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• Bull City Confectionaries plans
PHOTO BY MO’ELLE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
June 25 for its second u-pick season. Owned by Jennings Brody of Parker & Otis and located at 6404 Amed Rd., the orchard features five varieties of organically fertilized blueberries and over 500 bushes. The orchard is open for picking until early August.
to open a brick-andmortar location in Durham this fall. Durham native Nasira Abdur-Razzaq founded the company eight years ago and has launched the “Acts of Sweetness” fundraiser campaign, which runs until September, to raise money for supplies.
franchise locations have grossed more than $1 million this year. The Durham-born concept recently secured a spot in the 2023 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list. Rise franchises are slated to soon expand into the mid-Atlantic region. • Traditional Chinese
hot pot restaurant
Szechuan Mansion Hotpot opened its
second location on Ninth Street in June. Szechuan is the first hot pot restaurant in Durham and offers a menu that allows customers to customize their own broth base, meats, vegetables and other add-ins. • Giorgios Hospitality & Lifestyle Group
opened its first events and catering venue, Aria Events and Catering at 2609 N. Duke St., Ste. 700, in
June. Aria features five elegant private event spaces, including a grand ballroom, lobby and conference rooms, along with lush outdoor gardens.
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to the organization’s work to expand housing and integrate marginalized individuals into the community. This year’s breakfast featured a panel of community leaders and health experts – Areli Barrera Grodski, co-owner of Cocoa Cinnamon, Ann Oshel, the senior vice president of community health at Alliance Health, and Nicole Lewellyn Schramm-Sapyta, associate professor of the practice in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
– who discussed how being involved in clients’ lives helps change the narrative of housing insecurity. Attendees also heard from former Housing for New Hope client Gwendolyn Hicks about the nonprofit’s impact.
The Raw Edition Candle Company celebrated its grand opening on July 15 at 304 S. Driver St. Owner Ticca Harris
sells handmade, soy wax candles at her shop, which offers candle-making classes, private event spaces and more.
WHAT AN HONOR Porsche Southpoint celebrated its 75th anniversary in June. Porsche owners and enthusiasts attended the celebration held at the dealership, which included food, activities and colorful Porsches.
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• Blueberry orchard Bahama Bluebs opened on
• Multiple Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken
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PHOTO COURTESY OF BAHAMA BLUEBS
noted
ON THE MOVE Mayor Elaine O’Neal
announced she will not be running for reelection in this year’s PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON mayoral election held this fall. The mayor said she is stepping away after serving one term to prioritize her family in a statement released in June. Elaine made history as the first Black woman to serve as mayor of the Bull City. At-Large Durham Council member Jillian Johnson announced on June 30 she will not be running for a third term. Jillian will continue her work in grantmaking as the state advisor for Movement Voter Project and said she plans to support future candidates that share her vision for Durham. She is the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the city’s council.
CNN Travel listed Durham as one of 25 destinations in the U.S. that remain “refreshingly underrated” for its remarkable transformation from a tobacco factory town to an entertainment hot spot. Durham’s reenergized downtown, sports teams and craft brewery/distillery scene contribute to this recognition. Durham was named the No. 2 best place to live in the South in 2023-24 by U.S. News & World Report in June. WalletHub named Durham the No. 6 most educated city on its “2023’s Most & Least Educated Cities in America” list. The personal finance website compared the 150 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas across 11 key metrics.