Pet Wants is a Charlotte-based store with several locations across the city. | Photo by CLTtoday
Pet parents, this weekend is also for you. Tomorrow, the day before Mother’s Day, is “National Dog Mom Day,” celebrating the love that comes with being a canine caretaker. While we wouldn’t expect your pup to bring you a gift, you can spend quality time together by pampering your pooch at a local pet shop.
Last Place On Earth
For the past 35 years, this family-owned shop has been helping pet owners spoil their puppies in the Hidden Valley area. Not only will you find treats and toys, but you can also come here for dog care essentials.
Pet Wants: The Urban Store
Feed your pup’s appetite with all-natural, small-batch food made by this local brand found at the Optimist Hall Outpost, South End store, or on Saturdays at the Uptown Farmers Market. You can also follow Pet Wants’ Instagram to see where it’ll be selling treats around town.
EnVision Me Student Film Showcase | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Harvey B. Gantt Center | Free | Meet local filmmakers before they make it big and watch projects captured through their lenses.
Movie Nights | 7 p.m. | Rea Farms | Free | Bring a lawn chair and grab food from one of the shopping center’s restaurants as you watch this week’s film: “Freaky Friday.”
Charlotte Ballet: “Carmen” | Through Sunday, May 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Knight Theatre | $43+ | Love, jealousy, and betrayal unfold in Andrea Schermoly’s contemporary telling of the 1845 opera.
Saturday, May 10
Moms + Minis Golf Clinic | Times vary | Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course | $48 | Swing by for this mother + child class where kids can learn basic etiquette and fundamentals of the sport.
Charlotte Knights vs. Memphis Redbirds | 12:05 p.m. | Truist Field | $23+ | Soar to the ballpark and root for the Knights, plus get there early for a superhero brunch with a buffet, meet and greet, and activities.
G-Eazy: “Helium Tour” | 8 p.m. | The Underground | $48 | The Bay Area rapper gets “Down” with guests Marc E. Bassy + Goody Grace.
Love It to Death: Tribute to Alice Cooper | 8 p.m. | The Visulite Theatre | $10+ | Rock out like “School’s Out” as you celebrate the music of the heavy metal pioneer.
Sunday, May 11
Mother’s Day at Stowe | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Belmont | $8+ | Treat mom to nature and music by female folk duo Munn & Nunn — plus check out themed drinks at the Big Leaf bar.
Mother’s Day Tea | 2-5 p.m. | The Duke Mansion | $85 | Pinkies up — take mom out for tea at this historic mansion, plus enjoy a selection of finger foods.
A Mutha Funny Comedy Show | 5-7 p.m. | Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts | $30 | Celebrate the joys — and laughter — of motherhood at this show hosted by Blayr Nias featuring routines by Leah Lynn, Julia Barno + Randi Skye.
Grow, move, and connect in this new local “agrihood”
Presented by Longview Carolina
Longview’s lots are closing now, so don’t wait to reserve your favorite homesite. | Photos provided by Longview Carolina
Craving a slower pace, organic food, and fresh air?
Located at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Longview Carolina is a private urban “agrihood” stretching across 180 scenic acres in Easley, South Carolina. The nature-focused community is built around wellness principles like healthy eating, outdoor movement, and collaboration.
One of Longview’s centerpieces is the on-site organic farm, where families of all ages pitch in to grow and harvest nourishing foods. The farm features vegetable fields, berry patches, greenhouses, and free-ranging chickens for fresh eggs.
Local payment processing company AvidXchange Holdings Inc. was purchased for $2.2 billion by asset management firm TPG Inc. + corporate payment company Corpay Inc. The Charlotte-based fintech company was founded in 2000 and had its initial public offering in 2021.
Coming Soon
The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte is prepping for Bourbon Steak Charlotte to open on its 15th floor, replacing the Punch Room. The new, American-style steakhouse is slated to debut in 2026, and will be the first Charlotte-based restaurant from acclaimed chef Michael Mina. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Development
Mooresville officials celebrated the groundbreaking of the Moor Park revitalization project. The effort aims to preserve the historic ballpark and make it a year-round space for community events, especially summer baseball. Phase one of the project is expected to be completed in spring 2026. (Queen City News)
Travel
Wednesday, May 7, was the first day Charlotte Douglas International Airport required travelers to have Real IDs, but the new policy didn’t seem to significantly increase wait times. “It doesn’t seem to be bad,” said one traveler, though locals reported longer waits at the DMV to obtain their Real IDs. (The Charlotte Observer)
Number
5,000. That’s how many beds volunteers assembled at the Charlotte Convention Center earlier this week. The effort turned lumber into slumber through Lowe’s 24-Hour Bed Build. Nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace will distribute the beds to kids in need across 16 states. (WCNC)
Featured
House of Pizza has been a beloved part of Charlotte’s food scene since 1979, and the Greek + Italian restaurant revealed its secret sauce: family. Not only has the business been owned by the Kakavitsas since 1982, it attributes much of its success to extending the family feeling to its customers. (The Charlotte Observer)
Sports
What could the 2025 NBA draft look like for the Hornets? Go beyond the scoreboard for the biggest stories on the Charlotte Hornetswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Announced
Spots in our 2025 Parents’ Gift Guide are full ahead of Mother’s Day. Luckily for you, we’ve added a few more for Father’s Day. Hurry — save 20% with code PGG2025 when you secure your spot now.
Tech
AI won’t take over the world — people who know how to use AI will. Subscribe to Superhuman AI for free and learn AI skills in just three minutes a day.*
Category
Small Business
☕ Brewed for good
You’ll feel the love in each cup at Bitty & Beau’s. | Photo via CLTtoday
As Small Business Week continues, we’re turning to Bitty & Beau’s Coffee for an energy boost. The South End shop brews positivity into each cup through its mission to provide meaningful opportunities to value and employ people with developmental + intellectual disabilities.
Bitty & Beau’s was founded by Amy and Ben Wright in 2016 in Wilmington, NC. They named the coffee shop for their two children who were born with Down syndrome.
The Charlotte location made its debut in October 2021 and employs 32 people. Visitors are encouraged to make connections with the employees while enjoying the shop’s coffee drinks, teas + food offerings.
You can find Bitty & Beau’s at 1930 Camden Rd., Ste. 236, next to Shake Shack — and make sure to mention Small Business Week if you visit before it ends on Saturday, May 10. That will get you a free hot or iced coffee or 20% off a food item.
The Buy
Support small businesses and artisans across the country when you shop Amazon Handmade. The marketplace features thousands of unique products and gifts, like this etched rolling pin that can transform your homemade baked goods into genuine works of art.
Friendly reminder — Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Luckily, my mom is fairly low maintenance, but I’m still going to use the holiday as an excuse to see her. Maybe I’ll pick up our favorite coffee drinks + some pastries from a local coffee shop so we can spend the morning together.
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