Get ready to sip from dozens of craft beers at Charlotte’s newest brew destination. | Photo via Distro beer Hub
As March wraps up, we’re gracing your inbox with this list of 40+ new businesses that recently opened across the Queen City.
March
Trope Bookshop | Opened March 1 | 1516 Lyon Ct. | Charlotte’s first romance-only mobile bookstore is now a standalone bookshop in Plaza Midwood, providing steamy novels for romance lovers. Get ready to read.
Bar One Lounge | Opened March 1 | 222 S Church St. | Visit this upscale lounge in Uptown serving cocktails, wine, small bites, and live entertainment.
Imagine watching your favorite teams on this screen. It takes your breath away.
Photo via Blinders
Blinders Sports Lounge | Opened March 20 | 225 W. Tremont Ave. | Prepare to watch your favorite team on the massive Jumbotron-like screen while ordering flatbreads, sliders, and craft cocktails. Cheer on your team.
Carolina Theatre | Opened March 24 | 230 N. Tryon St. | After being closed for nearly 50 years, the historic theater is welcoming guests with a list of performances and shows to attend. CLTtoday got a sneak peek.
In-Person Class: Fresh Handmade Pasta | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Monday Night Brewing - Garden Co. | $65 | You knead to take this course to make fresh pasta with friends.
Tuesday, April 1
Tosco Music Open Mic | 6:30 p.m. | The Evening Muse | $8+ | Join a massive sing-along before local talent takes the stage.
Norfolk Tides vs. Charlotte Knights | 6:35 p.m. | Truist Field | $20+ | Enjoy an evening at the ballpark cheering for the Knights against the Tides.
Charlotte Area Chamber Business Expo 2025 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Bojangles Coliseum | Free | Join local and regional business leaders for a full day of networking, collaboration, and innovation.
It’s impossible to taste everything Asheville has to offer in a day, but we’ll help you get started. | Photos courtesy Savannah Bockus (1, 4), Outside Style Guide (2), Ashlee Major Moss (3), Emily Chaplin (5)
Artisan coffee roasters, award-winning restaurants, deep-rooted collaborations between farmers, foragers + chefs, and craft brews with mountain views, all in one city.
ICYMI, Asheville’s food scene, dubbed “Foodtopia,” is back in full swing after Hurricane Helene. The city is full of Appalachian flavor (and heart).
If we only had one day in Asheville, here’s what we’d eat:
The highly-anticipated new Leluia Hall is aiming to open the week of May 6. To prepare, the upcoming steak and surf restaurant is hiring for various positions in the restaurant. Psst... Did you watch CLTtoday’s tour?
Coming Soon
The The Waterman Fish Bar in Cornelius is transitioning to become a new Tex-Mex spot. Led by restaurateur Rob Duckworth, Chili Willi’s Tex Mex Grill will serve burritos, chimichangas, and chili inside a 4,100-sqft restaurant and patio. The restaurant is expected to open in early 2026. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Eat
Roots Cafe is now open for dinner. Hungry diners can order breakfast and lunch until 3 p.m., then switch to dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Take a look at the dinner menu.
Closing
After two years serving the Queen City, Beyond Amazing Donuts will close up shop at 1730 Abbey Pl. The owner announced on Instagram that the company “is not going anywhere” but needs to “reassess what this business looks like” for them. An exact closing date is TBA.
Arts
The Levine Museum of the New South is leaving its Uptown location in the Three Wells Fargo building, offering free access to Charlotte’s history since 2022. Recently ranked as a top museum in the country, the final day to visit is May 4. A new location has not been announced. (QC Metro)
Real Estate
Charlotte-based M/I Homes is planning to build 231 townhomes in Kannapolis. Crestfield, the new development, will be less than a mile from the city’s downtown district. Sales start in 2026 for the 2,000+ sqft homes, complete with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and two half baths. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Mansion Monday
How about a home for wine lovers?This Quail Hollow custom home boasts five bedrooms, six bathrooms, plus a 650-bottle wine cellar, putting green, and an infinity pool. We’ll tip our glass to this one.
Weather
The majority of the Carolinas are in a drought, contributing to the wildfires in Western North Carolina. Charlotte averages nearly four inches of rain in March. To cure the drought, the Charlotte area would need nearly nine inches of rain. Meteorologist Chris Mulcahy breaks down the data. (WCNC)
Announced
NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and former All-Pro wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson are bringing their podcast, Nightcap, to the Queen City. The duo will talk sports, have Q+A sessions, and bring special guests to the show at Ovens Auditorium. Tickets for the July 12 show are on sale now. (CLTure)
Sports
LaMelo Ball will undergo ankle surgery, pushing him off the court for the remainder of the season. Go beyond the roster for the biggest stories on the Charlotte Hornetswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Giveaway
Have you entered our Lovin’ Life Music Fest Giveaway in partnership with Southern Entertainment? There’s still one day left to enter to win a pair of three-day VIP tickets to see 50+ artists. Enter with this survey by tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1 at noon.*
Tired of high electric bills? Switch to solar. Save even more when you use EnergySage’s Solar Marketplace to compare custom quotes with zero sales pressure. Start saving.*
Category
Family
🛝 It’s play time
The Sullenberger Aviation Museum displays preserved artifacts from US Airways Flight 1549, including the plane itself. | Photo by CLTtoday
We’re not kiddin’ around. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ spring break is two weeks away, and there’s plenty for your family to see and do across the Queen City. Check out this list of 15+ ideas to get you started.
🧠 Educational activities
Discovery Place, 301 N. Tryon St., Charlotte
Kids can build elaborate castles in Project Build, visit an indoor rainforest, and lie on a bed of 5,000 nails. Kids will remember floating in the vacuum-powered Air Chair.
Chantilly Park, 222 Wyanoke Ave., Charlotte
Swings, slides, and a picnic area. What more could a kid ask for? Kids will remember climbing the big blue dinosaur.
Flat Branch Nature Preserve, 11833 Tom Short Rd, Charlotte
This hidden gem offers an escape into nature with trails and picnic areas. Kids will remember walking the trails and spotting various wildlife.
It’s the last day of Amazon’s spring sale deals. Shop some of the deepest discounts we’ve seen:
🌸 Get an indoor camera for security, baby, or pet monitoring — usually $79.99, it’s discounted to $29.99.
🌸 Finally try the viral COSRX Snail Mucin with 66% off this all-in-one cream.
🌸 Make your patio or bar pop with a smart flex lighting strip that’s marked down from $24.99 to $10.
🌸 Cuisinart’s 4.6-star rated salad spinner is 71% off.
🌸 Get two cotton waffle weave tea towels for $7.49 (usually $19.99).
Not to dwell on the weekend but... my family had a great time at Carolina Ascent’s Pups at the Pitch game on Saturday. Our dog River would make a great midfielder, though I think he’ll stick to the sidelines with us. Bonus: The Ascent won, plus one of the adoptable dogs from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control found their forever family!
