While Ratcliffe’s no longer operates, the sign still lights up The Green in Uptown. | Photo by Devry Becker Jones
Remember the stir Cracker Barrel’s rebranding caused? Fans highlighted the nostalgia of the wood-covered dining room and signature imagery of a man and a barrel. Which got us thinking... what signs have not changed in Charlotte? Here are six that have stood true:
Ratcliffe’s Flowers
This historic neon sign hung above the entrance to Ratcliffe’s Florist Shop when it was constructed in 1929. While the florest no longer operates and the building is part of Bernardine’s restaurant, the sign reminds us of a blooming young Uptown.
This Montford staple has been serving Charlotteans since 2001.
This iconic ice cream shop opened in West Charlotte in 1947.
Photo via WCNC
Dairy Queen
Preston and Irene Aaron opened Dairy Queen along Wilkinson Boulevard in 1947. Despite the building’s sale earlier this year, there are no plans to relocate or remodel Charlotte’s oldest DQ.
Family Health Block Party | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Eastway Park & Recreation Center | Free | Novant Health is hosting a free day of health screenings, vaccines, local vendors, and food trucks.
International Vulture Awareness Day | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Carolina Raptor Center | Free+ | Learn about nature’s cleanup crew — anyone bald gets free admission.
Movies in the Park | 8 p.m. | Wilmore Centennial Park | Free | Celebrate the weekend with a movie and themed snacks at the park.
Sunday, Sept. 7
Yiasou Greek Festival | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral | $5 | Enjoy the last day of the Greek festival with live music, dancing, and food.
Mindless Minutia Trivia with Dave Chase | 7-10 p.m. | Divine Barrel Brewing | Free+ | Break out the book smarts for a night of trivia, wordplay, and craft beer.
The City of Charlotte will install 30 interactive kiosks across several neighborhoods that will provide WiFi, navigation, traffic updates, event listings, and emergency alerts. Before installation, city council must approve changes to city ordinances to allow illuminated signs in public rights-of-way. (WCNC)
Development
The River District is adding more homes to the neighborhood. Crescent Communities sold 103 lots to David Weekley Homes, Toll Brothers, and Saussy Burbank — plus, 37 lots will be sold to DRB Homes. The expansion comes after the recent ribbon cutting to welcome Westrow’s first homeowner. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Announced
A rooftop bar, coffee shop, and other retail spaces are coming to Downtown Matthews. “The Station” will be a mixed-use development along Matthews Station Road. A completion date is TBA.
Coming soon
King of Fire will open a second restaurant at CrossRidge in Indian Land. The pizza joint opened in Uptown last year and is known for award-winning pizza. The new location is slated to open in late spring or early summer of 2026. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Edu
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is movin’ on up. CMS outperformed North Carolina in overall grade-level proficiency across several subjects, like reading and math. (WCNC)
Trending
The search is on for foodies. The form to be a diner on “Top Chef Carolinas” is now open. Filming is taking place in Charlotte and Greenville, SC, and locals are invited to sign up to snag a seat at the exclusive experience.
Arts
Time is running out to see “Immediately Family” at Booth Playhouse. The show was written by Paul Oakley Stovall and directed by Phylicia Rashad + combines the comedy and drama of “Modern Family” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Grab your tickets — the final performance is Sunday, Sept. 7. (WCNC)
Plan Ahead
Mark your calendar for a huge consignment pop-up. The EDIT sale will return to the Queen City Wednesday, Sept. 24-Sunday, Sept. 28. Expect to find designer clothing at half price — the location will be announced before it starts.
Concert
Tickets are on sale now for Carolina Voices’ 71st Singing Christmas Tree. The group will be arranged in a specially designed 32-ft tree and sing the tunes of the holiday season. The shows run Saturday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 14 + tickets start at $33.
Hey CLT, love local businesses as much as we do? Nominations for our CLTtoday’s Best competition open on Sept. 15. Help us gather who is the best of the best in each of our categories. Stay tuned for more details.
Shop
Score this cap sleeve tee for an effortless transition from summer to autumn wardrobing. It features a chic V-neck design and is available in 12+ colors. Bonus: It’s under $17.*
Category
Open
🍦 Scream for ice cream
Satisfy your sweet tooth with a scoop, or three, of ice cream. | Photo by CLTtoday
Van Leeuwen is open at the Commonwealth, marking the New York chain’s debut in the Queen City.
To celebrate, the ice cream shop is partnering with local baker The Batchmaker for its “Batchmaker Sundae,” only available through Sunday, Sept. 7.
The ingredients
Never had Van Leeuwen? Ice cream lovers will order from 30+ flavors in cups, waffle cones, sundaes, milkshakes, and to-go pints. The shop is also known for creative flavors, like Hidden Valley Ranch and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Editor Maria, here. My favorite flavor is BIGFACE Coffee Affogato, a flavor partnership with NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler and singer/songwriter Sabrina Carpenter. Cue “Espresso.”
Beyond the scoop
Van Leeuwen is the latest retailer to open at Commonwealth, an up-and-coming mixed-use development along Central and Pecan avenues.
Harriet’s Hamburgers will open soon + Postino WineCafe, maman, Sweetgreen, and Uchi are all set to open in 2026.
The Buy
The chance to learn a new language during Babbel’s Best Sale of the Year. Turn your morning read into a new daily habit — with Babbel, 10 minutes a day builds real conversation skills you can use on your next trip or at the international festival downtown. Get lifetime access for $199 across all 14 languages.*
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Speaking of Van Leeuwen’s... If you don’t like coffee ice cream, I tried their Sicilian pistachio cream sundae, and you could taste the touch of salt from the pistachios + the hot fudge and almonds really made the perfect bite.
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