Help Western N.C. while you holiday shop (free version)
Plus: Latest Real Estate Whispers column; City attorney to leave at end of December; Holiday tips; 'Some Like It Hot' review; Myers Park Baptist minister 'ousted'; UNC fires football coach
Good morning! Today is Wednesday, November 27, 2024. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Editor’s note: Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the next regular edition of The Charlotte Ledger will be published on Monday, Dec. 2.
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Today’s Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by Tryon Medical Partners, which wishes you warmth and wellness this holiday season. Have a happy and healthy start to 2025!
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 went out 15 minutes ago.
Today’s edition has holiday gift suggestions that help Western North Carolina, a new Commercial Real Estate Whispers column, a review of the “Some Like It Hot” musical playing though the weekend, news of the Charlotte city attorney’s departure and a round-up of news from other reliable sources.
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You need gifts, and Western North Carolina could use a boost. Here’s your guide to unique, thoughtful items that will delight loved ones while helping an area in need.
A few shippable holiday gift ideas from Western North Carolina include (clockwise from top left) a vinyl record from Citizen Vinyl, a custom leather belt from Axel and Awl Leatherworks, a jar of Sourwood honey from Asheville Bee Charmer, a bag of holiday whole coffee beans from Dynamite Roasting and a box of Holiday chocolate bonbons from French Broad Chocolate.
by Lindsey Banks
December is just around the corner, and with Thanksgiving falling so late in November this year, my holiday-shopping panic has officially set in.
If you’re anything like me, finding unique gifts for everyone on my list is a must. Being from the mountains, I typically spend the weekend after Thanksgiving driving around Asheville — an area that’s known for its unique shops and handcrafted items.
But this holiday season looks a little different for many of these businesses. Two months ago, Tropical Storm Helene tore through the mountains, displacing thousands of people and damaging hundreds of businesses. Some shops have since reopened, and others are offering online shopping.
I’ve rounded up some items and businesses that I’ve found in my own online holiday shopping. Ordering from local shops means you’re helping Western North Carolina’s economy.
I know there are plenty more beyond what’s on this list, so if I’ve missed one of your favorites, let me know and I’ll update the online version of this article. There’s also a comprehensive list of WNC businesses here if you’re on the hunt for a specific item.
You can also purchase gift cards that can be used for future trips to the mountains. Many mountain towns are welcoming tourists (like Asheville, Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock, Boone, Brevard, Cherokee and Hendersonville), and local businesses are ushering people through their doors.
Other gift ideas include (clockwise from far left) a bag of popcorn from Poppy Popcorn in Asheville, earrings from Seven Sisters Craft Gallery in Black Mountain, a bottle of handmade whiskey from Chemist Spirits in Asheville, a candle from Firelight Book & Candle in Blowing Rock, a book from Malaprops Bookstore in Asheville and a guitar from Acoustic Corner in Black Mountain.
🎁 For unique handcrafted gifts
Seven Sisters Craft Gallery in Black Mountain has been around for 40 years and sells handcrafted jewelry and home decor from 250 artists in its store and online. You’ll find everything from wind chimes to earrings and wall art, and its helpful website tells you how many of most items are in stock.
I’ve got my eye on these black bear earrings ($28) for my mother. They’re sterling silver, and as the description says, will remind my mom of “mountain living in North Carolina” and the bears that frequent her backyard.
Axel and Awl Leatherworks in Waynesville sells handmade leather goods, from belts to wallets. I’m considering this belt ($70) for my father. You get to pick the leather, stitching color and hardware.
Other places to shop:
Sawyer Home Collection in Clyde sells modern bespoke home goods, sculptures and furniture.
East Fork Pottery in Asheville sells candles and handmade ceramics for the kitchen and table.
Plum Print in Asheville transforms your child’s artwork into coffee table books.
📚 Looking for something new to read, try…
Malaprop’s Bookstore is a downtown Asheville staple. It’s been around since 1982, and I’ve attended a few author signings there. I’m considering buying “The Last Castle” by Denise Kiernan ($20) for my grandmother. It’s a nonfiction book about Edith Stuyvesant Dresser, who married into the Vanderbilt family and became the mistress of the Biltmore House.
I love to light a candle while I’m reading. Firelight Book & Candle is a store in Blowing Rock that sells both books and handcrafted candles. The 11-ounce “River” soy candle ($32) caught my eye, which has notes of frankincense, evergreen and lemon.
🎵 For music lovers…
Citizen Vinyl is a record pressing studio in Asheville that also sells used vinyl records. It’s located inside the historic Asheville Citizen Times building, which was built in 1939. In 2019, Citizen Vinyl moved in. I’m considering this special disaster relief blank vinyl ($50) for my brother to hang on this wall. Proceeds go directly to support employees and the store's recovery. (You can also have a record made. Prices vary.)
For the musician in your life, Acoustic Corner in Black Mountain sells acoustic guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, violins and cellos. A 2011 Gibson J-35 is $1,699.
🍫 Looking for something sweet, try…
A trip to Asheville is not complete without French Broad Chocolate. The downtown shop sells handcrafted chocolate and baked goods. I think I might have to pick up a box of the Holiday bonbons ($40 for 12 pieces) for my bestie.
Other places to shop:
Asheville Bee Charmer in Asheville sells honey, including this $12 jar of Sourwood honey that will be perfect for my grandfather.
Poppy Popcorn, an Asheville-based handcrafted popcorn company, is selling a special “Asheville Mix Artist Bag” ($7.25) that features a limited edition bag designed by a local artist. $2 from each bag goes to help Asheville entrepreneurs after Helene.
Gogo’s in Old Fort sells the most delicious cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. They don’t ship, but if you’re driving through the area, I highly recommend placing an order. Gogo’s is right off the interstate in downtown Old Fort and the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning.
☕ For coffee lovers…
I have a couple of coffee snobs in my family (myself being one). This “Santa’s Little Helper” blend ($15) from Dynamite Roasting in Black Mountain sounds like the perfect way to wake up Christmas morning. This “Holiday Magic” blend ($21) from Hatchet Coffee Roasters in Boone would make the perfect stocking stuffer for my grandmother.
😎 To gift an experience…
Sometimes, a fun outing or quick weekend trip is just what someone needs. I’m considering giving my mother a glass-blowing class at North Carolina Glass Center in Asheville. A “30-minute Make Your Own” class ($100) produces a paperweight, pumpkin, ornament or cup.
Other options include:
A weekend getaway at The Omni Grove Park Inn and Spa in Asheville. It has officially reopened!
A trip to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville to tour the 19th-century 250-room château and gardens.
🍺 For the spirits and beer lover in your life…
Nobody in my family particularly enjoys liquor, but if they did, I would look into the Biltmore American Single Malt Whiskey ($90) from Chemist Spirits. Chemist is a distillery in Asheville that hand-makes gin, vodka and whiskey.
Other alcoholic beverage options include:
Oak & Grist Distilling Company in Black Mountain sells whiskey and gin.
Highland Brewing in Asheville has turned its brewery and taproom into a community hub for relief resources. You can also support Highland by purchasing merchandise online or buying Highland beer at your local grocery store.
Happy shopping! 🛍️
Lindsey Banks is a staff reporter for The Charlotte Ledger: lindsey@cltledger.com
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➡️ Want to get up to speed on Western North Carolina’s recovery? Check out and subscribe to our free Mountain Updates pop-up newsletter, which has been chronicling the devastation and recovery since early October.
Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers: A deep dive into Charlotte’s housing market; Puzzling data center deals; Apartment contrarian; Sizzling land deals in LoSo, NoDa and Birkdale
It’s time to indulge in the latest irresistible edition of Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers, where the city’s most tantalizing land deals, rezonings and developments are seductively unwrapped. Prepare to be captivated by the pulse-racing drama of Charlotte’s real estate world, where every transaction whispers temptation and every revelation feels like a delicious affair you can’t resist.
In today’s Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers column, available exclusively to Ledger paying members (🔒):
An analysis of some of the eye-catching conclusions of a new 67-page report on Charlotte’s housing market
Why two land deals involving data centers have real estate pros scratching their heads
How and why apartment developer The Fallon Cos. is choosing to build apartments in Charlotte as other developers hold off
North Carolina’s legislature passed a bill limiting the ability of cities to ‘down-zone’ properties
The CEO of Northwood Office makes the case for businesses to beef up their return-to-office policies
A scintillating wrap-up of land deals and other noteworthy real estate news — two big sales of apartment complexes in NoDa and LoSo and an apparent hotel for Birkdale
Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers is our regular check-in on Charlotte growth and development. It provides an inside look at what developers and other real estate pros are buzzing about. We deliver scoops in an interesting and not-boring way! Check it out:
City attorney to ‘retire’ after the City Council shows him the door; raises for city manager, city clerk
Charlotte City Attorney Patrick Baker says he is retiring at the end of the year, following a move by a majority of City Council members to push him out.
Related Ledger articles:
“Charlotte’s city attorney is about to be ousted” (Oct. 28)
“City attorney contract ensures six months’ pay if fired” (Nov. 1)
Review: ‘Some Like It Hot’ at Belk Theater brings fresh energy to a classic film
Arts critic Lawrence Toppman took in the Blumenthal Arts Broadway Lights musical “Some Like It Hot” on Tuesday night.
The 1959 film that it’s based on — starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis — is an Academy Award-winning crime comedy. But can it be made relevant to audiences 65 years later?
Toppman found that the musical’s “tap-happy choreography,” a catchy, modern score and dynamic performances gave the musical 21st-century heart and humor.
In a review for The Ledger, he writes:
After I enjoyed “Some Like It Hot” last year on Broadway, I immediately e-mailed a friend who also admires the film on which it’s based. “Not interested,” he wrote back. “Why would I want to see a musical that changes anything about the most perfect movie comedy ever?”
If you share that view, avoid the tour that reached Belk Theater this week in Blumenthal Arts’ Broadway Lights season. If you have a more open mind and a more open heart, I think you’ll respond to a version that leaves the setting in the early 1930s but reflects the sentiments of our own time.
You can read the full review here.
News you can use: Have a better Thanksgiving and holiday season
A very happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from The Charlotte Ledger.
We’ve rounded up some holiday-related tips you might find useful, from trustworthy local sources:
Skip the Thanksgiving cooking: Digital food publication Unpretentious Palate has a good list of Charlotte restaurants with take-out or in-person service on Thanksgiving.
Impress at the Thanksgiving table: The Ledger’s Teen Talk Thanksgiving guide can be an indispensable resource for communicating with the youngsters. (It might be sus because it is a couple of years old, but we think it still slaps and isn’t cringe.)
Support small businesses with your holiday shopping: South End Shop Small Saturday is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Camden Road in South End. It has 120+ local vendors.
Get in the holiday spirit: Axios Charlotte has a list of 26 festive things to do this winter
Buy a Christmas tree: Charlotte on the Cheap has a list of 14 Christmas tree farms and lots in the Charlotte area
With the Thanksgiving holiday, the next regular issue of The Ledger will be Monday, Dec. 2, when we will share our annual Charity Shout-Out edition, with recommendations of local nonprofits from our community of paying members.
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
TUESDAY: “Private Business Roundtable — Coffee Social.” Waterbean Coffee, 1415 Vantage Park Drive #110, Charlotte. Join us for our last Private Business Roundtable of 2024. The PBR Coffee Social is open to all private business owners, operators, investors and friends. Celebrate the year, connect with new and old friends and meet some of our favorite charity partners. Free.
DEC. 4: “World Affairs Council of Charlotte CEO Series with Leon Topalian,” 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Join us for an insightful presentation with Leon Topalian, the Chair, President, and CEO of Nucor Corporation, one of the largest steel producers in the United States. He will share his extensive knowledge and experience in the steel industry, providing a unique perspective on leadership, innovation, and sustainability in manufacturing. $30-$50.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief
Myers Park Baptist leader ‘ousted’:
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman