Blacklion to close final store in Pineville (free version)
Plus: Allen Tate CEO explains mountain realty company purchase; Health director says no plans for new mask rules; Ledger charity entry wins 'Best Video'; $47 to Orlando
Good morning! Today is Wednesday, August 3, 2022. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Editor’s note: This is a shorter, free version of The Charlotte Ledger sent to people on our free sign-up list. The complete version for paying members included:
The scoop on the planned closing of Blacklion, the longtime Charlotte gift and decor shop that nurtured hundreds of small businesses and once had locations around the area. One vendor told us: “Until you’ve been (a retailer) in Blacklion, you have no idea the magnitude of traffic that goes through there. Everybody goes to Blacklion.”
Details on why Mecklenburg County’s health department says it won’t push for more people to wear masks, even as Covid numbers rise. Plus what they have to say about the spread of monkeypox in Mecklenburg — who is contracting it, and how.
A photo and rendering of the new amphitheater under construction in Ballantyne, which developers say could hold fitness classes and concerts with up to 3,500 fans.
An interview with Allen Tate CEO Pat Riley, who explains the thinking behind the real estate agency’s purchase, announced Tuesday, of a big Asheville realty agency — and his take on Charlotte’s housing market.
Ledger readers also received Tuesday’s Ways of Life obituaries newsletter, with the story of why Charlotte’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral moved the bones of its first full-time priest — “Father P” — back to Charlotte from North Dakota.
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Haven for Charlotte home decor shoppers and incubator of small businesses will shut after 26 years; 'Everybody goes to Blacklion’
MILES OF AISLES: Blacklion has long been a retail staple in Charlotte’s home furnishings market, selling everything from sofas and clothing to lamps and Christmas ornaments. The retailer provided an outlet for dozens of vendors to sell their wares directly to customers. Blacklion “has a cult following,” said vendor Susan Sloan. “The next six months are going to be a wild ride over there.”
by Cristina Bolling
Blacklion, a local home décor institution that’s filled Charlotte homes with furniture and accessories for 26 years, has sold its Pineville building and will close Jan. 31.
The 5.3 acre property and 68,000 s.f. building are apparently destined to become a medical office building. Blacklion is located directly across from the Atrium Health Pineville hospital.
Blacklion has long been a shopping staple among Charlotteans, many of whom spend hours browsing the aisles for furniture, art, home décor, clothing and accessories. The store has had a big name and presence in Charlotte, and for years there were several Blacklions across the region and beyond. When the ABC TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” filmed in Charlotte in 2008, Blacklion supplied all the furniture and accessories.
Property records show that
A home in the mountains: Allen Tate buys Asheville realty agency
Allen Tate Realtors said Tuesday that it has bought Asheville-based Beverly-Hanks Realtors, a move the company’s CEO says solidifies its presence in the N.C. mountain home market.
Allen Tate, the Charlotte area’s largest residential real estate agency, already had offices in Boone, Blowing Rock, Cashiers and Highlands, but the purchase for an undisclosed price gives Allen Tate a presence in additional mountain towns including Asheville, Hendersonville, Lake Lure and Brevard.
Charlotte neighborhoods have a night out with police
Back Creek Forest in University City was one of more than 60 neighborhoods in Charlotte that participated in National Night Out on Tuesday. It’s is an event that invites local law enforcement into communities to build trust and relationships with residents. The event was not held last year because of Covid, organizers said. Also in attendance were City Council member Greg Phipps, U.S. Rep. Alma Adams and Charlotte Fire Department Deputy Chief Samuel Jones. Felicia Thompkins, the Back Creek home association president, said: “We’re trying to change images. These are our friends. These are our protectors.” She presented police officers with a $200 donation to Crime Stoppers to show the community’s appreciation for Charlotte’s law enforcement officers. (Ledger photo by Lindsey Banks)
Health director: Mecklenburg not considering any changes on mask rules
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the spread of Covid in Mecklenburg was upgraded to the “high” range, which means it now recommends wearing masks indoors. In the past, high transmission rates have led the county health department to recommend stepped-up masking, which led to mask requirements in government buildings and in schools.
But Mecklenburg health director Raynard Washington said Monday that none of those options is on the table now. Asked if the CDC recommendations would lead to changes here, Washington told reporters:
Raising the roof on Ballantyne’s amphitheater
Construction of the new amphitheater that’s part of the huge Ballantyne Reimagined project is progressing. (Photo on top, rendering on bottom.) It’s expected to open in fall of 2023 and will accommodate up to 3,500 attendees, with a high-tech sound system, space for concessions and food trucks. “In addition to national and local music acts, programming will include festivals, markets, fitness classes and more,” developer Northwood Office says. (Photo and rendering courtesy of Northwood Office.)
In brief
Wells Fargo eyes Texas hub: Wells Fargo is building a “regional campus” in Irving, Texas, that could house as many as 4,000 workers. It has been in the works for a while, and the bank is in line for $31M in economic incentives for the project. Wells has reiterated that it has no plans to move its headquarters out of San Francisco. Wells Fargo is Charlotte’s largest financial-sector employer. (Business Journal, subscriber-only)
Green Party controversy continues: The State Board of Elections unanimously voted to recognize the Green Party in North Carolina. The party’s petition had been previously rejected due to an ongoing signature fraud investigation, but the board has now determined that the Green Party has more than enough signatures to earn immediate recognition. However, the party missed the July 1 deadline to submit nominees, so the jury is still out if its candidates will be on the ballot in November. The N.C. Democratic Party said it will file a lawsuit this week against the decision to “protect the integrity of the North Carolina political process.” (WCNC)
SouthPark apartments: Crestlight Capital, the new owner of two SouthPark office towers, wants to add 300 apartments, 112,000 s.f. of medical office space and about 40,000 s.f. of retail to the site on the corner of Fairview Road and Barclay Downs Drive. (Observer)
Atrium Health PAC funded election: Atrium Health’s political action committee spent $16,000 in the 2022 city council race, according to its filing with the Federal Election Commission, which is nearly double what it spent in 2019. The PAC was more selective this election and gave checks to only six candidates as opposed to giving out checks to all contenders like it did the past two elections. It’s common for PACs and healthcare professionals to give money to elections, especially since the council makes many decisions that impact the hospital. Atrium Health did not comment. (Axios Charlotte)
Biking for charity: The “24 Hours of Booty” charity cycling event last weekend raised $1.3M to support cancer patients, organizers said.
Airport 5K: Registration is open for the Charlotte Airport’s 15th Runway 5K race. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 a.m. and will take place on the airfield. The course includes two miles of runway and a close-up look at aircraft landing and taking off.
Ledger beer night tonight: The Charlotte Ledger is inviting its paying members to join us for beers tonight in the Ballantyne area. We’re buying a couple rounds. Alas, you are on our free subscriber list. If you decide to join today as a paying member, we’re happy to share the details and will see you then! We hold a few of these events a year.
Wearing pink heels, Ledger founder wins ‘Best Video’ prize at Dress for Success Charlotte charity fundraiser 🏆
We’re pleased to announce that a 90-second video of Ledger editor Tony Mecia strutting around in hot pink high heels has been named “Best Video” at this year’s “Stiletto Swagger” fundraising event benefiting Dress for Success Charlotte.
The video, set to the Kenny Loggins 1986 hit “Danger Zone,” is a spoof of “Top Gun: Maverick” and features footage filmed at the Charlotte airport’s overlook and well as a shirtless beach football scene filmed at Hilton Head Island. The video, produced by Ledger assistant Caroline Mecia and filmed by Ledger general counsel Taryn Mecia, beat more than a dozen other videos of Charlotte men wearing high heels.
The Stiletto Swagger is a yearly event that raises money to provide skills and resources to women in the Charlotte area to find and keep jobs. This year’s event is expected to raise between $60,000-$75,000.
If you’d like to donate (tax-free), here’s a link to Tony’s fundraising page — the top 12 heel-wearing fundraisers will be featured in a 2023 wall calendar. (He’s at #7 at the moment.)
➡️ You can view the entire online event here.
Cheap getaways from CLT
NFL Week 1: Charlotte to Las Vegas, $167 round-trip on Frontier (nonstop), Sept. 9-12.
Charlotte to Boston, $176 round-trip on JetBlue (nonstop), Sept. 23-26.
Charlotte to Denver, $145 round-trip on Frontier (nonstop), Aug. 27-30.
Charlotte to Orlando, $47 round-trip on Frontier (nonstop), Sept. 10-14.
Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale, $124 round-trip on Spirit (nonstop), Aug. 25-29.
Charlotte to Thessaloniki, Greece, $526 round-trip on Lufthansa (one-stop), Oct. 16-25.
Charlotte to Athens, Greece, $519 round-trip on Lufthansa (one-stop), Oct. 10-18.
Charlotte to Zurich, Switzerland, $518 round-trip on Delta (one-stop), various dates Oct-Dec.
Charlotte to San José, Costa Rica, $459 round-trip on American (one-stop), Jan. 19-26
Charlotte to Lima, Peru, $406 round-trip on Spirit (one-stop), Sept. 8-16.
Source: Google Flights. Fares retrieved Wednesday morning. They might have changed by the time you read this.
Programming note: Ledger editor Tony Mecia appears as a guest on 90.7 WFAE at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on Thursdays for a discussion of the week’s local business news in the station’s “BizWorthy” segment. Audio and transcripts are also available online.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire, CXN Advisory; Contributing photographer/videographer: Kevin Young, The 5 and 2 Project