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Boyd is a manufacturer of engineered material such as gaskets and nameplates. The plant in Monroe worked on nameplates and warning labels.
Layoffs of the 63 employees will begin in April, according to the report. While the layoffs are expected to be permanent, some employees will be allowed to transfer or work remotely.
It’s unclear how many employees will be offered those choices. It’s also unclear why the facility is closing. Boyd did not respond to a request for comment
More about Boyd Corp.
Boyd is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, near Oakland, and has operated for almost 100 years, according to its website. It employs over 5,000 people in locations throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.
The company previously had a thermal business branch where it produced products such as cooling systems for data centers. In November, Boyd sold that thermal unit to Eaton Corp. for $9.5 billion, according to a news release. The deal would be solidified late this year.
With that sale, Boyd said its engineered material business will continue and grow.
Desiree Mathurin covers growth and development for The Charlotte Observer. The native New Yorker returned to the East Coast after covering neighborhood news in Denver at Denverite and Colorado Public Radio. She’s also reported on high school sports at Newsday and southern-regional news for AP. Desiree is exploring Charlotte and the Carolinas, and is looking forward to taking readers along for the ride. Send tips and coffee shop recommendations.
American Airlines is adding more direct flights from Charlotte to Louisville in the spring — turning a 90-minute trip into a chance for horse racing fans to see “the most exciting two minutes in sports.”
There will be six flights from CLT to SDF on April 30 and May 1. For fans returning to Charlotte, there are six flights from Louisville to Charlotte on May 3.
Normally, American operates about five daily flights to SDF from Charlotte.
CLT was one of the major hubs selected for extra flights to Kentucky. Other airports include Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., American Airlines said.
Charlotte Douglas is the second-largest hub for American, accounting for about 90% of all flights out of the airport. The airline provides flights to more than 170 destinations in 27 countries worldwide from CLT through its global network.
In North Carolina, nonstop routes are also being offered between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Louisville. Two flights will be offered for the race: one from RDU to SDF on April 30, and the second from Louisville back to Raleigh-Durham on May 3.
Sovereignty with Junior Alvarado wins the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY on May 3, 2025. American Airlines is offering flights between Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Louisville. Anne M. Eberhardt
More about the Kentucky Derby
Now in its 152nd year, the Kentucky Derby is the longest-running sporting event in the U.S. It’s held every year at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Derby Week Racing begins Saturday, April 25, and wraps up with the race on Saturday, May 2.
Some of the events include Dawn at the Downs, where racing fans watch contenders during morning workouts; Thurby, a celebration of Kentucky’s heritage featuring live entertainment; and the Kentucky Oaks, a race for 3-year-old fillies (female horses).
Additional information about the events is available at kentuckyderby.com.
Chase Jordan is a business reporter for The Charlotte Observer, and has nearly a decade of experience covering news in North Carolina. Prior to joining the Observer, he was a growth and development reporter for the Wilmington StarNews. The Kansas City native is a graduate of Bethune-Cookman University.
“We have made the difficult decision to reduce approximately 600 corporate and support roles,” the Mooresville-based home improvement chain confirmed Friday. That’s less than 1% of its total workforce.
Lowe’s employs approximately 300,000 people and operates over 1,700 home improvement stores, 530 branches and 130 distribution centers. Lowe’s officials did not say how many employees work at the suburban Charlotte corporate office or when the layoffs take effect.
Two years ago, when Lowe’s laid off “a limited number” of corporate workers, it had about 11,000 employees in the Charlotte region, including 5,000 corporate workers. At the time, Lowe’s refused to say how many workers were let go
The latest round of job cuts did not impact store employees, according to the company.
“This reduction in corporate staff allows Lowe’s to strengthen our frontline focus while remaining agile in a dynamic home improvement environment,” the company said.
Lowe’s said it is working with affected employees with financial assistance, continued benefits for a period of time and career transition resources.
Lowe’s employs approximately 300,000 people and operates over 1,700 home improvement stores, 530 branches and 130 distribution centers. Lowe’s
More about Lowe’s home improvement
The hundreds of layoffs were disclosed ahead of Lowe’s fourth-quarter earnings call this month.
In November, Lowe’s reported sales rose to $20.8 billion in the third quarter compared to $20.2 billion in 2024.
In October, Lowe’s acquired California-based Foundation Building Materials for $8.8 billion to expand the chain’s reach among its professional customers in the U.S. and Canada. Lowe’s also detailed its plans for further expansion with a wave of new stores debuting over the next few years.
In June, Lowe’s also acquired Artisan Design Group for over $1.3 billion to expand its pro service with a new distribution channel. ADG is a design, distribution and installation service provider for interior surface finishes, including flooring, cabinets and countertops for home builders and property managers.
Catherine Muccigrosso is the retail business reporter for The Charlotte Observer. An award-winning journalist, she has worked for multiple newspapers and McClatchy for more than a decade.
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Monday, Feb. 2, signaling six more weeks of winter. While warmer days are in the forecast for Charlotte, with temperatures expected to top 70 degrees on some days next week, winter isn’t officially over until Friday, March 20.
So if you’re craving a true break from the winter blues, you may need to head out of town. Fortunately for budget-minded travelers, Charlotte Douglas International Airport offers plenty of affordable options for getting somewhere warmer.
The 14 airlines that operate at CLT fly to destinations across the country, giving travelers a range of choices, whether you’re chasing summer-like sunshine or just looking for a quick getaway.
Cost-conscious travelers should note the airport is raising parking rates, including a 40% jump at the Daily Deck, to help fund safety, infrastructure and reliability upgrades, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The Observer reviewed Google Flights data for trips from Friday, Feb. 13 to March 20 and found five destinations with fares under $200.
Note: Prices were based on listings on Google Flights at the time of publication and do not include applicable taxes or fees. Actual fares may vary and are subject to change.
Travelers pass through the lobby area of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
New Orleans, Feb. 27 to March 1
Cost: $160
Direct or nonstop: Direct. The trip to New Orleans includes a 14-hour layover in Denver, and the flight back to Charlotte includes a four-hour layover in Orlando.
Airline: Frontier
Airport: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Miami, Feb. 27 to March 5
Cost: $85
Direct or nonstop: Nonstop
Airline: Spirit
Airport: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Tampa, Feb. 27 to March 6
Cost: $185
Direct or nonstop: Nonstop
Airline: Frontier
Airport: Tampa International Airport
Fort Lauderdale, Feb. 27 to March 5
Cost: $85
Direct or nonstop: Nonstop
Airline: Spirit
Airport: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.
Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.
Jeff A. Chamer is a breaking news reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He’s lived a few places, but mainly in Michigan where he grew up. Before joining the Observer, Jeff covered K-12 and higher education at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in Massachusetts.
If you’re looking to live out your childhood dreams of getting slimed like a ‘90s Nickelodeon TV star, there’s a new immersive experience opening soon in Charlotte.
Sloomoo Institute will debut a new flagship slime experience at Metropolitan in the heart of Midtown this summer, the concept’s founders, Karen Robinovitz and Sara Schiller, told CharlotteFive exclusively.
Geared toward children and “the ever-growing kidult,” the 7,500 square-foot space will feature Sloomoo’s most popular attractions, including a DIY slime bar. There, guests are invited to make their own unique slime creations using a variety of slime textures, colors, scents and charms.
Karen Robinovitz and Sara Schiller, co-founders of the Sloomoo Institute. Sloomoo Institute
You can also walk on a “lake” of cloud slime, get drenched by slime waterfalls and experience ASMR soundscapes.
“All of our slimes are handmade and scented so when you walk into our universe, it’s like a mix of birthday cake and cookies and pear … and vanilla,” Robinovitz told CharlotteFive. “It’s just yummy every which way you turn.”
The experience is also meant to be educational, encouraging guests to learn the science behind slime while playing.
This will mark Sloomoo’s first North Carolina location. There are existing flagships in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City, plus two “miniMoo” outposts in Boston and Philadelphia.
“For years, families visiting our New York and Atlanta — even our Houston and LA locations — have told us they were traveling from North Carolina and begging us to open closer to home,” Robinovitz said.
“Charlotte’s energy, creativity, and strong family culture made it the perfect place to finally say yes.”
The making of Sloomoo
Together, Robinovitz and Schiller launched Sloomoo Institute in 2019. It was their joint love for contemporary performance art and experiences with personal tragedy that inspired the idea for a unique, sensory experience.
Robinovitz was grieving the loss of her husband and later lost a cousin in the mass shooting at Parkland High School in Parkland, Florida.
“I was in a very severe depression, and I didn’t leave my house for about a year and a half,” she recalled. “One day my friend came by with her then-10-year-old. Her daughter happened to have slime with her, and I was curious because I grew up with slime.”
There are plans to bring a family-friendly, immersive attraction to Midtown Charlotte this summer. Sloomoo Institute
She quickly found herself enthralled by it for hours on end and realized it was the “first time in a year and a half that I experienced joy.” So she suggested slime play to her friend, Schiller, who was also going through a rough time after a severe stroke left her husband disabled and requiring around-the-clock care.
One of Schiller’s daughters is also neurodivergent and relies on her heavily.
“For Sara, the lightbulb was looking at her two daughters and seeing them play with slime in a way where they were both equal for the first time,” Robinovitz said. “I said to her, ‘This is so much more than a kid’s toy. We have to bring it to people.’”
New experiences coming to Charlotte
This summer, Sloomoo will debut a few new features that are exclusive to its Charlotte flagship. At the slime making station, guests will have the option to add scents extracted from real flowers. There will also be an interactive videoscape that mimics a lava lamp.
“Our Charlotte location gave us a chance to have a little fun with local influence, including a one-of-a-kind Sloomoo sculpture that nods to the city’s flower, its NASCAR racing culture, and state bird – all through details that feel playful but intentional,” Schiller said.
The new 7,500 square-foot Charlotte flagship will feature Sloomoo’s most popular attractions, including a DIY slime bar and slime waterfalls. Sloomoo Institute
For all the germophobes wondering, there will be a handwashing station upon entering the experience and alcohol wipes at each station. The slimes are also changed regularly, Robinovitz said.
Other featured attractions will include:
Groov’s Groovy Grove: A glow-in-the-dark, multi-sensory DJ experience where guests trigger music through slime.
Endless Vats of Slime: Scattered throughout the experience, guests can plunge their hands (up to your elbows!) into dozens of slime vats featuring a wide range of tactile slime textures.
Sloomoo & Repeat – AKA the “slime wall” where every guest does what they never do at home — leave their mark with a glob of slime on the wall, which becomes an ever-evolving art installation that literally grows and expands hourly.
At Sloomoo Institute, the focus is on creating an enjoyable experience that brings everyone together through a love for play — and slime, of course.
“Sarah and I have a mission to deliver joy, and that’s mirrored in our inclusive workforce,” Robinovitz told CharlotteFive, adding that Sloomoo offers employment opportunities to neurodivergent individuals. “We really want families who may have a neurodiverse loved one to come in and see themselves represented.”
Hours: Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
The UNC Charlotte Combat Robot Club is hosting the Charlotte Robot Rumble on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Belk Gym, at UNC Charlotte, 8911 University Road, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Come and watch 72 combat robots fight to the death in a fascinating day-long destructive double-elimination tournament. There will be 140 fights in all.
Robots will battle it out in an 8-foot cage of bulletproof glass and metal for two minutes, or until one robot is dead (not moving.)
This event is free for everyone (students and non-students.) This is a great activity for families of all ages. No tickets are required.
Last year’s Robot Rumble completely filled the gym and this year there is expanded capacity.
Photo: Annette SchwiebertPhoto: Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette SchwiebertPhoto by Annette Schwiebert
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Charlotte Robot Rumble — watch robots battle it out
When
April 18, 2026 @ 10:00 am-6:00 pm
What
Charlotte Robot Rumble — watch robots battle it out
Gov. Josh Stein celebrated the ski industry in North Carolina on Friday, as the Winter Olympics are underway in Milan, Italy.
What You Need To Know
Gov. Stein is visiting three North Carolina ski resorts Friday and this weekend to highlight the industry
North Carolina is known as the “Winter Capital of the South”
The Winter Olympics are currently being held in Milan, Italy. Three North Carolinians, and five members of the Carolina Hurricanes are competing
Stein was at the Appalachian Ski Mountain on Friday and plans to visit Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain this weekend to highlight the winter sport here at home, while three North Carolinians compete overseas.
“For more than 60 years, North Carolina has been recognized as the Winter Capital of the South, offering the highest-elevation skiing in the eastern United States and welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors annually,” Stein’s office said in a news release on Thursday.
According to Stein, North Carolina is home to six different ski resorts, each offering a wonderful experience for visitors, “whether you like zipping down the slopes, or sipping hot cocoa.”
Just under 800,000 skiers and snowboarders of every level, beginner or expert, visit each year for the unique peaks and slopes, with some rising above 5,000 feet in elevation.
“With the highest mountains, the biggest variety of activities and the best instruction for beginners, our ski areas have helped make North Carolina the winter sports capital of the South,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. “Each year, it’s exciting to see the mountain landscapes extend their appeal with new developments on and off the slopes.”
The ski industry in North Carolina supports about 2,000 jobs each year, bringing in nearly $250 million in economic activity.
“Today, in the spirit of the Winter Olympics, I’m here to urge everyone to consider western North Carolina for your next winter vacation,” Stein said at an event on Friday at the Appalachian Ski Mountain.
Last week, Stein announced his well wishes for each of the North Carolinians who are currently competing in the Winter Olympics, including Eunice Lee, a student at Duke Univerosty who is competing in speed skating, Mystique Ro, an alumnus of Queens University who is competing in skeleton racing, and Kayden Beasley, a North Carolina native who is competing in sled hockey.
In addition to these North Carolinians, five members of the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team are competing in men’s ice hockey, representing four different countries.
Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.
Back in the 1970s, I became one of the now more than 1 million first-time skiers taught at @App_Ski_Mtn‘s French-Swiss Ski College. It is great to be back. @FLONC and I look forward to spending the weekend enjoying NC’s winter wonderland.
Bravo’s hit reality TV show “Top Chef” filmed most of Season 23 in Charlotte and a few episodes in Greenville, SC, to create “Top Chef Carolinas.” The show’s announcement said: “This season will showcase the finest in southern hospitality, embracing the rich history, agriculture, and outdoors, as a new batch of accomplished and renowned chefs vie for the ultimate Top Chef title.”
Expand All
Chef Brittany Cochran has been food-focused her whole life, offering her a bit of an edge in the competitive restaurant industry.
The executive chef at Stagioni-Four Seasons of Food in Charlotte grew up in Columbus, Ohio, spending summers with her grandparents near the Ohio River, helping to tend their garden from the planting stages through harvest time, setting the stage for a career tied to fresh, farm-to-table cuisine.
For Cochran — who was mentored by celebrity chef Marc Forgione and now counts him among her buddies — friends and family are at her core. And she carries her family-oriented perspective into the kitchen.
“I’m very compassionate and empathetic. When it comes to my staff, I deeply care about them,” she told CharlotteFive.
“’Top Chef’ is something that I never thought I would ever, ever do, and when it became an opportunity, I jumped right on it,” Cochran said.
“Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio, host Kristen Kish and judge Gail Simmons. Sasha Israel Bravo
All about ‘Top Chef’s’ Brittany
Cochran’s formative years spending time with her grandparents helped chart her path to the kitchen, she said. She’d cook and can with her grandma. And for fun, her grandpa would put together vegetable baskets to give as gifts.
“I got to see all the produce from start to finish. We would dig up the gardens, plow, plant and then harvest,” she said.
With that foundation, she dove straight in to gather all the experience she could. High school culinary classes and a first job at Bob Evans Farmhouse Kitchen propelled her into a gig at Muirfield Village Golf Club, working tournaments.
Cochran left home for Charlotte in 2008 to study at Johnson & Wales, earning double degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management before heading off to New York in search of great things.
Brittany Cochran, executive chef at Stagioni – Four Seasons of Food in Charlotte, is among those competing for the title on Season 23 of Bravo’s popular culinary competition “Top Chef”. Bravo Sasha Israel/Bravo
After a few years, she was drawn back to Charlotte, where she worked at uptown staple Mimosa Grill. The restaurant approaching its 30th anniversary sources a hefty amount of produce and other products from local farms — a theme that continues for Cochran at Bruce Moffett’s Stagioni.
Beyond the kitchen
A 2024 Instagram post offers a window into Cochran’s passion for the craft: “Every dish I create is a blend of experience, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to delivering excellence. As I continue to write my story, I’m excited to show you into the world of a local chefs life while highlighting the restaurant, community involvement, and much more.”
“I just actually got a letter in the mail yesterday that with our event that we did last year, we were able to fund five new grants for research this year, which is awesome,” she said.
“That’s kind of different than what we normally do — a lot of travel,” she said, fresh off a trip to cook at a James Beard Foundation dinner in New York City. “I think ‘Top Chef’s’ going to really open up a lot of opportunities, and I’m excited for it.”
Executive chef Brittany Cochran of Stagioni is among the contestants on “Top Chef Carolinas.” Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
As someone who moved to the South not knowing a soul, building a network has been key.
“I feel like I can make friends with anybody, and I’m just pretty chill,” she said. “In general, obviously this industry is very important to me, but friends and family I keep very close.”
She also makes sure to FaceTime her family members back in Ohio, including her nephews — they’re 5 and 1.
And not to be forgotten are her dogs Patch Gray and Basil Roux, named after her favorite herb and bourbon, Basil Hayden.
“I have two dogs that are my life, and they mean everything to me. So they’re extremely important,” Cochran said.
What you’ll find at Stagioni
At work, Cochran is leading the kitchen at Stagioni, a cozy neighborhood gathering spot near where Eastover and Myers Park come together that’s a hotspot for regulars and date night dinners. Supporting local farms for produce and other ingredients is a high priority.
“I like simple food because of how I grew up and being able to see the work into growing produce and products. I deeply care about the quality, and I truly believe that if you have quality ingredients, you don’t have to do much to it.,” she said.
Diners there can grab a seat at the bar along the seasonal Italian restaurant’s fully open kitchen, watching pizzas turn golden brown and bubbly in the wood-fired oven and peering into the spaces where chefs bring pasta dishes to life alongside steak and scallops.
The executive chef at Stagioni – Four Seasons of Food in Charlotte, Brittany Cochran, is among those competing for the title on Season 23 of Bravo’s popular culinary competition “Top Chef”. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive
In her early career, she said Forgioni was “really hard on me. But now, yes, he is my mentor, but I can also call him a very close friend, and I’m very fortunate — and I want to be that person for somebody in the future.”
With that in mind, she looks to lift up her colleagues and provide a source of support. “Maybe I live inside these four walls, but I don’t want them to, and I don’t want them to be my line cooks forever. I don’t want them to be my sous chef [forever]. I want to be the person, that stepping stone for their career to jump off. … I want to be that person for somebody in the future.”
Butchering, a skill she picked up in culinary school, is also a big deal for Cochran at Stagioni, where three whole hogs ranging from 650 pounds to 800 pounds come in once a month.
“We butcher head to toe, and we use every bit of it … the same goes with our fish,” she added, noting that as she’s only 5-foot 2, a 60-pound wahoo can be taller than her, nose to tail.
But one thing you won’t find is a lot of fussy plating with tons of touches.
“My kind of food is like when the plate hits, I don’t want them to say, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s so beautiful, I don’t even want to touch it.’ I want the guests to look at it and be like, ‘Damn, that looks good.‘ And then the table goes silent, because they’re all digging in.
“That’s my favorite thing about having an open kitchen. I have guests sitting right behind me. I can hear conversations. I can see people’s interactions. But when that plate hits and the table goes silent, I’m like, OK, we did it right.”
Stagioni’s Truffle Tonnarelli is made with white truffle butter, marinated shaved black truffles and shaved truffle moliterno cheese. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive
How you can watch ‘Top Chef’
You’ll be able to see Cochran compete on Season 23 of “Top Chef,” which airs starting Tuesday, March 3 on Peacock, Bravo’s YouTube channel and VOD. On Monday, March 16, the series will move to its regular time slot at 9:30 p.m., with episodes available the next day on Peacock.
Cochran said it was a challenging thrill to be the hometown chef for “Top Chef Carolinas,” filmed both in Charlotte and Greenville, SC.
“It pushes you to limits that you never really have had to deal with. Being in this industry, we have to think on our toes. We have to problem-solve. We have to fix things — make things happen so quickly. There’s always a timer,” she said.
“I learned a lot about myself and what I want, the kind of person I want to be, the kind of chef I want to be. And then to represent Charlotte was a lot of pressure, but very exciting. You know, this is my hometown — my hometown of my career.”
Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits. Support my work with a digital subscription
Buncombe County is reporting a new confirmed case of measles
Health officials say a person visited several places last week while positive
Locations included two Asheville area Goodwill stores, The Inn on Biltmore Estate, a Novant Urgent Care and the MAHEC Family Health Center
A person visited the following locations last week while positive with the disease, health officials said.
Novant Health Urgent Care at 349 New Leicester Highway in Asheville on Feb. 4 between noon and 3:45 p.m.
MAHEC Family Health Center at 123 Hendersonville Road in Asheville on Feb. 6 between 2:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The Inn on Biltmore Estate at 1 Antler Hill Road in Asheville on Feb. 3 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and again between 2 p.m. and 4:40 p.m.
Two Asheville area Goodwill Store locations, including the store at 51 Mills Gap Road on Feb. 3 between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and the location at 86 South Tunnel Road on Feb. 3 between 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Anyone who visited these locations during the specified dates and times could have been exposed and is asked to contact the N.C. Public Health Outreach Team at 844-628-7223.
Health officials say symptoms could appear up until Feb. 27 and include:
High fever (may spike to more than 104 degrees)
Cough
Runny nose
Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots), appearing two to three days after symptoms begin
A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin
Measles can also cause complications including diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and suppression of the immune system
Health officials say measles is highly contagious and can live for up to two hours in the air where an infected person was present. “Vaccination and isolation are key to limiting disease spread,” officials said.
In South Carolina, there have been 933 confirmed cases of measles in an outbreak. That outbreak is centered around Spartanburg County, which sits on the border with North Carolina west of Charlotte.
Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The first day of early voting kicked off with a march to the polls from N.C. A&T.
What You Need To Know
N.C. A&T students walked to the polls after the State Board of Elections decided against early voting locations at their campus
All 10 early voting sites around Guilford County opened this week
The two closest to the university’s campus are the Old Guilford Court House and the Guilford AG Center, but both are more than a mile away
The event is the first of many voter turnout events students said they will be holding leading up to the primary election March 3
The event comes after the State Board of Elections decided against adding early voting locations at the university along with UNC Greensboro and Elon University.
Organizers said it is the first of many more voter turnout events they’re planning to help students navigate voting off campus.
“Aggies do what is necessary for our rights, for our survival and for our people,” said N.C. A&T student Jae’lah Monet, who joined more than 60 other students and community members in a walk to the nearest polling site about 1.3 miles away from campus.
She said the event helps students get to the election site safely while demonstrating to the State Board of Elections how important a polling site is on campus.
“We will be there all day, and we will all get a chance to vote. Accessibility is truly, truly so important to all of us Aggies, because we understand not everyone has a car, not every student has money for Uber, so we work together to make sure that everybody has an equal chance, and that is what it means to be an Aggie,” Monet said.
There are 10 early voting sites around Guilford County. The two closest to campus are the Old Guilford Court House and the Guilford AG Center, but both are more than a mile away.
Charlie Collicutt, director of the Guilford County Board of Elections, said this is usual for this election, but the school will remain a voting location on election day.
“There’s never been a midterm election, primary or general election that used any of our college campuses. We’ve only ever used them in presidential elections,” Collicutt said.
“We’re staffed up at all of our polling sites. Any voter going to any site should see a fairly efficient process,” he said as students began lining up in the registration and voting lines.
Monet said they hope this walk changes that.
“There are a lot of things in this country that people have never had, and that doesn’t make them right. That doesn’t mean that it’s always fair, and this country is not known for always being accessible. That is why the future matters so much. The goal is to have polling sites for every election cycle, on our college campuses,” she explained.
Monet serves as a canvasser with the N.C A&T Chapter of the NAACP, where she’s trying to make sure more than 15,000 students are registered to vote.
“Every day, I meet a new Aggie who is doing something in the community to encourage their peers. Campaign trailblazers want people who are out making an impact every single day,” she said while standing in line to vote.
Monet said more than 200 other student organizations are working together to help get students to the polls for the primary election.
A long-proposed office tower in Charlotte’s SouthPark neighborhood has taken another step toward construction. And that could also mean a global insurance company already in SouthPark will be relocating or expanding its operations.
A land development construction plan permit for 4415 Sharon Road was filed with the city of Charlotte Wednesday, according to city records. That’s Sharon Station, which houses Japanese restaurant BAKU and five vacant buildings.
The permit’s description is labeled “Amwins Headquarters.”
Amwins is a specialty insurance distributor headquartered in SouthPark at 4725 Piedmont Row Dr., at the Piedmont Town Center. In 2024, Amwins purchased the site from Childress Klein for $16.7 million, according to Mecklenburg County records.
According to the land development plans, Amwins is looking to construct a single mixed-use tower with office space and ground floor retail. The existing buildings would be demolished. It’s unclear whether BAKU will move to a new location.
It’s not yet know how many floors the building will have, but the height of the tower can’t exceed 225 feet, which is approximately at least 15 stories.
In addition, there will be a seven-level parking deck. One level would be underground and another is at ground floor. It’ll have 782 parking spaces and 108 spaces for bikes. The plans also include a proposed amenity or open space area of 1,000 square feet.
South Charlotte tower site history
This tracks with what’s been proposed for the site for the last three years.
In 2023, Childress Klein filed a site amendment rezoning for the 2.3 acre plot. Site plans indicated the construction of a mixed-use building and parking deck in the back if the property with the same height requirements.
It’s unclear whether Amwins will be relocating its headquarters to the new site or expanding its operations. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
But it appears that Amwins could be relocating less than a mile away. The Charlotte Ledger previously reported that Amwins would possibly relocate its headquarters.
Amwins employs over 7,900 people in 138 locations worldwide, according to its website.
Redevelopment near SouthPark Mall
The Amwins office tower isn’t the only large scale development proposed near the booming SouthPark mall area
In October, real estate group Hines filed a rezoning petition to transform almost 4 acres at Carnegie Boulevard in SouthPark. The two sites at 6601 and 6555 Carnegie Blvd. host The Pavilion, a single-story retail building. Tenants there include Rooster’s Wood-Fired Kitchen, Copain Bakery & Provisions and Garden Secrets.
The rezoning would allow for a mixed-use project with apartments and commercial properties including office, retail, restaurant or fitness spaces.
The building could also climb up to 275 feet. If each story of the building is 11 feet, which is the standard, the building could be about 25 stories high.
Hines did not provide the city with site plans but said it would be primarily multi-family. The firm also included prohibited uses within its rezoning request such as no drive-through establishments, live performance venues or industrial uses.
Desiree Mathurin covers growth and development for The Charlotte Observer. The native New Yorker returned to the East Coast after covering neighborhood news in Denver at Denverite and Colorado Public Radio. She’s also reported on high school sports at Newsday and southern-regional news for AP. Desiree is exploring Charlotte and the Carolinas, and is looking forward to taking readers along for the ride. Send tips and coffee shop recommendations.
Bravo’s hit reality TV show “Top Chef” filmed most of Season 23 in Charlotte and a few episodes in Greenville, SC, to create “Top Chef Carolinas.” The show’s announcement said: “This season will showcase the finest in southern hospitality, embracing the rich history, agriculture, and outdoors, as a new batch of accomplished and renowned chefs vie for the ultimate Top Chef title.”
He’s funny and likeable, the kind of guy you want to hang out with to chat over a beer or two. And he makes memorable food, something you’d expect as a James Beard Award semifinalist with multiple restaurants.
Although Diaz grew up in Chicago, he’s made an imprint on North Carolina’s restaurant scene, turning Durham into a home base of sorts. His playful food — which he deems “pocho cuisine” — is a personal take on his experiences as the child of first-generation Mexican immigrants and growing up with American influences.
Diaz earned recognition as a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist while working as executive chef and partner in Raleigh at The Cortez, which he left in 2023 to open Little Bull. The Cortez closed in March 2025, but other restaurant ventures he’s connected with have been popping up all over the Triangle.
Then along came an opportunity to join the ranks of the chefs competing on “Top Chef Carolinas,” which filmed last fall in Charlotte and Greenville, S.C.
“I had never really even watched ‘Top Chef,’” Diaz told CharlotteFive. “I mean, I’d seen episodes and stuff. But it’s not like I was an avid fan before.”
“Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio, host Kristen Kish and judge Gail Simmons. Sasha Israel Bravo
At first, he wasn’t sure about participating in the sometimes-grueling culinary competition, having passed up similar opportunities before. But after the experience, he was glad he took the leap.
“Sometimes you think you know what’s best for you, and then you’ve got to just kind of break out of your shell. And I think that’s kind of what I’ve been doing in my career anyway.”
All about ‘Top Chef’s’ Oscar
In keeping with that spirit, Diaz said he’s a “fly by the seat of his pants” kind of guy. He didn’t set out to be an award-winning chef — he never even worked as a server or dishwasher.
Instead, he just fell into it, partially because: “I like eating a lot, and watching TV made cooking look fun sometimes,” he said.
“When I got into cooking, I kind of just didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. And so I had already gone to school and I worked in different fields, and I was kind of a creative,” he said. “I DJ’d. I was in bands, I would produce. But, you know, nine to fives just kind of weren’t working for me. And so I got into cooking.”
Twenty-some years ago, that first job just happened to be at a Las Vegas restaurant that would soon become Michelin recognized — a springboard that foreshadowed his own path, moving through kitchens in Los Angeles and Chicago before ending up in Raleigh.
“I think it just kind of instilled a good mindset for it. I was always a creative, and I think working with those kinds of chefs, it kind of helped guide my creativity and kind of gave me some structure to be able to build off and start doing my own things,” Diaz said.
Oscar Diaz of Durham is among the competitors on “Top Chef Carolinas.” Sasha Israel Bravo
From there, Diaz’s career has taken off like a rocket.
Along the way, he found his footing in the kitchen — even landing a Time Magazine feature in 2018 on fusion cooking in the “Nuevo South.”
Next came James Beard Award honors as a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast in 2019 and again in 2022.
“I got into this thing, and it was like winning the lottery, a really weird lottery where I have to work my face off to make money. But I don’t know that I took anything this serious before I got into cooking. And for some reason, as hard as it was and as poorly paid it was at the beginning, there was something about it that just I knew this was for me,” Diaz said.
On the heels of the “Top Chef” filming, yet another big moment came along. Little Bull was included in the first Michelin Guide American South, as a recommended restaurant. Its entry in the guide says:
“Blending his experience cooking across America with his Mexican heritage, Chef Oscar Diaz has created his own style of cooking. His time on the West Coast is evident and best seen in the vibrant and fresh small and larger plates designed for sharing. Judicious spicing and an array of textures add to the allure of these dishes, and house recommendations include the al pastor skewer and the tom kha ceviche. Really hungry? Tuck into the half chicken with pita for a satisfying meal. It’s all better paired with one of their very cold beers or a house cocktail.”
The Cortez Seafood + Cocktail, owned by Charlie Ibarra, left and chef Oscar Diaz, brought a chef-driven seafood menu to Glenwood Avenue before it closed in 2025. Jessica Banov jbanov@newsobserver.com
“I’m not the kind of person to congratulate myself in the middle of … the whole race,” he said. “Right now, things are going great, and I’m like, That’s awesome. … It’s been like a whirlwind.”
What you’ll find at Oscar Diaz’s restaurants
Diaz used to consider himself a fine dining chef, focused on small, intimate meals. But his time in Durham with his current restaurant partners have pushed toward a focus on “tasty food that might be thoughtful and prepared well and fresh, but not like a whole giant experience.”
After all, he notes, if you ask someone what their favorite dish is, it’s more likely to be something their mom made, not “foie gras from a three-star restaurant.”
He likes to cook what he likes to eat, mixing cultures and flavor profiles along with influences from the multicultural neighborhood he grew up in back in Chicago. “I’ll have some Puerto Rican rice and a Mexican steak, and then we’ll throw some kimchi on it. And I think it works,” Diaz said.
“Everything I cook, everything I do is highly personal,” he added. “For me, cooking is very identity driven, and everything I do is either based off creativity, things I’ve wanted to see, or the way view the world, the way I view food memories and nostalgia.“
Now, those experiences pours into his food at each of his restaurants, none of which overlap.
Aaktun bills itself as a “daytime coffee café turned tucked-away Tulum and Tiki-inspired dining experience by night.” Among the offerings at locations in Clayton and Durham are:
Chorizo Papi sando (scrambled eggs, house chorizo, escabeche carrots and hot sauce)
Spicy Chichen McNug Sando (Martin potato roll, housemade chicken nugget, spicy huli huli sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, salsa criolla and a side of tater tots)
Short rib tacos
Papaya salad (papaya, cucumber, cabbage, carrots, dried shrimp Prik nam pla, basil, mint and peanuts)
The new Aaktun Coffee+Bar is the latest from James Beard semifinalist chef Oscar Diaz and the Mezcalito group. The all-day coffee shop and Tiki bar is inspired by the water-filled caves of Tulum. jdjackson@newsobserver.com Drew Jackson
Cielito Taqueria, located in Burlington, offers diverse fare with street tacos and creative takes on pizza. Among the menu items you can choose from there are:
Duck Chilaquiles (duck confit, salsa guajillo, totopos — tortilla chips — onion, crema, avocado salsa, Cotija cheese, radish cilantro and a sunny-side up egg)
Halal Güeys (whole chicken, turmeric, salsa diabla, white sauce, greens, pita and house fries)
Frenchxican Toast/French Toast De Natas (brioche pan de natas, egg batter, bruleed sugar, mixed berries and horchata glaze)
A photo of Little Bull’s plates, featuring its ceviche made with local fish. Courtesy of Little Bull
TaTaco in Durham is inspired by the Mexican mercados Diaz visited during childhood summers in Jalisco, Mexico. Its heavy focus on North Carolina-sourced seafood includes dishes such as:
Raw oysters (passionfruit mignonette, lemon, hot sauce)
Mega tuna tostada (NC tuna cubes and NC tuna tartare, Duke’s mayo, salsa migue, cucumbers, avocado and salsa macha)
You’ll be able to see Diaz compete on Season 23 of “Top Chef,” which airs starting Tuesday, March 3 on Peacock, Bravo’s YouTube channel and VOD. On Monday, March 16, the series will move to its regular time slot at 9:30 p.m., with episodes available the next day on Peacock.
“It’s a wild experience. And I’m excited to see it for the first time, and I hope everyone else is excited to watch it,” Diaz said.
Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits. Support my work with a digital subscription
Most locations in the WCCB Charlotte viewing area see at least a half-inch between Sunday morning and Monday morning.
Happy Friday! The final day of the workweek continues the cooler and drier trend as highs return to the 40s and 50s across the board this afternoon. Plentiful sunshine today will give way to more clouds this Valentine’s Day Saturday, but southwesterly winds will push temperatures back into the 60s around the Metro. The lovely start to the holiday weekend won’t last long; an expansive rainmaking system will sweep into the Carolinas by Sunday morning, bringing widespread rain throughout the day as highs struggle to clear the 30s and 40s. While the rain doesn’t appear to be particularly heavy, a steady dose of showers throughout the day will bring most locations over a half-inch of precipitation through Monday morning. Localized amounts may approach 1″ or more.
The moisture moves out by sunrise on Presidents’ Day Monday. Temperatures in the Queen City will warm closer to 60° once again before swelling back into the 70s by midweek. Overall, next week looks very warm with minimal rain chances over the five days following Sunday.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte-area nonprofit is brightening Valentine’s Day for those who lost their significant other.
What You Need To Know
Watch Love Grow plans to gift 2,000 flower bouquets and gift bags to widows and widowers this Valentine’s Day
Ashley Manning in Charlotte started this program in 2021 with 125 recipients, and this initiative has grown ever since
Around 1,500 volunteers participated over the course of three days to get the bouquets and gift bags ready
Widow Lauren DiFrank is one of the volunteers at the event who is participating after receiving two bouquets from the program in the past
Watch Love Grow is delivering free bouquets and goodie bags to widows and widowers in our state and beyond.
Ashley Manning is the founder of Watch Love Grow. Manning, who is also a flower shop owner, started this effort in 2021 after she made a bouquet for her son’s preschool teacher who was grieving the loss of her husband.
“She just looked at me and she said something along the lines of ‘this meant more than you’ll ever know, like you seeing me and seeing my pain,’” Manning said.
Lauren DiFrank is one of the dozens of volunteers who participated in the initiative this year, creating arrangements for widows and widowers at a Charlotte church Friday.
“You have no idea where this widow is on that journey. And so even the first year or the 15th year without their husband, this just makes such an impact, knowing that they’re not forgotten and just helps bring their spirits up,” DiFrank said.
The program has been a blessing to DiFrank, who lost her husband Rob to cancer in 2023.
“Valentine’s was always a big deal for my husband and I, but it’s definitely one where you’re seeing a lot of couples together. It’s tugging at emotionally,” DiFrank said.
They met in a cancer survivorship program in 2016, and both were cancer survivors at the time.
“We fell in love pretty instantly, and we got married a couple years later. We have a 6-year-old son who is and looks just like him,” DiFrank said.
She received a bouquet from Watch Love Grow two years in a row after his passing.
“I came home and saw this beautiful bouquet at my doorstep, just really meant a lot that other people in my life saw the need to nominate me, and I was able to receive flowers on Valentine’s Day,” DiFrank said.
According to Manning, the first year, the effort had 125 recipients.
“The first three years we worked out of my house, my driveway. It was beautiful. It was so beautiful,” Manning said.
This year, 2,000 recipients are expected to receive bouquets and gift bags with the help of donations and nearly 1,500 volunteers.
They’ll go to people in Charlotte, Denver (N.C.), Winston-Salem, Raleigh and eight other locations in other states.
“Can you believe how much it’s grown? It’s been such a blessing to me,” Manning told the crowd before they prayed and kicked off the volunteering opportunity.
She also said this initiative has taught her a lot.
“Pain is real and we all have pain in our lives. And just looking at somebody and saying, like, I see your pain and like you’re not forgotten today. It’s just such a beautiful blessing to them,” Manning said.
At the volunteering event, widows were recognized with boutonnieres — a symbol prompting connection.
“It’s so nice to know that they’re just people willing to just give you a hug and just know that that’s making you feel extra special today. Making connections with people who are here and hearing their stories as to why they’re here,” DiFrank said.
This Valentine’s Day blessing has not only helped the heartbroken, but Manning too.
“It has sustained me through really hard times. I’ve been through a lot in the last six years, and the same people that we served have come and served me,” Manning said.
DiFrank said she’s participating in the event as a way to give back. She plans to spend Valentine’s Day with her son.
The bouquets and gift bags for this Valentine’s Day Widow Outreach Project are prepared over the course of three days. It culminates with volunteers delivering the boxes with flowers and gift bags Saturday.
The group is also now gifting bouquets on Mother’s Day to mothers who lost a child.
Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cash, cards and now crypto. Using bitcoin to pay for a slice of pizza or a trip to the barber is becoming easier across North Carolina as more businesses begin to accept the digital currency.
What You Need To Know
A new feature from Square now allows millions of businesses to accept bitcoin as payment
There are more than 400 businesses in North Carolina that take bitcoin as payment
The Great Wagon Road Distillery is one of roughly 90 businesses in Charlotte that accept bitcoin
According to BTC Map, a dashboard that tracks merchants accepting bitcoin, verified bitcoin businesses are already up more than 50% over the past year.
The surge is in part to a new feature recently rolled out by Square that allows millions of businesses to take bitcoin payments at the tap of a button.
For owner Oliver Mulligan, the feature also allows his business to reach new clients. Mulligan owns the Great Wagon Road Distilling Company, one of the oldest distilleries in Mecklenburg County.
“We were the first people in Mecklenburg County to get a distillation permit, and we were the first company in the state to have its own cocktail bar,” Mulligan said.
But if you ask Mulligan, creating a distillery from scratch didn’t just come on a whim.
“My grandfather was arrested for making moonshine in Ireland, so myself and a buddy of mine decided I did enough of the engineering business, and we decided to open a distillery together,” Mulligan said.
Thirteen years later, the distillery is still paving the way, pouring whiskey, vodka and accepting bitcoin.
“I knew about bitcoin from my engineering days. And actually there was a bar in Dublin maybe 15 years ago that was taking bitcoin. So I thought, ‘this is interesting.’ So I said, ‘well let’s go, let’s give it a go,’” Mulligan said.
Bitcoin can sound complicated, but at the distillery, Mulligan says it’s simple.
“We process the payment through this little terminal and then we convert it to cash so we can pay our staff and pay our taxes at the end of the night,” Mulligan said.
Bitcoin is digital currency that can be bought and traded online that does not involve a bank.
“It’s a sound monetary instrument that allows people to take what they’ve earned while they’re working and hold onto it and not have it changed through inflation,” said Maxx Mannheimer, a bitcoin consultant with Sovereign Bitcoin Consulting.
At the distillery, the cryptocurrency is also simple to use. Through Square, customers scan a QR code with their phone and the payment goes through in seconds.
Mannheimer says it’s a win-win for customers and business owners.
“When you pay for it, it’s the same to the business. They receive it in whatever currency they want. They get to reduce their fees through credit cards because credit cards are charging 3%, and bitcoin charges significantly less than that,” Mannheimer said.
The Great Wagon Road Distillery is part of roughly 90 other businesses across Charlotte that take bitcoin as payment, a trend that Mannheimer says is not going anywhere anytime soon.
“It’s gone from almost absolute obscurity into something that’s incredibly important. I think that trend will continue, everything’s going digital. That trend is not reversing,” Mannheimer said.
For Mulligan, he says accepting digital dollars has brought new customers and conversations.
“It is growing, which is good, and I think it’s worth the risk. And you know what? It’s kind of fun, because we hold on to the bitcoin, convert it to cash and pay our staff and our taxes and it’s fun to log in every now and again and see how it’s going,” Mulligan said.
Right now, Mulligan says bitcoin only makes up a small part of the distillery’s sales but believes adding digital dollars to the mix is only the beginning.
“As the old saying goes, the tide lifts all boats. So the more places that begin to take bitcoin, we’ll just see the whole industry grow,” Mulligan said.
According to Bitbo, there are over 106 million people who own bitcoin and over 400 businesses that accept the currency across North Carolina.
Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- A wedding invite is going viral– and not for the dress code. One bride is catching heat after asking guests to pay $75 a plate to attend her reception. The request, tucked inside the invitation, left one guest “flabbergasted,” sparking a fiery online debate over wedding costs– and whether love should ever come with a cover charge.
Winter snowfall is beginning to melt and the artic air that gripped the eastern two-thirds of the country has retreated.
What You Need To Know
Parts of the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic experience prolonged snow coverage this winter
This type of fungus thrives in cooler conditions
Ways to keep snow mold away include mowing grass short in the late fall
However, this temperatures shift and rapid thawing has lead to an unwelcome sight across many lawns: snow mold.
Prolonged snow coverage
A snow event on Jan. 24 to 26 brought snow and ice to regions of the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Following the winter weather, arctic air surged south, keeping much of the region snow- and ice-covered.
Another system Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 brought snow to the Mid-Atlantic, with areas like Charlotte, N.C. picking up just under a foot of snow. Like its predecessor, this storm was followed by bitter cold, leaving snow-covered ground in areas that don’t see flakes every winter.
Snow mold
If you start to notice odd circular patches or web‑like areas on your lawn, with pink or grayish discoloration, you might have snow mold.
Snow mold develops on a lawn in St. Charles, Mo. after prolonged snow during the winter. (Spectrum News/Stacy Lynn)
According to Cardinal Lawn’s Lawn Disease Library, snow mold or snow rot is a type of fungal lawn disease that forms from sustained snow cover or wet leaves. It is most visible in spring after snow melts, but sometimes it is observed in winter after a big snowfall and then a thaw.
Any grass exposed to cold temperatures and snow cover can be affected, and if left untreated, the lawn may suffer damage.
This fungus thrives in cold, damp conditions, damaging individual blades as well as the crown and roots. It often appears as gray circular patches or pink, web‑like growth. The pink type is the more severe fungus and does not need snow cover, as it proliferates when the grass is wet and temperatures are below 45 F.
While most lawn diseases are associated with warm weather, TruGreen’s lawn care tips note that snow mold only occurs on actively growing winter grass in cooler weather and can persist up to 60°F if air and soil remain moist. Spores can be spread by wind or splashing rain, moving the disease from one part of the lawn to another.
It’s best to avoid nitrogen fertilizer in late fall and make sure your soil drains properly to prevent excess moisture. Late summer or fall aeration can help break up the plant material that exists between the soil and the grass.
During the winter, don’t let the snow pile up. Those large piles that were created from clearing driveways and sidewalks need to be spread out and shortened. Any piles that take long to melt could be potential breeding grounds for the fungus.
Repair
Snow mold may happen despite best efforts. Ways to treat it include raking the matted grass, which adds circulation and helps to stimulate new grass growth. If your grass still doesn’t appear healthy, consult a lawn care company.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
Camp North End, the 76-acre former industrial site turned into a gathering place and gateway to uptown Charlotte, has a new management company and part-owner.
Jamestown, an Atlanta-based real estate investment and management company, entered a joint venture investment with Camp North End’s owners while taking over leadership duties, according to a Thursday news release from Camp North End.
Camp North End developer ATCO Properties & Management will continue being a partner on the development, along with Shorenstein Investment Advisors. ATCO will also continue to own and operate Kinship, a multifamily development that also has ground-floor retail.
The existing on-site team at Camp North End will stay in place, according to the release.
But Jamestown will be at the forefront of moving Camp North End forward. The group will take the lead on asset management, leasing, marketing and development.
Camp North End is one of the largest adaptive reuse projects underway in the U.S., according to developer ATCO Properties & Management. Chase Jordan cjordan@charlotteobserver.com
About the Jamestown management company
Jamestown is considered a national leader in adaptive reuse projects. And the firm is a familiar face in Charlotte and Raleigh. Jamestown is joint owner of Optimist Hall in Charlotte and the mixed-use development Raleigh Iron Works.
Outside of Charlotte, Jamestown is the leader behind other large adaptive reuse projects including Ponce City Market in Atlanta.
Jamestown, an Atlanta-based real estate investment firm, is the new property manager for Camp North End in Charlotte, shown during a holiday market event. Camp North End
About Camp North End
ATCO purchased Camp North End in 2016 for $5.9 million from Eckerd Corp., Mecklenburg County records show. ATCO began renovating the six main buildings and smaller buildings into retail and office space.
Camp North End was a factory site for Ford Motor Co. Model T Cars in 1924. It’s now a gathering spot with restaurants, offices and entertainment. Corine Olarte
Camp North End opened with its first tenants in April 2023 and is one of the largest adaptive reuse projects underway in the U.S., the Observer previously reported.
With more than 75 businesses, it has more than 750,000 square feet of space for offices and local small business owners, the majority minority-owned.
The Camp North End area is part of one of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity initiatives, which support under-invested sections of the city.
Desiree Mathurin covers growth and development for The Charlotte Observer. The native New Yorker returned to the East Coast after covering neighborhood news in Denver at Denverite and Colorado Public Radio. She’s also reported on high school sports at Newsday and southern-regional news for AP. Desiree is exploring Charlotte and the Carolinas, and is looking forward to taking readers along for the ride. Send tips and coffee shop recommendations.
2026 is a big year for Friday the 13th. There will be three months that have a Friday the 13th — February, March, and November. This is the maximum number of Friday the 13ths that are possible in one calendar year. So if you make it through February 13th unscathed, don’t let down your guard. It will be back before you know it.
There are several origin stories that suggest why Friday the 13th is considered unlucky, but here in Charlotte we feel lucky to have SpookyCLT. All year long SpookyCLT tells us about the cool, weird and spooky stuff in Charlotte. The same folks are behind the Old North State podcast, which digs into North Carolina topics like Normie–the Lake Norman Monster, Crusoe Island, and the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.
So a few years ago, we asked SpookyCLT what to do on Friday the 13th. Read on to learn what SpookyCLT says we should do on Friday the 13th, with some updates from Charlotte on the Cheap for 2026.
Then, keep reading for a list of everything on our calendar for Friday, February 26, 2026.
This event is a more expensive than what we usually include, at $30; however, it’s a fundraiser for the Old Settlers Cemetery initiative, an effort to restore and preserve Charlotte’s oldest cemetery.
Get a Tattoo
On Friday the 13th, many tattoo shops offer special deals on pre-drawn “flash” tattoos. Check out your favorite tattoo shop to see if they’re participating. Here are some shops that are offering deals on February 13, 2026.
Black Cat Tattoo Society is offering $31 and $62 flash tattoos on February 13, 2026. Announced on Facebook. 2925 East Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC
Ghost Tattoo Studios is offering $75 flash design deals on February 13 and 14, 2026. More info on their Facebook event. 3216 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209
Wolf Hart Tattoo is offering $60, $90, and $120 flash tattoos on February 13, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Announced on Facebook. 5109-F Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205.
Charlotte Tattoo, 1514 Central Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina, has a flash tattoo deal on February 13, 2026. Check out the details on their Instagram page.
Chaos Tattoos, 909 W Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, North Carolina, is holding a Friday the 13th $31 (plus $9 tip) special. Learn more on Facebook.
S’Moore Ink is hosting a Friday the 13th Flash Tattoo event on Friday, February 13, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Flash tattoos start at $31. Piercing specials start at $15. First come, first served. 212 South Gaston Street, Dallas, NC 28034. Check their Facebook event for more details.
Luma Leaf Tattoo Co., 906 S Main Street, Kannapolis, North Carolina, hosting a Friday the 13th Flash Tattoo event on multiple days. $60 for one tattoo, $100 for two. Bring a friend and tattoos are $50 for one and $80 for two. Check their Facebook page for details.
Follow your favorite tattoo shop on Instagram for more announcements.
Play with Black Cats at a Cat Cafe
Black cat that is not available. Mo brought the best of luck to everyone he met. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
While black cats have the reputation of being unlucky, these 9 cat cafes in the Charlotte area have taken it upon themselves to set the story straight. There are cats of all colors but the black ones are special. Maybe you’ll get lucky and meet your new best friend and roommate.
Rent Friday the 13th from Visart Video
VisArt Video is the last video rental store anywhere close to us and they have every Friday the 13th movie made. 3104 Eastway Drive, Charlotte, NC 28205.
Catch Orbs on Camera at Old Settlers Cemetery
Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Old Settlers is a historic cemetery in the heart of uptown. It is said that while there are nearly 300 headstones in the cemetery, the number of bodies buried are in the thousands. 200 W Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202.
Listen to a Charlotte Zombie Audio Drama
The audio drama Samwel Sift Post-Apocalyptic Detective stars Samwel Sift, a hardboiled detective living in a zombie-filled Charlotte. This podcast is locally made and has three season out.
Take a Picture of the Uptown Skyline From Elmwood Cemetery
Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC
Elmwood Cemetery is over 72 acres and has plenty of beautiful gravesites, foliage and vantage points for skyline views. Before you go, read all about Charlotte’s historic cemeteries, including Elmwood, as well as about a number of spots around Charlotte for great skyline photos. 700 W. 6th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.
Eat at a Haunted Restaurant
Alexander Michael’s Restaurant is said to be haunted. The upstairs apartment is haunted by the ghost of the former owner, and paranormal presence has also been felt in the back corner by the booth made for one person. 401 W. 9th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.
Listen to a previous year’s Friday the 13th episode of The Devil, The Witch and My Wardrobe
This episode of the podcast, The Devil, The Witch, and My Wardrobe, was hosted by SpookyCLT. Listen here.
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