The cafe chain that awakened Charlotte's taste for Yemeni coffee is expanding, with new locations planned from South End to Concord.

Why it matters: Charlotte's first Yemeni-style coffee shop, Haraz, quickly became a local favorite after opening in Plaza Midwood in December 2023. For months, lines of customers craving the culture's distinctive, rich flavor stretched out the door.

• Just over a year later, the franchisees are already planning multiple new locations to respond to the demand for Middle Eastern coffee elsewhere in the city.

The latest: Owner Abdullah Saleh and his brothers — Mohamed, Saeed and Hamed — will open another location at the South & Hollis apartments in Lower South End, likely in mid-April. At 3,100 square feet, this cafe will be more than twice the size of the Central Avenue spot and offer more seating.

• Their Concord location is expected to open by late summer.
• Meanwhile, a separate owner, Raad Al-sharee, is building a Haraz location in University City. He expects construction to finish this summer.

What they're saying: Saleh attributes Haraz's success to young people's desire for places to hang out besides bars. The shop stays open late and sees decent foot traffic at night.

• As Muslims, Saleh and his family don't drink alcohol. "Our way to socialize is to drink coffee and tea — whether early in the mornings or late at night. We wanted to bring some of that here to Charlotte."

Where else Middle Eastern coffee shops are opening

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👷‍♂️ Demolition begins next month at the old Duke Energy headquarters on South Church Street, kicking off its transformation into luxury apartments and lively retail. (Axios)

• The developers have secured construction financing and have already begun decommissioning utilities in the 1970s building.

🏹 Volunteer as tribute and own a piece of "The Hunger Games." A historic mill village in Burke County, featured in the North Carolina-shot film, has hit the market for about $2 million. (WFAE)

🕺 Got a good Elvis impression? Charlotte Motor Speedway is hosting the Ultimate Elvis Festival on April 4-5 with a tribute contest. The standout performer will move on to the worldwide competition.

🚗 Multiple Matthews commissioners no longer oppose Mecklenburg County's transit plan after realizing the town would receive an estimated $5.4 million annually for road projects. (WSOC)

🐟 Bojangles says it's "stepping up our fish sandwich game" and bringing back its fish sandwich for a limited time. (WCCB)

💸 MeckDems spent $106,000 on its election night watch party. That's twice as much as what the local party used to raise over an entire election cycle. (WCNC)

Despite alarm over office vacancies, Class A offices are steadily rising in price, according to data from commercial real estate agency Avison Young.

Why it matters: The market is on an upward trajectory, says Bryse Ranniello, market intelligence analyst at Avison Young.

• "We're hopeful that 2025 will be a better year and continue to recover from those 2019 levels," he adds, citing flight to quality, improved office utilization and rent growth.

By the numbers: Charlotte offices are 67.9% as busy as they were in 2019, according to Avison Young's Office Business Index — just above the national average of 66.9%.

Yes, but: Class C office prices are fluctuating unpredictably, and Class B offices endured a downturn from 2020 to 2024.

Between the lines: In commercial real estate, office buildings are categorized as Class A, B, or C, reflecting differences in quality, location, and amenities.

What they're saying: Developers predict demand for new office construction will grow as high-quality spaces are leased up.

• Meanwhile, local leaders are grappling with what to do with the "vintage" office spaces that companies aren't rushing to occupy.