Shop top brands + best-sellers for the lowest prices of the year. | Graphic by 6AM City
Amazon’s pre-holiday sales just went live today. Shop The Buy team’s top picks and get this year’s best deals before Prime Big Deal Days ends tomorrow, October 8.
Raahi Art of India is now serving hungry diners in the former Brown Bag Seafood Co. spot in South End. The team dishes up plates like tandoori chicken, tikka masala, and more. Check out the lunch and dinner menu. (The Charlotte Observer)
Coming Soon
Speaking of dining... Yugenn, a highly anticipated upscale Japanese restaurant, is expected to open on October 15 in South End, offering omakase, miso carbonara, and cocktails. The team behind Sake Express is managing the location, which will be Charlotte’s first woman-owned omakase restaurant. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Civic
The City of Charlotte announced Andrea Leslie-Fite will serve as the new city attorney, starting Monday, Nov. 3. The city attorney oversees the City Attorney’s Office, which provides legal counsel to the mayor, city council, and city manager. (WCNC)
Try This
Charlotteans and restaurateurs Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown are welcoming the country to watch as they travel from restaurant concept to kitchen during the new docu-series “Fork & Hammer.” Catch the series premiere tonight at 7 p.m. at The Carolina Theatre, one week before it airs on PBS.
Plan Ahead
Charlotte author Joy Callaway will talk about her novel “The Star of Camp Greene: A Novel of WWI,” at The Ivey on Monday, Oct. 27. Guests can enjoy themed drinks and light bites, plus a guided conversation between Callaway and Jenny Yopp, Director of Strategic Initiatives at The Ivey. Tickets are $20.
Shop
Have you been to SouthPark recently? If not, the destination near South Charlotte released this list of all the new shops and businesses that have opened so far this year. How many have you been to?
Sports
The Panthers are riding the high from Sunday’s win against the Miami Dolphins. What will they work on to keep the wins coming? Go beyond the playbook for the biggest stories on the Carolina Pantherswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Eat
National Noodle Day was yesterday, Oct. 6, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate all week. Use this as the perfect excuse for a bowl of ramen at Jinya, or one of the decadent dishes comprised of homemade pasta at ESO Artisanal Pasta.
Community
You did your part — now we’re doing ours. After receiving your nominations for the best local businesses in Charlotte, we’re hard at work finalizing the details and preparing for the next big step: voting. Be sure to visit the CLTtoday’s Best page when voting opens on Oct. 20. Stay tuned.
Number
96,350. That’s how many votes 32 Chunk received to win the title of Fat Bear Week 2025 champion. The huge bear won the crown for his salmon-eating dominance in Katmai National Park despite breaking his jaw earlier in the year. Hopefully he doesn’t show up along a local trail. (The Guardian)
Festival
The #1 festival in Haywood County is back: Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival returns on Saturday, Oct. 25. After cancelling in 2024 due to Hurricane Helene, the stunning Maggie Valley Festival Grounds are waiting to welcome you back for a weekend of music and community. Get tickets.*
Travel
Fall is here. The Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway are open for adventure in Jackson County, NC. From scenic drives to hikes and unbeatable leaf-peeping, the mountains are ready to welcome visitors this season. Start planning your visit.*
Development
Development
🎵 Tepper tackles tunes
Visitors to the proposed music venue would utilize Bank of America Stadium’s parking structures. | Photo via CRVA
After hosting sell-out events like Concert for Carolinas, Beyoncé, and Kendrick Lamar, Bank of America Stadium could soon be home to a new indoor music venue. Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) is proposing the project adjacent to BofA Stadium along South Mint Street. Here’s what we know:
Venue proposal
According to TSE’s proposal to the Jobs and Economic Development City Council Committee, the free-standing event venue would seat ~4,400 people and host 80-to-100 shows per year. Food for thought: BofA seats ~74,867, while the nearby Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater holds up to 5,000 people, but only operates during warmer months.
If approved, the music venue would take up two acres of land next to BofA Stadium, and would be completely funded by TSE — an exact cost was not disclosed.
TSE representatives noted the new music venue would be a positive addition to the developing Iron District and “contribute to a lack of music venues” in that area.
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.
The real question: do you prefer vinegar-, tomato-, or mustard-based sauce with your barbecue? | Photo by CLTtoday
Last week, I told you all about the barbecue caravan that highlighted local bites before the Pig Pickin’ taking place on Sunday, Oct. 19. So, of course, I asked about your favorite barbecue sauce. Here’s what you said:
44% voted for a tomato-based topper — perfect with a bite from Midwood Smokehouse 35% savor a vinegar-based sauce — Noble Smoke’s sauces hit the spot 22% prefer mustard-based — check out Sweet Lew’s sauce on brisket
My pro tip: If you visit Sweet Lew’s anytime soon, they have a great lunch deal — a pork sandwich, side, and drink for under $15 — and those sandwiches go great with a combo of their rib and pork sauce. Trust me.
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