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By Ted Williams |
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Hello Thursday. OMG, the line to enter Groovers snaked down the block in South End during its opening weekend!
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“It completely exceeded our expectations,” said 33-year-old owner Kate Gussin. She and her husband Eric invested $1M to get it open.
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The disco bar served 1,616 beers, 1,059 signature cocktails, 155 hot dogs, and it sold 12 records off the wall! Anyways.
đź’ĽÂ Hot job:Â Communications Advisor, People & Culture at Atrium Health ($106K – $159K). Remote. Lead internal M&A comms.
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🏠For sale: Postmodern “gem” on a half acre in Dilworth asks $1.6M. Floating staircase. Listing price is $18K below Zestimate.
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đź‘©Â Shout-out: Elizabeth Anne Russell, founder of Mannerly, for hosting a $300 Parent & Child Dining Etiquette Lunch at Quail Hollow on March 8. She just signed a book deal too!
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MARKETS: YEAR-TO-DATE
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S&P 500 |
6,941 |
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Nasdaq |
23,066 |
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NOW OPEN
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33-year-old debuts $1.7M raw bar in South End across from former Sycamore space
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$95 Half Shell Tower with oysters, shrimp, crab claws, and ceviche
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Now open: Half Shell Raw Bar quietly opened 1 week ago in South End. $1.7M investment. It's legit.
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Idea: "I love visiting great oyster bars across the country," explained owner Connor Van Dyke. "We want to build a true neighborhood raw bar."
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Lead servers go through certification at the Oyster Master Guild’s Oyster Sommelier program.
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Founders include Darnaye Black (48), chef Ramon Wilson (38) and veteran restaurateur Jeff Van Dyke of Brixx and Boardwalk Billy's fame.
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Real estate: It's on South End's Rail Trail, but there’s obviously far less foot traffic without Sycamore.
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Misunderstood: "Seafood success requires daily supply chain management," Connor told me. "It can be influenced by the weather, and then there's tight margins, fluctuating costs, and zero room for low quality."
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Date night: I ordered $193 worth of seafood on Saturday night for research. Top 5 dishes👇
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$24 Poke Tuna Nachos topped with avocado, jalapeño, and sriracha aioli
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$22 Baked Oyster Bienville topped with garlic, peppers, bacon, and chives
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$95 Half Shell Tower with oysters, shrimp cocktail, crab claws, and ceviche
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$18 Spicy Little Lobster with a horseradish honey-Dijon dip
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$28 Hot Lobster Roll with claw and knuckle meat on a toasted split-top bun
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"Our rotating oyster selection is the heart of the concept, but the lobster roll converts first-time guests into regulars."
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PRESENTED BY MOOD HOUSE
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Get 20% off last-minute Valentine’s Day gift cards at Mood House, voted No. 1
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My wife and I are both Mood House members – obsessed!
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Awards: Voted "No. 1 Best Massage" in Charlotte in back-to-back years.
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Skyrocketed onto Yelp's 2025 Top Local Businesses List 🏆. Only 3 North Carolina businesses made the list.
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Surpassed 2,150 massage members ($92/mo) across their Dilworth and Oakhurst locations — but you don’t need to be a member to book.
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Valentine's Day: Use code “TINY20” at checkout for 20% off gift cards or services (code valid for next 24 hours). It’s amazing.
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BULLISH
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Former Belk CEO Nir Patel and wife Jen open 34,000 square-foot indoor slide park
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Mega Launch, a NASA friction-reducing slide with near-vertical descent
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Now open: Slick City officially opened in South Charlotte on Monday. I took my 3 kids to their sneak peek event. We’re very bullish!
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At the event, I chatted with 41-year-old Hornets head coach Charles Lee who witnessed me wipeout and said, “I was going to do that slide, but not after watching you.”
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Layout: It's huuuge. 12 slides, 2 air courts for basketball and dodgeball, cool toddler playground, cafe, arcade, and massive party area.
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Must ride: Their signature "Mega Launch" slide featuring a steep drop that sends riders flying onto a soft airbag.
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Economics: Nir and team declined to share investment details with me, but I’m guessing it’s in the $4M range.
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MONEY TALKS
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28-year-old engineer making $170K "house hacks" their way to $350K net worth
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Bricktops, this engineer’s No. 1 spot, and eats their $30 ribs
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Money Talks is a weekly series showcasing how real people in Charlotte approach money. Participate.
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Job: "Civil engineer. My total comp is roughly $170K. Thankful for 401k matching and profit sharing."
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Living situation: “I’ve been kind of house hacking for 5 years. Lived for 2 years with roommates from a Facebook group in Uptown for $700/mo each. Then bought a Plaza Midwood townhouse and rented out the extra bedroom.”
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Budgeting: “I did it religiously my first year out of school and saved nearly 50% of my income. Now I just use Empower to track net worth.”
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Money hack: “No shame in having a roommate or two! Luxury apartments are overrated, you should only be home to sleep in your 20s.”
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Savings goal: “A dog. I’d love a roan springer spaniel.”
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Net worth: “$350K. Breakdown is $150K in investment/HYSA account, $100K in 401(k), and $100K in home equity.”
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Rich in Charlotte: “The 30-year-olds that own $2M townhouses in South End. Where do they work?!”
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Dream: “I’ve begged 7-Brew to let me franchise but they are completely out of franchise agreements for North and South Carolina… maybe next year.”
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Full story: 28-year-old making $170K signs up for joint credit card with girlfriend
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MONEY SNACKS
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5 other financial headlines I’m snacking on
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QC Lagree opens in Myers Park near The Jimmy. $20 new client deal. 8 classes per month for $199. Open every day of the week.
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Rare mountain property with 2 homes on a private pond asks $899K in Cashiers. Massive multi-level deck. Airbnb investor’s dream.
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Jennifer Quinn debuts $26 Dew Drop skincare brand for kids. Tweens ages 6-12 spend $2.4B on skincare annually, growing 27%.
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Improper Pig sets Monday opening for new $800K Plaza Midwood flagship restaurant. Order the $32 "Charcuterie" meat spread.
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Heron House, another mahjong brick-and-mortar studio, will open this spring in Dilworth on East Blvd. Retail boutique too.
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PRICE CHECK
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If you think Charlotte private schools are expensive, check out NYC tuition hitting $70K/yr đź‘€
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NYC 12th grade tuition at private schools in NYC via Bloomberg
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Private schools: As a comp, here are the 12th grade tuition figures at leading schools here in Charlotte 👇
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Charlotte Latin School Tuition – $36,500
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Providence Day School – $36,325
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Charlotte Country Day School – $34,075
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Charlotte Christian School – $27,055
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Happy Thursday! Congrats to my friends Jeff and Jamie for hitting the $25M milestone with their restaurant group. Free Leluia Hall oysters for bloggers please 🙏!
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– Ted
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MONEY POLL
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Will AI replace your current job within the next 5 years?
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Last week’s poll results: Have you ever lied to a partner about a purchase? (12,768 subscribers)
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