Briefing for Tuesday December 15

It’s become one of those Charlotte inside jokes. If there is a new development — especially in places like Plaza Midwood — then it’s inevitably going to be apartments. That’s why I had to laugh when I came across itsnotacondo.com, the teaser page for a new restaurant coming to 1300 Central Avenue. This is the old Joe Hooper’s spot that closed this fall. The two guys who own the place now — Ken Thomas and Zach Current — are real pros and know how to build suspense. 

The pair has taken down the “Joe Hooper’s” part of the sign but left up the “Neighborhood Pub,” and they’ve been having friends over every once in awhile for $3 beers and a limited menu. They’re also booking private events there over the holidays. But they’re still not publicly saying what the bar will be when it renovates and reopens in the spring. We’ll be keeping an eye on this place. These guys have big plans for creating an entertainment district in this part of town.

VITALS

Today’s Weather: 72. Sunny. 0 percent chance of rain.
Today’s Stat: 1,887. Increase in the number of homeless people living in Charlotte shelters between 2005 and 2014, according to a report released Monday.
Today’s Job: Senior SEO Manager at LendingTree. Apply. 
Today’s Charlottean: Stacee Michelle, for repping Charlotte style at national and international fashion events.

ORIGINALS

The coolest things Discovery Place keeps hidden [Moore]
Kylie held an actual human tongue. But that only scratched the surface of the weird and wonderful things that Discovery Place keeps in its vault and away from public view. This story makes me think of that scene at the end of the Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark (you know the one I mean).

8 Uptown lunch date spots where you can probably avoid your coworkers [Levans]
Lunch dates are special. They mean you care enough about this person to prioritize them above work. Or maybe you’re unemployed. Either way, here are some solid choices to bring somebody on a weekday lunch date. I can vouch for Levant.

Somebody keeps breaking into South End beer shops [Dunn]
It feels like more than a coincidence when Common Market, Rhino Market and Good Bottle Co. all get hit within a few days of each other. The first two got hit for cigarettes multiple times. Now these beloved beer shops are putting up metal bars to keep break-ins from happening again.

On Lap of Love, the best but least talked about business in Charlotte [Moore]
This is a beautiful story from Kylie about saying goodbye to pets who are more like members of the family, and how this company makes it just a tiny bit more bearable.

The best spots for free WiFi in Uptown. Should there be more? [@thetrolleywalk]
Internet access is literally life-changing in 2015. Bruce Clark and the city’s digital inclusion team are tasked with finding out how to get everyone in Charlotte online. Here’s a map of public, free WiFi access Uptown, but there are still a lot of gaps. Fill in the WiFi spots you know.

Stay hungry, Charlotte: 16 food accounts to follow on Instagram [Papajohn]
Check out this list of bloggers, cooks and people who just straight up love food. I just ate but now I want to eat more.

Where do you go to church? Maybe try a saloon [McIntyre]
The Thirsty Beaver Saloon in Plaza Midwood has carved itself out a niche in Charlotte’s faith community with a service that’s all about community and not at all about judgement.

Cribs: Go inside Boxman Studios’ massive production facility (29 photos) [Williams]
This company uses mobile shipping containers as commercial real estate, and they have a chance to dominate this market. They may even get into the home and hotel market.

TALKING POINTS 

Clean Juice is expanding to Stonecrest [Agenda/Instagram]. The Birkdale-based juice and smoothie bar will open in south Charlotte in March 2016.

Legion Brewery is looking at a Thursday opening [Thomas/CBJ]. Plaza Midwood’s first brewery will be open to the public soon. Catch up on the background here.

Simon Malls now has a reward program at SouthPark and Concord Mills [Peralta/Observer]. Depending on how much you spend, you can get cash back or a reserved parking spot near an entrance.

Angry Ale’s University is opening Wednesday [Agenda/Instagram]. This bar kills it on Montford already and will be a hit by UNC Charlotte. Look for the big covered patio and “rustic, grown-up Angry Ale’s look-and-feel.”

Mecklenburg County is moving forward with its plan to sell a huge chunk of its real estate in Second Ward to create a mixed-use neighborhood. Three Charlotte companies have been selected to submit their ideas for the land: CitiSculpt (now developing a West Morehead Street office building), Conformity (built Elizabeth Village) and Crescent Communities (tons of projects, including these on Stonewall Street). Get after it.

– Andrew