First look: Sip City expands in Plaza Midwood with an event space and speakeasy
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Owner Yaz Humaideh says the idea for Sip City came from a lifelong habit of "always sipping on something." Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios
Sip City in Plaza Midwood has expanded next door with a new event space and plans to open a speakeasy later this spring.
Zoom out: What started as a small bottle shop and market on Central Avenue has evolved into a community hub, and the expansion builds on that momentum.
Driving the news: Sip City has taken over the former Seventh Sin Tattoo space next door and turned it into a 2,100-square-foot event venue.
- The space is already open for bookings.
- Later this spring, owner Yazan "Yaz" Humaideh plans to open a speakeasy inside the same building.
Catch up quick: Humaideh opened Sip City in May 2023 inside a long-vacant 1937 building along Central Avenue, between Two Scoops Creamery and Seventh Sin Tattoo.
- Sip City started as a market and bottle shop focused on drinks — beer, wine, coffee and specialty beverages — alongside gifts and local retail.
Yes, but: The space quickly evolved into something more social.
What they're saying: "When we first opened, we did the events ourselves — music bingo on this day, trivia on that day — what every bar did in Charlotte," Humaideh said. "And I hated it."
- So he tried something different. In May 2024, he converted the shop's small gift area into a free event space, inviting creators and community organizers to host their own gatherings. It took off.
- "The calendar's been fully packed for the past two years," he tells Axios.
The vibe: Stop by on any given night, and you might find clothing swaps, Super Smash Bros. tournaments, dating mixers, yoga classes or a wine tasting.
What to expect: The new event space, which can hold up to 100 guests, "can go from low-key to bougie," Humaideh says.
- The goal is to lower the barrier to booking event space in Charlotte. It's designed for everything from birthdays and networking events to pop-ups, workshops and small business launches.
Sip on this: Humaideh has brought on a lead bartender to build out the beverage program and plans to add liquor service to both the event space and Sip City.
- Guests can also request custom-themed drink packages.
The bar will offer more than 40 drinks, including non-alcoholic beverages. Several cocktails include:
- A mango lassi milk punch
- A baklava Old Fashioned
- A chocolate strawberry espresso martini made with espresso from Daily Ritual, the coffee bar inside Sip City
The intrigue: Instead of taking out new loans, Humaideh is turning to a community fundraiser to help fund the event space and speakeasy.
- When he first opened Sip City, he relied heavily on loans "that almost drowned us financially," he said. That experience shaped how he's approaching the expansion.
Here's how it works: People can contribute $100 to the fundraiser.
- In return, they receive two hours of event space use.
- After that, or for regular bookings, the space will cost $150 per hour.
- Humaideh plans to use the funds to install upgrades such as a bar, stage, and sound system.
What's next: The speakeasy inside the new space is expected to open in May or June. Humaideh says he's working on several upgrades, including a walk-up window in the speakeasy that will connect to the patio.
- He's also renovating the patio in May and launching a wine club at Sip City.
Stop by: 917 Central Ave.
- There's free parking in the school parking lot across the street. There's also street parking and a few spots behind the shop.
- Open Monday-Friday 8am-11pm, Saturday 1pm-2am and Sunday 8am-11pm.
