Hello Wednesday.
An HR exec told me yesterday, “It’s a candidate driven market like we’ve never seen.” I have no fancy data, but I feel like more startups and growth companies are creating jobs in Charlotte. Love to see local guys like AddShoppers (Client Success Manager, Designer) and Speed Digital (Developer, Tech Support Engineer) growing. Heck, even Uber is ramping up in Charlotte (Marketing Manager, Operations & Logistics Manager). I love the banks, but it’s exciting to watch different types of companies grow and hire talent. Go Charlotte. Anyways.
VITALS
Today’s Weather: 96. Sunny. 40% chance of rain and t-storms.
Today’s Stat: 8 feet. The height of the LEGO Ninjago being constructed for LEGO’s SouthPark mall grand opening August 21-23.
Today’s Job: Marketing and Communications Manager at Moore & Van Allen.Apply. Yes, lawyers have marketing people too.
Today’s Charlotteans: Joe, Eric and Todd, the Sugar Creek Brewing Team, for winning the the Belgian Dubbel Silver Medal in the U.S. Open Beer Championship held in Oxford, OH.
ORIGINALS
Tryon Place: Uptown Charlotte’s most transformative project
Going where the old Goodyear building sits, Tryon Place is a $300+ million project consisting of office, retail, public space, hotel (possibly residences) and a massive parking deck. Jason breaks down the project and estimates a final floor count of 32. View the plans and 6 breathtaking renderings.
Charlotte-based mobile app House Account connects 50,000 shoppers to 450 boutiques nationwide Concept: A centralized hub where shoppers and store owners can view and post inventory, ask and answer questions, and purchase and process sales. Created by Laura Vinroot Poole (owner of Capitol, Poole Shop and Tabor) and Travis Parons (owner of Cloud Castle). Understand the backstory and use the app.
A Streetcar named Awesome
Read our play-by-play of a trip on the new streetcar. Quick streetcar facts: Runs from Presbyterian Hospital to TWC Arena (1.5 miles), free (no ticket needed), arrives at stations about every 15 minutes, and a one-way trip takes about 10 minutes. Schedule: 6am-11pm (Mon-Thurs), 6am-midnight (Fri), 8am-midnight (Sat) and 9am-7pm (Sun).
Straight Stitch & Co. expanding its custom denim operation with a new showroom in Third Ward
This raw/selvedged denim company sells jeans for $300-$600 and is targeting an August 15th grand opening next to Draught. No online ordering and no phone number. Cool growth story and I now want to be friends with Stan and Robin Fraser.
Bold idea: $25,000 Innovation Camp at Skookum
I respect this imaginative marketing idea and week-long boot camp offering. I reached out to Skookum’s Director of Portfolio Startegy Erika Carney to learn about results and the origin of the idea.
My love/hate relationship with Breeze at CrossFit Dilworth
Discover why over 70 people now show up to CrossFit Dilworth at 6:30pm to participate in one of the toughest, but most positive workouts possible. Thanks for the insights Miller (and I really like this Breeze person), but I’m sticking to my 22 minute, unsupervised workouts.
Alix Lambert explores criminality at the McColl Center for Art + Innovation
Buster sits down with Alix to discuss her exhibit titled Prison Zoo (on display now until August 14th). View the work, so intresting.
Inked: The story behind Kirk Dewaele’s tattoo
Kirk is the co-founder and COO at MADabolic Inc and you gotta checkout his $400 Charlotte skyline tattoo inspired by local muralist Matt Hooker.
CLT Playlist: Live music picks for July 15 – 19
Danny’s Pick: Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings; Uptown Amphitheatre (6:30pm on Wednesday, $47.09-$120.31) and The Jauntee, Hot Monica, Crackers and Snackmeat; Rabbit Hole (9pm on Saturday, $10).
TALKING POINTS
500 apartments and 20,000 sqft of retail are going into Elizabeth where that gravel lot is next to 1900 Mexican Grill [Portillo/Observer]. Growing neighborhood and an easy streetcar ride to Uptown will bring renters, lots of them. This strip is blowing up: Earl’s, Viva Chicken, Custom Shop, Carpe Diem, Spoke Easy (just to name a few). Bullish.
Starting July 20th and running through the end of the month, Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar is letting kids eat any dish on the children’s menu for free as part of a Kids Live Well Program. GM Greg McIntosh and team are cooking up a healthy specials (which kids will not order) that consists of grilled chicken, broccolini, a side of sliced apples and milk. Free.
The Charlotte Observer’s redesigned newspaper launched today adding larger photos, new section called Insights [Williams/Agenda]. View 3 before and after photos of the section fronts. Agenda Briefing.
American Airlines added direct flights to Caribbean hotspots Curacao and Puerto Plata [Wilson/CBJ]. Nah, I’d rather send newsletters and drive to Myrtle Beach (not true).
Discount fashion chain (47 stores) named Gabe’s to open in University City on Saturday so that you can get name brands for deep discounts [Thomas/CBJ].Store opens at 8am and first 200 customers will get a t-shirt (if a free shirt from a discount store excites you, you have issues).
Have a lovely Wednesday and if you ride the streetcar, say “Hi” to our new streetcar driver friend Randa. She’s cool.
