👋 Happy Saturday! It's Alexis. If you blinked, you probably missed a new Charlotte opening — so we're catching you up. More on that below.

🌧️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny then slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 94 and a low of 70.

🎂 Happy birthday to our members Carolyn Butler, Jenica Kilburn, Pam Deramus, Jami Stone, Erica Stines and Jannai Davis!

This newsletter has 721 words and is an 2.5 minute read.

We're tracking new businesses that have opened in Charlotte since the start of the year.

By the numbers: We've reported on more than 80 openings so far, putting Charlotte on pace for another busy year after more than 120 businesses opened in both 2024 and 2025.

Here are eight new spots to check out:

• 🇮🇳 Zamindar's, an Indian restaurant and cocktail lounge, in South End.
• 🥪 Olivelli Deli, a walk-up deli window in NoDa.
• ☕️ Café Audire, a retro cafe and vinyl listening lounge, at The Pass.
• 🥢 LILA, a Japanese fusion restaurant, in Uptown.
• 🍽️ flora, a Hamptons-based restaurant, in South End.
• 🍵 Sweet July Cafe, a cafe from Ayesha Curry at The Ritz, in Uptown.
• 🌇 Bar Fly, a rooftop bar, at Camp North End.
• 🍷 Songbirds, a wine bar, in University City.

See the full list of new businesses that have opened so far

It's probably best to avoid I-277 and Uptown tomorrow morning if you're driving. The following roads will close for the 10,000 runners taking part in the 8th annual Around the Crown 10K.

• South Tryon Street (between W. Brooklyn Village and Trade St.): 3am-8:15am
• South Mint Street (at Truist Field, from W. MLK Jr. Blvd. to W. 4th St.): 4am-11am
• Inner I-277 and one lane of Outer I-277: 4am-12pm
• 4th Street (between S. Graham St. and S. Mint St.): 5am-10:30am
• North Graham Street (between 6th St. and 4th St., not a full closure): 7:30am-9:30am

For those in the race, you'll get going at 7:30am at a new starting line this year — the corner of South Tryon Street and Levine Avenue of the Arts — and end at Truist Field.

• Don't forget to practice your cross-the-finish-line celebrations!

Matthews Alive Festival kicked off yesterday, and there's still plenty to see and do before it wraps up Monday.

What to expect: The annual festival packs downtown Matthews with carnival rides, games, live music, food vendors and more than 150 shopping booths.

• Today's festivities kick off with a parade at 9:30am, followed by a full day of live music, including a Toby Keith tribute band at 8:30pm.
• Sunday, catch live music throughout the day, capped by a Prince tribute at 8:30pm.

If you go: The festival is at the corner of John and Trade streets in downtown Matthews, near Stumptown Park (120 S Trade St.).

• Free public parking is available in several town lots, including behind White Duck Taco and beside Seaboard Brewing.
• Hours are 10am-10pm today, 1-10pm Sunday and 9am-5pm Monday.

More Labor Day weekend plans

One of New York's buzziest bakeries, Cloudy Donut Co., is hosting a pop-up in Charlotte this weekend.

Context: Cloudy Donut's owners Derrick Faulcon and Zewiditu Jewel's vegan company became the first Black-owned food and beverage business in Brooklyn Heights and Nolita.

• They pop up in cities across the country to partner with local businesses to create a space for conversations around the food industry, Black ownership and community.

Details: In addition to donuts, they're also offering cakes and cinnamon rolls. This weekend's menu features a list of pound cakes with flavors like lemon blueberry, brûlée sweet potato, orange saffron, basil olive oil, pineapple upside-down and jalapeño peach.

• Find Cloudy Donut at Archive (2023 Beatties Ford Road) from 9am-4pm today for vegan sweet treats, specialty collaboration coffee and merch.
• Tomorrow, they'll head to Bird Pizzeria (510 E. 15th St.) from 1-6pm for specialty collaboration pizzas and a panel discussion from 2-3pm.

Support a Black-owned business year round

😋 I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but girl math is telling me Cloudy Donut doesn't count because it's vegan.

🏃🏻‍♀️ 🍝 Alex is carb-loading for tomorrow's 10K.

🌴 McKenzie wants to know your Charleston/Mt. Pleasant recs.

🏈 Ashley is heading to the Charlotte 49ers home opener today.

👟 Melissa, who edited this newsletter, is wishing good luck to all the runners tomorrow. Don't forget to have fun!