Dandelion Market to close in Uptown and reopen as a food truck
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Dandelion Market's last day in Uptown will be Sunday, July 21. The restaurant and bar has called 118 W 5th St. home for more than a decade but will leave due to a 60% rent hike, co-owners Tommy Timmins and Maynard Goble tell Axios.
Why it matters: Rising rent has weighed on several local businesses as Charlotte grows — from Soul Gastrolounge in Plaza Midwood to Central Coffee in South End and now Dandelion Market.
Zoom out: In the years since Dandelion Market opened in early 2010, the business became an Uptown hotspot, known as much for its late-night DJs and dancing as for its weekend brunches.
Context: In recent years, Dandelion Market endured both the pandemic and rising inflation. But a rent hike of this magnitude wasn't doable, Timmins tells Axios.
- "We're lucky to have options," Timmins says.
State of play: Dandelion Market will be reborn as a food truck, for now. The goal is to eventually reopen Dandelion as a brick-and-mortar spot.
- Until then, you'll see the food truck around town and at its sister bar, Tyber Creek Pub, once the popular bar opens its new home on Mint Street.
Between the lines: All profits Dandelion Market makes on its last day will go to the staff, the owners say, which is also what they did when Tyber Creek closed in March.
- Staff will have the opportunity to work at the owners' other establishments, including Workman's Friend in Plaza Midwood and The Daily, Prohibition and Connolly's on 5th in Uptown.
- Their other locations aren't due for a lease renewal any time soon, the owners say.
What's next: The owners are in the process of securing a food truck, Timmins says, and they're waiting on a permit to move forward with Tyber Creek.
What to expect: Dandelion Market's food truck will include a few staples like cherry glazed lamb lollipops, pork belly and sweet potato gnocchi, plus seasonal favorites like the charred Brussels sprouts. The restaurant's chef and back-of-house team will remain.
