opened an apartment complex next to its campus, called the Court at Redstone, for employees who want to live next door to the office.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS: Getting back in the arena FEW BUSINESSES are more centered on in-person interactions than sports and entertainment, which relies on packed arenas and stadiums and in-person league meetings, player workouts, and conference schmoozing.

The Charlotte Hornets organization, which operates and plays in the 20,000-seat Spectrum Center, had its last 10 home games canceled; concerts from Michael Bublé

COURTESY

The Plaza Food Court at Red Ventures headquarters in Indian Land, S.C., in January 2020, before COVID.

to The Weeknd postponed; and the Republican National Convention relocated.

“We’ve basically been shut down from March 13 on,” says Hornets President Fred Whitfield. The team’s 200plus permanent employees have worked remotely since then. (The Hornets also employ more than 500 or so parttimers to work events and games.) Whitfield says he has a comfortable setup at home with his computer, iPad, and phone screens. Zoom has made it easier for him to attend departmental meetings he used to miss and serve on several pandemic-related task forces that meet virtually.

But, he adds, the personal aspects have been tough to replicate. “I really think there’s a value to be gained from in-person meetings and really being able to sit across the table from individuals, whether it’s in New York at the NBA meeting or at the sales and marketing meeting down in Miami,” he said. “In meetings now with our NBA counterparts and colleagues, you don’t have that inbetween break time that you can interact, network, share ideas and best practices, what’s working, what’s not. I miss those kinds of things, and I think we all do.”

Although Whitfield said he and employees have adapted—they interviewed some potential players via Zoom, for example, then set up in the arena’s VIP area

with masks and social distancing for the draft—the ultimate goal is to get back to the office. With a business that requires in-person attendance, permanent remote work isn’t an option. He says it’s important for part-timers who work events, from ushers to ticket-takers, to feel comfortable when the arena reopens. If they don’t, it will be harder to convince fans to come back.

As of mid-December, the NBA planned to begin its 2020-21 season December 22, with 10 fewer games than usual and daily testing of players and staff. Teams will vary in the number of fans they allow for games; the Hornets began with none but hoped to welcome fans back later in the season. The team has invested in enhanced air filtration, touchless tickets, and cashless concessions; committed to more cleaning and disinfection; and obtained two third-party health and safety accreditations, all with the goal of convincing fans and workers that the team and Spectrum Center can safely host mass gatherings again.

“We’ve got to make sure,” Whitfield said, “we’re completely buttoned up on every protocol we know how to operate.”

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LOWE’S: Home improvement store in the home office era LOWE’S NAMED JANICE DUPRÉ LITTLE executive vice president of human resources weeks before it sent its corporate workforce home in mid-March. “Like everyone else,” Dupré Little says, “we thought it would be for a couple of weeks.” The company had to figure out how to work remotely with more than 6,500 corporate employees who were used to doing things in the office, “face-toface, brick and mortar,” at its massive Mooresville campus and uptown offices. And Lowe’s had to keep its 2,200 stores open, with an hourly-wage workforce that can’t do its jobs through video calls from home.

Demand for home-improvement products surged.

Lowe’s scrambled to buy huge amounts of personal protective equipment, install Plexiglas shields at registers, and comply with shifting regulations as people stuck at home decided they couldn’t stare at their chipped paint or outdated kitchens anymore. Office workers, abruptly left supervising children all day, faced another set of chal-

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lenges. With employees at work and home all the time, Dupré Little says, they confronted new levels of burnout.

“People were invigorated in the beginning,” she said.

“Now, we’re all facing this fatigue. We don’t know how to separate and go eat lunch, go have dinner. We have to continue to remind our associates: Take your vacation.

Take that downtime.”

Lowe’s is building a new tech hub with 2,000 workers in a 23-story tower in South End, scheduled for completion in late 2021. The project was announced in mid-2019, before people questioned whether anyone, especially tech workers who need only a computer, would be in the office again. “No one has a crystal ball to know everything, but at this point, we’ve stayed on track,” Dupré Little says.

“We are still hiring. We are still very focused on the commitment that we made.”

As of early December, Lowe’s was planning to continue remote work at least through July 2021. Dupré Little says she expects the company to retain some measure of flexibility, with a greater recognition of the “human components” of workers’ lives: “You see dogs and kids flying by in the midst of a call, and you’re more tolerant of that.”

To compensate in-store workers, Lowe’s has distributed six rounds of bonuses—$300 each for full-time employees, $150 for part-time—since March. The company also gave

COURTESY

Janice Dupré Little, the chief human resources officer at Lowe’s, with Executive Vice President of Stores Joe McFarland in October. They were filming a promotion for the company’s new program, Making It ... with Lowe’s, which allows diverse small business owners to pitch their products directly to Lowe’s.

The new Lowe’s tech hub in South End, which will accommodate 2,000 workers when it opens in late 2021.

hourly workers a temporary $2-an-hour raise. Lowe’s has hired more than 155,000 people, in part due to the surging demand from stir-crazy customers. Lowe’s also held its annual women’s leadership summit and its vendor forum virtually this year, a first for the company. Dupré Little says changes like those could persist after the pandemic.

“When you do things in person, you’re limited by space, capacity, and resources,” she says. “Once you have a virtual environment, it gives you a reach you wouldn’t have before.”

But the new workplace template, whatever it turns out to be, is still a long way off. “I don’t feel like we’re going to come out of this pandemic just because a vaccine comes out,” Dupré Little says. “It’s going to take time. We could be in this thing for a lot longer.”

ELY PORTILLO is assistant director at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. He previously spent a decade as a reporter in Charlotte, covering business, development, and politics.

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JOE PURVIS

COVID-related work restrictions have led homeowners to ask designers and builders like Pike Properties for bigger home offices— and homes.

HOME WORK

Overnight, the personal office has become the primary place of business. What does that mean for the people who build them?

BY ANDY SMITH

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COURTESY

“The whole idea of a guest room is going out the window,” says House of Nomad co-owner Berkeley Minkhorst.

“Since people are staying home more, it’s become a full music room, a lounge space, or the home office.”

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PATRICK CLINE

Lisa Sherry Interieurs brings a mix of what the owner calls “classic and modern” to Charlotte homes.

ANTHONY MOORE AND MATT CONNOLLY met as students at Northeastern University in Boston and transferred to UNC Wilmington together in the early 2000s.

They founded the building company Pike Properties in 2008 and began to flip small starter homes in the midst of a financial crisis that depressed home prices. Over the past 12 years, Pike Properties has grown with the Charlotte housing market, and the homes Moore and Connolly build now sell for an average of $1.3 million. Many of their local clients skip the classic starter home and go straight for the house of their dreams.

This year, with COVID-19 and deserted workplaces, the dream includes home offices with full automation and pre-wired CAT6 cables for smooth internet connections. Oh, and natural light that doesn’t sentence buyers to eight hours in a dungeon—and don’t forget a connected bathroom.

People have to work somewhere, and traditional offices increasingly seem like relics. In August, San Francisco-based Pinterest paid $90 million to escape its 18-monthold lease on nearly 500,000 square feet the company hadn’t fully built out, USA Today reports. Around the same time and nearby, Stanford University researchers announced that COVID had forced 42% of the U.S. labor force to work from home.

The real estate research firm Real Page listed Charlotte as a top-10 city in new apartment construction last year, and the units are full of young professionals with sixfigure incomes who approach companies like Pike when they’re ready to move into homes of their own. “Most of our buyers are dual-income families, and many if not both of them previously had the option to work from home,” Moore says. “But COVID kicked all of that into overdrive. The number-one feature when we’re designing our plans now is that we have to make those spaces larger.”

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The home office’s place on the checklist isn’t going to budge anytime soon, Moore says. He’s already forecasting new trends, like soundproofing: People are tired of barking dogs and bickering children interrupting Zoom calls. Buyers also want space for Peloton bikes and other workout equipment in additional bonus rooms, and open concepts with indoor-outdoor spaces and cascading doors, and also rooms that allow for privacy—there’s no shortage of family time these days.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association, in a fall 2020 survey of 700 design pros, registered a spike in demand for bathroom extras like bidets and self-closing lids. For many of Pike Properties’ clients, that includes bathrooms attached to home offices.

The minimalist trend that dominated HGTV programming for years has evaporated.

“Before this, tiny homes were so big,” meaning popular, Moore says. “Now we’re seeing homes getting larger because of all the spaces we’re talking about. Home sizes are moving in the opposite direction. That’s not something I would have anticipated 12 months ago.”

Laura VanSickle laughs about what she was considering then. She and her staff discussed whether Closets by Design’s home office line was becoming obsolete. The company designs and builds closets, pantries, laundries, and home offices that need organization; VanSickle bought its Charlotte franchise with her husband, Eric, in 2004, when home offices were trendy. By last year, the trend was wearing off. “People no longer had these big towers for their home computers,” she says. “They took their laptops to the living room or kitchen table as a temporary surface for working at home.” But when COVID hit, “we saw a massive resurgence for those wanting to go back into their (home) offices.”

Closets by Design’s employees scrutinize every inch of their clients’ workplaces.

They measure drawer depth and ask questions like, “Do you keep legal letter-sized documents in there?” or “Where do you keep your bourbon?” They assess workspaces in guest bedrooms. (Murphy beds, the fold-out wall beds popular in tiny homes, are

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

NURIA BONSER

Since March, the number of Closest

By Design Charlotte’s home office projects has risen by 30 percent, says co-owner Laura VanSickle. The company designs and builds closets, pantries, laundries, and home offices that need organization.

DUSTIN PECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Georgia Street Design’s Meredith Cline Beregovski brings elegance into home offices. This home office is the first room one sees when entering the local client’s house, so Beregovski says it needed “to flow with with the overall aesthetic of the rest of the home.” Like other firms, her business has also seen a sharp increase in spaces like these.

growing more popular in all types of houses, VanSickle says.) More than ever, she says, clients request specific, uncommon additions to other rooms, too, like team-themed man caves, climate-controlled wine bars, shelving for Transformer toys, and hobby rooms for music and visual art.

The more time clients have to dwell on these projects, the more they want to make them happen, VanSickle says. In July, the home-improvement company Porch.com reported the results of a national survey of 1,083 homeowners: Three in four had completed at least one major home improvement project since March, and even more had planned one. Home-improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s have reported record quarters last year. Those who can afford it seem to have run out of excuses for finally finishing those bonus-room projects, and interior designers and builders are happy to put them in the queue.

“So many of those in the corporate world had already gone down to a cubicle,” VanSickle says. “The days of the nice, big office are gone. Now we have an opportunity to create the work environment again.”

ANDY SMITH is the executive editor of this magazine.

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EAST SIDE STORY

BY ALLISON BRADEN

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOGAN CYRUS

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As Charlotte builds for the future, east side community leaders urge city officials not to leave its most diverse area in the dust

Theo Williams started the open air flea market at the old Eastland Mall site in 2015.

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ON

A B R I S K F R I D AY in early December, Mecklenburg County Commissioner Mark Jerrell was on his way to the Far East. That’s what he calls this area on the eastern edge of town, where strip malls and four-lane intersections give way to farmland and woods. His Ford F-150 was the second car in a convoy of two: To socially distance, Charlotte City Council member Matt Newton drove City Manager Marcus Jones in a separate car. As they caravanned down Plaza Road Extension, Newton and Jerrell explained via speakerphone how infrastructure in the Far East has not kept pace with growth. They wanted to show Jones the consequences in person. Minutes after he returned to the office, Jerrell tells me he hopes the ride-along with Jones and Newton will help bring public attention to a neglected part of town.

“I was talking not only as a commissioner but as a resident and constituent as well, because I live out there,” Jerrell says. (Newton, who represents Council District 5, and at-large City Council member Dimple Ajmera live in the same area.) But Jerrell’s responsibilities extend far beyond his own neighborhood, Reedy Creek. He represents county District 4, which stretches from closein neighborhoods like Plaza Midwood and Elizabeth through the urban sprawl along Eastway Drive and East W.T. Harris Boulevard, all the way out to Interstate 485.

Jerrell refers to his vast district in sections—Near East, Middle East, and Far East. Like Asia writ small, this swath of Charlotte is too diverse to understand as a monolith.

I spoke with east side community leaders to try to connect the dots. I found an impressionist landscape, a collection of individual brushstrokes that represented the work of various neighborhood associations, developers, and the city and county. The more residents I talked to, the more I realized how many perspectives I was missing. The more I learned, the more I understood how much I didn’t know. Finally, I had to step back and squint at the jumble of color. I saw a city grappling with growth as it celebrates development successes in some areas while others still struggle for essential services. But I also saw a network of community leaders determined to invest the east side’s surplus of possibility into a better quality of life not just for residents but for all Charlotteans, present and future.

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THE EAST SIDE REPRESENTS what historian Tom Hanchett calls “salad-bowl suburbs.” The small city of Charlotte grew from the 1950s onward, and beginning in the ’90s, immigrants from all over the world settled along the Central Avenue and North Tryon Street corridors.

But immigrants weren’t the only ones to flock to the east side. U.S.-born people of all races settled here, attracted to its convenience and affordability; today, about 220,000 people live in Jerrell’s district. With time, these communities remained distinct, hence “salad bowl” instead of “melting pot.”

Despite growing density, the eastern suburbs maintained a characteristic dependence on the car. In the last decades of the 20th century, a trip down Central Avenue was a trip through time: The historically walkable “stroll zone” of Plaza Midwood, where businesses lined the sidewalks, petered out into a busy thoroughfare, where cars clogged intersections on their way to the iconic, millionsquare-foot Eastland Mall.

“It didn’t seem like Christmas to me until I went to Eastland,” says lifelong east side resident Patsy Kinsey, 79, a seven-term council member and 1959 Central High graduate who briefly served as mayor in 2013. She still has the ice skates she took to the mall, where skating on the indoor rink was among the east side’s quintessential experiences. The mall closed for good in 2010. The city bought it in 2012 and demolished it a year later. Since then, the 80-acre property has been an invitation to imagine the future of the east side.

For more than a quarter-century, the mall was a focal point for the area, and since its demolition, the site has continued to dominate discussions about how to revitalize the east side (see pg. 14). But the east side, with all its ills and opportunities, is a slippery, many-tentacled creature. “The basic problem in what folks call the crescent, which is the less well-to-do neighborhoods across the center of Mecklenburg County, is the legacy of disinvestment,” Hanchett tells me by phone, “where government spent less—where the people have less political power and therefore the government spent less—but also where you had your speculative real estate folks not investing robustly.” The result is a slice of Charlotte with a fractured identity, a place that often escapes public attention. But the lack of investment has also kept this side of town affordable, making it a haven for the immigrants, refugees, artists, and young professionals who spur innovation citywide. “The central question,” Hanchett says, “is, how much change is good change?”

Mecklenburg County Commissioner Mark Jerrell refers to the sections of his vast district by the informal designations Near, Middle, and Far East.

ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER Tracy Dodson is on her third separate stint as a city official—her first began in 2005— and has worked on the Eastland redevelopment project during all three. Of all her experiences with the project, a town hall from the summer of 2018 stands out. “I understand mixed-use projects. I’ve built them, I know how they work, I know how to put them together,” she says. “And I remember a citizen standing up at the meeting and saying, ‘You know, you seem to have a résumé, and you seem to understand how to do development, but that doesn’t mean that you understand how to do this one.’” His point, Dodson explains, was that the city and developer would have to listen—really listen—to the community.

The trouble was that the east side’s “community” is really dozens of communities. They speak Spanish, Bosnian, Yoruba, and Bengali. There are the skaters who built a full-fledged skate park on the Eastland site and the vendors at the informal open-air market nearby. “I don’t think that there’s ever a scenario where we can say we nailed it and we did it perfectly,” Dodson says. “Having said that, I think that the team did in fact do a lot to really try to reach people in unique ways.” Tim Sittema, managing partner of Eastland site developer Crosland Southeast, reckons they held 15 or 16 community feedback meetings.

He attended every one. “I can’t remember a development I worked on,” he says, “where I had as expansive a community engagement strategy as this one.”

Part of Crosland Southeast’s imperative was to contribute toward ambiguous city goals such as “unify local communities.” Charlotte EAST, a nonprofit founded in 2006 to build social and economic capital across the east side, helps identify and advocate for concrete methods to achieve those vague ambitions. The group was essential in soliciting and providing community feedback to the developer. Charlotte EAST treasurer Maureen Gilewski says many members of the board, which includes Kinsey, were disappointed that the site won’t have a bigger park.

But she’s pleased that the plan now includes public meeting places. Breweries, parks, and community buildings are “really important for social engagement and improvement

of social capital,” she says. “We don’t have those further out here in the east community, so it’s always a challenge to find a place where community can gather, and I think they’re hitting on that with the Eastland development.”

When I talk to Sittema, he’s celebrating the hard-won result of the community feedback process. Two days before, on November 9, the City Council unanimously approved Crosland Southeast’s plans, which include a grocery store, retail, office space, housing, and a Major League Soccer youth academy. After years of complications, the vote was seen as a major victory for all involved, with the possible exception of the skaters and market vendors. But Dodson knows the development alone won’t achieve the city’s goals. “The redevelopment of that site isn’t the silver bullet to fix everything,” she says. “It is a catalyst. And our work isn’t done.”

JERRELL’S SMALL CONVOY pulled to a stop off Harrisburg Road near Albemarle Road, in front of a county park next to the public Charles T. Myers golf course. A historic Black neighborhood, J.H. Gunn, sits across the street, just down the road from a slew of construction sites, where forest is clear-cut to make way for housing developments.

Jerrell, Newton, and Jones stepped out of their cars to look around.

The city manager was taken aback, Jerrell says. He took photos as Jerrell and Newton explained the problem: “The seniors can’t even cross Harrisburg Road to get to the park for any sort of recreation,” Jerrell tells me. “There’s nothing to even allow them to stop traffic to allow them to cross, which is such a simple fix.” Harrisburg Road has gotten so busy that residents are trapped on the other side.

The infrastructure failure has wider implications, Jerrell continues, his voice rising. “Imagine a county asset like a park. If it’s going to be in front of a neighborhood, but the neighbors can’t access it, what good is it? And we say, ‘Oh, they don’t use the park, they don’t need the park, and there’s no need for us to do upgrades, because the park’s not used.’”

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The Open Air Market at Eastland Mall is open on Fridays and Saturdays. (Middle) Jorge, Ness, David, and Emily stopped by on a Saturday morning in December before they headed to skate Eastland DIY, a makeshift skate park that also shares the vacant Eastland lot. (Above) Hector has sold toys since COVID started in March 2020; his uncle, one of the market’s first vendors, sells candies from the booth next to Hector’s. Other wares include western boots (top) and lanyards (right).

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Charlotte artist Rosalia Torres-Weiner of Red Calaca Studio painted a mural near Eastway Drive and Central Avenue, one of the east side’s main intersections.

Torres-Weiner incorporated images from the east side’s history.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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THE FIRST THING VIVIAN LORD tells me when I call her is that the Far East has been violated. The UNC Charlotte criminology professor emeritus moved from Concord to the McCarron Way subdivision 15 years ago, and she’s part of an initiative Jerrell is organizing, the Far East Neighborhoods Coalition, to advocate for this part of town.

“There is no regulation to speak of,” she says, then goes on to list some of her and her neighbors’ frustrations: busy roads with no shoulders; no pedestrian or bike infrastructure; distant bus stops; the lack of developer impact fees; and—not unrelated—the lack of funding for school expansion despite a booming population. For those who would point to this area as a solution to Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis, Lord has choice words. “If you want affordable housing for people, you build it where they can get on a bus, where they can get on the light rail, where you have employment around them,” she says. “You don’t put them 10 miles away, where the only attraction is that they can put their car that they don’t own on 485.”

Lord thought the city had a plan. She and about 50 other Far East residents attended a City Council meeting a

“If you want affordable housing for people, you build it where they can get on a bus, where they can get on the light rail, where you have employment around them. You don’t put them 10 miles away, where the only attraction is that they can put their car that they don’t own on 485.”

—VIVIAN LORD

Vivian Lord, a criminology professor emeritus at UNC Charlotte, is one of a growing coalition of “Far East” residents who say unchecked development with little to no infrastructure to support it harms their communities.

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little more than a year ago to make their concerns known.

They described rampant development with little oversight, subdivisions of 135 or more “matchbox houses” with no amenities or infrastructure planned to support them.

Without impact fees, which are typically used to fund public infrastructure, how will the city and county manage the growth? Even more laughable, Lord says, is the pledge to protect Charlotte’s tree canopy. (She invites me to drive down Harrisburg Road myself: “Bring lots of Kleenex if you care about the trees and the birds.”) The City Council’s response did not encourage hope. “There was some agreement by the Planning Department that night that we were there that said, ‘Well, yeah, you know, we probably should have something, but we don’t have anything in our plan,’” Lord recalls. “They don’t care.”

Part of the problem, which extends across the east side, is branding. “When I first joined this board 12 years ago, it was always the discussion of, ‘Our problem is perception,’” says Charlotte EAST’s Gilewski. She helped launch Taste of the World in 2005 to improve it. The event, which bused participants on an eat-and-greet tour of the east side’s international restaurants, celebrated the area’s

New homes rise along Harrisburg Road in the “Far East,” near the historic Black neighborhood J.H. Gunn.

County Commissioner Mark Jerrell says high traffic and the absence of a crossing cuts residents off from the county park across the road.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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diversity, one of its greatest assets and one of the features that unite the Near, Middle, and Far East.

Buford Highway, a similarly diverse corridor in Atlanta, has earned a national reputation for international fare. Its marketing success is a reminder that an area’s development and identity don’t have to look like South End, Ballantyne, or even Plaza Midwood.

“For families who grew up here back in the ’70s or ’80s, the closing of Eastland was like the closing of the casket, a funeral. It was the end of the east side that they knew,” Hanchett says. “And I think it’s real easy, if you grew up in that world, to miss all of the new entrepreneurs who are filling all of the other spaces.” Certainly the east side has its challenges, but public perception seems to be of a community in decline, epitomized by the concrete wasteland where Eastland Mall used to be.

But Hanchett points out the high occupancy rate for businesses in that part of town: Drive along Conchas, Mexican sweet bread rolls, at Manolo’s Bakery on Central or Eastway, and you’ll see nary a vacant Central Avenue. storefront. There’s a marketing catch-22 at work: The east side wants to highlight and unite behind its diversity to win public engagement, but that diversity—and the lack of political power that comes with whose job is to fight for human rights and a good stanbeing an immigrant, refugee, or minority—has likely kept dard of living for his neighbors and residents throughout this community from having a prominent seat at the table the east side. “My community,” he says, “is a diverse comto begin with. munity, is the Charlotte community.”

Rocio Gonzalez, director of memberships and programs (and former president) of the Latin American Chamber of NIMISH BHATT MOVED from New York City to Charlotte Commerce, was instrumental in reaching out to Latino in 1993 because he liked the slower pace of life here. The communities for feedback on the Eastland proposals. She son of missionaries, he’d spent his childhood in Uganda found that they wanted to be involved because the results before his family fled the brutal Idi Amin regime in 1972 would affect their families and children, but they often and settled in his parents’ native India, where he studied had to juggle work and school schedules that left little civil engineering. From 1998 to 2000, he led the developtime for community meetings. ment of Yogi Nagar, a small subdivision of international “Sometimes it was a hard sell,” says Gonzalez, who’s residents just off Idlewild Road, and he’s the ex-president also on the Charlotte EAST board, “because we want to and current vice chair of the Carolinas Asian-American convince them that, yes, their voices need to be heard Chamber of Commerce. I catch Bhatt on the phone on and that their voices are important.” The immigrant coma Wednesday morning, and his reaction surprises me. munity, she says, “has very much the same needs as any Everyone else I’ve talked to has spoken highly of the microbusiness”: a safe environment, salaries and wages Eastland plans and process, but Bhatt believes Crosland families can live on, public transportation, good educaSoutheast and the city didn’t go far enough in listening to tion, quality health care, and comfortable shopping. It’s and building for the international community. just that many are unfamiliar with the process in the “The system is such that it serves the interests of people United States. who have power and position,” Bhatt says, and he believes The process can be intimidating, even for those who that the city hasn’t paid much more than lip service to are intimately involved. Gilewski tells me about a plan to the notion of diversity. In October, when Dodson preroute the Carolina Thread Trail, a network of greenways, sented the Eastland plans to the City Council, Mayor under Albemarle Road. The vision is alluring. But then she Vi Lyles floated the idea of installing a sign to designate explains the hurdles: The city had to contribute funds for the adjacent section of Central Avenue as “International improvements at the road level, but the trail is a project of Way.” Bhatt believes that’s the kind of empty gesture that the county’s Park and Recreation department, and on top absolves elected officials of their failure to engage with of that, Albemarle is a state road (N.C. Highway 24/27). the truly marginalized rather than their preferred emisWhen the city was ready to invest, the county wasn’t presaries from the international community. “Who do they pared to move forward. I begin to understand how dauntlisten to?” he says. “Those who sing their song and play the ing it is to engage in the bureaucratic wrangling required violin in tune with their music.” He calls himself a “rascal” to build a community where people love to live.

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The new bike lane along The Plaza in Plaza Midwood ends abruptly at Parkwood Road, a busy, dangerous street for bicyclists.

EAST SIDE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES and activists have embraced that painstaking task. Nancy Pierce, a photojournalist who lives in the Merry Oaks neighborhood, spearheaded the addition of the Arnold and Masonic Drive section to the Briar Creek Greenway. Mimi Davis of the Grove Park neighborhood regularly treks uptown to City Council meetings to highlight east side issues from the public comment lectern. Lucien Edwards, who’s part of the Liberian Community Association, brings his community’s concerns to Jerrell and other elected leaders. Allen Nelson runs the Commonwealth-Morningside Neighborhood Association and frequently convenes leaders from other Near East neighborhoods to discuss issues like greenways, rezonings, and transportation.

Pierce moved to Charlotte in 1979 and to Merry Oaks for its affordability; also, she had friends just up Central Avenue in Plaza Midwood. Once she’d settled in, she appreciated the east side’s array of artists, immigrants, and young families. “I just fell in love with it,” she says, in part for its potential: “I’d rather create something or be part of creating something than go somewhere that’s already cool.”

The untapped promise drew Nelson, too, along with its proximity to the city center. He grew up in south Charlotte and scoured the region, as far away as Mooresville, for a place to live. Now 42, he and his family live in the Commonwealth neighborhood, between Plaza Midwood and Elizabeth, in a house he bought in 2007. Nelson fondly remembers ice skating at Eastland. But today, he thinks the experience that best captures the east side is a bike ride that includes stops at the area’s local breweries.

Biking came up often in my conversations: Residents want to be able to walk and bike. But Plaza Midwood’s beautiful new bike lane stops suddenly at The Plaza’s intersection with Parkwood Road, a busy, dangerous street for cyclists. The city recently completed a pilot program for bus and bike lanes on Central Avenue, a tentative attempt to unyoke the Middle East from its historic addiction to the automobile. In the Far East, bike infrastructure seems a distant dream when busy thoroughfares don’t even have crosswalks.

A little more than a week after his ride-along with Newton and Jones, Jerrell, 50, was sworn in for a second term as county commissioner. For the next two years, he’ll continue to advocate for the east side by celebrating what’s there and drawing attention to what’s missing. The east side’s success, he believes, is the county’s success.

“You can hear people speak in languages from Spanish to Swahili. You could go to a restaurant that is Ethiopian, that is Czech, that is Thai, Vietnamese,” he says. “And if we just expand this footprint, it’s going to be certainly beneficial to all of Mecklenburg County, but the surrounding counties as well.” When I ask Jerrell about the experience that defines his district, he mentions the kaleidoscopic culture.

But then he says the true east side experience doesn’t exist yet. It’s the one that resides in our imaginations, the one he and others are working to bring to life. “The decisions that we’re making are not for today,” he says.

“They’re for 20 years from now. They’re for another generation.”

ALLISON BRADEN is a contributing editor to this magazine.

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

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CHARLOTTE

2021

THE ANNUAL LIST OF TOP ATTORNEYS

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2.5%

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TOP 25 CHARLOTTE

AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF THE LAWYERS WHO RANKED TOP OF THE LIST IN THE 2021 NORTH CAROLINA SUPER LAWYERS NOMINATION, RESEARCH AND BLUE RIBBON REVIEW PROCESS.

Cooney, III, James P., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte

McDowell, Valecia M., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Culp, Heather W., Essex Richards, Charlotte

Miller, Jr., John R., Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte

Davis, Edward B., Bell Davis & Pitt, Charlotte Fialko, Christopher C., Fialko Law, Charlotte Greene, Michael J., Goodman Carr Laughrun Levine & Greene, Charlotte

Moss, Jr., Joseph W., Erwin Capitano & Moss, Charlotte Norvell, Holly B., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Where do I start my search for an attorney?

Powers, Bill, Powers Law Firm, Charlotte

The Super Lawyers® list is comprised of the top 5% of attorneys in each state selected via a patented process that includes independent research, peer nominations, and evaluation.

Higgins, Sara "Sally" W., Higgins & Owens, Charlotte

Rayburn, Jr., C. Richard, Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte

The answer is SuperLawyers.com

James, Jason B., Bell Davis & Pitt, Charlotte

Riopel, Mark D., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte

Grier, III, Joseph W., Grier Wright Martinez, Charlotte Harrington, Robert E., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

King, Jr., C. Bailey, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Charlotte Kutrow, Bradley R., McGuireWoods, Charlotte Largess, S. Luke, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Marcus, Robert R., Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Charlotte

S-2

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Owen, C. Melissa, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Pantazis, Annemarie, Wilder Pantazis Law Group, Charlotte

Van Kampen, Joshua R., Van Kampen Law, Charlotte Wester, John R., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Wyatt, III, James F., Wyatt & Blake, Charlotte

S P E CIAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION

NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 Alternative Dispute Resolution .................S-3 Antitrust Litigation .....................................S-3 Appellate ....................................................S-3 Banking.......................................................S-3 Bankruptcy: Business .................................S-3 Bankruptcy: Consumer...............................S-3 Business Litigation .....................................S-3 Business/Corporate ...................................S-4 Civil Litigation: Defense .............................S-4 Civil Litigation: Plaintiff ..............................S-4 Civil Rights ..................................................S-5 Construction Litigation ..............................S-5

THE ANNUAL LIST

BY PRIMARY AREA OF PRACTICE

The list was finalized as of July 14, 2020. Only attorneys who data verified with Super Lawyers for the current year are included on the list that follows. All current selections and any updates to the list (e.g., status changes or disqualifying events) will be reflected on superlawyers.com.

Names and page numbers in RED indicate a profile on the specified page. Phone numbers are included only for attorneys with paid Super Lawyers or Rising Stars print advertisements.

Criminal Defense ........................................S-5 Criminal Defense: DUI/DWI.......................S-6

Horn, III, Carl, Attorney at Law, Charlotte

Criminal Defense: White Collar .................S-6

Huckel, Wayne P., Huckel Law, Charlotte

Elder Law ....................................................S-6

Owens, Jr., Raymond E., Higgins & Owens, Charlotte

Eminent Domain ........................................S-6

Employment Litigation: Defense ............... S-7 Employment Litigation: Plaintiff ............... S-7 Entertainment & Sports ............................. S-7

ANTITRUST LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS Moore, III, Lawrence C., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Environmental ............................................ S-7 Estate & Trust Litigation ............................ S-7 Estate Planning & Probate ........................S-8 Family Law..................................................S-8 General Litigation.......................................S-9 Government Finance ..................................S-9 Health Care.................................................S-9 Immigration ................................................S-9 Insurance Coverage....................................S-9 Intellectual Property ..................................S-9 Intellectual Property Litigation..................S-9

Mergers & Acquisitions ............................S-10 Personal Injury General: Plaintiff.............S-10 Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense ..................................................S-10 Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff...................................................S-10 Professional Liability: Defense ................S-10 Real Estate ...............................................S-10 Securities & Corporate Finance ...............S-10

SUPER LAWYERS Jones, M. Duane, Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, Charlotte

Schilli, David M., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Thompson, Judy D., JD Thompson Law, Charlotte Wright, A. Cotten, Grier Wright Martinez, Charlotte Wright, Richard S., Moon Wright & Houston, Charlotte RISING STARS Lluberas, Luis M., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

BANKRUPTCY: CONSUMER SUPER LAWYERS Badger, David R., David R. Badger, Charlotte

Culp, Heather W., Essex Richards, Charlotte Pg. S-2 RISING STARS Love, Jr., Kenneth, Karrenstein and Love, Matthews

Widenhouse, Jr., M. Gordon, Rudolf Widenhouse, Charlotte

Woodman, John C., Essex Richards, Charlotte

RISING STARS Hinman, Travis, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

BUSINESS LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS Adams, Michael G., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

BANKING SUPER LAWYERS Robinson, S. Graham, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Bridgmon, Charles J., Bray & Long, Charlotte Capitano, Todd, Erwin Capitano & Moss, Charlotte Chase, Nathan, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

BANKRUPTCY: BUSINESS

Cobb, John H., Winston & Strawn, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS Cooper, Langdon McIlroy, Mullen Holland & Cooper, Gastonia

Durham, Albert F., Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte

State, Local & Municipal ...........................S-11

Eades, David L., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Tax..............................................................S-11

Esser, IV, William L., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

Workers’ Compensation............................S-11

Rayburn, III, Charles R., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Odom, III, Preston O., James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte

Social Security Disability ..........................S-10

Technology Transactions ..........................S-11

Parrish, Felton E., Hull & Chandler, Charlotte, 704-375-8488

Cordes, Stacy C., Cordes Law, Charlotte, 704-332-3565 Pg. S-9

APPELLATE

International ...............................................S-9 Land Use/Zoning .......................................S-9

Miller, Jr., John R., Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Martinez, Michael L., Grier Wright Martinez, Charlotte

Employee Benefits......................................S-6 Employment & Labor .................................S-6

Houston, Andrew T., Moon Wright & Houston, Charlotte

Thompson, Glenn C., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION SUPER LAWYERS Dunn, Steve, Miles Mediation & Arbitration Services, Charlotte

Creditor Debtor Rights ...............................S-5

Henderson, James H., The Henderson Law Firm, Charlotte

Grier, III, Joseph W., Grier Wright Martinez, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Daniel, John T., Essex Richards, Charlotte Davis, Edward B., Bell Davis & Pitt, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Derr, Tricia Morvan, Lincoln Derr, Charlotte Doerr, Adam K., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Durham, Joshua B., Bell Davis & Pitt, Charlotte Edwards, Zipporah B., Offit Kurman, Charlotte Erwin, Lex M., Erwin Capitano & Moss, Charlotte CONTINUED ON PAGE S-4

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NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 BUSINESS LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS CONT’D FROM PAGE S-3

Fagg, Jr., John A., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Fennell, Richard B., James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte Fulton, Ross R., Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte Fuller, III, Robert W., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Gardner, Jared E., Gardner Skelton, Charlotte Gibson, Ronald L., Ruff Bond Cobb Wade & Bethune, Charlotte Green, Bonnie Keith, The Green Firm, Charlotte Harden, Debbie W., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte Hardymon, Glen K., Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte Harrington, Robert E., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Hennessey, IV, Edward F., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Richey, Alice Carmichael, Alexander Ricks, Charlotte Ross, Adam L., James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte Sadler, Megan, Bass Dunklin McCullough & Smith, Charlotte

Welch, Gary J., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Gilbert, Heath, Baucom Claytor Benton Morgan & Wood, Charlotte

Wester, John R., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Hannum, Christopher E., Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-973-5320

White, Martin L., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Hull, Nathan Myers, Hull & Chandler, Charlotte, 704-375-8488

Wilder, Jr., Raboteau, Wilder Pantazis Law Group, Charlotte

Rayburn, Jr., C. Richard, Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Wood, Jr., Fred M., Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Charlotte

RISING STARS Ariail, Laurin, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Wright, III, David C., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Litwak, Brian, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Hicks, Christopher A., Hicks Law, Charlotte

Brendle, Andrew S., Soni Brendle, Charlotte

Higgins, Sara “Sally” W., Higgins & Owens, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Church, Brian L., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

King, Jr., C. Bailey, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Charlotte Pg. S-2

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

Tyler, Scott M., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Henriques, Mark P., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte

Jarrell, Douglas M., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Wagner, Sean C., Wagner Hicks, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS Cooper, W. Scott, Rayburn Cooper & Durham, Charlotte

Spears, Harold C., Caudle & Spears, Charlotte

RISING STARS Barringer, Fitz E., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

James, Jason B., Bell Davis & Pitt, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Vennum, Liz, Vennum, Charlotte

Clay, M. Cabell, Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Farley, William J., Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, Charlotte Ferguson, Russ, Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte

Rugani, David, Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Temple, Jordan D., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

CIVIL LITIGATION: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS Allen, David Neal, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Charlotte

Bolster, Jeffrey S., Bolster Rogers, Charlotte

Garber, Lucas D., Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, Charlotte

Boutwell, John D., Thurman Wilson Boutwell & Galvin, Charlotte

Krisko, Jonathan C., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Garella, Kiel, Garella Law, Charlotte

Kutny, Mark R., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte

Hutchins, Sarah Fulton, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

Garofalo, Mel J., Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, Charlotte

Kutrow, Bradley R., McGuireWoods, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Kliebert, Kate, Kliebert Law, Charlotte

Stiles, Ned A., Stiles Byrum & Horne, Charlotte

Krueger-Andes, Matthew W., Fox Rothschild, Charlotte

RISING STARS Haigler, Michael, Clawson and Staubes, Charlotte

Lay, M. Aaron, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte

Johnson, Patrick, Brownlee Whitlow & Praet, Charlotte

Lindahl, Rebecca K., Katten Muchin Rosenman, Charlotte

Nguyen Worthy, Mica, Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog, Charlotte

McTier, Ty, Redding Jones, Charlotte

Peterson, Daniel E., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

Mauney, Gary V., Mauney, Charlotte, 704-562-8442

Moore, Parker E., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Sugg, R. Jeremy, Lincoln Derr, Charlotte

McDowell, Valecia M., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Nitto, Amanda Pickens, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

McLoughlin, Jr., James P., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Peacock, Tyler B., Gardner Skelton, Charlotte

Walker, Marshall, Gray Layton Kersh Solomon Furr & Smith, Gastonia

Raab, Christopher P., Caudle & Spears, Charlotte

Walsh, Austin R., Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, Charlotte

Raja, Nader S., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Wooten, Virginia, Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog, Charlotte

Lathrop, Anthony T. (Tony), Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Long, Jeffrey A., Bray & Long, Charlotte Lord, Harrison A., Lord Law Firm, Charlotte Marcus, Robert R., Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Charlotte Pg. S-2

McNeill, Robert B., Offit Kurman, Charlotte Meckler, Steven A., Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, Charlotte Mehta, Kiran H., Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, Charlotte Moss, Jr., Joseph W., Erwin Capitano & Moss, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Nebrig, Mark A., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

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Rogers, Morgan H., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte Shook, Benjamin E., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Staples, Christian H., Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, Charlotte

Thomas, Lee M., Martineau King, Charlotte, 704-247-8520

CIVIL LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF RISING STARS Caudill, Bo, Weaver Bennett & Bland, Matthews

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2

S P E CIAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION

NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 Hocutt, Adam, Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte

Rosenwood, Erik M., Rosenwood Rose & Litwak, Charlotte

Page, Travis G., Arthurs & Foltz, Gastonia

Skufca, Ronald A., Skufca Law, Charlotte, 704-376-3030 Pg. S-6

CIVIL RIGHTS RISING STARS Chambers, Cheyenne N., Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte

Littlejohn, Jr., Micheal L., Littlejohn Law, Charlotte

CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS Ahlum, Greg C., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Beaver, Ryan L., Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Charlotte Burchette, Robert L., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Carson, B. David, Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte James, Tracy Thompson, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte Lautenschlager, Kenneth T., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Lax, Andrew W., Forrest Firm, Charlotte

Stockton, Colin R., Regent Law, Charlotte RISING STARS

Bimbo, Steven Allen, Smith Terry & Johnson, Charlotte Burchette, Carl J., Rosenwood Rose & Litwak, Charlotte Correll, Jr., B. Alexander, Caudle & Spears, Charlotte Dantinne, Kenneth, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte Jesson, Edward A., Jesson & Rains, Charlotte Kirk, Kimberly J., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Poplin, Ashlee, Cotney Construction Law, Charlotte Powell, Joseph, Parton & Associates, Charlotte Rose, Whitaker Boykin, Rosenwood Rose & Litwak, Charlotte Trimmer, Daniel S., Skufca Law, Charlotte, 704-376-3030 Pg. S-6

CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS SUPER LAWYERS Tarr, Andrew W.J., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

CRIMINAL DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS Corbett, III, Robert Kelly, The Corbett Law Firm, Charlotte

Davis, James A., Davis and Davis, Salisbury, 704-639-1900 Foster, Jr., Mark P., Foster Law Offices, Charlotte Greene, Michael J., Goodman Carr Laughrun Levine & Greene, Charlotte Pg. S-2 McKnight, Reggie E., McKnight Law Firm, Charlotte Pruden, Matthew G., Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Randall, IV, Samuel J., Randall & Stump, Charlotte Rawls, III, Eben T., Rawls Scheer Clary & Mingo, Charlotte Scheer, Anthony G., Rawls Scheer Clary & Mingo, Charlotte CONTINUED ON PAGE S-6

223 EAST BLVD. CHARLOTTE, NC 28203

A Family Law Firm

(704) 626-6795

Tonya Graser Smith tonya@grasersmith.com

GraserSmith, PLLC proudly recognizes Tonya Graser Smith, 2021 Super Lawyers honoree.

GraserSmith, PLLC focuses our practice on helping families work through difficult and emotional matters that touch the most important people in their lives, such as child custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, divorce, prenuptial agreements, contract enforcement and other family law matters.

For us, every client is a personal relationship requiring personalized attention. From the beginning of the attorney-client relationship, we identify each client’s goals, guide them through the divorce and family law processes, and set expectations for possible and achievable resolutions. Whether through settlement or trial, we partner with our clients in creating dynamic and unique plans that respect and reflect the priorities, paramount goals and individual circumstances of each family.

We strive to reach durable, enduring resolutions in each matter for all of our clients.

SUPER LAWYERS NORTH CAROLINA / CHARLOTTE 2021

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NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 CRIMINAL DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS CONT’D FROM PAGE S-5

Sussman, Jacob H., Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Tin, Noell P., Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte RISING STARS Davis-Woods, Salena J., Davis Woods Law, Charlotte

Gamradt, Darrin, The Law Offices of Darrin M. Gamradt, Concord Heroy, W. Rob, Goodman Carr Laughrun Levine & Greene, Charlotte Lankford, Benjamin J., Roberts Law Group, Charlotte Mills, Miranda, Roberts Law Group, Charlotte Parton, Corey V., Parton & Associates, Charlotte Remington, K. Brandon, Remington & Dixon, Charlotte Stump, Ryan, Randall & Stump, Charlotte

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: DUI/DWI SUPER LAWYERS Laughrun, II, George V., Goodman Carr Laughrun Levine & Greene, Charlotte

Powers, Bill, Powers Law Firm, Charlotte, 704-342-4357 Pg. S-2

RISING STARS Cathcart, William T., RTS Law Group, Charlotte

Lee, Aaron, Law Office of Aaron R. Lee, Huntersville Neece, Michael R., Neece Law Firm, Gastonia, 704-862-0148 Pg. S-11 Olsinski, Justin C., The Olsinski Law Firm, Charlotte Shook II, Ronald, The Law Offices of Ronald J. Shook, Gastonia

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE COLLAR SUPER LAWYERS Brackett, Jr., Martin L., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Cogdell, Jr., Harold W., The Law Offices of Harold Cogdell Jr., Charlotte Cooney, III, James P., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Fialko, Christopher C., Fialko Law, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Glaser, Jr., Richard S., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte Owen, C. Melissa, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Rauscher, Claire J., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte

CONGRATULATIONS

Rudolf, David S., Rudolf Widenhouse, Charlotte Terpening, William, Terpening Law, Charlotte Wyatt, III, James F., Wyatt & Blake, Charlotte Pg. S-2 RISING STARS Kenley, Kristen, Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

ELDER LAW RISING STARS Carson, Heather G., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

EMINENT DOMAIN RISING STARS Murray, David W., The Odom Firm, Charlotte

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SUPER LAWYERS Adams, II, Norris A., Essex Richards, Charlotte

Coffin, Jonathan T., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Colbert, Lois, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, Charlotte Tyson, Bryan, Marcellino & Tyson, Charlotte RISING STARS Matesic, Rachel, The Sasser Law Firm, Charlotte

Walton, Caitlin, Essex Richards, Charlotte

to our SUPER LAWYERS & RISING STARS HONOREES

EMPLOYMENT & LABOR SUPER LAWYERS Adams, III, G. Bryan, Van Hoy Reutlinger Adams & Pierce, Charlotte

Adams, Julie K., FordHarrison, Charlotte

Kerry Traynum Sarah Clark

Ron Skufca*

Dan Trimmer**

Cummings, Angela B., FordHarrison, Charlotte Everett, Kerry B., Everett Law, Charlotte Fosbinder, Julie H., Fosbinder Law Office, Charlotte Gardner, Nicole L., Gardner Skelton, Charlotte

* Super Lawyers Honoree ** Rising Stars Honoree

Gustafson, Marc E., Bell Davis & Pitt, Charlotte Huber, Susan M., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Huckert, Tamara L., Strianese Huckert, Charlotte Hughes, N. Renee, Ascension Law, Charlotte Johnson, Charles E., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

BUSINESS L AW

Kelly, Patrick E., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

CONSTRUC TION L AW FAMILY L AW MOTORSPORTS L AW (704) 376 - 3030 S-6

SUPERLAWYERS.COM

1514 S. CHURCH ST., SUITE 101 CHARLOTTE, NC 28203

skufcalaw.com

Kromer, Sarah J., Sarah J. Kromer, Charlotte Maloney, Margaret B., Maloney Law & Associates, Charlotte McGinnis, Karin M., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2

S P E CIAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION

NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 Noble, Laura L., The Noble Law Firm, Charlotte Pierce, Jr., C. Grainger, Van Hoy Reutlinger Adams & Pierce, Charlotte Rainey, Richard L., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte Reutlinger, Craig A., Van Hoy Reutlinger Adams & Pierce, Charlotte Strianese, Christopher, Strianese Huckert, Charlotte Van Kampen, Joshua R., Van Kampen Law, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Vincent-Hamacher, Angelique R., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Weddington, Keith M., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte Wood, Stacy K., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte Wright, Jr., Julian H., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte RISING STARS

Burchette, Kathleen, Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Flatow, Mathew E., SeiferFlatow, Charlotte

Largess, S. Luke, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Pg. S-2

RISING STARS

Alston, Alonzo M., McAlpine, Charlotte

Sharpe, Jenny L., J Sharpe, Charlotte, 704-944-3272

Kelly, Matthew Sean, Kelly Law Group, Charlotte

JENNY L. SHARPE J SHARPE, PLLC Charlotte • 704-944-3272

ENVIRONMENTAL

www.JennySharpeAttorney.com RISING STARS

SUPER LAWYERS

Elliot, R. Michael, Elliot Morgan Parsonage, Charlotte

Griffin, III, Thomas N., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

Harman, Michael C., Harman Law, Huntersville

RISING STARS

Henson, Andrew, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, Charlotte

Sherlock, Emily S., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Lyon, Daniel C., Elliot Morgan Parsonage, Charlotte

ESTATE & TRUST LITIGATION

Murphy, Kevin P., Herrmann & Murphy, Charlotte, 704-940-6399 Spyker, Jennifer D., Maloney Law & Associates, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS

Anderson, Michael F., Anderson Law Firm, Charlotte Lindley, Trey, Lindley Law, Charlotte

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

RISING STARS

SUPER LAWYERS

Munn, Satie, Lindley Law, Charlotte

Caldwell, Jr., Stokely G., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

CONTINUED ON PAGE S-8

Haynes, Nicole K., Van Kampen Law, Charlotte Herrmann, Sean F., Herrmann & Murphy, Charlotte, 704-940-6399 Hinson, Philip A., Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Charlotte Summey, Tory, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: DEFENSE RISING STARS

Cleys, Kevin, Littler Mendelson, Charlotte Lewis, Gwendolyn W., Lincoln Derr, Charlotte Mullikin (née King), Mary Fletcher, Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Roberson, Ariel E., Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Charlotte

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF SUPER LAWYERS

Gibbons, Jr., Philip J., Gibbons Leis, Charlotte Gresham, John W., Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte

At Collins Family Law Group, we understand family law matters are sensitive in nature and encompass complex legal issues. That is why we strive to utilize our extensive legal knowledge in combination with compassion and unwavering dedication to help clients achieve positive outcomes and successfully navigate the legal process.

REBECCA WATTS*

KAYLAN GAUDIO**

ISLA TABRIZI**

It is our goal to guide clients through these difficult times by providing them with the very best legal services to protect their futures.

With more than 130 years of combined legal experience, the attorneys at Collins Family Law Group are dedicated to serving North and South Carolina in all areas of family law and estate planning, including divorce, child custody, alimony, wills & trusts, probate, appeals, and much more.

CAITLIN RYAN**

Our team is comprised of 15 talented family law and estate planning attorneys.

CANDACE S. FAIRCLOTH**

*Super Lawyers Honoree **Rising Stars Honoree

NORTH CAROLINA: DILWORTH • WEDDINGTON • MONROE • BALLANTYNE • LAKE NORMAN SOUTH CAROLINA: FORT MILL • CHARLESTON

PH: (704) 289-3250 | FX: (704) 625-7451

collinsfamilylaw.com

SUPER LAWYERS NORTH CAROLINA / CHARLOTTE 2021

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NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE SUPER LAWYERS Carpenter, John J. (Jody), Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-973-5343

Davies, Janice L., Davies Law, Charlotte

Rains Jesson, Kelly, Jesson & Rains, Charlotte Williams, Leigh Anne, L.A. Williams Law, Charlotte

FAMILY LAW

Dixon, Jennifer K., Remington & Dixon, Charlotte Easterling, Lindsey, Easterling Law, Matthews Faircloth, Candace S., Collins Family Law Group, Monroe, 704-286-6881 Pg. S-7 Foley, Ashley C., Cordes Law, Charlotte, 704-332-3565 Pg. S-9

Farris, Ray S., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS Arnold, Matthew R., Arnold & Smith, Charlotte

Foster, Debra L., Debra L. Foster, Charlotte

Blair, Jr., Robert S., Essex Richards, Charlotte

Gajewski, Chelsea, Sodoma Law, Charlotte

Griggs, Julie Zydron, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Burt, Laura B., Wofford Burt, Charlotte, 704-626-6672 Pg. S-11

Gaudio, Kaylan, Collins Family Law Group, Monroe, 704-286-6881 Pg. S-7

Hattenhauer, Paul M., Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-973-5336

Bush, Tom, Tom Bush Law Group, Charlotte

Gilbert, Katie, Rech Law, Charlotte

DeJesse, Jr., Paul A., Hatcher Law Group, Charlotte

Griffin, Jordan Marie, Stepp Law Group, Monroe

Henninger, Jr., Joseph B. (Josh), Joseph B. Henninger, Charlotte Hickmon, James E., Hickmon & Perrin, Charlotte Holding, Jr., Graham D., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Jones, Christopher J.C., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte King, Carl L., Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-973-5337 Lewis, David T., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte McBryde, Neill G., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Nesbitt, Andrew L., Nesbitt Law, Charlotte Norvell, Holly B., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Oesterreich, Tanya N., Oesterreich Law, Concord Perrin, Christian L., Hickmon & Perrin, Charlotte

Feit, Jonathan, James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte Gunter, Dorian H., Sellers Ayers Dortch & Lyons, Charlotte Hanner II, Robert P., Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte Hatcher, J. Gregory, Hatcher Law Group, Charlotte Hodges, Elizabeth T., Offit Kurman, Charlotte James, Elizabeth, Offit Kurman, Charlotte King, Irene P., King Collaborative Family Law, Charlotte Lewis, Lauren V., Essex Richards, Charlotte Morris, Gena G., James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte Riopel, Mark D., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte Pg. S-2

Royal, Heidi E., Heidi E. Royal Law, Charlotte

Self, David K., Family Law and Mediation, Cornelius

Shealy, J. Darrell, Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Sellers, Leigh B., Touchstone Family Law, Charlotte

Van Hoy, Bradley T., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte RISING STARS Coumas, Perry A., Orsbon & Fenninger, Charlotte

Dana, Andrew F., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

Simpson, Amy, Sodoma Law, Charlotte Smith, Courtney Hamer, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Smith, Tonya Graser, GraserSmith, Charlotte, 704-626-6795 Pg. S-5 Sodoma, Nicole Heiden, Sodoma Law, Charlotte Soni, Ketan, Soni Brendle, Charlotte

Frost, Kyle A., Offit Kurman, Charlotte

Hamrick, Rachel Rogers, Tom Bush Law Group, Charlotte Hefner, Penelope L., Sodoma Law, Monroe Holladay, Brett C., Miller Bowles Cushing, Charlotte Horton, P. Doughton, Sodoma Law, Charlotte Kirby Stage, Julia, Marcellino & Tyson, Charlotte Krueger-Andes, Carolyn, Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte Larson, Dara Duncan, Duncan Larson Law, Charlotte LeBlanc, Anna Gray, Offit Kurman, Charlotte LeBlanc, Kyle W., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte Marquez, Andria D., Marcellino & Tyson, Charlotte McCleary, David M., Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte McCrary, Dustin S., The Law Office of Dustin S. McCrary, Statesville Melvin, Christine M., Hatcher Law Group, Charlotte Meredith, Eric S., Jetton & Meredith, Charlotte, 704-859-4224 Pg. S-11

ERIC S. MEREDITH

JETTON & MEREDITH, PLLC Charlotte • 704-859-4224

www.jettonmeredithlaw.com Miller, Katie B., Miller Bowles Cushing, Charlotte

Dean, Benjamin E., Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-372-6322

Stephens, Richard D., Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte

Feller, Danielle R., Daly Mills Family Law, Statesville

Trosch, Eric C., Conrad Trosch & Kemmy, Charlotte

Moore, Jennifer P., Marcellino & Tyson, Charlotte

Forneris, John, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Watts, Rebecca, Collins Family Law Group, Monroe, 704-289-3250 Pg. S-7

Patterson, Rhonda L., The Patterson Law Office, Charlotte

RISING STARS Adkins, Christopher, Adkins Law, Huntersville

Routh, Kelly R., Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte

Ashman, Erik, The Olsinski Law Firm, Charlotte

Ryan, Caitlin, Collins Family Law Group, Monroe, 704-286-6881 Pg. S-7

Hardin, Jessica Mering, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Jaffa, Brooks, Cranford Buckley Schultze Tomchin Allen & Buie, Charlotte Kain, Matthew R., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Morris, Jeffery J., Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

Barnes, Jr., Richard W., Law Office of Richard W. Barnes, Charlotte Bennett, Sarah E., Sodoma Law, Charlotte

Moen, Lynna, Moen Legal Counsel, Charlotte

Tabrizi, Isla, Collins Family Law Group, Monroe, 704-289-3250 Pg. S-7

Nodar, Danielle, Jesson & Rains, Charlotte

Crowder, Ashley A., Arnold & Smith, Charlotte

Van Vynckt, Meghan A., Cordes Law, Charlotte, 704-332-3565 Pg. S-9

Patterson, Erin B., Erin Patterson Law, Charlotte

Cubit, Amanda, Sodoma Law, Monroe

Viera, Theresa, Viera Legal, Charlotte

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ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2

S P E CIAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION

NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 Willink, Mallory A., Conrad Trosch & Kemmy, Charlotte Yates, Kathryn E., Easterling Law, Matthews

GENERAL LITIGATION SUPER LAWYERS Hinson, Jr., Edward T., James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte

Loebsack, Chris, Loebsack & Brownlee, Charlotte Martineau, Elizabeth A., Martineau King, Charlotte, 704-247-8520 RISING STARS Hoefling, Michael J., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Hoffman, Ryan P., Alexander Ricks, Charlotte Litwak, Nancy, Rosenwood Rose & Litwak, Charlotte Tew, Clark, Pope McMillan, Statesville

INSURANCE COVERAGE

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

DeGeorge, R. Steven, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS

RISING STARS

Grimes, J. Douglas, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Charlotte

Fulton, Joseph W., Martineau King, Charlotte, 704-247-8533

SUPER LAWYERS Robertson, Allen K., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Higgins, John P., Additon Higgins & Pendleton, Charlotte Sneed, Jason M., Sneed, Davidson

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

RISING STARS

SUPER LAWYERS

Cole, Kate Gusmer, Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Ladenheim, Matthew J., Trego Hines & Ladenheim, Huntersville McDermott, Rick, McDermott IP Law, Charlotte

INTERNATIONAL

Nipp, John C., Additon Higgins & Pendleton, Charlotte

RISING STARS

Schwartz, Jeffrey J., Schwartz Law Firm, Charlotte

Doll, Emily C., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte

RISING STARS

GOVERNMENT FINANCE

Allan, Albert P., Allan IP Litigation, Charlotte

Clements, Carla, Wagner Hicks, Charlotte Harasimowicz, Rebeca Echevarria, Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte Huber, Benjamin R., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte

LAND USE/ZONING SUPER LAWYERS

Merritt, Keith J., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte CONTINUED ON PAGE S-10

HEALTH CARE SUPER LAWYERS Bowen, Carol E., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

Garver, III, John B., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte RISING STARS Hutchens, Jennifer Csik, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

IMMIGRATION SUPER LAWYERS Garfinkel, Steven H., Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm, Charlotte

Gordon, Alan S., Alan Gordon Immigration Law, Charlotte Little, Hannah F., Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm, Charlotte Miller, George N., Dozier Miller Law Group, Charlotte RISING STARS Allen, Kelli Y., Law Office of Kelli Y. Allen, Charlotte

Molner, Colleen F., Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm, Charlotte Snyder, Benjamin, Charotte Immigration Law Frim, Charlotte Spahn, Julie C., Spahn Law Firm, Charlotte Thie, Douglas, Clawson and Staubes, Charlotte SUPER LAWYERS NORTH CAROLINA / CHARLOTTE 2021

S-9

S P E CIAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION

NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Baddour, Helen S., Johnson & Groninger, Charlotte

REAL ESTATE

SUPER LAWYERS Giovannelli, T. Richard, K&L Gates, Charlotte

Brooks, Whitney, The Olive Law Firm, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS

Campbell, Clay A., Marcellino & Tyson, Charlotte

Morrice, John A., Johnston Allison & Hord, Charlotte

Clayton, Sean, Karney Law Firm, Charlotte

Arado, Frank E., Katten Muchin Rosenman, Charlotte

RISING STARS Sample, Wade B., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

DeVore, IV, F. William, DeVore Acton & Stafford, Charlotte, 704-377-5242

F. WILLIAM DEVORE, IV

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF SUPER LAWYERS Anderson, Richard L., Sumwalt Anderson Law Firm, Charlotte

DEVORE, ACTON & STAFFORD, P.A. Charlotte • 704-377-5242

www.devact.com

Gillespie, Hunter, Auger & Auger, Charlotte Houti, Jennifer Michelle, James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte

Baker, Lucas T., Law Offices of L. T. Baker, Concord

Newton, Lauren O., Charles G. Monnett III & Associates, Charlotte

Chandler, R. Michael, Hull & Chandler, Charlotte, 704-375-8488

Pahlke, Paige L., Brown Moore & Associates, Charlotte

Connette, III, Edward G., Essex Richards, Charlotte

Springs, Molly, Springs Law, Charlotte, 704-310-5651 Pg. S-11

DeVore, III, Fred W., DeVore Acton & Stafford, Charlotte

Woodyard, Alex, Law Offices of William K. Goldfarb, Monroe

Dressler, Brett, Sellers Ayers Dortch & Lyons, Charlotte Goldfarb, William K., Law Offices of William K. Goldfarb, Monroe Grimes, Elizabeth G., Grimes Yeoman, Mooresville Groninger, Ann, Johnson & Groninger, Charlotte, 704-200-2009

ANN GRONINGER JOHNSON & GRONINGER PLLC Charlotte • 704-200-2009

www.jglawnc.com

Heroy, J. Alexander, James McElroy & Diehl, Charlotte Kallianos, Chris M., Warren & Kallianos, Charlotte Knox, H. Edward, Knox Law Center, Charlotte, 704-372-1360

H. EDWARD KNOX KNOX LAW CENTER Charlotte • 704-372-1360

www.knoxlawcenter.com Langson, Seth H., Seth Langson Law, Charlotte Mingo, Amanda A., Rawls Scheer Clary & Mingo, Charlotte Monnett, III, Charles G., Charles G. Monnett III & Associates, Charlotte Moore, Jon R., Brown Moore & Associates, Charlotte

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: DEFENSE

Dunklin, Garth K., Bass Dunklin McCullough & Smith, Charlotte Efird, Scott, St. Amand & Efird, Charlotte Ellis, Benjamin H., Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-973-5326 Goldberg, Jon, Alexander Ricks, Charlotte Matthews, Jr., William C., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte McDermott, Gary T., McDermott Law, Waxhaw Sellers, Timothy G., Sellers Ayers Dortch & Lyons, Charlotte Sink, Caroline Wannamaker, Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Sistrunk III, George W., Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, Charlotte Stevenson, James Christian, Kirk Palmer & Thigpen, Charlotte Swindell, Gary W., Swindell & Visalli, Charlotte Torstrick, Brent A., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS Lincoln, Sara R., Lincoln Derr, Charlotte

RISING STARS

Stevenson, Scott M., Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, Charlotte

Hanson, Mark J., Alexander Ricks, Charlotte

RISING STARS Reynolds, Terence S., Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, Charlotte

Faircloth, Randall W., Regent Law, Charlotte

Merlin, Daniel A., Alexander Ricks, Charlotte Mitchell, Catherine Bell, Fox Rothschild, Charlotte O’Brien, Simon John, Bray & Long, Charlotte

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF

Tyson, Brian, THB Law Group, Charlotte Westerduin, Amber M., McMillan, Charlotte

SUPER LAWYERS Brown, R. Kent, Brown Moore & Associates, Charlotte

Elam, William H., Elam & Rousseaux, Charlotte McGee, Sam, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, Charlotte Mitchell, Ronnie M., The Mitchell Law Group, Charlotte Stafford, Troy J., DeVore Acton & Stafford, Charlotte RISING STARS Berthold, Matthew C., Charles G. Monnett III & Associates, Charlotte

SECURITIES & CORPORATE FINANCE SUPER LAWYERS

Bryant, Patrick S., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte Lynch, Stephen M., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte RISING STARS

Shenoy, Sudhir N., Womble Bond Dickinson, Charlotte Wright, Jason L., Robinson Bradshaw, Charlotte

Warren, C. Jeff, Warren & Kallianos, Charlotte RISING STARS Adler, Derek P., DeVore Acton & Stafford, Charlotte

Anderson, Nicholas, Curcio Anderson Law, Matthews

S-10

SUPERLAWYERS.COM

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: DEFENSE SUPER LAWYERS Holmes, Jr., Harold D. “Chip”, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Charlotte

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SUPER LAWYERS

Piemonte, George C., Martin Jones & Piemonte, Charlotte

ATTORNEYS SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS AND RISING STARS WERE CHOSEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCESS ON PAGE S-2

S P E CIAL ADV E RT ISIN G SE C T ION

NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE 2021

SORTED ALPHABETICALLY

STATE, LOCAL & MUNICIPAL SUPER LAWYERS Keeton, Lori R., The Law Offices of Lori Keeton, Charlotte

TAX SUPER LAWYERS Culp, Jr., William R., Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-372-6322

Elliott, Jr., W. Curtis, Culp Elliott & Carpenter, Charlotte, 704-973-5328 Lincoln, Erik C., Lincoln, Charlotte RISING STARS Buckner, Elizabeth, Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

TECHNOLOGY TRANSACTIONS RISING STARS Gainey, Suzanne K., Moore & Van Allen, Charlotte

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SUPER LAWYERS Bernanke, Seth M., Law Office of Seth M. Bernanke, Charlotte

Bollinger, Jr., Bobby L., The Bollinger Law Firm, Charlotte, 704-377-7677

BOBBY L. BOLLINGER, JR.

THE BOLLINGER LAW FIRM, P.C. Charlotte • 704-377-7677

www.bollingerlawfirmnc.com Kadis, Jeffrey A., Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, Charlotte Pantazis, Annemarie, Wilder Pantazis Law Group, Charlotte Pg. S-2 Shankle, Margaret, Shankle Law Firm, Charlotte

Selected to Super Lawyers

Selected to Rising Stars

LAURA B. BURT

ERIC S. MEREDITH

4601 Park Road Suite 540 Charlotte, NC 28209 Tel: 704-626-6672 Fax: 704-626-6809 lburt@woffordburt.com www.woffordburt.com

216 North McDowell Street Suite 110 Charlotte, NC 28204 Tel: 704-859-4224 Fax: 704-335-0448 ericmeredith@jettonmeredithlaw.com www.jettonmeredithlaw.com

WOFFORD BURT PLLC

JETTON & MEREDITH, PLLC

FAMILY LAW

FAMILY LAW

Laura Burt is a board-certified family law specialist who focuses her practice on representing clients who desire to reach outof-court settlements, including those that want to resolve their matter collaboratively, via mediation or simply by negotiation.

Laura has extensive experience in working to bring about a resolution in complex property settlement and alimony cases and finding creative solutions to resolve child custody issues. Laura is a certified Family Financial Mediator, has served as President and Vice President of the Mecklenburg County Collaborative Family Law Practice Group and has an AV Preeminent peer review rating

by Martindale-Hubbell.

Eric S. Meredith is a founding partner of Jetton & Meredith, PLLC, who, with his partner, established the law firm in 2009.

Mr. Meredith focuses his practice on cases related to divorce and family law. Previously selected to North Carolina Rising Stars in 2012 and 2015-2021, Mr. Meredith graduated from North Carolina State University and was a member of the charter graduating class from the Elon University School of Law.

Selected to Rising Stars

Selected to Rising Stars

MICHAEL R. NEECE

MOLLY SPRINGS

102 East Main Street Gastonia, NC 28053 Tel: 704-862-0148 Fax: 704-865-4069 michael@neecelawfirm.com www.neecelawfirm.com

1909 J.N. Pease Place Suite 202 Charlotte, NC 28262 Tel: 704-310-5651 Fax: 704-310-5661 mas@springsinjuryfirm.com www.springsinjuryfirm.com

NEECE LAW FIRM

SPRINGS LAW

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: DUI/DWI CRIMINAL DEFENSE

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

Michael Neece is a criminal defense attorney with extensive knowledge in criminal law; handling cases ranging from DUI/ DWI, minor traffic tickets, sex offenses, up through first-degree murder and is an aggressive defender of the rights of every citizen. He earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Virginia College at Wise before graduating from Appalachian School of Law in 2007. Upon graduating law school he worked as an Assistant District Attorney for Buncombe and Gaston County before opening his independent law practice in 2010 and becoming board certified in criminal law in 2018. Mr. Neece belongs to several local and national organizations such as Gaston County Bar, National College for DUI Defense, The National Trial Lawyers and North Carolina Advocates for Justice.

Springs Law provides legal representation to clients in the areas of personal injury and social security disability. As a results oriented firm committed to improving the lives of our clients, we are here to guide you through the legal process and can ensure the highest quality representation. Molly Springs is the owner of Springs Law. Her parents are self-employed business owners who instilled in her the meaning of hard work and leadership with a focus on building longstanding relationships in the community.

During law school, Molly developed a passion for advocacy and navigating others through the legal process. Following her graduation from Elon Law, she was mentored by one of North Carolina’s leading injury attorneys and devoted herself exclusively to helping people who have faced unexpected injuries.

Sumner, H. Randolph, Mullen Holland & Cooper, Gastonia Sumwalt, Vernon, The Sumwalt Group Workers’ Compensation and Trial Lawyers, Charlotte Ussery, Andrew R., McAngus Goudelock & Courie, Charlotte Wallace, Mona L., Wallace & Graham, Salisbury RISING STARS Ayers, Christian, Sellers Ayers Dortch & Lyons, Charlotte

Delfino, Joseph D., Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, Charlotte Hedgepeth, Michael F., Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, Charlotte Mehta, Viral V., The Olsinski Law Firm, Charlotte Simmons, Jerri J., Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog, Charlotte Spake, Marcus, Stewart Law Offices, Charlotte

How can I be certain that the attorney I hire is credible?

The Super Lawyers list is composed of the top 5% of attorneys in each state selected via a patented process that includes nominations, independent research, and peer evaluations.

The answer is SuperLawyers.com

© 2020 Thomson Reuters TR1147020/07-20

SUPER LAWYERS NORTH CAROLINA / CHARLOTTE 2021

S-11

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

DOLCE OSTERIA

ZEN FUSION

Elizabeth/Cherry CAJUN QUEEN

$$$

$$

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

❤ CUSTOMSHOP

$$-$$$

✸☎

EARL’S GROCERY

$

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 ✸

❤ THE FIG TREE RESTAURANT

$$$$

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

$$-$$$

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 ✸

80

$$

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

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 ✸

$$

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

$$

CAJUN Nightly live jazz complements New Orleans creole favorites like shrimp étouffée and crawfish Diane in this century-old house. 1800 E. 7th St. (704-3779017) 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

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 ✸

$$$

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 ✸☎

$$

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 // FEBRUARY 2021

$ $$ $$$ $$$$

❤

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

B BR L D V

and flavorful 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

$$$

SUNFLOUR BAKING CO.

$-$$

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 ✸☎

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. (704-987-1779) 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 ✸☎

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

$$-$$$

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 ✸☎

$$

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

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

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. (704997-5365) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

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 ✸☎

SABI ASIAN BISTRO

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 ✸

Matthews/Mint Hill 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. (704708-9888) 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. (704845-1899) 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

$$

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. (704-333-7884) L, (weekdays), D, BAR ✸

FENWICK’S

$$

MAMA RICOTTA’S

$$

PROVIDENCE ROAD SUNDRIES

$-$$

❤ STAGIONI

$$$

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

VOLO RISTORANTE

$$

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 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

BENNY PENNELLO’S

$-$$

EL THRIFTY

$-$$

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 ✸

THE GOODYEAR HOUSE

$$-$$$

❤ HABERDISH

$$-$$$

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. (704-910-0132) L, D, BAR ✸

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

$

$-$$

$

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 ✸ ☎

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

$-$$

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. (704332-8868) L, D, BAR ✸

CRÊPE CELLAR KITCHEN & PUB

THE DUMPLING LADY

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. (980-5956174) L, D, V

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 ✸

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

CABO FISH TACO

Myers Park/Cotswold DEEJAI THAI

LEROY FOX

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 ✸

$-$$

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

LEAH & LOUISE

$$

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 neighborhood FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

81

THE GUIDE 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, ✸

LUPIE’S CAFE

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 Structured like Chipotle, build-yourown 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

$

DELI A neighborhood hangout with 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

$-$$

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

$-$$

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

$-$$

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 ✸

LANG VAN

$

VIETNAMESE Regulars love this no-fuss spot for its

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

❤ B BR L D V

82

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

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

☎

authentic cuisine, with loads of flavor and fresh ingredients. 3019 Shamrock Dr. (704-531-9525) BR, L, D, V, B/W

$

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., (704-374-1232) L, D, B/W

❤ 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

$$

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 ✸

❤ NC RED

$$

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 ✸

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 noreservations 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. (704-243-5070) 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., 704-536-1851.

L, D, BAR ✸

THE WORKMAN’S FRIEND

$$-$$$

IRISH Enjoy Irish classics like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie in this rustic dining room, or grab a pint at the custom-built walnut bar. 1531 Central Ave. (980-2248234) BR, L (Fri-Sun), D, BAR ✸

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

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 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. (704-741-0300) 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. (704-523-9977) 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 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, ✸

INDACO

$$-$$$

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

$$$$

$$

SOUTHBOUND

$-$$

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

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 ✸

LUNA’S LIVING KITCHEN

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 ✸

$$

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 ✸

MAC’S SPEED SHOP

$-$$

BARBECUE Solid barbecue and cold beer (150 choices) in a motorcycle-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 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

$$-$$$

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

$$-$$$

ITALIAN Head to the ground floor of the RailYard for a dressed-up entree like squid ink mafaldine, or get the basic spaghetti and meatballs, which is good every time. 1414 S. Tryon St., Ste. 140 (980-279-8900) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

O-KU

PRICE’S CHICKEN COOP

THE WATERMAN FISH BAR

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

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 ✸

South Charlotte (Arboretum, Ballantyne, Pineville, Fort Mill) BIG VIEW DINER

$$

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 lasagnasized slice of tiramisu for dessert. 7828-E Rea Rd. (980335-2758) BR (Sun), L, D, V, BAR ✸

THE BLUE TAJ

$$-$$$

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 ✸

THE FLIPSIDE CAFÉ

$$-$$

$$-$$$

$

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 ☎

$$

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

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. (704333-9866) L, D (until 6 p.m.), Cash only. No seating.

RAI LAY THAI CUISINE

SUPERICA

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, ☎

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 ☎

COURTESY

SEOUL FOOD MEAT CO.

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 ✸

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 (Mon-Sat), D, BAR ☎

FLIPSIDE RESTAURANT

GALLERY RESTAURANT

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

$$-$$$

RED SAKE

$$-$$$

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 ✸

JAPANESE This is sushi for true sushi aficionados. The Luke Lobster roll is a delectable mouthful of lobster meat, spicy tuna, avocado, and eel sauce topped with sweet potato strings. 8410 Rea Rd., Ste. 100 (980-4981578) L, D, BAR ✸

ASIAN The dumplings and Pad Thai are consistently good, but the bibimbap, 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

$$

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

$$-$$$

BAKU

$$-$$$

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 ✸☎

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 ✸☎

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

83

THE GUIDE ❤ DOGWOOD SOUTHERN TABLE + BAR

$$$

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 ✸

LEGION BREWING

$$-$$$

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 ✸

❤ DOT DOT DOT

$$$

LITTLE MAMA’S ITALIAN KITCHEN

$$-$$$

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 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 ☎

NEW AMERICAN Stefan Huebner’s creative cocktails may be the main attraction at this members-only speakeasy, but chef Daniel Wheeler’s sweet potato gnocchi with bourbon glaze will convince you to stay for dinner. 4237 Park Rd., Ste. B. (704-817-3710) 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 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

$$

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 ☎

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. (704-716-8226) L, D, V, BAR ✸

FINE & FETTLE

FUSION Chef Bill Greene serves a rotation of artistic small plates with unexpected pairings, like lamb belly with kimchi porridge and smoked butternut squash with miso. 4620 Piedmont Row Dr., Ste. 170B. (980283-2333) D, V, BAR ✸☎

$$-$$$

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 Harper’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

❤ PEPPERVINE

REID’S FINE FOODS

❤ B BR L D V

84

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian

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

☎

$$-$$$

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

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

$$$$

$$$-$$$$

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 offers 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 ☎

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

SIR EDMOND HALLEY’S

SOUTHERN PECAN

NEW LISTING

$$

$$-$$$

STEAK 48

$$$$

TAQUERIA MAL PAN

$$-$$

STEAK HOUSE Steak is the main attraction, but don’t miss the crispy shrimp deviled eggs, corn crème brulée, and seafood tower. 4425 Sharon Rd. (980-580-4848) D, BAR ☎

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 (980-2986138) 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

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

$$$

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 ☎

❤ THE ASBURY

$$$

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 ☎

BASIL THAI

$$-$$$

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 ☎

THE CELLAR AT DUCKWORTH’S

$$-$$$

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 ☎

CLOUD BAR BY DAVID BURKE

$$

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

PETER TAYLOR

$$-$$$

ESSEX BAR & BISTRO

$$-$$$

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. (980-4063857) L, D, BAR ✸☎

FAHRENHEIT

$$$-$$$$

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 ✸☎

❤ FORCHETTA

$$-$$$

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 ☎

❤ 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 ✸☎

❤ 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 or prison. 129 W. Trade St. (704-375-1990) L (weekdays) D, B/W, ✸☎

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. (704-3449222) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

MALABAR SPANISH CUISINE

$$

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

✸☎

❤ McNINCH HOUSE

$$$$

$

NEW SOUTHERN Guests order from a daily prix fixe menu (ranging from five to nine courses), choose their wine and entrées, and the staff takes care of the rest.

511 N. Church St. (704-332-6159) D, BAR ☎

$$

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 ✸

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

DANDELION MARKET

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

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

MERT’S HEART AND SOUL

$-$$

MICO

$$$-$$$$

ARGENTINEAN The South American-inspired menu is full of complex flavors and unexpected mash-ups like harissa creamed spinach and brown butter bread crumbs. Chef de Cuisine Whitney Thomas arranges each dish with edible flowers and vibrant vegetables that frame the plate. 201 W. Trade St. (980-999-5550) L, D, BAR

MIMOSA GRILL

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN This popular after-work spot has a seasonal menu, friendly service, tasty seafood dishes, and creative mixtures to top grits. 327 S. Tryon St. (704343-0700) BR, L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

MOA KOREAN BBQ

$$-$$$

❤ SEA LEVEL NC

$$-$$$

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 ✸

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 ✸☎

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. (704333-5189) 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 breakfastfocused 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. (704-2304346) B, L

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. (704825-7005) BR, L, D, V, BAR ✸☎ FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

85

❤ HEIRLOOM RESTAURANT

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Ingredients are sourced almost exclusively from North Carolina, and the tasting menu includes fried chicken and pork and beans.

8470 Bellhaven Rd. (704-595-7710) D, V, BAR ☎

❤ NOBLE SMOKE

$-$$

BARBECUE Feast on Carolina-style pork and Texas-style 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

$

PINKY’S WESTSIDE GRILL

$

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, ✸

Here’s a directory of local breweries, where you can enjoy award-winning beers—and the latest libations

NODA/OPTIMIST PARK/ NORTH CHARLOTTE BIRDSONG BREWING COMPANY

1016 N. Davidson St. 704-332-1810 birdsongbrewing.com

DIVINE BARREL

3701 N. Davidson St., Ste. 203 980-237-1803 divinebarrel.com

FONTA FLORA OPTIMIST HALL

1115 N. Brevard St., Ste. D 980-207-2470 fontaflora.com

FREE RANGE BREWING

2320 N. Davidson St. 980-201-9096 freerangebrewing.com

HEIST BREWERY

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

NODA BREWING COMPANY

RESIDENT CULTURE BREWING COMPANY

3123 N. Davidson St., Ste. 104 980-938-0671 protagonistbeer.com

86

2101 Central Ave. 704-333-1862 residentculturebrewing.com

SOUTH END/SOUTH CHARLOTTE/MORA BREWERS AT 4001 YANCEY

4001-A Yancey Rd. 704-452-4001 visit.brewersat4001yancey. com

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

Our favorite brews this month, chosen by Charlotte magazine staff Liberry Lager, $11.99 (4-pack), TRIPLE C BREWING COMPANY THIS CRISP LAGER CARRIES aromas of kiwi and lime. The green fruits nod to Triple C’s partner for this limited release, a collaboration with UNC Charlotte’s J. Murrey Atkins Library. You don’t see many brewery-library team-ups at bottle shops, but Triple C staffer Justin Engel is a UNCC alum and wanted to give back. Ten percent of each Liberry Lager sale goes to the research library. Really, an easy-drinking lager is an appropriate tribute to any institution of higher learning. —Andy Smith

SALUD CERVECERIA

1331 Central Ave., Ste. 104 704-802-9260 pilotbrewing.us

PROTAGONIST CLUBHOUSE

Best Sips

3306-C N. Davidson St. 980-495-6612 saludcerveceria.com

2909 N. Davidson St. #200 704-375-8260 heistbrewery.com Other location in Druid Hills

2921 N. Tryon St. 704-900-6851 nodabrewing.com Other locations in Optimist Park and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

$

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 ✸

Breweries

Charlotte

TOUCAN LOUIE’S

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-andgo sandwiches. 2753 Rozzelles Ferry Rd. (980-2099791) B, L, D, B/W ✸

EDGE CITY BREWING

6209 Old Post Rd., Ste. 109 980-949-6199 instagram.com/ edgecitybrewery

LENNY BOY BREWING CO.

SYCAMORE BREWING

528 S. Turner Ave. 980-859-2586 blueblazebrewing.com

TRIPLE C BREWING COMPANY + THE BARREL ROOM

PRIMAL BREWERY

3000 S. Tryon St. 980-585-1728 discoverlennyboy.com

2900 Griffith St. 704-372-3212 triplecbrewing.com

LOWER LEFT BREWING CO.

THE UNKNOWN BREWING CO.

4528 Nations Crossing Rd. 704-469-9861 llbrewco.com

1327 S. Mint St. 980-237-2628 unknownbrewing.com

OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY

WOODEN ROBOT BREWERY

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

SUNSTEAD BREWING

1200 S Graham St. 980-949-6200 sunsteadbrewing.com

BLUE BLAZE BREWING

2161 Hawkins St. 704-910-3821 sycamorebrew.com

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

Belmont 16432 Old Statesville Rd. 704-947-2920 primalbrewery.com Other location in Huntersville

Concord CABARRUS BREWING COMPANY

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

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

THE GUIDE

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

PERCENT TAP HOUSE

4250 Main St., Ste. 109 980-258-8651 percenttaphouse.com

Indian Land, S.C. LORE BREWING CO.

1218 Rosemont Dr., Ste. 100 lorebrewing.com

13717 E. Independence Blvd.

704-628-5211 sweetunionbrewing.com

Harrisburg PHARR MILL BREWING

105 Oakley Dr. 704-456-7657 pharrmillbrewing.com

DUST OFF BREWING

THE DREAMCHASER’S BREWERY

115 E. North Main St. 704-843-7326 dreamchasersbrewery.com

130 W. White St. 803-324-4610 dustoffbrewing.com

CROSSWORD OF THE MONTH

By Andy Smith

ANSWERS can be found online at charlottemagazine.com/ crossword.

211 West Ave. 704-933-9203 oldarmor.com

Matthews SEABOARD BREWING, TAPROOM, & WINE BAR

213 N. Trade St. 704-246-6575 seaboardbrewing.com

Monroe SOUTHERN RANGE BREWING CO.

151 S. Stewart St. 704-706-2978 getsrb.com

Mooresville GHOSTFACE BREWING BREWERY & PIZZERIA

KING CANARY BREWING CO.

CAVENDISH BREWERY

274 Columbia Ave. slowplaybrewing.com

121 Caldwell St., Ste. 101 803-366-7266 rockhillbrewingcompany.com

Kannapolis

LAKE WYLIE BREWING CO.

207 N. Chester St. 704-830-0435 cavendishbrewing.com

SLOW PLAY BREWING

Waxhaw

OLD ARMOR BEER CO.

427 E. Statesville Ave. 704-799-7433 ghostfacebrewing.com

Gastonia

LEGAL REMEDY BREWING

129 Oakland Ave. 803-324-2337 legalremedybrewing.com

ROCK HILL BREWING COMPANY

Indian Trail SWEET UNION BREWING COMPANY

204 Main St., Ste. 101 803-547-6464 amorartisbrewing.com

1741 Gold Hill Rd., Ste. 100 803-802-0001 lakewyliebrewingcofortmill.com

Rock Hill, S.C.

562 Williamson Rd. 704-967-8472 kingcanarybrewing.com

JOLLY ROGER BREWERY

236 Raceway Dr., Ste. 12 704-769-0305 jollyrogerbrewery.com

Pineville MIDDLE JAMES BREWING

400 N. Polk St., Unit B 704-889-6522 middlejamesbrewing.com

FEBRUARY 2021 // CHARLOTTE

87

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

LOCATION: 3321 Freedom Dr.

eedom 3321 Fr

Dr.

With Love, For Mama CHEF WILLIE WALTERS cooked his first meal at the tender age of 8, standing on a lard bucket to reach the stove. The oldest of three kids (11, eventually), he began cooking out of necessity in his native Loris, S.C., a low country town about 30 miles inland from Myrtle Beach.

“Mom started training me because she had to go to work in the fields,” Walters says. “I wanted to please her and let her know I could do it, so one day she came home for 12 o’clock lunch, and I had rice, sweet peas, and fried chicken ready for her. The one thing I did wrong was,

88

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // FEBRUARY 2021

I cooked the chicken too fast. It was real pretty, but when you bit on the inside, she wasn’t quite ready.”

His mom, Sandra Lee Walters, wasn’t bothered one bit. “She was so in awe.

Very proud that I wanted to help her like that. That’s what inspired me to be a chef.”

Today, Walters, 48, serves customers at his food truck, Sandra Lee’s Country Kitchen, in the parking lot of a Boost Mobile store on Freedom Drive, where he sets up every Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. On this lunch

hour, a steady stream of customers orders wings, shrimp, and chicken bog, a distinctly low country dish of slow-cooked smoked chicken and beef sausage blended with yellow rice.

Sandra Lee Walters died in 2018 at 63, and when Walters moved from his catering business into the food truck last fall, it just seemed right to name it after his mom. He had her photo painted on the truck, with a slogan that honors her memory: “Love in every bite.” —Cristina Bolling

SHAW NIELSEN; CRISTINA BOLLING

Willie Walters’ food truck serves the low country fare he grew up on

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