The Common Market's do-it-all neighborhood store opening in Durham
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The inside of the Common Market in Durham is split into two levels. Photo: Forrest Mason
The Common Market, the Charlotte-born institution known for operating as a restaurant, bar, bottle shop, cafe, convenience store and ice cream combined into one, is nearing its Durham debut.
Driving the news: The Common Market will open its doors at 1821 Green St. on Tuesday, Sept. 26, a spokesperson for the company told Axios.
- For the past year, the restaurant has been renovating the space, formerly home to Democracy North Carolina, just off Durham's popular Ninth Street area.
State of play: This will be the first Common Market location outside the Charlotte region.
- Graham Worth, the restaurant's owner and a Raleigh native, said the goal is for the Durham location to adopt the feeling and tastes of its new neighborhood — just like how the four existing Common Market all sell different items.
What they're saying: "We're stocking the shelves, but we have no idea how this neighborhood is gonna utilize us as a business," Worth told Axios.
- "For the first three to six months, we basically build out what we think they'll buy — and then we just start adjusting to how they're going to utilize this space."

Details: Already, the Common Market — which Worth calls a community living room — is taking on some very Durham-specific characteristics.
- Local ice cream shop The Parlour is opening a window for ice cream scoops in the shop.
- And Mid Bloom Coffee — a new coffee venture from Casey Lunceford Blivin, formerly of Joe Van Gogh — will open a space inside.
- Worth said there is still more space inside for local entrepreneurs to try pop-ups as well.
What's we're watching: Worth said it's too early to say if the Durham location will be the first of several in the Triangle.
- "I would love to be in Raleigh at some point," he said. "I think it's a concept that could do well there but you know, honestly, we don't know."
