For this Feature Friday we sat down with Nate Devillers, Owner of Pepperbox Doughnuts. We’re super-excited for Pepperbox Doughnuts heading to South End and know they’ve been hard at work opening their first brick and mortar store.
It’s officially February and we’re putting a twist on feature friday and going outside the neighborhood. This week we’re talking about a little hidden gem placed perfectly in the middle of Charlotte’s major neighborhoods, Camp North End.
Photo: Brittany Pilz
This 76-acre historical site known for once making army missiles and Model Ts is now home to 31 different tenants from art galleries to coffee shops. The moment you step out of the car you realize you’re somewhere special. Once you’re done gazing up at the giant water tower, the old warehouses immediately catch your eye, covered in bright, incredible murals. Fire pits and plenty of seating are scattered throughout the Boileryard (including 2 giant tire swings!).
Photo: Brittany Pilz
Photo: Brittany Pilz
Camp North End really knows how to put on some great events as well. Head out to the Boileryard on Friday nights (March-October) for live music, drinks from NoDa Canteen, and a great time with friends. The first Saturday of each month (March-October) you can also head to Morning Markets from 9am-1pm. Besides the steady events, you can check out their event calendar for tons of different ideas for a night out. Think anything from food classes to art galleries (rumor has it that Paint Along with Bob Ross will be back for Valentines Day this year).
Photo: Brittany Pilz
Photo: Brittany Pilz
If you’re looking to step out of South End for a bit and have a truly unique experience, we highly recommend planning a night in the Boileryard! March can’t get here quick enough.
Photo: Brittany Pilz
Happy Feature Friday, guys! This week we’re excited to be featuring one of our favorite breweries in South End, Lenny Boy Brewing Company. We had the pleasure of talking to Nathan Villaume, owner of Lenny Boy Brewing, about why they chose South End for their location, what inspires them, and so much more.
Photo provided by Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
Located on S. Tryon St, Lenny Boy Brewing Co. is known for their delicious array of drinks like kombucha, sours, wild ales, and of course, good ol fashion beer. However, Nathan filled us in on some history and we discovered that their first retail location was opened on Hawkins St. back in 2012. “At that point, - we looked at various properties around town and settled on South End because of real estate trends and the culture we were beginning to see built out within the community. In 2016, we had to make another real estate decision. We settled on to 3000 South Tryon in South End. We choose to stay in South End for the exact same reasons - the young, uplifting vibe in the community, the growing population, and we didn't want to move away from our awesome local customers.”
Photo provided by Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
The culture you find at Lenny Boy is one that is hard to beat. On top of delicious drinks and food, Lenny Boy Brewing constantly has something exciting going on in the Taproom. Check out some of their can releases or even their live music. Looking for something to do weekly? Try out their yoga on Saturday or their trivia on Wednesdays. The Hunter’s Wife food truck is also on site most days of the week if you’re feeling hungry! One of our personal favorite things about Lenny Boy is the viewing windows they have that allow you to get a sneak peek at their hard work in action.
Photo provided by Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
One of our favorite questions to ask our neighbors is what inspires them. When we asked Nathan he responded, “seeing a new customer or Lenny Boy regular smile after sipping on one of our beverages. Or that moment when you overhear someone say "Holy crap, their kombucha is awesome" or "Citraphilia is my go to local IPA" - that is where the magic happens for us. These sights and sounds play a huge role in staying motivated every day - and make even better products. Our team is able to walk into work each day ready and inspired to build a brand known for our high-quality beverages.” Nathan continued on stating, “we could not be more proud to be a part of the growing South End community. We are truly thankful for the continued support we receive from people in our community. Lenny Boy has steadily grown each year since 2011 - all thanks to the support of people in our community. We look forward to seeing more new faces at the Taproom as the South End community continues to grow.”
Photo provided by Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
If you aren’t already looking at your calendar to see when you have time to stop by and say hi to our friends at Lenny Boy, we highly suggest getting on that! ;)
It’s our favorite day of the week, #FeatureFriday! This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Alesandra at Leroy Fox South End. Located on the corner of Camden Road in the building next to Price’s Chicken Coop, Leroy Fox is South End’s neighborhood go to for enjoying delicious fried chicken in a classic Carolina atmosphere.
When talking to Alessandra about what made Leroy Fox choose South End for their second location she said, “We love the history that stands behind South End along with the growth it’s taken on. When we were given the opportunity to create a beautiful restaurant in an already well-known and historic neighborhood, we couldn’t wait. We love the close-knit community, the inspiration you see and hear of on every street, and the exciting events that are always taking place. Those that are in this community are ecstatic to be here.” It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to host your next party, grabbing some food and enjoying the game with some friends, or enjoying an intimate dinner, Leroy Fox is the perfect experience. Full of excellent service, delicious food, and tons local art and flat screen televisions lining the walls you can’t help but feel at home when you’re here.
Photo from Leroy Fox Facebook
Alessandra explained that their “food and drink programs take lots of thought and many many rounds of practice and cooking in test kitchens to get it just right-just how we would want to see it/order it/experience it.” The amount of time and effort they put into their entrees doesn’t go unnoticed. Their menu is loaded southern classics such as perfectly fried chicken and shrimp and grits. You can’t forget the pretzels either! If you haven’t been, we highly recommend starting off your first visit with the pretzels served with honey mustard and queso.
Photo from Leroy Fox Facebook
Next time you’re looking for a delicious southern meal in the perfect environment, head on over to see our friends at Leroy Fox (and really, don’t forget the pretzels)!
Happy Feature Friday, friends! We’re a week away from Christmas and something tells us there’s a frenzy of people still out there searching for the perfect gift. No worries, we’ve got you covered. This week for our Holiday Edition of Feature Friday, we’re talking our favorite spot to knock out your gifts--Magnolia Emporium!
Photo provided by Magnolia Emporium
Magnolia Emporium is located in The Gold District of South End and offers a curated collection of home decor, gifts, fine art, men’s and women’s accessories and more! The best part about gift buying from Magnolia Emporium is how unique each piece you find is. If you’re looking to WOW this year, we highly suggest making this your first stop on your gift buying list. You won’t have to search hard when you stop by, their eye catching mural and flower filled alley way will catch your eye right away. Warning, you may be inside for hours making your way through all the different offerings. This week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Randolph and asked all our favorite questions. The first one being what inspires you? Randolph responded with, “we find inspiration in the flowers that grow outside our shop to the stories our customers tell us. Our shop is as organic as our design installs. We allow it to grow and change as it needs to.”
Photo provided by Magnolia Emporium
When talking about why The Gold District in South End, Randolph said, “We chose The Gold District of South End because of its rich history and our ability to #DigIn and mine our own fortune. We love being a part of The Gold District because of the strong community support from our neighbors and the rich, diverse history and culture. We are proud to be a part of this community. It is important for us to support other local business owners and to make sure that our neighborhood is a shining jewel in the Queen’s crown.” We couldn’t agree more, Randolph. The community in South End is unmatched! If you’ve been following along, you might have noticed this is a common answer from all our favorite neighbors. Supporting local business is not just our mantra but the whole neighborhood!
Photo provided by Magnolia Emporium
So there you have it, no more fretting over gifts! Just swing by and say hi to our friends at Magnolia Emporium and let them help you out. We promise you won’t leave empty-handed!
Happy Friday everyone! The Holiday Season is here and we’re getting in the spirit at The Mill Coworking by doing a month long Holiday Edition of Feature Friday’s for you. Each Friday, we’ll be diving into our favorite spots around South End for all your holiday needs.
For the first week, we’re kicking it off strong with our favorite spot to host your holiday party! With a million different options around South End, it can be overwhelming to find a great spot to get together with all your friends and celebrate. Insert The Suffolk Punch and that scenario just got a whole lot easier!
Photo by The Suffolk Punch Instagram: @suffolkpunchclt
The Suffolk Punch is a culinary cafe, coffee bar, taphouse and brewery all packed into one incredible location. This makes the perfect spot for a holiday party due to the fact that they have such a variety in their offerings. From small, intimate dinners in their brewhouse to large (300+ person) affairs, they’ve got options for every type of event!
Photo by The Suffolk Punch Instagram: @suffolkpunchclt
We had the pleasure of chatting with Seth from Suffolk about what inspires them, why they chose South End, and more! When asked what inspires them, Seth said “Our inspiration comes from our passion to craft food and drink that challenge expectations. We’re constantly tinkering - working to improve and create delicious offerings. Nothing fuels us more than to exceed the expectations of our patrons!” Their menu is loaded down with delicious meals and creative drinks! Spoiler alert: It’s all AMAZING. When speaking to why they chose South End, Seth responded, “We love the people, businesses, and the energy of the neighborhood. The light rail has really breathed new life into the area and created a space where people love to work, exercise, and play.”
Photo by The Suffolk Punch Instagram: @suffolkpunchclt
If you’re looking for where to host your holiday event this year, we highly recommend giving these guys a call! Check them out for New Years too for their New Year's Punchin’ Eve. If you’re interested in hosting an event, feel free to start the conversation here (https://thesuffolkpunch.com/connect/#private-events) or email them at events@thesuffolkpunch.com.
Stay tuned for next week when we dive into the best place to knock out all your gifts!
It’s that time again, friends. This week we’re featuring one of our favorite after work pit stops, Pop the Top!
Located across from the East/West Blvd Light Rail stop, Pop the Top is a craft beer shop that offers handpicked options from The Carolinas, cider, wine, and local kombucha. On top of their delicious selection of drinks you can also expect to find locally made goods in the shop as well! Pop the Top loves to host unique and fun events. From special beer releases, bottle shares, or animal rescues, you can count on always finding something cool going on inside.
A little background story for you on the owners, Ketan and Kathy--both have been in North Carolina for over 30 years and actually met while attending NC State! We had the pleasure of chatting with Ketan and asked what his favorite part of being a part of the South End community was. His response, “the support for small businesses has been tremendous and it really shows during different events that the South End community puts on. Plus we love dogs and there are SO many cute pups in the area.” Can’t argue with that one, we love all the puppies as well! Speaking of pups, you may notice that Pop the Top’s logo is a Black Lab, this is a tribute to their late Labrador, Louie (excuse us while we melt).
Be sure to give these guys a follow (@popthetopclt) and check out their next event or just swing by to say hello. You never know, you might just see us there! Their patio is pet-friendly as well, so feel free to bring along your furry friend when you stop in!
Photo provided by Pop the Top Craft Beer Shop
Happy Feature Friday, friends! This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Holly Rodriguez, owner of Max & Lola Bodega! 🤗
Photo provided by Max & Lola Bodega
Max & Lola Bodega is a bottle shop here in South End that carries a selection of wine, beer, cider, and they just recently added CBD products to the list. Holly has lived in South End since 2011 and loved the area so much that they bought a house in Wilmore in 2014. Ever since then, they knew they wanted to have a business close to home. “South End is diverse and has a great young energy that’s awesome for new small businesses like Max & Lola Bodega” Rodriguez said.
Photo provided by Max & Lola Bodega
We asked Holly what their favorite thing about being a part of the South End community was. She responded with “One of the best things about living and working in South End is that there's always something to do! All the breweries, restaurants, bars, shopping and festivals make South End an awesome part of Charlotte.” We have to agree with you there, Holly! 🙌
Photo provided by Max & Lola Bodega
Their incredible patio and laid back environment makes this the perfect spot to come unwind after work or catch up with friends over the weekend. Did we mention the dog friendly backyard? 🐶 Speaking of dogs, Max and Lola actually got it's name from 2 sweet pups! You can also expect daily drink specials and rotating food trucks! Join them for Wine Tasting on Tuesday or some yoga (yoga is offered on Saturday as well) or stop in for some trivia fun on Thursdays.
Photo provided by Max & Lola Bodega
Next time you’re looking for a place to unwind with your friends in South End, we highly recommend going by to say hi to our friends at Max & Lola! Don’t have a ton of time? That’s ok, you can get your 6 pack to go. 😉
