Charlotte metro's "she"-conomy expands
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Barrett Worthington, a Davidson College alumna, and Megan Charity (pictured here, far right) opened Rally in LoSo in June 2023. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Women-owned business openings in the Charlotte metro increased 19% in 2023 compared to 2022, Axios' Analis Bailey reports from new Yelp data.
By the numbers: 610 women-owned businesses opened up in metro Charlotte in 2023, compared to 511 in 2022.
- A few include a pickleball hub, a bookstore on wheels and a nail salon.
The big picture: Women-owned business openings rose 17% nationwide.
- Austin (34%), Miami (31%), Washington, D.C. (25%), Denver (25%) and Orlando (22%) saw the highest growth rates among U.S. metros with at least 500 openings in 2023, according to Yelp.
Fun fact: Women-owned hotels and travel businesses saw the highest new business growth, 16% more than the national average. The Charlotte metro saw women-led limo businesses grow by 400%.
- Charlotte also saw a 233% uptick in home organization businesses owned by women.
What they're saying: "Whether you attended a women-led stadium tour, adopted a new wellness routine, picked up a new bestselling book, or updated your wardrobe, the 'she-conomy' dominated cultural trends and ultimately drove economic growth," Yelp trend expert Tara Lewis told Axios in a statement.