tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527238546357472462024-03-13T08:18:46.903-04:00What's In StoreSurveying the retail landscape in Charlotte and beyondUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger780125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-23563985853518123542015-02-25T18:32:00.001-05:002015-02-25T18:33:58.022-05:00We've moved...In case you haven't checked out The Observer's snazzy new <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/" target="_blank">website</a> launched Wednesday, what better time than now, when you're probably prepping for the impending southern <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article11127491.html" target="_blank">snowpocalypse</a>?<br />
<br />
What's In Store has also moved. Follow the link <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/" target="_blank">here</a> (link also at the bottom of this post) for the latest on Charlotte's retail happenings. As always, I welcome thoughts, suggestions, comments, etc. Thanks!<br />
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<a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/">http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com111tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-79172422583462625902015-02-25T10:47:00.000-05:002015-02-25T10:49:55.730-05:00Emeril Lagasse's uptown restaurant to close April 26<span style="font-family: inherit;">E2 Emeril's Eatery in uptown Charlotte will close April 26. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.emerilsrestaurants.com/e2-emerils-eatery" target="_blank">restaurant</a> from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse said on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/e2EmerilsEatery?fref=nf" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> Wednesday morning that it'll maintain its normal hours for lunch, dinner and happy hour until its closure. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"We will miss our many friends and partners in Charlotte who did so much to support us," the restaurant said in the post. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lagasse opened the restaurant located at 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts in early 2012. It offers a menu full of New Orleans-inspired American cuisine, as well as a gluten-free menu. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">"I have a strong connection to Johnson and Wales," Lagasse told <a href="http://www.wbtv.com/story/16610759/celebrity-chef-emeril-lagasse-opens-charlotte-restaurant" target="_blank">WBTV</a> in a 2012 interview."Also, I saw this spark happening in this community, a food spark, the farm to fork movement was really happening here and this is a place we all decided we should be."</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-72285312460372490692015-02-24T12:20:00.001-05:002015-02-24T12:26:14.139-05:00Duckworth's to open massive uptown bar March 2<span style="font-family: inherit;">Duckworth's Grill & Taphouse is slated to open part of its massive new uptown bar March 2.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Actually, the 15,000 square-foot location at Tryon and 7th Streets will be two separate venues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first is a typical Duckworth's with flat screen TVs, the same full menu and 150 beers on tap, which is more than the four other Duckworth bars. It's having a soft opening starting Wednesday with limited hours for invited patrons, then will open March 2 if all goes well, said Rob Duckworth, the bar's owner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The second part will be a new concept for Duckworth's: a basement-level, speakeasy-feeling bar and restaurant called The Cellar. It'll have a limited, "very rustic" and locally-sourced food menu, obscure specialty beers and eventually, a mixologist, Duckworth said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Cellar will open at the end of April or the first part of May. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"It’s going to be a really special place for people who want
to enjoy more of a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere and really great beer in a different
type of food experience than you would typically get upstairs at Duckworth’s," Duckworth said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In total, the new Duckworth's employs more than 100 people between the two floors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Given the new venue's location, Duckworth said he's gotten a lot of interest about its opening. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Even though we have black plastic on the windows, it's
amazing how many people are still walking in," Duckworth said. "The signs are now up, the building is painted, lights are on, so
I guess people are very intrigued by the newness of the building."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rob Duckworth opened the first Duckworth's in Mooresville in 2004 as an ice cream shop. Excluding the new uptown spot, Duckworth's has <a href="http://www.duckworthsgrillandbar.com/locations.html" target="_blank">four other locations</a>, including two in Charlotte. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I’m glad ice cream didn’t work out. Beer’s a lot more fun
and of course it’s made us who we are today," he said. </span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d1629.5329068674628!2d-80.83974443741693!3d35.22973166824798!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8856a03b32b6e71b%3A0x806039d38407916!2sN+Tryon+St+%26+E+7th+St%2C+Charlotte%2C+NC+28202!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1424798035352" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-72020457072652001572015-02-24T06:41:00.000-05:002015-02-24T06:41:46.166-05:00Free chips and salsa Tuesday at most Salsarita's locations<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Charlotte-based Salsarita's Fresh Cantina is celebrating <a href="http://salsaritas.com/national-tortilla-chip-day/" target="_blank">National Tortilla Chip Day</a> Tuesday by giving away free tortilla chips and salsa at most of its locations. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">No purchase is necessary to partake, and the offer is limited to one free order "wildly addictive" chips and salsa per customer, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">the fast-casual Mexican restaurant said.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">The free offer is not applicable at the university, airport or corporate campus locations. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Salsarita's was founded in Charlotte in 2000 and operates stores in 19 states. According to the restaurant's <a href="http://salsaritas.com/locations/" target="_blank">website</a>, there are 17 Salsarita's locations in the Charlotte metro area. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Also -- apparently -- February is <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celebrate-national-avocado-month-with-new-weekly-recipes-from-the-makers-of-wholly-guacamole-products-245172531.html" target="_blank">National Avocado Month</a>. Customers can celebrate that also at Salsarita's, which already offers free guacamole with any entree all year round. </span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-34013578933525972292015-02-23T13:58:00.002-05:002015-02-23T13:58:24.338-05:00Swoozie's to host grand opening promotional event in SouthPark <span style="font-family: inherit;">Specialty gift store Swoozie's is back in Charlotte and will host a grand opening event in its new SouthPark store Feb. 25 through March 8. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Swoozie's, which held a soft opening in Charlotte late last year, sells a variety of items like stationary, scarves and jewelry. The store features goods from popular brands including Jonathan Adler, Kate Spade and Lilly Pulitzer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">During its promotional period, Swoozie's will offer discounts and promotions, including 20 percent off <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">all designers, special orders and new merchandise both </span>in store and online<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">. It'll also host a </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">grand opening soiree and wine tasting on March 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. A portion of the day’s proceeds will benefit </span><a href="http://www.gotrcharlotte.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; line-height: 21px;" target="_blank"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Girls on the Run Charlotte</span></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">, a nonprofit program for young girls.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">“Over the years, </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Swoozie</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">’s has become the go-to source for every ‘hostess with the mostess’ and is valued by many as the top authority on entertaining etiquette, trends and gifts,” said Ashley Plank, marketing director for </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Swoozie</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">’s.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Atlanta-based retailer previously operated two stores in Charlotte, in Blakeney and Morrison, before <a href="http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2010/03/swoozies-going-out-of-business.html" target="_blank">shuttering</a> them after the Great Recession. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The SouthPark store is located next to Moe's Southwest Grill in the Sharon Corners Shopping Center at <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">4722 Sharon Road, across from SouthPark Mall. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZH1CHHXmD58/VOt4IBoIheI/AAAAAAAAAT8/gUEzh4Rnjys/s1600/swoozie's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZH1CHHXmD58/VOt4IBoIheI/AAAAAAAAAT8/gUEzh4Rnjys/s1600/swoozie's.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Swoozie's will host a grand opening promotional event starting Feb. 25</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-19508888812465400212015-02-23T07:04:00.000-05:002015-02-23T09:46:42.637-05:00Amélie's French Bakery to open South Charlotte site<span style="font-family: inherit;">Am<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #292f33; line-height: 20px;">é</span>lie's French Bakery will be opening its newest location in South Charlotte mid-March, a store employee told The Observer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The new restaurant will be in Carmel Commons, which is across the street from Charlotte Catholic High School at the intersection of Carmel Road and Pineville-Matthews Road. Work on the 5,000 square-foot store began <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/09/22/5192852/amelies-french-bakery-could-be.html#.VOsS9mjF_bw" target="_blank">last fall</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Am<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #292f33; line-height: 20px;">é</span>lie's also has stores in Charlotte's NoDa neighborhood as well as in Atlanta and Rock Hill. The NoDa location, the first Am<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #292f33; line-height: 20px;">é</span>lie's store that opened in 2008, is known for its quirky decor and round-the-clock hours. Travel site Scoutology.com recently <a href="http://charlotte.scoutology.com/top-10-north-carolina-bakeries-2/" target="_blank">rated</a> the NoDa bakery No. 1 in North Carolina.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to a Facebook post, the new restaurant will have a full kitchen and will serve wine, beer and crepes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It'll "most likely" have hours similar to its Rock Hill and Atlanta stores, which are open Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., Thursday though Saturday from 7 a.m. until midnight and Sunday from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">An exact date for the opening wasn't immediately available, but this blog will be updated as more information becomes available.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3AsP39_Luo0/VOsYcv8Q2jI/AAAAAAAAATY/tcTVQWqmGRE/s1600/amelies_noda.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3AsP39_Luo0/VOsYcv8Q2jI/AAAAAAAAATY/tcTVQWqmGRE/s1600/amelies_noda.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Interior of Amelie's in NoDa</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-8217357708837518952015-02-20T11:53:00.000-05:002015-02-20T11:53:32.938-05:00Tapas and shots lounge in uptown Charlotte coming this summerCharlotteans will have to wait a few more months for the uptown tapas restaurant and bar that specializes in shots.<br />
<br />
Construction for Chupitos, Spanish for "shots," began early last year but was put on hold in mid-December, said Frank Llenas, a co-owner of Optimum Income Property and of the restaurant.<br />
<br />
"We’re currently sorting some
things out with the current partnership but the project will continue forward," Llenas said.<br />
<br />
The restaurant will open "hopefully early summer," he said, and will employ between 20 to 25 workers. Lleras said Charlotte's changing demographics create a ripe business opportunity for Chupitos, described on its active Instagram account as a "<a href="https://instagram.com/chupitos_clt/" target="_blank">chupiteria-tapas-lounge</a>."<br />
<br />
“You have to have different concepts to accommodate all the different
people moving in from <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state> and <st1:city w:st="on">Miami," Llenas said.</st1:city> "We thought it’d be a good idea to start it here due to the
fact that we have a high young professional demographic concentrated in the
city."<br />
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<br /></div>
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The restaurant will be located at 400 South Graham Street, near the BB&T Ballpark. </div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1424448530035!6m8!1m7!1sygYBa4IFXcb3tiAGGgxFrw!2m2!1d35.228152!2d-80.850324!3f325.4335584184516!4f-1.0819654658988185!5f1.9587109090973311" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-3158723751148340562015-02-20T09:00:00.000-05:002015-02-20T09:30:12.961-05:00Dunkin' Donuts to open three new Charlotte area stores this year<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cKFw1z-gPyI/VOcfJ3ew6DI/AAAAAAAAAS0/S2fOqswKvyY/s1600/dunkies.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cKFw1z-gPyI/VOcfJ3ew6DI/AAAAAAAAAS0/S2fOqswKvyY/s1600/dunkies.png" height="73" width="200" /></a>Dunkin' <span style="font-family: inherit;">Donuts has announced it'll open three new stores in the Charlotte area later this year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first store will open this spring in Davidson's newly developed Two Harbour Place, which is <span style="background-color: white;">at the corner of Griffith Street and Jetton Street</span>.</span><br />
<br />
The other new stores will open in Cornelius later this summer.One will be at 19116 West Catawba Avenue near Magnolia Plaza, the new developed anchored by a <a href="http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/02/cornelius-publix-is-now-open.html" target="_blank">Publix</a> that opened earlier this month. The second will be at the new Antiquity Town Center, which is under construction.<br />
<br />
Joey Morganthall of MPV Properties represented the Dunkin Donuts franchisee with their site search and lease
negotiations, according to a press release from the real estate firm.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-77631535176997644772015-02-20T06:00:00.000-05:002015-02-20T06:59:45.811-05:00New NoDa bar to feature arcade games and craft beer<span style="font-family: inherit;">A new Charlotte bar combines what might be the nostalgic millennial's dream: craft beer and arcade games in NoDa. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Abari, Charlotte's first arcade bar, will open between NoDa Brewing and Birdsong Brewing in "mid to late April," according to <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; white-space: nowrap;">Zach Pulliam, the bar's owner. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; white-space: nowrap;">The new bar will feature arcade games from the 1970s through the late 1990s in a slew of categories, from </span></span>racing and fighting to classics like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. Pulliam said he also plans to host tournaments of console games, including Mario Kart on Nintendo 64.<br />
<br />
Abari will sell locally made beers from breweries including NoDa, Birdsong, Unknown and Old Meck. Pulliam said he is hiring a bar manager and several bartenders who will also help build out a cocktail menu.<br />
<st1:city w:st="on"><br /></st1:city>
<st1:city w:st="on">"Charlotte</st1:city>
has needed something like this for a while," Pulliam said. "Of course, you have the uptown scene
and then you have the NoDa and Plaza Midwood area, but there’s nothing really like
this. It’s something I myself really can’t wait to partake in."<br />
<br />
Located at 1721 North Davidson, Abari won't serve food but will allow patrons to bring their own. Pulliam said he's also hoping to coordinate with local food trucks to have them serve outside the bar.<br />
<br />
Inspired by the arcade bar concept he first saw in Brooklyn in 2004, Pulliam, who works in IT, said opening the bar is something he's "always wanted to do."<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7KZ3T2Rfn2A/VObDIGChohI/AAAAAAAAASk/4gwUABCJEsc/s1600/abari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7KZ3T2Rfn2A/VObDIGChohI/AAAAAAAAASk/4gwUABCJEsc/s1600/abari.jpg" height="196" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Abari in NoDa will feature arcade games from the 1970s through late 1990s.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-38292379846265927962015-02-19T06:00:00.000-05:002015-02-19T06:00:02.066-05:00Walmart hiring up to 95 workers in MorgantonWalmart is h<span style="font-family: inherit;">iring up to 95 full-time and part-time workers for its new Neighborhood Market store in Morganton that's slated to open this spring. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To facilitate the hiring process, the retail giant has also opened a hiring center at 406-A West Fleming Drive in Morganton that'll be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interested applicants can also apply on Walmart's <a href="http://careers.walmart.com/" target="_blank">career site</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Walmart also said that it's offering jobs to qualified <a href="http://walmartcareerswithamission.com/" target="_blank">veterans</a> who have been honorably discharged within the last 12 months. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to a statement from the company, Walmart offers, among other benefits, matching 401(k) contributions, health care coverage to full- and part-time associates who qualify and company paid life insurance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">The Neighborhood Market <a href="http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/01/walmart-neighborhood-market-on-harris.html" target="_blank">concept</a> is Walmart's answer to traditional grocery stores. They're typically about 41,000 square feet and </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">offer a variety of grocery items, from meats to frozen foods and produce, as well as pet and cleaning supplies. </span><br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; height: 1px; line-height: normal; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-transform: none; width: 1px;">
<br />
Read more here: http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/01/walmart-neighborhood-market-on-harris.html#storylink=cpy</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d25909.197649179536!2d-81.6850827!3d35.7348326!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8850d1e7373cc62b%3A0xdf38df22cf7857af!2s406+W+Fleming+Dr%2C+Morganton%2C+NC+28655!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1424286993787" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-61170540842004490112015-02-18T11:52:00.001-05:002015-02-20T09:24:21.382-05:00World of Beer in South End is now Helles & DunkelSouth End visitors may have noticed a change at the bar formerly known as World of Beer.<br />
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The bar has rebranded itself and is now Helles & Dunkel, German for "light and dark."<br />
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"We just wanted out of the corporate position of World of Beer
to be able to be a little bit more creative and do what we want to do," said Rachel Sunderland, the bar's general manager.<br />
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The change took effect Monday and wasn't a response to bad reviews or poor sales. In fact, Sunderland said, sales are up about 20 percent from last year. </div>
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<a href="http://worldofbeer.com/" target="_blank">World of Beer</a>, a Tampa, Fla.-based chain with dozens of locations across the country, opened in Charlotte in 2012. The newly branded bar is still focused mainly on beer and has 60 rotating taps and 250 bottles, Sunderland said.</div>
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Because it doesn't have a kitchen, Helles & Dunkel doesn't serve food. But the bar has expanded its bar offerings to include a full selection of liquor (before it only had a few bottles) and will also have a selection of games, including a shuffle board table, darts and a pin ball machine.</div>
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"Basically we had to get everything approved before through
corporate. Now we don’t have to do that," Sunderland said. </div>
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The bar is maintaining its same staff and hours. But gift cards for World of Beer, Sunderland said, unfortunately will not be honored at Helles & Dunkel, though there are other World of Beer locations in Raleigh, Cary and Columbia. </div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d3259.6158588461267!2d-80.8538011!3d35.21603629999999!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88569f81d004c1bf%3A0x4eb33ffd503e9333!2s222+E+Bland+St%2C+Charlotte%2C+NC+28203!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1424278159622" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-43029771583623650702015-02-17T17:18:00.005-05:002015-02-17T17:34:36.177-05:00Chop't to expand beyond Park Road Shopping Center<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Chop't Creative Salad Company's</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;"><a href="http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/02/popular-salad-spot-chopt-to-open-in.html" target="_blank">newest location</a> in Charlotte is just the first of many to come in North Carolina, according to </span><span style="background-color: white;">co-founder </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;">Tony Shure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Transplants to the city may recognized the Chop't name: the company's new Park Road Shopping Center restaurant, which Chop't said last week is slated to open this summer, will be its <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;">first location outside New York and the D</span><span style="background-color: white;">istrict of Columbia.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"We want to open a bunch in <st1:state w:st="on">North
Carolina</st1:state>," including in <st1:city w:st="on">Raleigh</st1:city> and
<st1:city w:st="on">Durham</st1:city>, Shure
said. Plans are also already underway, he added, to expand into uptown Charlotte.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After several trips to North Carolina to meet with investors, Shure said the state appealed for a number of reasons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"It seemed like everyone we met was
wellness-minded, fitness minded – the way we all are nowadays," Shure said. "We're trying to make
Chop't, and vegetable eating in general, just part of peoples' everyday lives.
So we're looking for the most convenient places to be."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Though the Chop't menu may not look it, Shure describes the restaurant as fast-food. At the same time, he said, it's also a "full-blown culinary operation" that, for example, makes its own dressing and doesn't use sugar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"The efforts behind the food are the same as what happens with tablecloth
restaurants," Shure said. "All the hard work goes on behind the scenes, but when the doors open, we're
as ready for speed as McDonald's and Chick-fil-A are."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shure describes Chick-fil-A, an undoubted local favorite, as the In-n-Out Burger of the Southeast. The way Chick-fil-A operates, especially its friendliness, is "inspiring," Shure said, but "we just have different points of view on food." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Why not have a bowl full of vegetables – crunchy,
farm-fresh, locally sourced vegetables with really well-sourced, sustainably-raised proteins and homemade dressing? To me, that's a way to live," Shure said. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;">Shure and co-founder Colin McCabe, who met at the University of Wisconsin as undergraduates, started Chop't in New York in 2001. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Read more here: http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/02/popular-salad-spot-chopt-to-open-in.html#storylink=cpy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"This is a really big deal to us, to go to <st1:city w:st="on">Charlotte," Shure said. "</st1:city>To us, it's the same
thing as opening our first store on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">17<sup>th</sup>
Street. </st1:address></st1:street>We're putting
everything we have into it, and we’re really excited about it."</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-acETRvMvWP4/VOO9XEwARYI/AAAAAAAAARk/L_p1CsN3TrA/s1600/CHOPT-salad3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-acETRvMvWP4/VOO9XEwARYI/AAAAAAAAARk/L_p1CsN3TrA/s1600/CHOPT-salad3.jpg" height="319" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chop't is a fast food, full-blown culinary operation, says co-founder Tony Shure.</i></td></tr>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-64440885257780736102015-02-13T10:55:00.000-05:002015-02-13T10:55:36.744-05:00Girl Scouts to sell cookies at SouthPark Mall today through March 8<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Iqx7lLIP-U/VN4eFgbQi_I/AAAAAAAAAQI/nEePcujCel0/s1600/gshn.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Iqx7lLIP-U/VN4eFgbQi_I/AAAAAAAAAQI/nEePcujCel0/s1600/gshn.png" /></a>For all of you who missed the sale of Girl Scout cookies from the kid down the street, from your coworker and even <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/08/5372010/girl-scout-cookies-become-digital.html#.VN4ZVPnF9cg" target="_blank">online</a>: It's not too late to buy your Thin Mints and Samoas this year.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Girl Scouts, Hornets' Nest Council will be selling cookies at the SouthPark Mall Center Court starting today through March 8. The booth sales will run on Fridays from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., Saturdays from <span style="font-family: inherit;">12 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Sundays from </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 p.m. until 6 p.m.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The cookies sold include </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Rah-Rah Raisins</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Samoas, Tr<span style="font-family: inherit;">efoils, Do-si-dos, Tagalongs, Savannah Smiles<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="14b838100ec22a17__GoBack"></a> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Thin Mints</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">. Each box of cookies sells for $4.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Girl Scouts, Hornets' Nest Council serves more 23,000 girls and volunteers in eight counties of North and South Carolina, including Mecklenburg County. </span></span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-82355006938672631072015-02-13T07:39:00.002-05:002015-02-13T08:31:09.497-05:00Inner Peaks climbing center coming to South End Charlotte businesses just can't get enough of South End.<br />
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<a href="http://www.innerpeaks.com/" target="_blank">Inner Peaks</a>, the indoor climbing center, will open a second location this summer on South Tryon just past the intersection of West Tremont Avenue.<br />
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The popular fitness spot announced the new location a couple of months ago but look to be hard at work <a href="http://instagram.com/p/xpWAJNCBCC/" target="_blank">readying</a> the former warehouse space. The new facility will include a 15,000 climbing wall (taller than the one at its other location) and super-thick boulder padding, according to Inner Peaks' <a href="https://www.facebook.com/inner.peaks/posts/10152917387009626" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.<br />
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It'll also have a fitness room, a multi-purpose room for yoga, cross training and possibly even (very intense-sounding) Ninja Warrior obstacles.<br />
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The fitness center currently has one location in Charlotte on Monroe Road near the Sardis Road intersection.<br />
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The new site at 2200 South Tryon Street joins a handful of other workout spots close by including Ultimate Crossfit, Charlotte Martial Arts Academy and Charlotte Jr. Gym.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d1629.941892430389!2d-80.86549010157475!3d35.20936363002928!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88569f6f843c09a7%3A0xc083520b9af5daed!2s2220+S+Tryon+St%2C+Charlotte%2C+NC+28203!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1423831072777" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-22628519757660695692015-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:002015-02-12T15:46:44.203-05:00Popular salad spot Chop't to open in Park Road Shopping CenterChop't Creative Salad Company will open a restaurant in Charlotte, marking the first Chop't location outside of New York and the District of Columbia.<br />
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The new store will be in the Park Road Shopping Center, according to <a href="http://charlotterestauranttraffic.com/news/chopt-creative-salad-company-coming-park-road-shopping-center/#.VNwt67DF-28" target="_blank">Restaurant Traffic</a>, a blog run by Charlotte-area real estate brokers. Brian Carver of Cushman & Wakefield, the local real estate representative for Chop't, confirmed the news and location.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.choptsalad.com/press/Dupont_inside_shot_feb08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.choptsalad.com/press/Dupont_inside_shot_feb08.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Interior of the Chop't in DC's Dupont Circle</i></td></tr>
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Chop't is a local lunch favorite in DC and NYC that serves up "<a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/04/09/whats-the-deal-chopt-goes-from-yucks-to-bucks/" target="_blank">chopped-to-order</a>" fresh salads and wraps in a Chipotle-like assembly line.<br />
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Its <a href="http://www.choptsalad.com/pdfdownloads/Chopt_Menu_DC.pdf" target="_blank">menu</a> features a slew of chef-inspired creations -- like the Kebab Cobb salad with grilled chicken, feta cheese, red onion, peppers a<span style="font-family: inherit;">nd pita chips chopped over romaine lettuce -- as as well as a create-your-own option. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to its <a href="http://www.choptsalad.com/#feedback" target="_blank">website</a>, there are 27 Chop't locations in New York and Washington. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Co-founders <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;">Tony Shure and Colin McCabe, who met at the University of Wisconsin as undergraduates, started Chop't in New York in 2001. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.3959999084473px;">It wasn't immediately clear when the Charlotte Chop't will open, nor where exactly it'll reside in the Park Road Chopping Center. We'll update this blog with more details as we find out. </span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-36996678090838860562015-02-11T16:50:00.001-05:002015-02-11T16:52:38.245-05:00Best Buy launching wedding registry Feb. 16<span style="font-family: inherit;">When starting a new life together, it's important couples are equipped with the essentials: Smart TVs, home theater systems, Go Pros and Xbox and Playstation consoles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So Best Buy is launching a <a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/life-events/wedding-registry/pcmcat342800050014.c?id=pcmcat342800050014" target="_blank">wedding registry</a> Feb. 16. And by early April, Best Buy stores across the country will have kiosks where couples can view and print registry lists. Couples also have the option of syncing their registries with <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;">MyRegistry.com and TheKnot.com. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;">The electronics company said its registry offers the option of group-gifting for multiple shoppers who want to go in on a pricier item, as well as free shipping on all gifts.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;">“Electronics and small appliances are as important to today’s newlyweds as silverware and towels,” said Wendy Fritz, Best Buy head of gifting strategy, in a </span><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150211005098/en/#.VNvLE2jF_bx" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;" target="_blank">statement</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;"> Wednesday. </span><br />
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Interestingly, MyRegistry.com said men registered for wedding gifts 30 percent more in 2014 than 2013, <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/102417180" target="_blank">CNBC reported</a>, <span style="font-family: inherit;">and they selected items like <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">power drills and sporting equipment. So the company's declared 2015 "the year of the groom," and is in talks to partner with other "male-centric" retailers (including Best Buy.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">According to Best Buy's </span><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat12092&type=page&_requestid=124139" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;" target="_blank">website</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">, the company operates 10 stores in Charlotte. </span><br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-85327401684381434012015-02-11T11:00:00.000-05:002015-02-11T16:50:52.139-05:00Harris Teeter to add beer growlers to five NC stores <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PyRvAzRn0bE/VNtLRNYCnNI/AAAAAAAAAPM/0HUp984RaPw/s1600/growler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PyRvAzRn0bE/VNtLRNYCnNI/AAAAAAAAAPM/0HUp984RaPw/s1600/growler.JPG" height="320" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Growler bottle at Grapevine in Fort Mill</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harris Teeter is trying its hand at the sale of draft beer in growlers for the first time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Matthews-based grocer will be getting five growler stations in North Carolina over the next three to six months, </span><span class="il" style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">according to </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Danna Jones, Harris Teeter's communication manager. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Two will be in its 201central stores, and the other three will be in Charlotte Harris Teeters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Growlers, popular among craft beer enthusiasts, are reusable glass or metal bottles, usually 32- or 64- ounces, that can be filled (and sold to-go) at a station with national or local beers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kroger, which owns Harris Teeter, has also started adding growlers to stores in <a href="http://www.richmond.com/business/local/metro-business/article_7a52a9c6-b009-11e4-9255-0bc57dacbdf8.html" target="_blank">Virginia</a>. <a href="http://www.ncbeerguys.com/nc-bottle-shops/growler-filling-stations/" target="_blank">Other stores</a> in Charlotte with growlers include Total Wine in Myers Park and Whole Foods in SouthPark. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">"Our home state of North Carolina is home to many breweries and craft beer enthusiasts, so we are excited to expand this portion of our beer business and intend to frequently rotate the varieties of beer offered in </span><span class="il" style="color: #222222;">growlers<span style="background-color: white;">," Jones said</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Here's the list of Harris Teeter stores that'll be adding growlers:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ballantyne Commons <span class="il">Harris</span> <span class="il">Teeter at </span></span>15007 John J. Delaney Dr in Charlotte</li>
<li>Central Ave <span class="il">Harris</span> <span class="il">Teeter at </span>1704 Central Ave in Charlotte</li>
<li>Kenilworth Commons <span class="il">Harris</span> <span class="il">Teeter</span> at 1227 East Boulevard in Charlotte</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">201</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">central at </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">13108 Eastfield Road in H</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">untersville</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">201central at </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Weddington Monroe Road in </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wesley Chapel </span></li>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-24249222714058537152015-02-11T06:57:00.000-05:002015-02-11T07:50:30.306-05:00Pop-up shopping event uptown to feature vendors like Stella & DotSome relief for those procrastinating Valentine's Day shopping: a <span style="font-family: inherit;">handful of local and chain vendors will be setting up kiosks in uptown Charlotte for a three-day shopping event starting today. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Customers can peruse boutique jewelry from </span><a href="http://www.stelladot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Stella & Dot</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">, natural soy candles from </span><a href="http://malloryscandles.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Mallory's Candles</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">, boxes of truffles from </span><a href="http://www.pottschocolate.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Pott's Chocolate</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> and custom menswear from</span><a href="http://www.houseofabbeydale.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"> Abbeydale</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">. The Mint Museum gift shop will also be on hand selling books, locally crafted pottery and more. </span><br />
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And last but not least: Hendrick will be offering shoppers the chance to win a sleek red Porsche for a day. Entrants must be over 25 with a valid license and proof of insurance.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shop Uptown -- which is sponsored by Charlotte Center City Partners -- will run from Feb. 11 through Feb. 13, at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">101 Independence Center, the corner of Trade and Tryon across from the Bank of America Building. Shoppers can visit the event's Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1527463384184547/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d13036.583747582488!2d-80.8426!3d35.227737!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0xd5955ac5b45a5e69!2s101+Independence+Center!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1423655565824" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-41853223751071101722015-02-10T06:45:00.004-05:002015-02-10T06:45:44.435-05:00New home furnishings store to open in downtown Matthews<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q4qn3y_JpBI/VNnvLTx7E1I/AAAAAAAAAOY/g0CE5MMGzNU/s1600/LAMbuilding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q4qn3y_JpBI/VNnvLTx7E1I/AAAAAAAAAOY/g0CE5MMGzNU/s1600/LAMbuilding.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>LAM Home storefront in Matthews</i></td></tr>
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Furniture store LAM Home will open its new headquarters March 5 in downtown Matthews.<br />
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The store will sell antiques, unique home accessories and a "personalized purchasing experience" where shopp<span style="font-family: inherit;">ers can customize their own furniture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">LAM Home is operated by architectural and design firm <a href="http://lamstudiosinc.com/" target="_blank">LAM Studios</a>. LAM Studio President Lorraine Mulligan and her team have completed design projects in both home and commercial interior spaces <span style="font-family: inherit;">-- using "classic design elements" with a modern twist -- all over the country and Canada since the early 1990s. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The grand opening of the store will take place from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. at its new space in the <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Funderburk Building, located at 159 North Trade Street. L</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">ight hors d’oeurves and refreshments from local restaurants like </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Santé and the Black Chicken</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">will be served. </span><br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-15330510794250848692015-02-09T06:57:00.004-05:002015-02-18T15:05:30.962-05:00Family-run restaurant coming to historic Davidson <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2BSWpm1JKcQ/VNigP5jHo0I/AAAAAAAAANo/8PzZlStX9f8/s1600/kindred.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2BSWpm1JKcQ/VNigP5jHo0I/AAAAAAAAANo/8PzZlStX9f8/s1600/kindred.png" height="196" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kindred's celery root totelloni </i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A family-run, chef-inspired restaurant is coming soon to Davidson's historic downtown. </span><br />
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<a href="http://kindreddavidson.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Kindred</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, wh</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ich opens Feb. 19, has a rotating menu that blends "<span style="background-color: white;">global experiences and southern traditions"</span> using ingredients from local farmers and foragers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kindred is located on </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">131 N Main Street</span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">in Davidson, in the former Tom Clark Museum, which was originally the town pharmacy. The restaurant will occupy the building's three floors and will feature a patio with outdoor seating in the back. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Prices will run in the <a href="http://helendining.blogspot.com/2014/08/upscale-there-davidson.html" target="_blank">$30-per-person range</a>, co-owner Katy Kindred told The Observer last August. The restaurant's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KindredRestaurant/timeline" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> showed Kindred's test kitchen have included dishes like c</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">elery root tortelloni with Gruyere, fennel and sunchoke as well as </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">handmade duck egg garganelli with guinea hen ragu. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The restaurant's owners are husband and wife duo </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joe and Katy Kindred, and they have experience working in res</span>taurants across the U.S., from the Pump Room in Chicago to Quince in San Francisco. Most recently Joe was the executive chef at Rooster's in Uptown Charlotte. Katy, a sommelier, is the marketing and media manager for the Noble's Restaurant Group. </span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-25538822572849323582015-02-07T08:00:00.000-05:002015-02-07T10:42:04.290-05:00Ritz-Carlton to open newest bar on Valentine's Day <span style="font-family: inherit;">Those planning a date nig<span style="font-family: inherit;">ht for Valentine's Day have another option in uptown Charlotte. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Charlotte/Dining/PunchRoom/Default.htm" target="_blank">The Ritz-Carlton Hotel</a> will open its newest bar, The Punch Room, Feb. 14. It'll offer a selection of drinks prepared by <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; text-align: justify;">award-winning mixologist </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.7200002670288px; text-align: justify;">Bob Peters as well as traditional wines, beers and light dining options. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The 15th floor bar promises "<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; text-align: justify;">an intimate after-hours sanctum presenting a tantalizing, highly sophisticated beverage experience" with the ambience of a 19th century "den of yesteryear." </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; text-align: justify;">The Punch Room can seat up to 37 guests at a time. It replaces the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; text-align: justify;">Urban Sip, which previously occupied the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; text-align: justify;"> space in the Ritz-Carlton. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8666667938232px; text-align: justify;">The bar will be open </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.7200002670288px; text-align: justify;">Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. It does not accept reservations and will be open to t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.7200002670288px; text-align: justify;">he public, though a portion of each evening’s seating will be reserved for registered guests of the hotel.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.7200002670288px; text-align: justify;">The Ritz-Carlton is located at 201 East Trade Street. </span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-2711331204355152952015-02-06T06:32:00.000-05:002015-02-06T15:38:23.104-05:00Consignment furniture startup holding warehouse sale Saturday<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">What do you get when you cross Plato's Closet with Craigslist with Ikea and throw in a delivery service?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Move Loot. It's an online marketplace for secondhand home goods that </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">allows customers to buy and sell gently used furniture on its <a href="https://www.moveloot.com/clt?service_area=se" target="_blank">website</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">For buyers, Move Loot offers free delivery and on-the-spot returns. For sellers, the company picks up the item for free, cleans it, takes a professional photo for listing on its website, stores the piece in a warehouse until someone buys it and then splits the selling price 50/50 with the seller. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">The company -- a San Francisco start-up that opened in Charlotte in November -- </span><span style="background-color: white;">will hold its first Charlotte <a href="https://www.moveloot.com/events/31" target="_blank">warehouse sale</a> on S</span>aturday, offering shoppers 15 percent off everything. </span><br />
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Since its inception less than three months ago, the Charlotte business has accrued more than 1,000 customers and experienced a revenue increase of more than 100 percent from December to January.<br />
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The Charlotte team also recently expanded from one person -- Meggie Williams, the Charlotte general manager -- to five.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">According to the young company, its CEO Bill Bobbitt, a Raleigh native, co-founded </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Move</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Loot</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> in 2013 after trying to offload furniture before a cross-country move to San Francisco, where he'd then have to restock with new furniture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Williams said Charlotte's growing population of young and mobile professionals therefore made it an attractive prospect after Move Loot opened its Raleigh store in September.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"That's
part of our target demographic, people who are young, in their mid-20s," Williams said, adding that Move Loot caters to customers of all ages. "People
who don’t have a house yet, who are pretty transient and who have a lot of
furniture buying and selling needs and also in a lot of cases, don’t have a 16-foot truck to transport furniture in."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Williams said the company's biggest benefit is the trouble it saves customers who don't have to bother loading and offloading furniture and the awkward and potentially dangerous meet-ups with strangers buying or selling furniture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"We are the easiest way to buy and sell lightly used
furniture. No heavy lifting, no strangers, no hassle," Williams said.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The sale this weekend will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Move Loot warehouse at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.0057144165039px;">100 E. Forsyth Hall Drive in the Nations Ford Business Park. Williams</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> said the company hopes to make the warehouse sale a monthly recurring event like it is in Raleigh.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Move Loot's San Francisco warehouse</i></td></tr>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-41031875244946846722015-02-05T14:56:00.000-05:002015-02-05T14:59:42.262-05:00Charlotte's third Fresh Market to open March 4Charlotte's newest Fresh Market will open March 4 in the Promenade on Providence shopping center.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ds6U30Uu34/VNPJ9Lel1sI/AAAAAAAAAL0/YMu9mSkeDVY/s1600/TFM-Interior_Nov.-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ds6U30Uu34/VNPJ9Lel1sI/AAAAAAAAAL0/YMu9mSkeDVY/s1600/TFM-Interior_Nov.-2011.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Fresh Market store interior</i></td></tr>
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A grand opening of the grocery store will take place at 8:00 that morning and will feature chef demonstrations, food sampling and drawings to win Fresh Market gift cards.<br />
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The store will also give away a reusable shopping bag and a sample-sized bag of gourmet coffee to the first 1,000 customers.<br />
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The 27,000 square-foot store, located at 10828 Providence Road, includes, among other features, a bakery, an organic produce department and a meat counter that offers ready-to-serve meals. </div>
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In its store opening <a href="http://the-fresh-market.prezly.com/the-fresh-market-to-open-charlotte-store-march-4?utm_source=email&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=9336188" target="_blank">announcement</a> Thursday, Fresh Market said the new store will bring about 90 new jobs to the area. </div>
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The store will be <a href="http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-fresh-market-opening-south.html" target="_blank">Fresh Market</a>'s third Charlotte location and the company's 20th in North Carolina.</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-49873578820909879942015-02-04T08:59:00.001-05:002015-02-04T08:59:30.615-05:00Cornelius Publix is now open<span style="font-family: inherit;">The new <a href="http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/01/publix-to-open-cornelius-store-feb-4.html" target="_blank">Publix</a> in Cornelius is now open. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The supermarket's eighth North Carolina store is located at </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23.9999980926514px;">8315 Magnolia Estates Drive in the Magnolia Plaza shoppin<span style="font-family: inherit;">g Center. L</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ike many other Publix stores, the newest one is less than half a mile from competitor Harris Teeter. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9999980926514px;">According to its <a href="http://www.publix.com/locations/1474-magnolia-plaza" target="_blank">website</a>, the </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;">50,323 square-foot</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9999980926514px;"> Cornelius supermarket is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">It also </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">includes a pharmacy open seven days a week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">By 2016, Publix will have 15 locations in the </span><st1:city w:st="on">Charlotte</st1:city><span style="background-color: white;"> area along with stores in </span><st1:city w:st="on">Asheville</st1:city><span style="background-color: white;"> and </span><st1:city w:st="on">Cary</st1:city><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Read more here: http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2015/01/publix-to-open-cornelius-store-feb-4.html#storylink=cpy</span></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d1624.5909404241793!2d-80.8899909!3d35.47504350000001!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8856a95053196977%3A0x4d42e81b367a1637!2s8315+Magnolia+Estates+Dr%2C+Cornelius%2C+NC+28031!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1423057977528" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-552723854635747246.post-37636972555690103052015-02-03T09:12:00.000-05:002015-02-03T11:15:27.755-05:00Pure Pizza to open second restaurant in Plaza Midwood<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.purepizzaclt.com/" target="_blank">Pure Pizza</a> will open its second location in Charlotte this spring. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The "farm-2-fork" pizzeria said on its </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PurePizza" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Facebook page</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> this week that the new restaurant will be in Plaza Midwood in the space formerly occupied by Lulu at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">1911<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Central Avenue. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Pure Pizza owner and founder Juli Ghazi told The Observer details about the new site, including opening date and hiring specifics, will be disclosed soon. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"We couldn't be more excited. Now, we will have the opportunity to expand our brand to include more of what we are passionate about," </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Ghazi wrote in the post. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With the new location, Pure Pizza will expand its menu, grow produce on site and hire additional workers, accord</span>ing to the post. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">The restaurant offers a variety of salads, sandwiches and pizzas made using sustainable techniques and organic local ingredients. Its signature "sprouted ancient grain" crust combines quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and whole wheat. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Pure Pizza is located in the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Seventh Street Public Market</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"> in Uptown Charlotte.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d3259.443511949236!2d-80.8079829!3d35.22032799999999!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88541ffe67e78ff9%3A0xb6c3dd245e50942e!2s1911+Central+Ave%2C+Charlotte%2C+NC+28205!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1422972399202" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: inherit;" width="600"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4