No phones allowed at new cocktail bar Antagonist coming to Dilworth in 2025
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The Campbell at 2025 Cleveland Ave. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Antagonist is a new all-day cafe set to open in Dilworth in spring 2025.
Why it matters: The new bar is a combined effort between Charlotte food and beverage veterans — Protagonist founders Mike and Kristin Salzarulo and The Crunkleton and Puerta alumni Phi Hoang and Madison Phillips are its co-founders.
The vibe: The all-day cafe and bar will serve Giddy Goat coffee by day and turn into a cocktail bar with a no-cell phone policy by night, local development writer Jason Thomas first reported.
- There will always be something going on at Antagonist, Mike Salzarulo tells Axios — whether it's live music or some other form of live entertainment.
- "I want to build a place that kind of forces you to connect," Mike Salzarulo tells Axios.
Between the lines: The no cell phone policy isn't meant to be restrictive; it's supposed to be liberating, and Salzarulo hopes it'll bring people together.
- How exactly it'll work is still to be determined. Salzarulo says he understands people have babysitters or dinner reservations to tend to, so you won't be forced to leave your phone at the door or locked away.
What to expect: The Antagonist menu will feature mainly cocktails, plus some small bites and beer. Salzarulo says they're considering nonalcoholic cocktails and THC-infused drinks as well.
- The 1,100-square-foot space will seat 45 people inside and 40 outside on its 1,000-square-foot patio.
- The hope is to open Memorial Day weekend in 2025.
Zoom out: The Campbell, where Antagonist will be on the ground floor, is a 12-story, 117-unit apartment tower in the former Campbell's Greenhouses & Nursery site in Dilworth at 2025 Cleveland Ave.
- In addition to one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and other ground-floor retail space, the property will have a rooftop amenity deck.
- A joint venture between Abacus Capital, JE Dunn Capital Partners and L&B Realty Advisors is behind the development. They purchased the property for $5 million in 2022.
The big picture: The teams behind Antagonist have several other projects in the works.
- Mike Salzarulo is also partnering with Hopp co-owner to open Tipsy Pickle in Camp North End in late January. Protagonist is opening a small tap room at The Alley at Latta Arcade in January.
- Plus, Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters is expanding to South End at a to-be-determined date.
Go deeper: The most anticipated new restaurants and bars in Charlotte