MULTIMEDIA PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR OF CLIENT DIGITAL STRATEGY Jenna Parks
MANAGING EDITOR, HEART OF NC WEDDINGS Renee Ambroso
CLIENT ONBOARDING & OPERATIONS MANAGER Brian McIndoo
DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Jack Fry
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT DIRECTOR Morgan Cartier Weston
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT PRODUCER Caleb LeJeune
DISTRIBUTION Matt Bair
CO-FOUNDERS
Dan Shannon & Ellen Shannon
DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026
contents
HOLIDAYS
16 The Big Picture African American Dance Ensemble’s 40th annual Kwanzaa Fest
18 Winter Wonders
Explore festive markets, seasonal events, and cozy spots to sip and savor
26 Hometown Flavor
Counting House’s new executive chef returns to her roots, sharing her culinary journey and a recipe that still inspires her holiday table today
32 Block Party
A couple brings the world of Lego magic –and a dose of holiday spirit – to north Durham
40 Scents of the Season
Three candlemakers share their must-burn fragrances to brighten chilly days
42 Countdown to 2026
10 experiences to check off before the clock strikes midnight
WELLNESS
60 On the Fast Track
A world-class running team finds its footing in the Bull City
66 Worth Their Salt
Two wellness studios reimagine the practice of salt therapy through design, sound and mindful intention
70 No Sweat
Inside the Durham-born brand helping thousands ditch discomfort and reclaim their confidence
HEALTH
86 A Soft Place To Land
A young cancer survivor and her mother launch a nonprofit to create a comforting home-away-from-home for families traveling to Duke Children’s for care
90 Good Grief
Philanthropist Rebecca Feinglos partners with Duke Health to create a first-of-its-kind program that offers support for patients, families and providers facing life’s hardest moments
94 The Power of Patience
Meet a champion for local families, shaping programs that provide resources, education and advocacy
96 Nature & Nurture
Architecture meets traditional Asian medicine to create a sanctuary for whole-person wellness
FEATURE
54 Pop-up Power
Three entrepreneurs bring fresh concepts to Boxyard RTP
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
6 Letter from the Editor
10 Go.See.Do.
Chill out with these top winter events
20 Get Out of Town
Top Triangle events this season
22 Let’s Dish at Cucciolo Famiglia
24 New Bites
Now serving: the latest Bull City restaurant news
104 Wedding Biechele & Chamberlin
PEOPLE & PLACES
100 Durham Arts Council’s 50th annual CenterFest
101 “Brett’s Open Mic: Celebrating 30 Years” Parties for the Park fundraiser
102 Durham Technical Community College’s Novo Nordisk Life Sciences Center and Health Sciences building groundbreaking ceremonies
SPONSORED CONTENT
30 Holiday Gift Guide
43 The Big Give
Our area nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved
73 Faces of Durham
Celebrating the people behind our local businesses
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Live Well Every Day A Community Designed for You
&
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Merry & Mindful
Iseem to enter every winter a little frazzled – and this year is no exception. It’s the busiest stretch of the calendar, stacked with deadlines (some self-imposed, others all too real). Yet that pace runs counter to what this season is meant to offer. Winter invites reflection, quiet pockets of time and moments of pause to recognize and appreciate what matters most.
That’s the mindset I’m attempting to manifest this season. Forgoing the many and multifaceted to-do lists, the chores that seem never-ending, the constant tug on time and attention. Putting down the phone, the laptop, the TV remote (well, unless the Tar Heels are playing or a beloved holiday movie is on) to simply just be. That doesn’t mean you or I should shut ourselves off from the world. My winter wish is this: let’s be intentional but also leave room for a little spontaneity. Take a morning off to grab coffee with a friend you haven’t seen in too long. Pause on your way home to talk with a neighbor – ask about their holiday plans, see if they need a hand with any yardwork, or simply thank them for the chat and suggest doing it again soon. Wander into a local shop with no agenda; if you spot something that speaks to you, for yourself or someone else, go ahead and buy it. (Our gift guide on Page 30 might spark a few ideas.) Tend to yourself – schedule that doctor’s appointment, book that longoverdue haircut or carve out time for something restorative – and to your friends, family and community, too. Heck, to really take a break from all the responsibilities, use your imagination to build your own Lego fantasy world and minifigure like mine (above) – find out where to go to create your own on Page 32.
This season is about giving, but it’s also about filling your own cup. The stories in this issue highlight people who do exactly that – using their passions and expertise to lift others, strengthening Durham’s culture of care. Each piece in our health and wellness coverage demonstrates what becomes possible when people are supported with the right tools, guidance and compassion.
So here’s to a winter of presence and possibility – a season when we create room to reconnect, recharge and rise to whatever the new year has in store (turn to Page 42 for a few ways to end 2025 on a high note).
amanda.maclaren@durhammag.com
Photo by John Michael Simpson
“My name is Barbara Hopkins, I am from Denton North Carolina, and I came to Ignite Wellness because I had terrible right knee pain. The trip was 78 miles, but it was well worth it. I can now walk and go grocery shopping and do anything I want to do without pain. Thank you, Ignite Wellness.”
“Icame to Ignite Wellness with severe lower back pain that I’ve had for several years. I couldn’t stand, walk, or even play with my granddaughters. I tried physical therapy, steroid injections, and pain killers, but nothing worked. Within a few weeks of starting care at Ignite Wellness, I noticed great improvement and am now able to get outdoors more often, play and hold my grandkids, and be more proactive in my daily life activities.”
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Human
Landscapes:
The Mystery of the Mark
THROUGH JAN. 4, 2026
Globally minded, culturally committed artist Eric Kelly III presents an extensive collection of more than 50 paintings at the North Carolina Central University Art Museum. His work explores identity, sound, color and emotional transformation, inviting viewers into a rich, introspective experience.
Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind
DEC. 12-14
The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, with special guest clarinetist Alex Fiterstein, brings “the imagined visions of a 13th century mystic” to life at The Fruit. The performance fuses centuries of Jewish tradition with stirring string compositions both old and new, taking audiences on a journey through human emotions and transcendence.
Water for Elephants
DEC. 16-21
Experience Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel on stage at the Durham Performing Arts Center Follow a young veterinary student who, after the death of his parents, joins a Depression-era traveling circus where he finds unexpected comfort and adventure as the story shifts between his younger self and his reflections as an older man in a nursing home. Adapted by three-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice and directed by Tony-nominated Jessica Stone, the spectaclefilled production earned a New York Times Critic’s Pick.
see go
Akropolis Reed Quintet
JAN. 23
Catch this Grammy Awardwinning fivesome at Baldwin Auditorium for a fresh take on classical music. The ensemble – Tim Gocklin on oboe, Kari Landry on clarinet, Matt Landry on saxophone, Andrew Koeppe on bass clarinet and Ryan Reynolds on bassoon – reimagines jazz, orchestral and other pieces of classical music in celebration of their 16th season as a group during this Duke Arts’ Chamber Arts Series performance.
do
CHILL OUT WITH THESE TOP WINTER EVENTS
Compiled by Libby Wakefield
New Year’s Day Hike
JAN. 1
Ring in the new year with the Eno River Association on this annual hike, which dates back to 1971, at Eno River State Park’s Cox Mountain Trailhead. Hikers can choose a 1.2-mile route or a longer 3.6-mile trek, both led by guides, hike assistants and park rangers. Meet at the Fews Ford Shelter afterward for hot cocoa and conversation with fellow hikers.
December 28 - January 11
February 11
March 17 - 22 May 5 - 10 May 20 - June 14
Margaret Cho: Choligarchy
FEB. 5
The five-time Grammyand Emmy-nominated comedian, actress, musician, advocate and entrepreneur brings her iconic stand-up to the Carolina Theatre Known for her roles in “Fire Island,” “Doctor Odyssey” and “The Flight Attendant,” Margaret combines humor with social justice commentary in a performance that promises both laughs and insight.
SECU Caring House Gala
JAN. 24
Support Duke Cancer Institute patients during this annual benefit at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. Enjoy dancing, live entertainment, fine dining and a live auction, with funds raised providing affordable housing and a healing, supportive community for Caring House residents.
American Indian Powwow
FEB. 7
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics hosts its annual celebration of the first Americans with an afternoon of dance and traditional drum music as well as food and unique arts and crafts available for purchase. The inclusive, family-friendly festivities kick off with a grand entry of dancers followed by a vibrant array of songs. The educational event was established more than 30 years ago to highlight NCSSM as a place where Indigenous people can learn about and celebrate their history and culture.
Triangle Restaurant Week
JAN. 26 – FEB. 1
Indulge in a weeklong celebration of culinary excellence during this biannual event that showcases premier restaurants in Durham, such as Aaktun Coffee & Bar and Michelin Guide Recommended Little Bull (pictured), and the surrounding area. Participating establishments offer special threecourse menu options and fixed pricing, providing a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike to savor the Triangle’s finest cuisine.
Photo credits Page 10 "Human Landscapes: The Mystery of the Mark" image courtesy of News Agencies Photography by Rick Crank Photography; "Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind" illustration by Kristen Solecki; "Water for Elephants" photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade; New Year’s Day Hike photo by Fred Meyers, courtesy of Eno River Association; Akropolis Reed Quintet photo by Jason Walker.
Page 12 SECU Caring House Gala photo by Cleveland May; Margaret Cho: Choligarchy design by Tour Design, photo by Nick Spanos; American Indian Powwow photo courtesy of NC School of Science and Mathematics; Triangle Restaurant Week photo courtesy of Triangle Blvd.
Photo courtesy of Discover Durham
COLOR TRIUMPHANT
SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 –JANUARY 4, 2026
Francis Picabia, French, 1879-1953, At the Theater, c. 1935-47, oil on canvas, 53 1/2 x 42 3/4 inches; framed: 53 1/2H x 2 1/6 x 42 ¾ inches. Lent by the Robertson Foundation, in honor of Julian and Josie Robertson. From the exhibition Color Triumphant: Modern Art from the Collection of Julian and Josie Robertson.
nasher.duke.edu
Everything Now All At Once is organized by Xuxa Rodríguez, Ph.D., Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher Curator of Contemporary Art, with support from Julianne Miao, Curatorial Associate.
This exhibition is made possible by The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family Fund for Exhibitions and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.
The African American Dance Ensemble celebrates its 40th annual Kwanzaa Fest at the Durham Armory Jan. 1, 2026. This free, family-friendly event focuses on family, friends and the fruits of the Earth. It takes place on the seventh day of Kwanzaa, which is dedicated to Imani, or faith. Explore a children’s village, shop a lively vendor marketplace, take part in dance and drumming classes, and soak in performances that highlight creativity, unity and purpose. Attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods and toiletries to donate to a local nonprofit in memory of the ensemble’s founder, Baba Chuck Davis. Welcome the new year in a meaningful way while promoting peace, love and respect for all.
PHOTO
winter wonders
Explore festive markets, seasonal events and cozy spots to sip and savor
COMPILED
BY
ZAHRA ALQUDAIHI
FESTIBULL OF LIGHTS
Through Jan. 3, 2026, 5:30-9 p.m. | Step into a sparkling winter wonderland at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park as a dazzling array of lights dances in sync to holiday music. Bring the family to meet Santa, roast s’mores by a fire, wander through Christmas tree alley and ride the NC by Train Holiday Express – all under a cozy, twinkling glow.
WEIRD WINDOWS
Through early January 2026 | Stroll through the streets of downtown's City Center to admire these window displays crafted by local artists, presented by Weird Productions and inspired by Macy’s iconic holiday windows but with a distinctly Durham twist.
Head up to The Durham Hotel’s heated rooftop for a series of festive performances. On Dec. 8, enjoy the harmonies of United Strings of Color, a classical string quartet of talented young African American musicians capturing the joy of the season. On Dec. 11, awardwinning trumpeter Al Strong fills the air with smooth jazz, paired with seasonal treats and hot toddies.
Wrap up the series on Dec. 17 with the Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus, a Raleigh-based nonprofit providing a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ singers and allies to share their musical talents.
CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT
Dec. 5 & 12, 5:30-9 p.m. | Immerse yourself in an 1870s Christmas on this candlelight tour through the Duke Homestead State Historic Site. Learn the history behind the Duke family home as costumed interpreters bring it to life through storytelling while delighting in cookies, cider, singing, live music and more.
SANTA ON THE ROOF
Dec. 6, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | St. Nick returns to The Roof at The Durham this year for self-shot family photos against the city skyline, along with complimentary hot chocolate. The man in red arrives from the North Pole via Santas Just Like Me, an organization that has offered North Carolina families the opportunity to visit with a Santa of color since 2013.
JONKONNU
Dec. 6, 4:30-6 p.m. | Celebrate the vibrant masquerade tradition of the African diaspora – rooted in West Africa and the Caribbean – with St. Sya Academy at Historic Stagville. Durham youth, dancers and musicians bring this seasonal celebration to life through energetic performances. After the show, gather around the bonfire for drumming, dancing and stories that illuminate the history of Jonkonnu.
Experience the soaring retelling of Christ’s life from birth to resurrection at Duke University Chapel, a tradition since 1933. The choir performs alongside musicians playing period instruments tuned to Baroque-era standards under the direction of guest conductor David Rayl, professor emeritus of choral conducting at Michigan State University.
‘THE NUTCRACKER’
TRIANGLE YOUTH BALLET:
Dec. 11-13, 7 p.m.; Dec. 13, 2 p.m. | A cast of more than 100 young dancers take the Carolina Theatre stage in this beloved annual holiday classic, brought to life with music performed by the Tchaikovsky Virtuosi.
HOLIDAY PARADE
Dec. 13, 10 a.m. | Show your support for local bands, drill teams, schools and community organizations as they make their way down Main Street. The festivities culminate with a guest appearance from Santa Claus.
GIFT-MAKING WORKSHOP
Dec. 13, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Create thoughtful, handmade gifts at The Makery and skip the last-minute shopping stress. Choose two projects – ornaments, woven pot holders or mosaic coasters –and craft personalized presents for loved ones.
HANUKKAH FESTIVAL
Dec. 14, 2-5 p.m. | Celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights with Jewish for Good during an afternoon filled with kids’ activities, games, crafts, latkes and interactive menorahs. Learn more about the traditions of Hanukkah and join the community menorah lighting to close out the festivities.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
ENJOY HEATED PATIOS THAT STAY COZY ALL WINTER LONG
The frosty weather is beautiful yet biting – luckily these local spots have plenty of heated outdoor seating to help you enjoy the season in comfort.
Gojo By Goorsha offers a cozy outside space, best enjoyed with a warm cup of Ethiopian coffee made with locally roasted beans paired with a homemade pastry or a dish from its expansive menu rich in Ethiopian flavors. Over at Mad Hatter’s Cafe and Bakeshop, sip on a hot beverage alongside a light sandwich, bowl or all-day breakfast item, and share a scratch-made treat with a friend outdoors, all year-round.
The Roof at The Durham Hotel features heating lamps throughout its space, perfect for taking in panoramic city views while savoring seasonal shareable bites or specialty drinks. Across the street, The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge’s rooftop view pairs perfectly with its signature cocktails, local beers and creative mocktails.
Down the road, private igloos on Unscripted Durham’s rooftop create a true winter wonderland experience for up to six people, complete with a prix-fixe menu.
Little Bull keeps its outdoor diners warm with heaters, making it easy for guests to enjoy its pocho cuisine inspired by chef Oscar Diaz’s first-generation American roots, while Mezcalito’s enclosed heated patio allows its patrons to savor its fresh Mexican dishes – alongside a wide range of unique drinks and, of course, mezcal – comfortably.
Both Boxyard RTP and The Can Opener keep visitors to their food vendors warm while they browse the many offerings available at their respective Research Triangle Park and downtown Durham locales.
Beer enthusiasts can gather around the fire pits at Ponysaurus Brewing Co., where the lights are back and the patio’s never been toastier! Its winter Wonderland returns with the glow of heaters and thousands of festive lights, perfect for sipping some glühwein. Step outside for a heated conversation at either of The Glass Jug Beer Lab’s locations downtown or in RTP, or enjoy a brew on the patio at Bull City Burger & Brewery, Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub or Geer Street Garden without worrying about the chill.
In the DIY District, Conniption Bar and Lounge serves martinis or spiked slushies to enjoy alfresco, while Boxcar Bar + Arcade offers heated outdoor seating for late-night friendly arcade battles and draft picks to savor the season in comfort and style.
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSCRIPTED DURHAM
Holidays
DUKE CHAPEL BY CANDLELIGHT
Dec. 17, noon-2 p.m. | This annual open house invites visitors to experience the spirit of the season with the chapel fully decorated for all to enjoy, accompanied by familiar Christmas melodies.
ADULT GINGERBREAD HOUSE
DECORATING WORKSHOP
Dec. 19, 7:30-9 p.m. | Experience The Makery after hours with friends as you build a festive gingerbread house – drink in hand and creativity encouraged.
TACKY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY
Dec. 17, 6-10 p.m. | Don your loudest, brightest and most outrageous holiday sweaters and head to The Durham Hotel’s rooftop for caroling with the Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus.
BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES
Dec. 17, 8 p.m. | Catch this eclectic, long-standing quartet at the Carolina Theatre, joined by threetime Grammy-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin and the Tuvan throat-singing trio Alash Ensemble. This reunion performance blends fan favorites with reimagined, jazz-infused holiday classics from their Grammy-winning album “Jingle All the Way.”
DREAM BIG
Jan. 19, 1-4 p.m. |
HOLIDAY CONCERT
Dec. 21, 4 p.m. | The Choral Society of Durham presents a festive program of Christmas carols and works including Antonio Vivaldi’s “Magnificat,” Dieterich Buxtehude’s “Das neugeborne Kindelein” and Nunes Garcia’s “Laudate Dominum.” Chamber strings, brass, guitar, harp and marimba come together for a uniquely rich seasonal celebration at Duke University Chapel
MITZVAH DAY
Dec. 25, 6:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Join hundreds of volunteers for the 20th annual community service day with Jewish for Good There’s a meaningful way for everyone to contribute, with more than 25 volunteer projects – from park beautification to crafting no-sew fleece blankets to serving neighbors in need. Make an impact as a part of this special day of service.
Book Harvest celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. and the power of community at its 15th annual book drive and festival at Boxyard RTP. This signature event is part book drive, part volunteer opportunity, part community partner fair and all fun! Bring new or gently used children’s books for ages 0-18, including board books, picture books, Spanish and bilingual titles, and stories reflecting diverse experiences. Kids can pick out free books to take home, and families can enjoy indoor and outdoor activities for all ages.
To Market, To Market
EXPLORE LOCAL MAKERS, MUSIC AND SEASONAL DELIGHTS
On Dec. 6, The Makrs Society’s Holiday Fest will feature more than 200 vendors, food trucks, activities and live music. Families can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, catch a festive wrestling match and even explore a reptile corner – there’s truly something for everyone.
The Patchwork Holiday Market brings together a diverse group of local makers and vintage vendors at the Durham Armory Dec. 6-7, creating a unique shopping experience with a wide selection of high-quality, original goods.
Celebrate the season at The Durham Hotel’s annual Holiday Market, in partnership with Vert & Vogue, on Dec. 10 from 6-9 p.m. Gather in the hotel’s festive lobby and mezzanine for an evening of holiday cheer, seasonal drinks and gift shopping from local vendors. The event supports the YMCA’s Y Learning program, which provides certified teacher-led instruction and after-school and summer camp care at no cost to Durham families who need it most.
GeerHouse plays host to The Up Down Holiday Market from 2-6 p.m. on Dec. 13, offering a chance to connect with neighbors while shopping for handmade goods. Just down the street, the Durham Craft Market puts on its annual Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 14, during which local artists specializing in a wide varity of mediums including pottery, painting, textile arts, photography, jewelry and much more showcase and sell their wares in Durham Central Park
Celebrate the season’s longest night and the return of the light at the Winter Solstice Faire, a free holiday market and community gathering at Durham Central Park Dec. 21 from 1-6 p.m. Explore more than 60 local makers and healers offering candles, art, herbal remedies, jewelry and more while enjoying music from DJ thefacesblur, tarot readings, mini portraits and hands-on rituals during this inclusive celebration that honors diverse spiritual practices.
Top Triangle events this season
THE RINK
Through Jan. 4, 2026 | Discover a full experience of wintry joy – twinkling lights, a towering holiday tree and all the cozy trimmings from warm fire pits to lounge furniture and heaters – at Raleigh’s outdoor ice rink at Red Hat Amphitheater. Warm up with hot cocoa or seasonal sips, challenge friends to giant lawn games, or reserve a private igloo for the ultimate winter hangout.
NORTH CAROLINA
CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL
Through Jan. 11, 2026 | Illuminate your evenings with magic and wonder during this 10th annual celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Wander among thousands of handcrafted lanterns, each glowing with dazzling artistry and captivating themes. This family-friendly walk-through experience also features cultural performances, interactive displays, delicious treats and so much more – an enchanting night for all ages.
CHATHAM ARTISTS GUILD STUDIO TOUR
Dec. 6 & 13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 7 & 14, noon-5 p.m. Draw back the curtain and peer into the creative spaces of Chatham County’s many talented artists during this 33rd annual event presented by Chatham Artists Guild. Browse original, affordable art pieces, and learn about the processes and visions that created them on this intimate, much-anticipated tour.
MENORAH LIGHTING
Dec. 17, 5-7 p.m. | Join the Chabad of Cary at Fenton for its annual menorah lighting, then enjoy ice skating, festive music and sweet holiday treats for the whole family.
A CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS
Dec. 19 & 23, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 20-23, 3 p.m. | Celebrate the season with the North Carolina Symphony Holiday Brass, Raleigh Youth Choir and conductor Jeremy Tucker in one of the Triangle’s most beloved holiday traditions at Meymandi Concert Hall in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Enjoy carols in the lobby with The Oakwood Waits, a visit from Santa and a concert aglow with candlelight, festive spirit and jubilant music.
FIRST NIGHT RALEIGH
Dec. 31, 2 p.m.-midnight | Ring in the new year in downtown Raleigh. The celebration kicks off in City Plaza with live outdoor music and a lively children’s celebration at 2 p.m. Then, enjoy performances, activities and entertainment across downtown venues all evening long. The night builds to a grand finale on the Main Stage with more music, the iconic Raleigh Acorn Drop and a fireworks display.
CARRBORO FILM FESTIVAL
Jan. 23-25 | Dynamic filmmakers and audiences come together during this annual festival held at the Drakeford Library Complex to celebrate independent cinema and Southern culture. The event, which marks its 20th anniversary, has showcased the region’s best independent films while offering a space to both honor and critically explore the complexities of Southern life.
2025 Head to our Triangle-wide event calendar for even more winter festivities
PHOTO COURTESY OF DUKE UNIVERSITY
let’s dish
Cucciolo Famiglia
BY MONIKA JUREVICIUS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Step into the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Cucciolo Famiglia, where families, couples and neighbors gather to enjoy classic Italian dishes designed for comfort and community.
Sutton Station’s spacious garden-inspired courtyard – complete with lush greenery and a tranquil fountain – creates the perfect backdrop for the restaurant’s outdoor patio where parents and their children often congregate for alfresco dining with a side of play thanks to provided toys and games. It’s a feature that Famiglia owner and South Durham resident Jimmy Kim describes as “priceless” – and what drew him to the location in the first place. “We [also] loved the size of the existing kitchen and saw the huge potential for a great patio, so [we] decided this was the right choice for our next phase,” the restaurateur says.
Every detail blends casual comfort with authentic European ambiance thanks to interior designer Laura Koshel of LK Design – a neighbor and friend of
Jimmy’s – who took full advantage of the open floor plan to evoke the charm of an Italian bistro.
A TWIST ON THE CLASSICS
Famiglia – the third concept from the team behind downtown’s Cucciolo Osteria and Cucciolo Terrazza in North Hills – opened in late August 2025. The new restaurant’s menu features Cucciolo Osteria fan favorites like basil tomato bruschetta, vodka tomato cream sauce rigatoni and white ragu rigatoni, but it also leans into American-Italian favorites, including calamari fritti, veal marsala and chicken Parmesan – made with Osteria’s beloved butter chicken dish as its base.
LEFT Cucciolo Famiglia serves Italian favorites ideal for sharing, like its savory salami board, zesty salmon piccata and creamy vodka tomato rigatoni.
ABOVE Bar Manager Matt Barker adds a smoky twist to the Grapefruit Spritz, torching a rosemary sprig to elevate the cocktail’s flavor and aroma.
RIGHT A kid favorite: spaghetti and meatballs, served with plenty of flavor for little diners.
Lush greenery, outdoor heaters and plenty of space make Cucciolo Famiglia’s patio the perfect spot for alfresco dining with family and friends.
The kids menu includes five options perfect for smaller stomachs: mac and cheese, butter chicken fingers, spaghetti butter and cheese, spaghetti pomodoro and spaghetti Alfredo, plus s’mores for dessert – which kids can enjoy for free on Wednesday evenings. “We want to be the restaurant for the community, like a giant family, hence the name,” Jimmy says.
BEHIND THE BAR
The other two Cucciolo locations feature award-winning wine selections, while Cucciolo Famiglia’s bar focuses on high-end craft cocktails at reasonable price points. The team makes almost all its syrups in-house, including a pistachio syrup for the signature Pistachio Lemon Sour. The Strawberry Milk Punch, featuring strawberry caviar and pineapple chips, is another standout. For a nonalcoholic option, “We do often have a house-made shrub behind the bar that is not
listed on any menu, but is a personal creation of Matthew Barker, our bar manager,” says Josh Womer, one of the partners at Famiglia.
EAT, PLAY, LOVE
Cucciolo Famiglia is open for dinner service Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4-8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4-9 p.m. Jimmy emphasizes that the focus isn’t on fine dining but on creating an experience where guests feel comfortable, whether they stop by for a full meal, takeout or just a glass of wine. “Our foremost goal is to have fun with this project,” he explains.
“Not only has this experience been an incredible opportunity, but Jimmy, Josh and I have come to value one another more now than we did at the start of the project,” business partner Andrew Robinson adds. The team also plans to extend operating hours for weekend brunch as the weather gets colder and the patio closes and roll out new menu items and takeout options gradually while keeping quality and service top of mind.
NEWS BITES
• Durham restaurants Nanas, Nikos, Little Bull and Seraphine were among the close to 40 Recommended North Carolina eateries – those that provide exceptional quality, consistency and hospitality – in Michelin Guide’s inaugural selection for the American South, its first-ever regional edition since Michelin began covering North America in 2005.
• James Beard-nominated chef Preeti Waas is bringing back Cheeni Indian Food Emporium with a new location coming soon to Horseshoe at Hub RTP, adjacent to her recently opened Nanny Goat boutique bodega that she co-founded with her daughter, Amy Waas. The reopening – which, as of press time, was slated for November 2025 – will feature fan-favorite Cheeni dishes from her former North Raleigh restaurant.
Meanwhile, a second location of Nanny Goat is slated to open soon at Geerhouse. The downtown shop will focus on fresh, chef-prepared graband-go foods while continuing to offer community-focused retail items, local provisions and the boutique bodega experience already established at the RTP location.
• Plum Southern Kitchen & Bar closed its doors Sept. 28, 2025 after nearly five years at 501 Washington St., Ste. C
• Sol House Wines, a natural wine shop and bar, opened Nov. 12, 2025, in Brightleaf Square and features a curated selection of natural wines in a welcoming space, along with bar snacks including tinned fish and caviar. Its hours are Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
• After two years, Missy Lane’s Assembly Room closed in November. Missy Lane’s Charitable Foundation will continue the jazz venue’s mission through its block party and jazz education programs.
• The folks behind The Federal recently launched Max Jr. – a “mini mini-mart” that offers a small and intentionally curated selection of beer, wine and small batch products – at 1009 W. Main St.
• Mobile coffee cart Montwood Coffee is slated to open a café in the former Brunello Wine Bar location at 123 Market St., Ste. A, beside CCB Plaza. Its menu includes numerous hot and iced coffees, teas and specialty drinks, like a strawberry matcha latte and a spiced rose chai latte.
• Dame’s Chicken & Waffles, a downtown favorite for the past 15 years, reopened at a new, recently renovated space at 455 S. Driver St. in October. The restaurant previously operated at 530 Foster St. since 2019, after moving from its original 317 W. Main St. location.
• As of press time, new fast-casual concept Bubbakoo’s Burritos was slated to open Nov. 15, 2025, at 8202 Renaissance Pkwy., Ste. 103, near The Streets at Southpoint. The Mexican-fusion chain launched in New Jersey in 2008 and has since grown to more than 100 locations nationwide. Expect made-to-order burritos, tacos, quesadillas, taco salads and its famous “Chiwawa.”
• Ashleigh Ratchford of Ashleigh Bakes Daily announced Doe Community Bake Shop, a new downtown space combining cookies, beverages and rotating small businesses. The shop is currently seeking local makers and beverage artisans to join its pop-up program and drink lab residency to help create this “third space” for community connection and creativity.
• Soul food favorite Kale’s Kitchen opened a permanent location at 2100 Angier Ave. in Old East Durham. This counter-service spot serves up a host of classic dishes like fried chicken and fried fish as well as mac and cheese and baked beans. The menu varies day to day, so make sure to follow its Instagram for real-time menu updates.
• The Tipsy Bull opened at 800 Taylor St. in Golden Belt in October 2025. The sports bar and grill offers craft beer, casual fare and plenty of screens to watch your favorite sports. Its menu consists of combo meal platters and game day wings, including the signature “Tipsy Bull Special.”
• Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co., which roasts Yemeni-sourced coffee beans out of its Michigan-based headquarters, is opening a cafe off N.C. Hwy. 55 in Research Triangle Park. The menu will feature Yemeni coffee drinks, plus baked goods like honey-drizzled sweet bread and tres leches cakes.
• Wood-fired pizza joint Timber Pizza Company is set to open a second Triangle location at Wye Junction this December. The 45-seat restaurant serving Neapolitan-style pies, empanadas, salads and desserts will occupy a 2,000-square-foot space in the historic City Garage building. A total of nine businesses are slated to occupy Wye Junction once development of the mixed-use complex is complete.
• Coastal-inspired cafe Drift opened its newest location at Horseshoe at Hub RTP in midNovember, offering its signature premium coffee drinks alongside a curated selection of breakfast and lunch items featuring favorites such as the bodega breakfast sandwich, acai bowl, breakfast burrito, caprese sandwich, chicken pesto bowl and chopped salad. Brothers Michael Powell and Ben Powell opened their first coffee shop in Ocean Isle Beach in 2014 and have since grown the brand to 12 North Carolina locations. – compiled by Natalie Jones
Hometown flavor
Counting House’s new executive chef returns to her roots, sharing her culinary journey and a recipe that still inspires her holiday table today
MBY HANNAH LEE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL
SIMPSON
elanie Wilkerson drove the same unremarkable stretch of road almost every day during her high school years in Los Angeles. Just a plain highway nestled at the base of a hillside.
Then, one Christmas, Melanie’s grandmother – Betty Massenburg, a pioneering educator and the first Black woman to serve as a principal in Durham Public Schools – came to visit. That ordinary drive Melanie had taken for granted for two or three years? Betty immediately saw something else. Something more. She urged her granddaughter to pull the car over, traffic be darned. Then Betty hopped out and started climbing the hill herself. At the top, behold: collard greens – a staple produce in Betty’s household and one of Melanie’s lifelong favorites.
“To have her be able to cook her collards that day,” Melanie says, “was just like bringing home to us.”
Melanie, a Durham native, says she had a dual upbringing in North Carolina and California. That hillside moment still lingers in
Melanie Wilkerson sits at the Counting House bar. As a child, she often visited the building with her grandmother when it still operated as a bank.
Holidays
her memory – and now, as the executive chef at Counting House, it reminds her of why she’s exactly where she’s meant to be.
“It just brought us back to here,” Melanie says of that day years ago. “I take a lot of influence from my grandmother. She was just an amazing woman, and she really taught me … how you celebrate yourself and your family and your community.”
If not for her grandmother, Melanie might never have become a chef. Her love of cooking – especially for homegrown, accessible food – began in Betty’s garden on Plum Street, a cornerstone of Durham’s historic Black community. One day, while a 12-yearold Melanie harvested some string beans, she tasted one that had fallen on the ground – and was instantly moved. She’d dabbled in the kitchen before, mostly helping her grandmother, but that night, she truly watched Betty cook, soaking in every detail.
Lessons like those, it turned out, she needed to learn firsthand.
“My grandmother very much didn’t write those things down –which in turn actually helped me a lot, because I would have to stand there with her and make it with her,” Melanie says. “It’s a lot of what I do with the cooks here – what I call intuitive cooking. What she really taught me, about produce in particular, is that you have to taste it before you cook it, because it changes daily.”
Her grandmother’s teachings guided Melanie and eventually led her to begin her own professional culinary journey. When Betty passed in 2007, Melanie was inspired to enroll at the since-shuttered Chef’s Academy in 2011. She eventually moved to Wales and then back to California, refining her craft along the way. By 2021, she was chef de cuisine at FolkTable in Sonoma, helping the restaurant earn back-toback Michelin Bib Gourmand awards.
a gracious plenty
Melanie and Sicily are also co-founders of Kind Kitchen Group, a nonprofit that teaches culinary skills to youth and young adults while blending lessons in sustainability, community engagement and life skills.
“It’s important for people to recognize what the holidays look like for people who don’t necessarily have the same opportunities that we do,” Melanie says. “This, for me, aligns with … Kind Kitchen Group – just being thoughtful when it comes to how we engage outside of our own communities.”
Kind Kitchen offers volunteers a chance to teach, mentor or assist in hands-on culinary classes, while donors can extend the reach of the organization’s current programs, led by Sicily at Rogers-Herr Middle School and Hillside High School
Learn more and get involved at kindkitchen.group
But Melanie continuously felt a pull toward Durham. Which is why, in 2024, she and her wife, Sicily Johnson, moved back to raise their teenagers, Madison Johnson, 17, and Marlee Johnson, 13.
For her first holiday dinner back in her hometown in years, Melanie cooked green beans – the same recipe Betty taught her as a girl. That dish felt symbolic of her full-circle return.
“It was just great to reconnect and feel family and feel all the love,” Melanie says.
More than anything, Melanie wants people to know that cooking doesn’t require fancy ingredients or hours of preparation. A meal can be “approachable, affordable and something that is easy,” she says, and still be meaningful.
Take her apple cider-brined chicken, which she’s made in some form or fashion for 15 years now, adjusting as her cooking skills evolved. She loves it because it’s simple – a dish anyone can make and share.
“It’s something that you have to give a little bit of thought to, but it’s also where you can pull in the rest of your family members and make it something that we can all do together,” Melanie says. “That’s what I like about cooking: A recipe isn’t finite; it’s just an outline, and then you put in the things that you enjoy.”
Like collard greens, picked from the side of a highway.
Apple Cider-Brined Holiday Chicken
BRINE INGREDIENTS
(for one 4 to 5 pound chicken)
• 1 quart (4 cups) apple cider (not vinegar), divided
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 6-8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 orange or apple, sliced
• 4-6 whole cloves or allspice (optional)
• 1 quart (4 cups) water
BRINING INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot, bring half the cider and all other ingredients (except water) to a simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat. Add the remaining cold cider and water to cool the mixture. Submerge the chicken completely in the brine (use a brining bag). Refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Remove the chicken and pat dry. Allow it to air dry in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours for crisper skin.
HERB BUTTER RUB (for one chicken)
• 6 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, thyme or sage, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or made into a paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
RUB & ROASTING INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients. Spread the herb butter mixture under the skin and over the entire bird before roasting. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 F and roast for an additional 45-55 minutes. Check internal temperature: Should be 165 F in the breast and 175 F in the thigh.
Holiday Gift Guide
Miu Miu Matelassė Club Shoulder Bag, $998
MODE CONSIGNMENT
1000 W Main St. Durham, NC 27605
919-803-5414
modeconsignment.com
Elevate holiday gifting with this iconic leather bag. Featuring distinctive quilting and a chain strap, this luxurious accessory makes every outfit effortlessly chic.
900 Willow Dr. Chapel Hill, NC 27514 984-234-3416 olmazjewelers.com
This stunning Bujukan Bangle pairs timeless elegance with modern flair, featuring yellow gold beads, white gold teardrops with pavé diamonds –perfect stacked or solo.
Moroccan Carved Drinking and Tea Glass Sets, Set of Six Drinking Glasses: $130, Set of Six Tea Glasses: $105
PAYSAGE HOME
107 Meadowmont Village Cir. Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919-537-5410
paysage.com
Elevate your everyday rituals with these radiant sets of hand-blown Moroccan carved glasses. They’re perfect for cocktails, water, juice or any of your favorite drinks.
Our best-selling exfoliator delivers real results that smooth, clear and balance skin. It makes an ideal gift for anyone, including those who seem impossible to shop for.
Dragonfly Fan Lamp, $82
WomanCraft Gifts
250 S. Elliott Rd. Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-929-3300 womancraftgifts.com
Set a mood or brighten your space with this stained-glass dragonfly fan lamp –a captivating piece, like many of the other handcrafted items in our store.
East Fork Pottery Mugs and Bitty Bowls, Mugs: $44 each, Bitty Bowls: $14 each
INDIO
Brightleaf Square
905 W. Main St. Durham, NC 27701
919-797-0456 indiodurham.com
Bring timeless beauty into your home with East Fork’s best-selling pottery, crafted in Asheville by a certified B Corporation dedicated to joy, equity and enduring design.
This 16.5-inch necklace blends unconventional design with classic style, featuring apatite drops, freshwater pearls and a mabe pearl center designed and crafted by Cameron White.
Circa 1860s-80s Imari Bowl and Circa 1860s Scalloped Imari Chop Plate, Bowl: $295, Plate: $595
Whitehall Antiques
1213 E. Franklin St. Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-942-3179 whitehallantiques.com
Whitehall Antiques features a varied selection of distinctive 19th-century Imari pieces that add a touch of interest and color to your home decor.
North Carolina Zoo Membership, $69-$300 (depending on membership level)
HEART OF NORTH CAROLINA VISITORS BUREAU
500 Albemarle Rd., Asheboro 800-626-2672
heartofnorthcarolina.com
A North Carolina Zoo membership gives you year-round access to a world of wildlife while connecting you with nature and supporting the zoo’s conservation efforts.
A couple brings the world of Lego magic –and a dose of holiday spirit – to north Durham
BY LAUREN ROUSE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
S
H O P P ER S
WA
N D ER
into Bricks & Minifigs searching for gifts or nostalgia – and sometimes just to meet James and Jenna, the Great Danes who’ve become the store’s beloved mascots. Inside, laughter mingles with the soft clicks of Lego pieces as owners Anne Grandel and Demetrius Grandel share the joy that building together can spark.
Bricks & Minifigs opened Sept. 7, 2024, joining a network of independently owned stores across the country that specialize in all things Lego. This local franchise introduces the buysell-trade concept to Durham, offering everything from new and retired sets to bins of bulk bricks where builders can hunt for that one missing piece. Customers can even design their own minifigure at the in-store maker station or browse the black box theater, a rotating showcase of custom creations from local builders.
The shop represents a creative second act for Anne and Demetrius after years on the road. Before moving to the area, Demetrius worked as a Broadway sound engineer while Anne sold merchandise for touring productions –with their pups in tow. When theaters shut down during the pandemic, the couple turned to Lego for fun and focus, completing more than 60 sets together. “I grew up with Lego,” Demetrius says. “The space sets, the castle sets – I was into them all the time when I was a kid, and I got out of them. When I wasn’t working, I just fell back into Lego.”
Their shared hobby soon led to something bigger. While traveling for work, the couple discovered multiple Bricks & Minifigs locations across the country. They connected with the company’s simple philosophy – rebuild, reuse, reimagine – especially the idea of giving old sets new life. “We’d go to every store we could,” Anne says. “The setup is generally the same, but what’s inside is always different because it depends on what people bring in.”
When the couple decided to settle down, Durham felt like the perfect fit. The Grandels visited often during Broadway tours at the Durham Performing Arts Center, and the city’s vibrant energy charmed them every time. “We’re from the Northeast and lived in Florida for 15 years before this, so we wanted to come halfway for the weather,” Anne says. “We knew Durham was home to Research Triangle Park and biotech companies with engineers and people who like to build.”
They found an ideal spot in the Willowdaile Shopping Center, where they could create room for everything – an open sales floor, a dedicated event space and an area for processing incoming bricks. Bricks & Minifigs thrives on constant change. Every trade-in reshapes the shelves. The best way to bring in a Lego set is either unopened and sealed or fully built. Sets that arrive opened are rebuilt to ensure all the pieces are there. “I count every single piece, re-bag it, and then seal it as a certified used set,”
Demetrius says. Store manager Tyler Russell, who moved with the Grandels to help launch the store, keeps the floor stocked and organized, from managing trade-ins to refreshing displays as new sets arrive. Regulars come weekly to sift through bins, searching for the perfect part. “They can come here and feel like it’s a safe space for them to hang out and get bricks,” Anne says. “We have people who come in with the refillable containers and spend hours.”
Bricks & Minifigs also occasionally offers creative workshops, like
Holidays
ABOVE The Black Box Theater showcases customer creations, from official sets to unique MOCs (My Own Creations), giving builders a chance to display their work.
ABOVE RIGHT The store highlights used and retired sets no longer in production, though some new sets are also available.
BELOW Lennox Gillis, 8, and Isaac Kamiya, 5, dig through the bins to build their own imaginative creations.
beginner stop-motion animation classes led by sales associate Tye Echols. Participants learn how to bring minifigures to life frame by frame using just a phone camera – another way the store encourages imagination beyond the build. The shop’s event room also hosts birthday parties where kids can build derby cars, race friends and take home custom minifigures. As the holidays approach, Anne and Demetrius plan to roll out festive sets they’ve saved all year. “We’ve been stockpiling,” Anne says. “We have Christmas trains and Santa’s Workshop, all those fun sets.” They’ll start
putting those on the floor in early December. “I know this year people are looking for the Gingerbread AT-AT from ‘Star Wars,’” Demetrius says. “Anything from Marvel, DC and Harry Potter is also popular.” Anne’s favorite sets are the botanicals.
“One of the first things I got her on tour is a Lego rose, because it’s not going to die,” Demetrius says. “Every week, she’d take it apart, and then put it back together in the next city.”
ABOVE LEFT Anne and Demetrius show off a couple of their own minifigure creations.
ABOVE From surprised to silly to perplexed, the expressive faces of minifigures add personality to every build.
LEFT This mohawk minifigure, created for last year’s grand opening, sports the Bricks & Minifigs logo on the front and a Durham bull on the back.
Bricks & Minifigs
Holidays
Shoppers can follow the store’s social media accounts, including Instagram and Facebook, to get the latest updates. Email and text alerts also help regulars catch deals quickly. The franchise’s monthlong special, “Santa’s Got a Brand New Bulk Bag, Baby!” adds a playful twist this December. Staff will break apart surprise bulk sets into a separate bin, and shoppers will earn a raffle ticket with each $50 in-store purchase for a shot at winning Santa’s bag. The store will also run specials on bulk pieces, used sets, retired sets and minifigures. Looking for a specific holiday gift?
“We keep a wish list,” Anne says. If someone wants a particular set, the shop’s team will call them when it comes in.
For the Grandels, it all comes back to that simple mission of bringing joy.
“I just want people to remember why they love building,” Demetrius says. “What was enjoyable about it, either when they were a kid or showing their kid? That’s the whole point – it’s enjoyable to be creative.”
stacking up
The 2,200-square-foot Lego Store at The Streets at Southpoint gives south Durham fans a place to build, browse and play. Visitors can explore the Pick & Build Wall, create a custom minifigure, or try out the demonstration and play tables, where brick specialists showcase new releases and encourage handson fun. The retailer carries exclusive sets found only at official Lego locations and offers loyalty rewards through the Lego Insiders program. With its colorful displays, interactive experiences and steady spark of imagination, the store offers another cheerful stop for holiday gift hunting and plenty of inspiration for builders of all ages.
ABOVE James, one of the store’s beloved Great Dane mascots, happily greets guests while Jenna makes her way up to the gate.
BELOW Isaac and Lennox cheer as Anne sends their Lego cars zooming down the BAM Durham racetrack.
Threecandlemakers
share their must-burn
SIMPSON fragrances to brighten chilly days
BYSHARON KINSELLA | PH OT O B Y J O HN
MICHAEL
StarlitWoods
SCENT NOTES ozone, camphor, citrus, red currant, pine needles, sage and eucalyptus
AVAILABLE in an 8-ounce jar for $20
FIND IT through February at switchbackcandles.com, Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar and local markets (find the full schedule at @switchbackcandles on Instagram).
ILLUMINATION “I named this candle after the stark beauty of bare trees and the way the stars shine brightly between the branches on a winter’s night,” says Christina Cameron, who started Switchback Candles in 2022. Top notes of ozone and camphor awakens the feeling of crisp, bracing air before opening into bright, fruity layers of citrus and red currant, and then settling into familiar winter notes of pine needles, sage and eucalyptus. “There’s something special about those quiet winter moments,” Christina says, “when you step outside and pause to notice the stillness, fresh air, bright stars and your breath in the glow of string lights.” Starlit Woods summons that fleeting calm – pensive, nostalgic and bright.
Under the Mistletoe
SCENT NOTES eucalyptus, pine, clove and cedar
AVAILABLE in an 8-ounce tin or jar for $20, an 8-ounce decorative jar for $25, a 12-ounce jar for $30 or in a three 8-ounce candle variety box with “Santa Baby” and “After Hours at the North Pole” for $45
FIND IT through January at theraweditioncandlecollc.com or at pop-up markets throughout the holiday season.
ILLUMINATION Ticca Harris, who launched The Raw Edition Candle Company in 2021, recommends enjoying this candle as part of a trio for a scent journey that blends spice, sweetness and woodiness – a fragrance that feels like coming home. “This [combined] scent is quintessential for the winter months because it wraps you in warmth and comfort,” Ticca says. “It evokes cozy nights by the fire, oversized sweaters and laughter that lingers long after the night ends.” She associates it with December birthdays, family gatherings, soft holiday music in the background and that first deep breath when you step inside from the cold – the one that instantly melts away the chill. It’s the kind of aroma, she says, that encourages you to slow down, sip something warm and linger a little longer.
BlackSpruce
SCENT NOTES black spruce, Cara Cara orange and vanilla
AVAILABLE in a 7.5-ounce jar for $37 or in a giftable 3.4-ounce trio set with fragrances Black Currant and Black Cardamom for $45.
FIND IT through Dec. 21 at brightblackcandles.com, the showroom at 2020 Chapel Hill Rd., Ste. 24, in Lakewood Shopping Center and at select local retailers (listed online).
ILLUMINATION Bright Black, founded by Tiffany M. Griffin and her husband, Dariel Heron, in 2019, releases a limited-edition holiday candle each year. This season’s Black Spruce captures the serene beauty of winter with a refined, modern scent. “It’s like stepping into a snowy forest,” Tiffany says, “grounded by evergreen but brightened with hints of vanilla and orange – woody yet unexpectedly inviting.” The fragrance balances earthy freshness with smooth warmth, offering a sophisticated twist on the quintessential pine aroma and reflecting what Tiffany describes as the season’s themes of “stillness, rest, restoration, inner growth and renewal.”
Holidays
to
Countdown 2026
1 Spring may be its most popular season, but late fall and winter showcase their own unique beauty at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Stroll through the serene landscape and soak in a sunset glow – the gardens are open every day till dusk.
2
10 experiences to check off before the clock strikes midnight
Resolve to connect more with your community. Join a club centered on your favorite hobby, attend a city council meeting, or explore a local business, restaurant or neighborhood you’ve never visited.
3
Secure tickets now for a live performance next year, whether it’s a musical at the Durham Performing Arts Center, a standup comedian at the Carolina Theatre, dance presented by Duke Arts or a concert at one of our many intimate local music venues.
4 Mark your calendar for the final Third Friday Durham Art Walk and Gallery Crawl of the year from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 19. Explore exhibition openings, live art and music demonstrations, as well as art-inspired events at restaurants and shops.
5 Take a twilight walk through downtown and discover enchantment underneath festive lights – Parrish Street, Brightleaf Square and American Tobacco Campus are a few of our favorite scenes.
6 Celebrate the season by attending at least one holiday event (but, the more, the merrier!). Check Page 18 for our full calendar of festive happenings.
7 Cozy up on a long winter night with a good book from your nearest Durham County Library branch.
8 Shop local for your holiday feasts. Our many farmers markets offer fresh produce, meats and more, while beloved bakeries have sweet treats to round out the meal.
9 Hit up the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University while the students are on break. Attend the Gallery Guide tour on Dec. 11 from 6-7 p.m. to learn about a few of the fave pieces in the museum’s collection that were gifted by generous donors, or bring the family to a puppet storytelling extravaganza with master puppeteer Jeghetto on Dec. 14 from 1-3 p.m. Enjoy a meet-and-greet, interactive puppet play zone and a dynamic performance in the Lecture Hall. Reserve ahead at the Nasher Café for brunch or dinner before or after the events.
10 Volunteer at or donate to a new nonprofit. Many are wrapping up year-end giving campaigns and could use some help reaching their goals. Flip through the next few pages to learn more about a few local organizations that are in need!
Mission
Durham Arts Council, Inc. is a catalyst in the cultural development of Durham – it leads, inspires, and promotes excellence in and access to the creation, experience, and active support of the arts for all the people of our community.
Background
Since 1954, DAC has championed Durham’s creative spirit by uplifting artists, arts organizations and arts education. DAC invests in the cultural landscape with grants, professional resources and arts learning opportunities for people of all ages. It connects the community with the power of creativity and makes the arts accessible to everyone through festivals, exhibits, collaborative partnerships and advocacy.
Brag Lines
DAC fuels the creative spirit that makes Durham thrive. DAC builds a sustainable, inclusive arts sector for our community. Help make more art happen and ensure the arts continue to play a role in shaping the future of Durham!
Upcoming Events
Our galleries are free and open to the public daily.
Join us every third Friday for exhibit openings, artist talks and more:
• Dec. 19, 2025, and Jan. 16, 2026 –Inter Latin American Artist Collective
• Feb. 20, 2026, and March 20, 2026 –Ciara Stewart and “You Are Your First Home” by Britney Balmer
DAC Gala – Feb. 28, 2025 – support arts education and the future of arts and culture in Durham
Wish List
• Document camera
• Two-step stools for kids (for sinks)
• Sidewalk chalk
• Kid-sized jump ropes
• Copy paper
• Drop cloth for painting
• Paint rollers, paintbrush sponges (variety of sizes)
• Sanding blocks or manual sander
• Step stool with two or three steps
Learn More and Donate!
Get in Touch!
120 Morris St. Durham, NC 27701 919-560-2787 durhamarts.org
Mission
The Animal Protection Society of Durham (APS) strengthens bonds between people and animals in Durham County through community engagement and compassionate care for animals in need. Our vision is that there are no displaced or unwanted pets; all animals and people are treated with compassion and respect; and community services are available to all.
Brag Lines
APS of Durham operates the only open-admission community shelter in Durham County. Over the past year, they ensured that:
• 2,148 animals were fostered in homes until they could find a new family
• 1,895 animals were adopted into loving homes
• 456 families were reunited with their lost pets
• 578 animals were sent to rescue partners
• 2,095 microchips were implanted so lost animals could be more easily reunited with their families
• 7,804 pounds of pet food were provided free to Durham residents
Upcoming Events
• Home for the Holidays: Become a foster parent to care for an animal in need.
• January Donation Drive: Donate critical shelter supplies from our online wish list.
• Walk for the Animals: Help us meet our fundraising goal for our biggest community event of the year!
Background
APS of Durham is an independent nonprofit organization that has managed the Durham County Animal Shelter since 1990. APS relies on donations from caring individuals and corporations to feed, shelter and provide medical attention for more than 5,000 stray, surrendered, abandoned, abused and neglected animals each year.
Mission
Our mission is to raise funds to provide a margin of excellence for the Durham County Library.
Wish List
• Bring a friend to the library
• Recommendations for authors and speakers you’d like to see
• AI training for librarians and the public
• Follow @durhamlibraryfoundation on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
• 25 first-time supporters to join us by year’s end - your gift helps strengthen the library for the next 25 years!
• Gifts of all amounts are greatly appreciated
• Champion of Literacy gifts of $1,000 or more can support multiple programs a year
• Planned gifts are a wonderful way to leave a legacy benefitting this community treasure
Scan the QR code below to make your gift today!
Background
Established in 2000 by a dedicated group of community members, the Durham Library Foundation provides vital funding and resources to fulfill Durham County Library’s mission of inspiring lives and transforming the community. The Foundation builds relationships and raises private funds to supplement the county budget for capital improvements, technology advancements, innovative programming, rich collections and a vast range of resources the library makes available to all members of the community.
Brag Lines
Thanks to generous support from the community and businesses, DLF raised $1.2 million for upgraded furniture, equipment and spaces at the Main Library. In fiscal year 20242025, the Foundation provided more than $196,000 to sponsor 13 different programs and events among the seven library branches. These programsfocused on music, art, current events and history - brought world-class scholars and recognized authors such as Cornel West, Tressie McMillan Cottom and Billy Collins to our community.
Upcoming Events
• Mayberry Modernism: ”Preserving North Carolina’s Legacy of Modernist Houses” with George Smart, January 29, 2026.
• Sixth Annual Library Fest: “The Stories that Built Us,” April 20-25, 2026.
For more, visit: durhamcountylibrary.libcal.com/calendars
The Durham Tech Foundation is committed to the belief that every individual deserves access to quality education and a pathway to a secure, well-paying career. The Foundation works to ensure that Durham Technical Community College has the resources needed to make this vision a reality.
Community Impact Highlights
Thanks to our generous donors, this past year the Foundation made a significant impact on student success:
• Delivered more than 57,000 pounds of food to 1,590 students through the Campus Harvest Food Pantry – supporting an estimated 6,650 family members across our community.
• Secured more than $450,000 in student barrier-removal support, providing emergency financial aid, wellness resources, basic needs and textbooks to help students stay on track.
• Awarded $310,000 in scholarships to 210 student recipients, opening doors to education and brighter futures.
Background
Since its inception in 1982, the Foundation has served as a bridge between aspiration and opportunity, ensuring students have the resources they need to succeed. Through partnerships with mission-driven corporations, foundations and individuals, the Foundation secures resources that remove barriers for students, expand equitable access to education, and strengthen both the College and the community.
Ways to Make a Difference
Every dollar donated to the Durham Tech Foundation helps students overcome obstacles, stay on track, and achieve their dreams. Here are a few ways you can make a direct impact:
• Support where it’s needed most: Contribute to the Durham Tech General Fund to strengthen college programs, drive innovation and meet emerging needs across campuses.
• Nourish student success: Designate your gift to the Campus Harvest Food Pantry or other student support programs that provide essential resources like meals, supplies and wellness care.
• Remove barriers, create hope: Give to the Emergency Financial Assistance Program (EFAP) to help students facing urgent financial crises – whether it’s rent, transportation or childcare – so they can stay in school and succeed.
• Open doors to opportunity: Invest in the Durham Tech Scholarship Fund to empower students with access to education and career pathways that lead to life-changing outcomes.
Since 2015, SUD has served nearly 2,500 participants (including children), securing 1,349 jobs! SUD participants have saved a cumulative $22,532 during their time with the program. The all-time reincarceration rate for previously incarcerated participants is 4.5%, compared to 33% statewide. This past year, SUD served 340 participants on their employment journeys, securing 188 jobs at an average wage of more than $17 per hour.
Background
The mission of StepUp Durham is to empower job seekers in the Durham community who face challenges to employment. We do this by providing them opportunity and access to essential resources and holistic support to enhance lives and build sustainable employment, thereby fostering personal and community growth. Get in Touch!
StepUp Durham (SUD)’s story began in 2013 with the formation of an exploratory committee consisting of Durham residents concerned with under- and unemployment in our city. Guided by StepUp Ministry’s mission of providing pathways to employment and a commitment to building a Durham where all neighbors thrive, SUD opened in September 2015. For the past 10 years, SUD has walked alongside job seekers in our community as they navigate barriers and work toward stability.
Upcoming Events
IMPACT26, April 16th at ReCity: Join our annual fundraising event where supporters come together to learn more about our work and celebrate our participants’ successes.
Wish List
• Food and toiletry shelf contributions
• Meal donations for programming
• Resume and mock interview volunteers
• Financial support
• Employer partners
112 Broadway St., Ste. B Durham, NC 27701 919-813-0207
stepupdurham.org
Mission statement
Books for every child, support for every parent and literacy for every community: this is Book Harvest’s audacious goal. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents and nourished with books.
Background
Headquartered in Durham, Book Harvest is a recognized anchor of childhood literacy in North Carolina and beyond. Since 2011, they have provided 2.8 million books to families, ensuring that parents have the tools to ignite and strengthen their children’s literacy, starting at birth. Book Harvest’s vision is of a world in which reading, learning and access to information are considered rights, not privileges, so that all children thrive.
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Book Harvest’s innovative ventures focus on two core approaches:
Early Literacy: They focus their work on direct service to children and their families, providing individualized literacy coaching and unfettered access to the tools and support they need to embark on the road to reading from birth.
Book Abundance: They create book-rich environments throughout the community – in school settings and in informal learning spaces – so that wherever families go, they have access to free, culturally-inclusive books
Wish list
• Donate books: Run a book drive, clean off your child’s bookshelves or purchase new books to donate.
• Donate: Help Book Harvest fulfill their big dream of books for every child, support for every parent and literacy for every community. Your taxdeductible donation to Book Harvest helps to build brains and spread joy for every child – starting at birth!
• Volunteer: Nothing gets accomplished at Book Harvest without the help of hundreds of hardworking volunteers each year!
• Spread the word: Follow Book Harvest on social media (@bookharvestnc) and subscribe to their monthly newsletter available on their website.
• Get books: Book Harvest provides books for every child. Visit their headquarters in Durham or find a book hub location on their website.
Free Community Wide Events:
• Dream Big Book Drive and Community Celebration: Monday, MLK Day, Jan. 19, 2026, 1-4 p.m., Boxyard RTP
• Summer Block Party: Saturday, July 18, 2026, 3-6 p.m., Durham Central Park
Get in Touch!
2501 University Dr. Durham, NC 27707 252-497-BOOK (2665) bookharvest.org
Our Why
Durham Public Schools Foundation works to unite the Durham community around our public schools. We invest in student success by creating an ecosystem of support around every student –strengthening teachers, empowering parents, and expanding opportunities to learn, grow, and lead.
What We Stand For
Since 2018, the DPS Foundation has worked alongside local businesses and community organizations to make Durham’s public schools thrive. Together, we support the people shaping our city’s future: students, educators, and families. The challenges facing local public education are real, but so is our commitment. Let’s continue ensuring every Durham public school is a place where every child is recognized, supported, and prepared for lifelong success.
Save the Date
Our annual scholarship fundraiser and DPS arts showcase, ”An Evening to Shine,” returns to the Durham Performing Arts Center on Feb. 24, 2026. Visit shinedps.com to buy a ticket (or pay a ticket forward), become a sponsor, or sign up to volunteer.
Who We Are
Since our founding, your investment has allowed us to:
• Give more than $1.8 million in grants directly to DPS teachers and schools
• Award college scholarships to more than 90 DPS high school seniors
• Continually bolster the mental health and well-being of our public schools
• Connect DPS students, educators, and families with valuable community resources
We support the ecosystem of more than 31,000 DPS students. In January 2025, we welcomed Crayons2Calculators into our organization, strengthening our support for DPS teachers. Longtime DPSF leader Brianna Kennedy currently serves as our interim executive director.
Ways to Support our Local Public Schools
Strong, well-funded public schools are essential to every student’s lifelong success, opening doors to opportunity and creating a solid foundation for the future. Your ongoing support makes this possible. Here’s how you can get involved:
• Donate to prepare students for lifelong success and to empower educators and families
• Volunteer at the Crayons2Calculators Teacher Store, as a FAFSA navigator, and more
• Partner as a business or organization to help champion local public schools
• Spread the word by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on social media Take the next step today. Visit bullcityschools.org for more information.
Get in Touch!
bullcityschools.org
development@bullcityschools.org Find us on social media @bullcityschools
Mission Statement
We connect with the community to end homelessness and fight poverty by offering food, shelter and a future to neighbors in need.
Background
Wish List
• Make a tax-deductible donation. It’s the #1 way to help!
• Collect basic kitchenware and bedding for moveout kits
• Special one-time needs: shoes, backpacks and hand sanitizer
• Shop our Amazon Wishlist
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UMD is Durham’s public shelter for single adults and the backup shelter for families. The program employs best practices, including:
A low-barrier approach. Clients are not routinely breathalyzed when they enter the shelter, for example. Staff focus on helping residents succeed while maintaining safety.
• A Housing First model. Case managers help shelter residents obtain permanent housing as quickly as possible—affording stability—so they can better tackle other challenges.
• Inclusion. UMD will serve anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, faith or non-faith.
Get in Touch!
Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) stands in the gap to meet the needs of neighbors facing homelessness, hunger and poverty. Thanks to generous donors and 2,000 volunteers, the program helps more than 6,000 individuals annually through its:
• Emergency shelter, which welcomes 600 men, women and children each year, helping 100-120 obtain permanent housing.
• Community Café, which serves three meals a day, every day, or a quartermillion meals a year.
• Food Pantry and Clothing Closet, which provide mostly donated items to 500+ low-wealth households each month.
Phone: (919) 682-0538
Website: umdurham.org
Email: devel@umdurham.org
Follow us: facebook.com/
UrbanMinistriesOfDurham
Address: 410 Liberty St Durham, NC 27701
Mission
To end homelessness one valuable person at a time.
Background
Since 1992, Housing for New Hope (HNH) has been a lifeline for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Durham. Each year, we serve more than 750 neighbors through our community-based and campus-based supportive housing programs and affordable housing communities. Our supportive housing programs provide tailored pathways out of homelessness by connecting our most vulnerable neighbors to safe, stable housing and the resources they need to remain housed. With your support and other community partnerships, we’re building a stronger Durham – one home, one life, one story at a time.
Wish List
• Twin sheet sets
• Twin comforters
• Twin mattress covers
• Bath towels
• Washcloths
• Pots with lids
• Set of four cups
• Shower curtain liners
• Shower curtain rings
• Handheld can openers
Upcoming Events
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Save the Date for Housing for New Hope’s 2026 Annual Breakfast – June 9, 2026 Donate!
Born out of a realization that emergency shelters are not a sustainable, life-transforming solution to homelessness, HNH has long led our community’s efforts to implement innovative solutions that connect our most vulnerable neighbors to housing and the support they need to remain housed for the long haul. Our housing stability coordinators build trusting relationships with participants, motivate them to set and achieve their goals, encourage them through challenges and connect them with the resources they need to thrive, because we believe in a HOME for everyone and HOPE for all.
NC 27705
Mission
Our mission is to raise funds to support the Durham County Library and its staff.
Background
The Friends of the Durham Library is a member-supported, all-volunteer nonprofit organization that helps fund programs, services and materials for the Durham County Library system. We also provide educational and other support for library staff, and we give some of our donated books to the County’s Older Adult and Shut-In Services (OASIS) for distribution to those who cannot get to a library.
Wish List
• Buy books in our online store
• Become a member
• Come to our in-person sales
• Shop at our pop-up sales at Main Library
• Donate gently used used books, puzzles and games, CDs and DVDs
Our online store is always open at shopfodlnc.org.
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The Durham County Library is a vital institution that serves our community with free access for all. The Friends accept donated books from the community and sell them to raise funds to support that mission. Over the past 50 years we’ve raised more than $1 million for the Library, one book at a time. We are grateful for our generous donors, members and dedicated volunteers who make it all work.
Get in Touch! 3825 S Roxboro St. Durham, NC
919-908-6004 fodlnc.org
Books Among Friends shopfodlnc.org
Mission
The Museum of Durham History (MoDH) is a 21st-century museum that uses stories about people, places and things to foster curiosity, encourage further inquiry, and promote an understanding of diverse perspectives about the Durham community and its history.
Upcoming Events
• Dec. 1, 2026 – Booker T. Spicely Panel Discussion, Durham County Main Library, based on the banner exhibit at the Museum
• Winter/Spring 2025-26 – Events related to the current exhibit, Made in the Triangle: The Story of RTP See Museum website for details.
Background
The Museum was started in 2009 by committed community volunteers using a “Museum Beyond Walls” model. It moved into the renovated former bus transfer station in downtown Durham in 2013 and offers free admission to all. The Museum puts its mission into action through a personal approach to history that sets it apart: an innovative community model that engages with history through stories – the personal memories, experiences and family lore of a shared heritage.
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The Museum embodies Durham’s brand as an accessible, history-rich, inclusive community, welcoming 16,000 visitors annually and hosting community and educational groups as well as social and nonprofit partners. It engages K-12 and college/ university students through field trips, classroom outreach, traveling school exhibits and digital learning tools, sharing important stories of Durham residents from the county’s 150-year history. An active volunteer corps donates 5,000 volunteer hours to welcome visitors, record oral histories and support operations.
Donate now!
Wish List
• Oral history software and recording equipment – new tools for collecting and sharing oral histories
• Hugh Mangum historic photographs – window clings on the outside of the Museum building
• Updated Faces of Durham banners and traveling exhibits – materials and fabrication
• New plaques to enhance the 18 History Groves placed around Durham
• Museum-branded school supplies for K-12 students
• Exhibit sponsors for rotating exhibits inside and outside the Museum
Get in Touch!
500 W. Main St. Durham, NC 27701 919-246-9993 museumofdurhamhistory.org
Sponsored By:
POP-
Three entrepreneurs bring fresh concepts to
BY ZAHRA ALQUDAIHI | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF RESEARCH TRIANGLE FOUNDATION OF NORTH CAROLINA
Boxyard RTP
“ We want to be that launching pad for these entrepreneurs. This is just a small piece to give them that level up and have them in our community, trying out their business.
– amanda ronan
The warm glow of Boxyard RTP beckons in the dark winter months, with its stacked shipping containers encapsulating several welcoming retail, bar and restaurant enterprises while its open-air courtyard stays cozy thanks to surrounding heaters. One of these 320-square-foot containers hosts rotating brands through PopBox, a program that offers a six-month residency for businesses’ first brick-and-mortar location.
The Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina joined with NC IDEA, a private foundation that supports statewide entrepreneurial growth, to launch PopBox in 2021 as a way to give small, emerging ventures a boost as they regained footing following the pandemic. The program accepts early-stage product- or servicebased businesses with an existing customer base and growth potential. Applications are evaluated on business viability, retail readiness, community impact and overall alignment with the Boxyard RTP environment. In addition to the residency, each company receives a $6,750 microgrant and business counseling from Innovate Carolina.
helping achieve that mission of paying it forward and seeing what could come if we remove those barriers.”
PopBox has helped 11 small businesses enter the market, awarding a total of $60,250 in microgrants since its inception. The fourth cohort launched in September with The Luster Lab, owned and operated by Daniela Cho, whose experiential jewelry bar acts as an extension of her Bezalel and Company brand. Shoppers can explore its custommade charm bar, permanent jewelry and workshops ranging from laser engraving to metalsmithing, as well as a curated collection of ready-to-wear pieces.
Daniela wants every visit to be both meaningful and memorable, noting opportunities for socializing and bonding with loved ones, whether it be a girls’ night out, a baby shower or a birthday. She specifically curates pieces for the storefront that are inclusive and approachable. Prices
“These small businesses have a lot of talent, great ideas [and] the skills, but maybe they don’t have the capital or the opportunity or the right connection,” says Amanda Ronan, RTF’s senior director of placemaking. “Developing PopBox is another step for [RTF] in
LEFT Customers browse jewelry options
ABOVE ”The idea that we can create something that draws our attention away from the mundane, day-to-day life and behold something beautiful and bigger than us, and then it can draw our gaze outward about art – that really resonated with me,” Daniela says.
OPPOSITE Owner Daniela Cho prepares The Luster Lab for its debut at Boxyard RTP.
during the PopBox business’s grand opening in September.
are accessible, and there’s even a vending machine that offers a playful surprise: a $5 mystery pair of earrings for customers to treat themselves or to gift to someone special.
The Luster Lab’s residency concludes in early March 2026, when Lakeisha Sutton will take over the space with her brand, Keisha Elise Cosmetics, a mommy-and-me line of high-quality, vegan and cruelty-free beauty products.
Lakeisha found the inspiration to launch her business nearly six years ago after noticing two major gaps in the cosmetics industry: a lack of minority representation in major retailers and few opportunities for maternal bonds to grow through beauty. “I really wanted to create a space for moms and daughters to be able to shop together for their beauty products,” Lakeisha says. And she didn’t have to look far for inspiration.
“It was truly a family project,” Lakeisha says, noting how her daughter, Kaylah Turner, now 17, worked alongside her “from the very beginning.”
“We brainstormed product ideas together, tested shades, and she even helped with packaging decisions,” Lakeisha says. “I wanted her to see what it looks like to build something from the ground up and to understand the heart behind clean beauty.” Kaylah continues to be an active part of the brand through her own line – the Kaylah Marie Collection. “It’s her space to create and express herself while connecting with other young girls who love beauty just as much,” Lakeisha says.
Drawing on her own journey through motherhood and the hormonal changes it brings, Lakeisha formulates products that focus on clean ingredients for mothers with similar beauty care needs and for people with sensitive skin. Her background as an educator informs another facet of her brand: 10 percent of all sales are put toward a scholarship fund for single mothers, intended to help offset costs for higher education pursuits and child care – expenses she once navigated
herself. “I wanted to bridge the gap for single moms, so that they have the opportunity to go to school and create a better future for their children,” she says. Applications for the scholarship open in December 2025, with awards ranging from $200 to $500 distributed directly to recipients.
Lakeisha will vacate the space in mid-September 2026, and LaDonna Standback of UnEarth Body Care will move in shortly thereafter, wrapping up her residency in late March 2027.
Though her residency is many months away, LaDonna is already envisioning a concept for the storefront. Her goal: create a haven to encourage self-care, the driving force behind this passion project of hers, which is informed by her own experience managing mental health challenges by using body care to help center and focus on herself. LaDonna hopes to inspire customers to do the same through events like ‘Wind Down Wednesdays,’ where visitors can test products, sip wine and discuss self-care routines.
The products and experiences may differ, but all PopBox entrepreneurs share a commitment to hands-on engagement as well as a drive not only to create but also to uplift, offering a unique and personal touch in every interaction.
“They’re trying something out,” Amanda says. “They’re creating and testing. It’s not just a normal browse and leave; there really is that personal touch for all of the businesses you’ll see in this cohort.”
ABOVE Lakeisha Sutton plans to turn the shipping container into a beauty hub where mothers and daughters can shop and connect.
ABOVE RIGHT LaDonna Standback of UnEarth Body Care envisions her PopBox space as a haven for self-care, where visitors can explore products and unwind.
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A world-class running team finds its footing in the Bull City
BY RENEE AMBROSO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Oaks, sweetgums and pines line the American Tobacco Trail, a former rail corridor turned footpath that stretches more than 22 miles from downtown Durham into Chatham and Wake counties. These woods brighten with new growth each spring, budding leaves surging skyward. After enduring July and August’s hottest days, the foliage fades to mottled yellow, slowly blanketing the trail below as dormant months approach.
These trees caught Fiona O’Keeffe’s attention when she moved sight unseen to Durham in 2021 to join the Puma Elite Running Team. “I was immediately struck by the amount of greenery and how lush the forests are here,” Fiona says. The California native lived in New Mexico before coming to the East Coast, encouraged by what she’d heard about the area from Chris Miltenberg, UNC’s director of track and field/crosscountry, who had coached her at Stanford University. The ATT is now Fiona’s primary training ground, where she racks up mile after mile each week.
FINDING THE PERFECT PACE
Puma head coaches Alistair Cragg and Amy Cragg visited the Triangle a year earlier, scouting for an ideal setting to foster elite runners. “We bought a camper trailer, and we toured around the country for a few months trying to find a place that checked all the boxes,” Amy says.
They’d spent years living in Oregon, California and Arizona – all popular hubs for American pro runners – but found that each location had significant drawbacks. Anywhere with long stretches of poor weather limited year-round outdoor
[Sidebar] On Your Marks
ON YOUR MARKS
Puma Elite Running Team hosts the inaugural East Coast Exchange on Dec. 13 at TKtimeTK. Teams of up to five are invited to enter the relay race starting at mile marker 21 of the ATT in New Hill, North Carolina, and finish at the trail’s northern terminus in Durham.
Puma Elite Running Team hosts the inaugural East Coast Exchange on Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. Teams of up to five are invited to enter the relay race starting at mile marker 21 of the ATT in New Hill, North Carolina, and finish at the trail’s northern terminus in Durham.
Join Puma Elite runners for a post-race party at QueenBurger until 8:30 p.m., where the top three teams will receive awards, gift cards and swag.
Join Puma Elite runners for a post-race party at QueenBurger until 8:30 p.m., where the top three teams will receive awards, gift cards and swag.
Puma Elite runners Amon Kemboi, Fiona O’Keeffe and Miriam Dattke stretch their legs on the American Tobacco Trail.
running, while areas at high altitudes, though attractive for the performance benefits reaped from training in oxygen-deficient environments, came with steep living costs, isolation and limited job opportunities for athletes’ partners. Ultimately, Amy says, those conditions don’t add up to longevity in the sport.
Durham, with its moderate climate, manageable living costs and plentiful running trails – plus close proximity to quality health care systems and an international airport – stood out.
“The other [factor] is quality of life beyond the sport,” Alistair says. “As [athletes] get older, their lives can build and develop, they can meet people here. … That was important to us.” Summer’s heat and humidity posed little concern, since the team would often travel to races and high-altitude training camps during those months.
The Craggs established the Puma-sponsored group here in 2021 as Amy wrapped up her own competitive career as a distance runner, which included multiple Olympic berths and a bronze medal in the 2017 IAAF World Championships marathon, and transitioned into coaching. Alistair, a three-time Olympian, had worked for Oregon’s lauded Bowerman Track Club.
The pair has an exceptional history with the sport – “We have a lot of experience with some of the greatest athletes the U.S. has ever seen,” Alistair says. “… There aren’t too many [American] record holders who we haven’t trained with, [coached] or been a part of their careers.” – but it took time for the project to gain traction. At first, he says, few people took his and Amy’s ambitious plan seriously.
BUILDING MOMENTUM
Steadily, though, the duo recruited talent. Fiona and Oklahoma State University alum Alex Maier came on board straight from the NCAA, drawn by the chance to launch a pro career. “I liked the idea of joining an up-and-coming team,” Fiona says.
Others, like Australian Olympian Pat Tiernan, and his wife, middle-distance runner Angel Piccirillo, brought several years of professional experience. “[Angel and I have] naturally taken on a bit more of a leadership role,” Pat says. “I’ve also been surprised at how much I’ve learned from all of the [younger runners].” He praises the Craggs’ ability to accelerate newcomers’ growth: “Seeing these 23- and 24-year-olds come in and make these massive jumps from where they were at in college in their first year of being professional is pretty incredible.”
FIONA O’KEEFFE
Your favorite place to run in the area and why?
“Probably [William B.]
Umstead [State Park] – it feels like an escape into the forest, and the hills are a fun challenge. Everyone is familiar with the ATT (for good reason!) and Carolina North Forest has some nice gravel trails for a shorter run.”
What are you listening to ahead of a race?
“I’m a little all over the shop. I’ve been into Tame Impala’s new album lately. I’m not huge on the pump-up songs but do love good indie music in general.”
Favorite coffee shop for a pick-me-up postworkout?
“Joe Van Gogh is always solid! Cocoa Cinnamon also is super cute inside. If I need to sit and get some work done, I like Bean Traders The Triangle definitely has some great coffee spots!”
Amy adds that, while it’s still a young group overall, the less experienced runners greatly benefit from observing the work ethic of those farther along in their careers. “They understand the goals,” she says, “… and it’s much easier than trying to constantly convince people that they can do it.”
DURHAM ADVANTAGE
The Bull City has proven an ideal fit for Puma Elite in multiple ways. For some, living in such a vibrant area helps them decompress outside of training.
“As I’ve spent more time in Durham, I’ve really appreciated how there’s a lot of charm and sense of community here,” Fiona says.
Many of her teammates praise the city’s running scene. “We’ve been to events with Bull City Running Co., and there’s loads of people out training and getting fit,” Irish 10-mile national record holder Peter Lynch says.
Angel agrees that passion for the sport stands out among Durhamites. “[We appreciate the] Southern hospitality and kindness that exists down here,” she says. “People go out of their way to extend support and encouragement to us when they come across us on the trail or the track.”
Kenyan Amon Kemboi, who says he made a smooth transition to the Triangle after racing for nearby Campbell University, adds that locals’ enthusiasm motivates him on difficult days. “Even though running is [my job], sometimes it’s not fun,
ANGEL PICCIRILLO
Favorite spot for a pick-me-up between workouts?
“Daughters Coffee & Books is near [where Pat and I live] in south Durham. They have books, coffee, snacks and treats. We’ve been doing some work there and just hanging out. Pat is a coffee snob – as an Australian, he has to be – and he approves.”
How do you prefer to spend an afternoon off?
“I volunteer at the Orange County Animal Shelter [where you can] take a dog out of the shelter [for a few hours] and take them to the park or to get a pup cup. I love to take a dog out and feel like I’m helping the little shelter babies.”
sometimes you’re hurting,” he says. “… The energy around the area [helps].”
The region’s highly successful collegiate track and field and cross-country programs at Duke University, UNC and NC State University bolster the team’s efforts as well, drawing the attention of the running world. Alistair says the schools “are definitely backing the idea that this could be done here,” adding that the ability to “talk through situations, scenarios, medical issues, maybe just how to navigate the season or system [with Chris and NC State Women’s Cross-Country Head Coach Laurie Henes] has been very beneficial to all.” Access to Duke and UNC’s tracks, where Puma athletes train weekly, in addition to what Angel calls the “deep support system” of medical providers who assist with nutrition, sports medicine and physical therapy, among other care, all play a critical role in athletes’ success.
The Craggs emphasize mental preparation alongside physical training, guiding the team members to develop actionable goals and utilize mindful tools to help them navigate various racing scenarios, drawing on the decades they’ve spent immersed in the sport. “We’ve been around a lot of personalities who have gotten it done in different ways,” Alistair says. “When you’ve got a mixed bag of athletes you’re working with, it allows you to say, ‘This is how this person who we [worked with] dealt with it.’”
The coaches also draw lessons from personal challenges. “My wife and I competed at the world level and know what it takes to get beat,” Alistair says, citing his own struggle to contend in the marathon, a distance at which Amy excelled. “Through failure, you learn a lot. I think the two of us are pretty good yin and yang in how we succeeded in the sport.”
IN THE LONG RUN
Any doubts about the fledgling team or the decision to base it in Durham were put to bed early last year. Fiona’s victory at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon as the youngest-ever winner set a race record and also marked the fastest debut ever at that distance by an American woman – a historic milestone and a turning point for Puma Elite. “I think it was a big catalyst [that showed everyone] we are for real,” Alistair says. “We had some good results prior, but it set the stage … and [the athletes] started feeding off one another’s goals at that point.”
WELLNESS
Fiona’s triumph kicked off a series of standout performances: Dorcus Ewoi upset reigning 800-meter Olympic champion Athing MuNikolayev; Taylor Roe set a 10-mile world record; and Alex made a stellar marathon debut to best the field at the 2025 Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon while Peter broke the Irish national record in the same race. Most recently, Dorcus earned a silver medal in the 1,500-meter race at the World Athletics Championships in September 2025.
“We’ve seen it in the past with other groups that we’ve been part of,” Amy says. “You [reach] this balance, and all of a sudden, success kind of breeds success.”
That’s not to say there haven’t been setbacks – injuries and lows are simply part of the sport, Amy says. Fiona’s Olympic debut in Paris ended abruptly when she dropped out of the marathon just a few kilometers after setting off due to what she later learned was a femoral stress reaction. “That was probably the toughest few weeks of my career to date,” Fiona says. “I felt like I was letting myself down and worse, all the people who supported me, on the biggest stage possible. … It was a long healing process, physically and otherwise. Abby Douek at Run Raleigh Physical Therapy and some great doctors in the area helped me make a healthy return to running.”
On a brisk morning this past November, Fiona again toed the line among several of the best marathoners in the world. She kept pace with them for 19 miles and finished fourth in her New York City Marathon debut, breaking the American course record by nearly two minutes while the three women ahead of her took down an overall course record that had stood for 22 years. Other Puma runners clocked impressive finishes throughout the weekend, with Patrick Dever placing fourth in the men’s marathon while Amon won the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K the day prior.
MIRIAM DATTKE
Best advice for folks looking to step up their running game?
“Join a group. Everything is easier when you’re part of a team. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and you can always learn something from others.”
Ideal itinerary for a day off?
“Taking a long walk with my dog, Hank, in the forest and baking a cake in the afternoon.”
What or who inspires you?
“Honestly, the Puma Elite group really inspires me. It’s amazing to train with so many talented athletes. We don’t have a professional team system like this [where I’m from] in Germany, so I truly appreciate the opportunity to learn from such great runners every day.”
AMON KEMBOI
What’s your go-to music genre?
“An East African style of music called Bongo. Sometimes I’ll listen to pop as well.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
“On an easy day, I would wake up in the morning, do my regular stretching, go for a run, then come home and relax. Around noon I’ll cook some lunch – I like to cook a lot instead of going out. [Later] I’ll get together with friends. We might drive to Jordan Lake, find an activity like trivia at a brewery in downtown Durham, go to
or
These results are “really exciting,” Alistair says of Puma Elite team members claiming national and global records and vying for Olympic spots. “I didn’t think it would happen this fast based on where we were a couple years ago. Right now we have a very good, like-minded group of athletes who see the path, and they see us providing the path.”
Looking ahead, and without track world championships to prepare for, 2026 offers a chance to experiment with distances or disciplines the athletes wouldn’t typically race. Alistair says the focus will be on developing the skills needed for a strong showing at the next Summer Games in Los Angeles. “It’s a year to take a step forward,” he says, and for anyone regrouping from recent setbacks, an opportunity to set themselves up for success in 2028.
Tomato Jake’s Pizzeria for dinner,
to Morrisville or Cary for [a night out].”
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WORTH THEIR
Two wellness studios reimagine the practice of salt therapy through design, sound and mindful intention
BY REBEKAH MANN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Bates Whitaker, Anna Whitaker, Kelsey Ward, Brü Roze and Donovan Moran relax during a salt and sound experience session at the Durham Salt Cave.
Himalayan salt lines the walls and floors of Durham Salt Cave, a tranquil retreat where guests enter for 45-minute, private sessions designed to offer a reprieve from the physical and emotional demands of day-to-day life and embrace self-care through halotherapy, or dry salt therapy, which involves inhaling fine salt particles produced by a halogenerator. Advocates say it supports healthy breathing and lung function, among a multitude of additional benefits such as clearer focus and deeper rest.
“The practice is believed to have begun in 19th century Eastern Europe, where doctors observed that people who spent time in natural salt caves often experienced improved respiratory health,” says Aubrey Roze, who co-owns the business at 410 W. Geer St. with Brü Roze. “Over time, it has evolved from clinical settings into spaces that emphasize comfort, creativity and craftsmanship.”
Aubrey explains that the salt cave uses pharmaceutical-grade salts containing natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and hygroscopic properties that can benefit people with conditions like cystic fibrosis, COPD and asthma. Even those
RIGHT Durham Salt Cave features locally sourced bamboo walls, plus cedar and cypress elements and abundant greenery, creating a calm, nature-inspired environment for visitors.
BELOW Alesia Stridiron hands a gift bag to a customer at the Durham Salt Cave, which offers a variety of holistic products connected to its salt therapy and wellness services.
without respiratory issues can experience wellness benefits from the mineral-rich air.
“People come for many reasons: personal reflection, shared self-care, family connection or to mark life’s transitions – from weddings to healing journeys,” Aubrey says. She and Brü crafted their space with the help of friends, family and local artisans who shared their vision of providing care that is thoughtful and inclusive. The project also honors Aubrey’s parents, Stewart Griffith and the late Robin Zill, whose legacy of advancement and care in the wellness community inspired the venture. Stewart and Robin founded TouchAmerica, a spa and salon furniture and equipment company, in 1983. The business – which still manufactures in Prospect Hill, North Carolina, and sells its products around the globe – set new standards for quality and care in the spa industry; Robin even received the International Spa Association’s Dedicated Contributor Award and Visionary Award before opening her own spa in Hillsborough in 2002.
“Aubrey has been immersed in this craft since childhood, and together we’ve shaped Durham Salt Cave as part of a living lineage of care,” Brü says. He also credits his mother, Amar Roze, whose work in music therapy and end-of-life care helped shape their holistic approach. “My mom’s influence with her studies and with her research is really informative for us as we create systems that can hold people through different types of emotional experiences and thresholds in life,” Brü says.
One specific enhancement to Durham Salt Cave’s halotherapy experience is a multisensory sound bath, or acoustic resonance therapy, during which guests recline on a TouchAmerica Legato Lounger that emits low-frequency sound waves and vibrations. “Every cell in the human body vibrates at its own natural frequency, and when these vibrations fall out of balance, sound therapy can help restore harmony,” Aubrey says. “Our design reflects the belief that minerals, like sound, carry vibration – a subtle reminder of life’s natural rhythm and the stillness that grounds it.”
TUNING IN
Across the city, Halo Salt Lounge at 3326 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Ste. A100, also combines halotherapy and sound therapy. Founder and co-owner Alvin Miles curates a serene blend of frequencies between 528 and 963 hertz to align with each client’s unique energy. The sound helps the salt match to a person’s subconscious needs, he says, and the frequency range allows for “everyone [to] get a chance to benefit from it.”
Miles says most patrons know him by his last name, a nod to his military upbringing, which also influenced the passion for wellness he embraced while growing up in Germany, where his mother focused on providing him with whole and unprocessed foods, and play and exercise that was enriching and beneficial for his body.
“That [was] a key part of my life – watching my mom, with her holistic nature,” he says. “We still share those values of naturalistic living.”
A former track athlete and two-time Olympic contender in the 400-meter hurdles, Miles utilized that comprehensive approach as a way to remain physically and mentally well throughout his athletic career, but especially after sustaining sports injuries.
“Learning how to stay holistically sound and healing my body in proper ways kept me calm and more reasonable, and [my goals became] more achievable,” he says. “I had a chance to test the limits, but also [wanted] to come back safe.”
That mindset eventually led to the creation of Halo Salt Lounge. During a 2019 trip to visit his mother in Texas, Miles took her to a salt cave for her birthday and immediately saw untapped potential for healing in the practice of halotherapy. Encouraged by her, he launched his own salt lounge in 2020 at Cary Towne Center. After the mall closed in 2021, he relocated within Cary before finding his current space in Durham in June.
Miles and his wife, Nicole Miles, who now co-owns Halo, built much of the new space themselves, crafting benches, loungers and
walls from cedar wood sourced from the Himalayas, as well as wall art made with Himalayan clay. “My wife and I definitely did the third round together as a unit to be more intentional and learn about each other in the process,” Miles says, adding that he believes the use of secondary materials from the region deepens the body’s connection with the salts and enhances their circulation. “Cedars are important to help the Himalayan salt benefit your body,” he says. “I wanted to go deeper with my intention in that way.”
Halo now features 45,000 pounds of loose Himalayan salts in shades of red, white, orange and pink – each rich in different minerals such as magnesium, copper and iron. Miles adds about 500 pounds of salt monthly and is continually turning the salt over to maintain freshness; though, in contrast to manufactured table salt, there is no expiration date on the natural material. “Salt always is alive,” Miles says.
Beyond physical wellness, Miles hopes Halo provides a space for guests to do inner work and reconnect with themselves, which he says is something that can’t be forced.
“Meet yourself here,” Miles says. “The experience happens by you just showing up.”
Suzy Hasanin receives a customized massage designed to address her body’s needs at Durham Salt Cave, where therapists tailor each treatment using a variety of techniques to promote relaxation and rejuvenation.
their website and Amazon in July 2015, the summer before their junior year.
Five-star reviews quickly poured in, catapulting the lotion to the top spot among sweaty-hand solutions on Amazon. Still, Kasper says, scaling the product proved challenging, so the two began attending dermatology conferences to spread the word.
Their big breakthrough came at a conference in 2017, when dermatologists began reporting back unexpected results. “They said, ‘Listen, we’ve been trying this with patients for the past two years, and the results are incredible,’” Kasper recalls. “And we said, ‘Yeah, we know – the reviews are great.’ And they say, ‘No, not just for hands. We’ve been recommending it for underarms, and it works better than any other antiperspirant we’ve tried.’”
That revelation stunned them. They never imagined they could outdo the crowded field of underarm products already on the market. Yet by solving the tricky problem of sweaty hands, Kasper and David
“We saw a pretty small need that some people could really benefit from,” Kasper, right, says. “And then, the way David and I worked together — we were just very determined to see it through.”
had inadvertently developed a highly effective underarm antiperspirant – one that also works as a deodorant thanks to the dry environment it produces, which inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Demand grew after they released an underarm version of the lotion. Customers began asking for solutions for sweaty feet, faces and other overlooked areas, prompting Kasper and David to adapt their formula and expand their line. The brand took off, Kasper says, fueled primarily through word of mouth. That momentum has carried the company into its next phase: it’s looking forward to a future retail debut with help from Topspin Consumer Partners – its partner since 2024 – and is developing new premium fragrances. Even as Carpe grows and gears up for its next big chapter, Kasper emphasizes that what matters most isn’t the sales figures or acquisitions – it’s the people driving them. He loves hearing how customers discover Carpe through friends or family. “That’s what makes me happiest,” he says. “It means the product works so well that people are excited to tell others about it. For some, it’s truly life-changing. [Sweat] can control what clothes you can wear when you go out and [have you] worried about pit stains or odor. You’re in your head, and it’s ruining your confidence. But when something actually works, you’re freed from that insecurity, and you get that everyday confidence back. That’s what Carpe has delivered to so many people, and that’s why I think our growth has been so strong in the past few years.”
When something actually works, you’re freed from that insecurity, and you get that everyday confidence back. That’s what Carpe has delivered to so many people.
– Kasper Kubica
fresh powder – agrees. “I don’t have to worry about body odor, even in the middle of my [menopausal] sweats or rushing from my day job to an evening event,” she says. “It has given me that confidence.” The brand has enjoyed a few viral moments in the past few years after a pandemic-induced dip in sales (“Sweating is a social problem,” Kasper explains) led the team to lean into short-form marketing on TikTok and Instagram. For many people, those playful videos – many filmed against the familiar backdrop of the Bull City – were their first introduction to Carpe. As a local, seeing a piece of home pop up on your feed sparks a sense of pride –especially knowing the brand’s reach now extends worldwide. Carpe is a brand that helps people feel their best, but it’s also a reflection of the community that shaped it – one defined by ingenuity, collaboration and support. “It’s a unique city with incredibly talented people,” Kasper says. Carpe embodies that spirit, seizing every opportunity to make life a little more comfortable, confident and bright.
Carpe’s underarm antiperspirant deodorant remains its bestseller, though customers also rave about other staples, including the popular feminine care deodorant and the sweat-absorbing SPF primer.
THE FACE OF WELLNESS
BEEM LIGHT SAUNA DURHAM
beem offers private infrared sauna suites designed for personalized wellness. Each session uses full-spectrum infrared technology – near, mid, and far wavelengths – to promote circulation, support natural detoxification and encourage skin health at the cellular level. Clients can unwind in complete privacy while their body responds to the therapeutic heat, which may help burn calories, improve circulation and reveal clearer skin. Whether new to infrared therapy or adding it to an existing routine, beem® provides a welcoming space where guests can experience these benefits and much more on their own terms.
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
THE FACE OF DURHAM HOSPITALITY
NANASTEAK & SERAPHINE
Brothers Brad and Graham Weddington partnered with longtime employer and mentor Chef Scott Howell, along with Chef Tyler Vanderzee, to open their now-flagship restaurant, Nanasteak, 10 years ago. Over the last 5 years as dual proprietors, they have found their calling in restaurant ownership and management, building strong teams and creating a culture centered on genuine guest care. Now operating two restaurants in Durham’s American Tobacco Campus – including Seraphine, which opened in 2023 – they’ve cultivated a thriving hospitality community. Coming from bartender and server backgrounds, the brothers bring a distinctive service-first perspective to Durham’s restaurant scene, where longtime guests have become cherished friends.
PHOTO BY SARAH MARTIN
BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
THE FACE OF CREATING EXCEPTIONAL SMILES
HOOPES ORTHODONTICS
Dr. Tom Hoopes, a board-certified orthodontist, leads Hoopes Orthodontics –a doctor-owned, patient-focused practice dedicated to personalized, high-quality care. With a background in mechanical engineering and advanced orthodontic training from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Hoopes combines technical precision with a genuine, easygoing manner. Together with his experienced team, he creates a welcoming environment where patients feel supported and confident in their care. Conveniently located in south Durham, Hoopes Orthodontics proudly serves families throughout the Triangle with expertise, integrity and community-centered values.
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THE FACE OF INTERIOR DESIGN
LITTLE MANGUM STUDIO
Little Mangum Studio, founded by Sheila O’Rourke in 2016, offers interior design and renovation services in the Triangle. With a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Fine Arts, and decades of experience as a project manager for software development, Sheila excels in spatial geometry, visual sensitivity, and project management. Sheila believes the spaces we occupy have profound effects on physical, mental and spiritual health. Energized by the puzzle of discovering each of her client’s vision of bliss, Sheila aims to create their true dream home. Winning Best of Durham two years in a row proves she has been successful in that endeavor!
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
THE FACE OF BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILES
A NEW REASON TO SMILE | BULL CITY DENTAL
Since 1985, Desiree T. Palmer, DMD, PA and Associates have delivered exceptional oral healthcare, prioritizing patient comfort while using cutting edge, state-of-the-art technology. In 2015, Dr. Palmer opened a second practice, Bull City Dental, on Parrish Street, offering downtown residents walkable access to comprehensive dental care. At both locations, Drs. Kemp, Harris, and Calmore provide a wide range of services, from routine care to complex cosmetic procedures, including implant restorations and Invisalign. The team’s dedication to building lasting relationships with patients and the Durham community has solidified their reputation as a trusted provider of oral healthcare.
BY
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JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
THE FACE OF CUSTOM HOME BUILDING
COCREATIONS CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN
Founded by Nick Syros, Cocreations Construction & Design is a leading residential home remodeler and custom home builder in the Triangle. With more than 30 years of experience, Nick has built a reputation for exceptional client satisfaction, clear communication, and high-quality craftsmanship. Cocreations specializes in custom homes, additions, kitchen remodels, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and whole home renovations. Nick’s commitment is to help homeowners “CoCreate” their dream homes. Alongside his wife, Ana Cristina Tavares, who brings expertise in sales and design, they have built a successful company focused on client-first service, a strong company culture, and a notable local presence.
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
PHOTO BY MARC HALL
THE FACE OF LIVE POETRY
THE POETRY FOX
The Poetry Fox – Durham Poet Laureate Chris Vitiello – writes custom poems at all manner of events on a manual typewriter, often dressed as a giant fox. Since 2012, he’s written nearly 70,000 poems at festivals, weddings, school events, corporate receptions, convention floors, workplaces, markets and any kind of gathering. Give him a word, and he immediately writes you a poem. Vitiello loves making unique, personalized poems for people, but the Poetry Fox is really more about capturing meaningful interactions in a charged piece of language. People cherish their Poetry Fox poems for the rest of their lives.
THE FACE OF COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION SERVICES & GENERAL CONTRACTING
GATEWAY BUILDING COMPANY
Downtown Durham’s most recognizable commercial general contractor, Gateway Building Company, is known for its deep roots and iconic projects. Founded in 2013 by Jack Moore, whose career in the Durham market dates back to 1974, Gateway has grown into a trusted partner across the Triangle, completing more than 1,000 projects spanning restaurants, offices, healthcare spaces and industrial facilities. Gateway is deeply grateful for the clients and partners who have supported its journey and remains committed to helping make Durham a great place to live, work and play.
BY SARAH
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MARTIN
THE FACE OF FAMILY LAW
ELLIS FAMILY LAW
Since 2008, attorney Gray Ellis has transformed a solo practice into a rapidly growing firm serving families across multiple North Carolina offices. Built on integrity and ethical representation, Ellis Family Law has earned recognition for creating lasting, stable solutions for families in transition.
The firm delivers exceptional legal counsel in a warm, supportive environment where families come first. Understanding that every family’s situation is unique, their attorneys provide tailored guidance and compassionate advocacy. Whether navigating divorce, custody, or other family challenges, Ellis Family Law stands beside clients when they need it most–assertive when it counts, empathetic when it matters.
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
PEAK, SWIRLES & CAVALLITO
In 1993, Susan Peak, Sudi Swirles and Ann Cavallito founded Peak, Swirles & Cavallito Properties (PSCP) with a goal for excellence. Their knowledgeable and skilled colleagues have diverse experiences in residential brokerage. They are committed to providing exceptional service and maintaining client relationships far beyond the initial sale. They love selling fine homes in all price ranges. For more than 30 years they have been a respected resource for real estate throughout the Triangle.
PHOTO BY ROBERT FILCSIK
CQC HOME
CQC Home, led by Ken Combs, CEO, and Daryl Mejeur, COO, provides professional whole home remodeling and renovation services across Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Their team of passionate, highly-skilled designers and field crews understand the trust that clients place in them to create their dream kitchens, ADU’s or additions. CQC communicates consistently, collaborating closely with clients throughout the renovation process. Born and bred in Durham, North Carolina, CQC understands the local building and remodeling industry and improves homes with caring attention. They recognize the privilege of being invited into your home and demonstrate their appreciation through their dedication to bringing your home design visions to life.
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
THE FACE OF ORTHODONTICS
SMITH & HEYMANN ORTHODONTICS
Dr. Dempsey Smith, a UNC-trained orthodontist and former U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, is passionate about how orthodontics can transform lives. Dr. Gavin Heymann, a Chapel Hill native and UNC adjunct faculty member, values the relationships he builds with patients while helping them achieve healthy smiles. Dr. Katya Skillestad, born in the former USSR and raised in Charlotte, attended UNC and trained at Texas A&M, where she was named Journal of Clinical Orthodontics National Resident of the Year. Together with their outstanding team, these doctors believe in the power of beautiful smiles to positively impact lives.
JD SERVICE NOW
John Dietz founded JD Service Now in 2005, building on his early experience in plumbing and home services. Guided by its core values–Be Better Than Yesterday, Stand for Something and Take Great Care–the company provides expert plumbing, HVAC and electrical services to homeowners and businesses in the Triangle. With more than 100 years of combined experience, the highly trained team is known for top-quality service and compassionate support. JD Service Now also gives back to the community by supporting youth athletics, school programs and local events for causes like breast cancer awareness and the Autism Society of North Carolina.
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
PlaceLand To ASoft
BA young cancer survivor and her mother launch a nonprofit to create a comforting home-away-from-home for families traveling to Duke Children’s for care
BY SHARON KINSELLA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Brogden Middle School student Harper Harrell, 12, loves horseback riding and running on her school’s cross country team. One moment she’s twirling around like a dancer; the next, she’s stretched belly-down in the grass, her high-top sneakers kicked up behind her. Harper smiles generously – proudly noting she just got her braces off – and radiates humility, confidence and sincerity. She is also a cancer survivor.
We last featured Harper and her mother, Heather Hindin, in January 2023, when Harper was undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia at Duke Children’s Hospital. She completed her treatment in 2024, marking the milestone with a triumphant ring of the bell at Cameron Indoor Stadium during that season’s Duke-Notre Dame men’s basketball game – a moment that went viral and landed on NBC Nightly News. She’s now in her second year of remission.
While battling cancer, Harper raised more than $27,000 for the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund at The V Foundation for Cancer Research by selling T-shirts – an effort she says sparked her interest in philanthropy and got her thinking about other ways to help patients. Conversations with other families in the hospital who had traveled long distances for care revealed how difficult it was
PHOTO BY 2&3 PHOTOGRAPHY
“
You’re not alone. There’s always someone out there who’s going through something that you’re going through, and this journey that you’re on will open new doors to life.
– Harper Harrell
for many to find affordable lodging. “In 2024, 2,400 families traveled more than 40 miles to get care at Duke Children’s for their child, averaging 12-night stays each,” Heather shares. “When you think about the capacity of the Ronald McDonald House and the cost of Airbnbs and hotels, there’s such a need, and people don’t recognize that unless they’ve lived it.”
Find Shelter
Heather realized her own Strebor Street property –where she, Harper, their golden retriever, Jimmy, and Anatolian shepherd, Winnie, live just seven minutes from Duke Children’s – could play a real role in aiding other families. “It was such a gift to be able to be home after long hospital stays in a quick drive,” Heather says. “We could sleep in our own beds and snuggle our pups on our own couch, while so many of our hospital friends lived out of suitcases. We realized we were in this unique position to both understand [that need] and help fill that gap.”
The idea took off in summer 2022 and, with probono support from Villanova University graduate students and the Duke Law School Community Enterprise Clinic, Harper’s Home officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in March 2024. Its mission is simple, but powerful: provide cozy, caring and affordable short-term housing for families traveling more than 40 miles for care at Duke Children’s – regardless of diagnosis.
A mutual friend connected Heather with Pete Zseleczky, vice president of Gateway Building Company, this past spring to discuss her and Harper’s vision. Pete explained he wouldn’t be able to take on the build due to Gateway’s exclusively commercial focus, but he called back a couple weeks later with another option.
“I [thought], actually, we’re working on these two homes that are going to be ready to go soon,” Pete recalls, “and the timing would work out really well. They could be our first tenants of the new units we were building.”
The “we” Pete refers to includes himself and City of Durham Assistant Director Stacey Poston, his partner in Green Heron Investments – a workforce-housing development venture the pair launched after Gateway and Stacey’s firm, Habitable Space, collaborated on the construction of her West End restaurant, Grub. Pete and Stacey had worked with Ellen Cassilly and Sarah Rogers of Ellen Cassilly Architects to design two ADA-accessible accessory dwelling units behind a home on West Maynard Avenue in Northgate Park, just 15 minutes from Duke Children’s. “From the beginning, [we wanted] to connect with Duke University Hospital and the people coming through there,” Stacey says. Her stepfather’s recent mobility challenges, she says, made her more aware of the importance of designing
homes that accommodate a range of physical needs. “Pete and I worked with Ellen’s firm early on to ensure the spaces were intentionally accessible.”
Everything fell into place quickly. Harper’s Home signed the lease in July 2025, finished construction by the second week of August and welcomed their first two families shortly after Labor Day – furnishing the apartments in a matter of days with help from Harper’s Home supporters, who cleared an entire registry of home goods.
Keys To Comfort
There’s a certain peaceful quietude that surrounds the lot. A walkway lined with grass and a small garden of budding persimmons connects the facing units, creating a courtyard-like retreat where guests can gather or find a moment of calm. “I hope [families] feel like they can just exhale,” Heather says. “When your kid’s sick, it’s a really scary time, and [thinking] about where you’re going to put your family should be the least of your worries. Your focus should be on your kids.”
“We’re just so glad to make a difference. I think that we got through Harper’s treatment so soundly because we had so many people reach a hand back and help us. We feel called to do the same for others.
– Heather Hindin
Harper’s Home takes care of all the details so families can do just that. Each energy-efficient unit features two bedrooms, a bathtub, a washer and dryer, and a full kitchen – amenities Heather says are essential during medical crises. “If [Harper, for example] decides at 3:30 a.m. that she wants scrambled eggs – and it’s the only thing she wants to eat, and [she] hasn’t eaten in 15 hours – I better be able to get those scrambled eggs. Those little things people probably think are negligible are critically important here.” Other homey features include a fenced-in yard, allowing families to bring along their four-legged loved ones. Stays are free, though families can make a suggested donation of $25 per night to help cover operating expenses and keep future visits affordable for others.
“Big” Carlin Jordan and Enam Jordan recently moved in with their two sons, Caiden Jordan, 5, and “Little” Carlin Jordan, 7, who is in treatment at Duke Children’s. Without Harper’s Home, they would face a three-hour round trip from their home in Bailey, North Carolina, every day for four to five months. It’s the little touches around the house, the parents say, that mean the most: practical necessities like an iron, dish soap and trash bags paired with thoughtful comforts like a journal and tissue boxes tucked just where you need them. “[Heather] knows it in and out,” Enam says. “She’s actually experienced this herself. There’s a difference when it’s someone who cares and also knows [what it’s like].”
“It gives us a sense of normalcy,” “Big” Carlin adds. “If I’m about to be too emotionally overloaded … it gives [us] that option of getting away from the stress and the mental load of being at the hospital.”
The home’s proximity to Duke Children’s isn’t just convenient – it’s also lifesaving. “It’s critical for kids who are immunocompromised,”
Heather explains. “If they spike a fever over 100.4 F, they have to be at the emergency department within 30 minutes to get antibiotics, because there is a chance that they’re septic.”
The Maynard Avenue houses give Harper’s Home an early chance to test its model and fast-track its impact by starting to serve families before breaking ground on the Strebor Street lot.
“It’s a net benefit for everyone involved,” Pete says, noting that the short-term stay model allows for more families to benefit from the intentionally designed homes. “What’s really cool is how many local connections came together to make it happen – layers upon layers of Durham and Duke partnerships all aligning at the right time. Rather than investing in something far away, our resources are going right back into Durham.”
Martha Ann Keels, DDS, PhD
Erica A. Brecher, DMD, MS
M. Gentry Byrd, DDS, MPH
Heather hopes to begin construction on the organization’s next phase in early 2026 – a small campus of three cottages, two duplexes and a carriage house with an upper apartment that will house eight families altogether. The timeline, however, largely depends on fundraising.
“We’re a Durham-based nonprofit that’s really serving families who don’t live in Durham,” she says.
“Why [should] people support us? The way I [see] it, Duke Children’s is in Durham, and these families are coming here to improve their child’s quality of life – or to save it. As a community, I think we have a responsibility to open our arms, embrace these families, and show them the best of Durham.”
Harper imagines an even broader reach. “I want people around the world to have such close access to the world-class hospitals near them,” she says. “I hope in the future that we have multiple different locations, so everybody has an equal opportunity to get the treatment they deserve.”
Harper and Heather with Enam Jordan and "Big" Carlin Jordan, parents to “Little” Carlin Jordan, 7, who is receiving treatment at Duke Children's, at the open house celebration of the West Maynard Harper's Homes.
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GoodGrief
Philanthropist
Rebecca Feinglos partners with Duke Health to create a first-of-itskind program that offers support for patients, families and providers facing life’s hardest moments
BY SARAH CALVERT PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
SSusan Feinglos and Mark Feinglos met at McGill University in Montreal before moving to Durham in 1972. The pair never left, making Durham their lifelong home where they raised their two children, Daniel Feinglos and Rebecca Feinglos, in a community they came to love deeply.
Those who knew her well describe Susan as a wonderful human being – caring, compassionate, snarky, irreverent, warm and razor-sharp – while Mark was a man of service known for his humor, intellect and fervent fandom of Duke University athletics. Both built remarkable careers: Mark completed his residency and fellowship at Duke before leading the health care center’s endocrinology division for a decade; Susan served as
Dr. Henry Friedman, Rebecca Feinglos and Dr. Allan Friedman at the Duke Cancer Center.
director of the Duke Medical Center Library when the internet was still a novelty, even writing a textbook on online search procedures.
Their thriving professional and personal lives took a turn in 1994 when the family was hit with the devastating news that Susan had glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Duke Drs. Henry Friedman and Allan Friedman – physicians who were also friends of the Feingloses – became her care team and supported them closely during treatment. They implemented an investigational therapy that was successful, but not curative, extending Susan’s life by eight years.
Losing her mother at age 13 was life-changing for Rebecca, but she says it was her father’s unexpected passing in 2020 that dramatically altered her trajectory. “That reset my entire way of thinking around how I wanted to spend my time,” Rebecca says. “In particular, grief came to the forefront of my mind.” That reflection led to Grieve Leave, a blog she launched in 2022 to chronicle the year she took to explore her grief. Finding that existing grief programs in the Triangle didn’t resonate, Rebecca transformed Grieve Leave into a company dedicated to building community around loss. Its “Sad Hours” – casual gatherings at local breweries, bars and cafes – invites people to talk openly about grief or whatever else they have going on in their lives in comforting, judgement-free spaces. “My goal in life at this point is to normalize that grief is everywhere, and let’s stop pretending like it’s not,” Rebecca says. “We can all live a little bit easier at home with the people we love [and] at work with our colleagues if we just acknowledge that grief is alongside us. It is not something to be ashamed of, it is not something that we need to hustle to overcome. It just is a part of our lives.”
As she considered how to extend that mission, Rebecca sought a way to both honor her parents’ legacy and influence change in grief culture, starting within the medical community that had cared for her family. The result: the Susan and Mark Feinglos Grief Initiative, backed by Rebecca’s $250,000 donation to Duke University’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center through her philanthropic foundation, the Feinglos Fund
Unlike current programs that exist – such as family groups, chaplains, hospice and bereavement, as well as psychology and psychiatry assistance – the initiative
“This is a truly revolutionary paradigm shift, what Becky's doing. Now she's also turning to the medical caretakers [to help them] through their grief.
- Dr.FriedmanHenry
intends to build support structures for patients and families in addition to health care providers, who experience their own form of grief through patient care that perseveres long after the diagnosis. This ambition was met with enthusiasm from Henry and Allan, who now serve as the co-chair and neurosurgical director, respectively, of Duke’s brain tumor center. Allan praises the concept for recognizing the need to take care of those left behind weeks, months and years after the grief event, not only in the immediate aftermath. He says its focus on long-term, sustained compassion reminds him of his mother, who would bring meals to grieving families several weeks after a loss.
Henry describes grief in cancer care, specifically, as a “palpable, visceral force,” that affects everyone involved – patients, families, friends and clinicians alike. Historically, he notes, the medical community has advised its members to suppress their emotions and move forward; “but the more you care, the more you put your heart into what you do – as the [medical team at the] Brain Tumor Center at Duke does, the more there is an impact on the health care providers,” he says.
Oncology is a speciality with one of the highest burnout rates in medicine, and Rebecca and the doctors are hopeful that this initiative will help reduce those numbers. The donation itself will also fund a pilot program to sanction backend work researching what grief support currently exists, its impacts, best practices and ideas for moving forward. Their ultimate vision is to create a scalable model that serves all of Duke’s patients and can then extend to the broader neuro-oncology community.
In a 1995 email to friends, Susan wrote, “I would wake up each morning, remember what happened, and then hear the birds chirp. That helped. …” That simple moment of solace – “hearing the birds chirp” amid heartbreak – echoes through Rebecca’s work today.
“Grief doesn’t have to be something you put a positive spin on for you to be handling it well,” she says. “And it also doesn’t have to be something you completely ignore to handle it well. Grief can just be. Sometimes I’m really angry; sometimes I’m really sad; [and] sometimes I’m incredibly motivated to build with that.
“I love that we are going to try,” Rebecca says of the initiative’s next steps. “… I think that is all we can do in our grief – just keep trying. What an honor it is to help other people try.”
The first 2,000 days shape a child’s future ability to succeed in school, work and life. That’s where Durham’s Partnership for Children comes in.
To ensure every child in Durham enters school ready to succeed, we lead community strategies for children birth to 5 and their families that promote healthy development and learning, and enhance access to high quality care.
Patience Power of The P
Meet a champion for local families, shaping programs that provide resources, education and advocacy
BY ALISON GRAU | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Patience Mushipe-Mukelabai doesn’t believe in unsolvable problems. She launched an annual coat drive when she saw children freezing through Durham winters. She rallied donations to feed local infants during the pandemic’s formula shortage. And she created a training and support group when mothers voiced their concerns about struggling to restart breastfeeding after using that formula.
Patience began volunteering at Welcome Baby in 2007 while pursuing her master’s degree in public health from Walden University, seeking experience to complement her studies. Founded nearly 40 years ago, Welcome Baby is a Durham County Cooperative Extension program that services almost 2,000 families a year. It offers free parenting workshops, breastfeeding guidance, car seat safety classes, literacy and clothing programs – all in English and Spanish.
Now, nearly 18 years later, Patience serves as the organization’s program manager – a behind-the-scenes force securing funding, writing grants and building community connections to strengthen Durham families.
Her efforts have transformed the nonprofit’s reach. One recent accomplishment is the program’s fatherhood initiative to help dads foster meaningful bonds with their children by providing crucial social support, teaching positive co-parenting techniques and promoting holistic child development.
Patience and her team at Welcome Baby also work with local organizations to ensure families have access to resources that support
every stage of parenting. Caregivers who complete Positive Parenting Classes receive discounted memberships to the Museum of Life and Science, encouraging parents to use play as a way to strengthen family bonds. Welcome Baby also works closely with community partners including the Durham County Library, Book Harvest, the Women’s Center at Duke University and the Durham County Department of Public Health. Through these collaborations, families can access library tours and cards, receive free books to build home collections, and participate in safe sleep and breastfeeding workshops.
Patience’s next mission: addressing clothing poverty, an oftenoverlooked hardship that she believes is one of the biggest challenges facing the city, with many families in this current economic climate having to decide between buying clothes and buying food.
“When we look at financial challenges that families face, we think of housing, we think of food, but we don’t think of the clothing poverty that families are facing, and we don’t think of the repercussions of poverty on children’s self-esteem,” Patience says, noting that children can often experience bullying and a sense of inadequacy when they lack what others have.
In true Patience fashion, she’s already acting on it. Welcome Baby provides clothing to about 100 to 120 children every Friday, thanks to donations from community members and retail stores. Patience personally ensures every item meets her standards – anything that’s dirty, ripped or in general bad shape, she will not distribute.
THREADS OF KINDNESS
Welcome Baby’s 13th annual winter coat drive is collecting new and gently used coats, hats and scarves for kids from newborn to age 8 through Jan. 9, 2026. Items can be dropped off at the Welcome Baby office; the Durham County Main, East Regional, North Regional, South Regional and Southwest Regional library branches; or local businesses like The Little Gym, Der Nachbar Bottleshop & Taps and Once Upon a Child (if you purchase a coat here for the coat drive, you will receive a $5 coupon to use on your next purchase). Coats should be freshly washed and ready to keep a child warm through the cold months.
“A warm coat can do more than shield a child from the cold,” Patience says. “It can remind a family that they are seen, supported and cared for. Together, we can wrap our community in warmth and compassion this season.”
“What I [would] not put on … my grandchild, I will not put out there,” Patience says.
Her dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. Patience received statewide recognition from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners as part of its Heroic Hands: Celebrating Public Service initiative – which honors the often-unseen contributions of
county staff – during the organization’s 118th annual conference in August 2025.
At first, the honor took her by surprise.
“I was talking to one of my coworkers and said, ‘It’s a team effort,’” Patience recalls. “She had to point it out [to me], to say, ‘Yes, but you are the team leader.’”
That reminder reinforced what Patience already knew – she’s exactly where she’s meant to be.
“I love it,” Patience says. “Since I started, I haven’t turned back, I haven’t looked back.”
For those charting their own professional paths, she offers this advice: “Make sure that you actually wake up and want to go to work. If you don’t want to, that means it’s not the right thing for you.”
When she’s not serving families, Patience finds joy in walking and gardening, especially so she can share her homegrown veggies like habanero peppers and cucumbers with her coworkers.
She supposes it reminds her of the children she helps – watching them grow and develop. “This is something I can see,” Patience says.
“I can plant, and I can see it grow.”
Nature Nurture&
Architecture meets traditional Asian medicine to create
a
sanctuary for wholeperson wellness
BY MORGAN CARTIER WESTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
TThe first thing you notice is the bright, natural light; it bounces off the pale wood surfaces and softly painted walls, which were chosen intentionally to relax the senses. Meridian Health Solutions features a calming but colorful waiting room that leads into a long hallway, its curved ceiling lined with clerestory windows, inviting more sunlight to pour in. A whiff of mugwort – a sweet, earthy herb used in acupuncture therapy – drifts through the air, and the rest of the world seems to dissolve, as though the busy hum of University Drive is miles away.
Beyond the farthest window lies a wooded natural area where native plants grow undisturbed. Inside, midcentury-inspired pendant lights hover like quiet clouds over the reception area. “We wanted light, energy and windows in every room,” says owner and licensed acupuncturist Fang Cai, who runs the clinic with a team of seven practitioners of varying specialties.
That desire for light was more than aesthetic. In traditional Asian medicine, which informs Meridian’s work, light and nature play a role in restoring balance in the body. The clinic employs multiple styles of acupuncture (Chinese, Japanese and Korean) and provides Chinese herbal medicine through its in-house pharmacy. Meridian also integrates functional medicine into its practice, an approach that applies lab testing and modern physiology to complement ancient healing principles.
“It’s like two siblings born 3,000 years apart,” Fang says. “Both systems are about understanding the whole person.”
Fang and her husband, environmental consultant Kyle AveniDeforge, purchased the lot in 2021 with an ambitious plan to design a building intentionally for the practice of acupuncture and holistic medicine. They partnered with Mike Cincala, principal architect of Durham-based WithArchitecture, who ensured he understood the project’s purpose on a personal level by becoming a patient himself.
“It really helped me get to know the practice and the needs of the team,” Mike says. He also fell in love with Meridian’s tea selection. “The green tea is remarkable and fresh. It’s like drinking a forest.”
The project was unlike anything Mike and his partners had designed before. From the beginning, Fang emphasized that every detail – what patients see, hear and even smell – affects healing, a guideline that’s informed Meridian’s methods for more than 20 years.
“All of the senses are considered,” says Dagmar Ehling, who formed the practice with Ken Morehead on Broad Street in 2004 after combining their respective solo acupuncture clinics. Fang became
their first hire – and took over as majority owner in 2023. Now semi-retired, Dagmar and Ken are thrilled with the new space. “Soundproofing is much improved,” Dagmar says, “and the front is separated from the treatment area.”
Kyle envisioned one of the most striking design elements: a continuous line of clerestory windows stretching the length of the hallway to usher in daylight.
“We wanted the building to feel settled into the site,” Mike adds. The structure is set back from Old Chapel Hill Road, and its style mimics that of nearby homes.
“I never could have thought through things in this way on my own,” Fang says. “Mike brought our vision to life.” She did, however, choose the exterior color – a deep, saturated ocean blue. “It reminds me of healing,” she says. “I love it.”
Gateway Building Company handled construction, and Mike’s WithArchitecture colleagues Ellen Weinstein, Andy Goolsby
LEFT Meridian Health Solutions owners Dagmar Ehling and Fang Cai join architect Mike Cincala on the office's colorful front porch.
ABOVE Lush plants, natural light and a pop of orange greet patients as they enter the treatment area.
RIGHT The waiting area's open shelves, which were built by Dagmar and moved from the Broad Street clinic, display herbs, teas and books central to traditional Asian medicine.
and James Popin consulted on the details. Together, the group navigated a tight footprint, building codes and the distinctive requirements of a Chinese herbal pharmacy.
Their efforts benefit both practitioners and clients. Patient Betsy Martin recalls her first visit to Meridian. “There is a calmness when you arrive,” she says. “It’s incredible.”
Betsy, a lawyer, struggled with long COVID for years, battling difficulty breathing and speaking. Western medicine offered little relief. “I rely on my voice professionally, so I tried every type of treatment you can think of but eventually resigned myself to this being my new normal,” she says.
A friend encouraged her to try acupuncture with Fang. “I felt a difference after the first session and could breathe better by the third,” Betsy says.
She also appreciates Meridian’s collaborative model. “They have several practitioners,” she says. “You may work with more than one to find the right fit. I see Mike [Harding] and Fang for alternating sessions.”
Treating post-COVID symptoms taught Meridian’s team “a whole new set of skills,” Fang says. “Chinese medicine has been through thousands of years of epidemics and continues to adapt to new diseases coming at us.”
Meridian often combines its offerings – which include acupuncture, massage therapy and herbal medicine – with functional medicine, analyzing lab results, environmental factors and genetics to identify areas that are “normal, but nonoptimal,” as Betsy puts it.
“It is just a tool to rebalance, to find your optimal health,” Fang says. Additional services include dietary consulting, homeopathy and nutritional supplements. Meridian’s pharmacy stocks customized herbal formulas as well as specialty foods like carefully sourced teas, seaweed soup mixes from Maine and hawthorn berries that support digestion and circulation. A small grinding station in one corner allows practitioners to prepare fresh herbs on-site –a unique feature that influenced the building’s plans from the earliest sketches.
“We really tried to understand their needs on a deeper level to create a partnership,” Mike says. “We have been through the challenges of renovations and helping people make tough decisions.”
Thoughtful touches, like a laundry chute and water filler, streamline daily routines for staff members like Annie Bloom. “People often add flyers to the community board, and I draw a new herb on the chalkboard each month,” she says. “The waiting area has become a community hub, and our treatment rooms are quiet, but never dark.”
Natural, grounded and intentional, the space mirrors Meridian’s mission: to provide every patient who walks through the door with balance, care and healing.
LEFT The office’s design intentionally echoes the midcentury homes that surround it.
ABOVE A quiet work area overlooks the natural green space behind the building.
ABOVE RIGHT Betsy receives acupuncture treatment to ease her long COVID symptoms.
RIGHT A shared kitchen and two separate offices – including Kyle’s – sit on the lower level of the building.
people &places
Paint the Town
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
JAMELL MUMFORD
The Durham Arts Council celebrated CenterFest’s 50th anniversary in the heart of downtown this past September, marking five decades of the state’s longest-running outdoor juried arts festival. The 2025 event was dedicated to Sherry DeVries, honoring her 23 years of leadership at the DAC and her lasting impact on the city’s arts community.
More than 110 juried fine artists and 60 performing artists from Durham, the Triangle and across the country filled the streets, transforming the city center into a kaleidoscope of creativity. Festivalgoers browsed paintings, pottery, photography, jewelry and much more, while live music, dancers and street performers brought every corner to life. Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub played host to a lively beer garden while Durham Coca-Cola Bottling Co. kept guests refreshed across the festival grounds. Kids enjoyed a dedicated family fun zone with hands-on art activities and rides, while nonprofits as well as city and state agencies fostered community connection by sharing their missions with visitors. Food trucks and local food vendors rounded out the experience, adding plenty of flavor to the art-filled weekend.
Durham Arts Council board members Sheila Crosby, Dan Ellison and Constanza Gómez-Joines; DAC Development & Communications
Director Laura Montgomery; former DAC Executive Director Sherry DeVries; DAC board member Stephen Valentine; Durham County Commissioner Michelle Burton; and DAC Executive Director Katie Wyatt.
Durham Magazine’s Amanda MacLaren and Downtown Durham Inc. President and CEO Nicole Thompson.
Chris Stone, Kalyn Milot and Violet Vassar.
Visual Artist Merit Award Citizen’s Choice winner Candy Carver.
Amber Younger and Elyse Tavary.
Visual Artist Merit Award Best Durham Artist winner Kelly Walsh.
Summer Becker and Josh Fulan.
The Rev. Bobby Eustace, Janet Arlotta, Emily Moss and Georges Louis.
Gallery Grooves
Durham Central Park’s fall fundraising events, Parties for the Park, drew crowds to 12 events between September and November 2025, raising $20,000 to support the park’s annual operations. The series kicked off Sept. 19 with the opening reception for the “Brett’s Open Mic: Celebrating 30 Years” exhibit at the Loose Leaf Gallery in the Durham Food Hall. The show, curated by Conjured Commons, featured three decades of photographs and paintings telling the stories behind the music. Party guests enjoyed live performances by regulars at Brett’s Open Mic, a beloved weekly show hosted by the legendary Brett Chambers every Wednesday at The Blue Note Grill.
Brett Chambers, Wendy Hower and Jessica Michelle Hall aka Acisse Jay.
PHOTO BY
PHOTO BY
John Prince performs during the opening of the exhibition.
Emma Jane Livingston, Nick Bachelder, Alexa Pagnanelli, Dylan Livingston, Asya Coles and Loren Daniel.
Laying the Foundation for Success
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DURHAM TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Durham Technical Community College, with support from Durham County leaders and community stakeholders, held groundbreaking ceremonies for two major new facilities this past fall: the 35,000-square-foot Novo Nordisk Life Sciences Center and the 80,000-square-foot Health Sciences building.
The Life Sciences Center, funded through a $35.2 million Durham County allocation and a $6 million gift from global health care company Novo Nordisk, will create a hub for biotechnology education and workforce training. It’s slated to open in 2026. To commemorate its 30-year anniversary, Biogen and the Biogen Foundation pledged $250,000 to the center – which will feature the Biogen Lab Hall, housing 12 advanced laboratories that will provide industry-aligned training for hundreds of students annually.
The Health Sciences building, part of a $112.7 million Durham County bond referendum, will accommodate programs in nursing, medical assisting, surgical technology, anesthesia technology, respiratory therapy, clinical research and occupational therapy assisting. The new facility will provide students with collaborative spaces, 21 allied health labs, simulation labs and academic support areas, which will provide state-of-the-art training for students and strengthen workforce pipelines to contribute to the region’s growing life sciences and health care industries.
Durham Tech Foundation Board of Directors Chair Ellen Shannon, Durham County Manager Claudia Hager, Durham Tech Science and Math
Dean Chris Mansfield, Durham Tech Life Sciences Program Director Telicia Hunter, Durham County Commissioners Board Chair Nida Allam, Durham County Commissioners Vice Chair and Durham Tech Board of Trustees member Mike Lee, Novo Nordisk Government and Public Affairs Principal Shaylah Nunn Jones, Durham Tech President J.B. Buxton, Durham Tech Board of Trustees Chair Pat Ashley, architect Andre Johnson and Skanska Project Executive Greg Cooper break ground on the Novo Nordisk Life Sciences Center Sept. 22, 2025.
Durham Tech graduate and current Novo Nordisk employee Damon Sanders shares how he got into the life sciences field.
Durham Tech Foundation board member Brandt Smith, Durham Tech Board of Trustees members Matt Gladdek and Nick Tennyson, Durham Tech Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors member Walter Newton, Foundation Board of Directors Chair Ellen Shannon and Vice Chair Mary Bus, Durham County Commissioners Vice Chair and Board of Trustees member Mike Lee, Board of Trustees Vice Chair Gracie Johnson-Lopez, Board of Trustees Chair Pat Ashley, Board of Trustees member Lois Deloatch, Board of Trustees member Mike Woodard and Durham Tech President J.B. Buxton at the Health Sciences building groundbreaking Oct. 28, 2025.
A. K. BOBBY MALLIK D.M.D.
wedding
Meredith Biechele & Kevin Chamberlin
BY ZAHRA ALQUDAIHI PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALYSSA JOYCE PHOTOGRAPHY, ALYSSAJOYCEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Wedding Date March 15, 2025
Occupations Meredith is a product development manager at Kempower, an EV charging station manufacturer in Research Triangle Park, and Kevin is a data scientist for e-commerce company SupplyHouse.
Crossed Paths Meredith and Kevin’s story began in July 2019 while working as engineers for John Deere in Iowa. Their first meeting came while line dancing at a bar in Rock Island, Illinois. Kevin only danced to one song – which didn’t exactly impress Meredith – but it was enough to spark a conversation. Their friendship quickly grew into something more, filled with shared volunteering and climbing trips. Meredith, who grew up in Chapel Hill, wanted to return home to the Triangle and moved to downtown Durham in 2021 – with Kevin following shortly after. Their love blossomed as they settled in, finding joy in Durham Bulls games, Mettlesome improv classes, visits to the Durham Farmers Market, participating in the Durham Community Concert Band, taking stained glass classes at Fusion Gallery and trying every restaurant within walking distance of their apartment at Liberty Warehouse
The Proposal While hosting Friendsgiving in 2023, Kevin suddenly whisked Meredith aside, insisting on a quick trip down the street for more wine. He instead led her to Liberty Warehouse’s mural courtyard on Rigsbee Avenue; when Meredith spotted a friend hiding behind a bush, camera in hand, she realized what was coming before Kevin even dropped to one knee.
The Big Day The pair welcomed their guests – who stayed at the Durham Marriott City Center and Unscripted Durham – at Motorco’s Parts & Labor with light bites and drinks. A ceremony at the Carolina Theatre reflected the couple’s love of performing, complete with custom playbills by Carrboro’s Peel Gallery + Photo Lab and use of the theater’s dressing room for hair and makeup to tie the theme together. Bride, groom and guests –including Durham residents, bridesman Cameron Bright and bridesmaid Genevieve Hammersley – paraded joyfully down Foster Street to The Rickhouse for the reception, where guests enjoyed family-style Southern fare and popsicles from LocoShop across the street for dessert. The evening ended with dancing, whimsy, and late-night games and snacks at Boxcar Bar + Arcade. Eva Walker of Emily Katherine Events helped plan the day, which came together with decor from American Party Rentals, flowers by Tre Bella and alterations by The Rheu Co
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