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By Ted Williams |
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Hello Thursday. My most intriguing new development project right now is Candyroot Lodge, a modern golf destination being built 1-hour from Charlotte.
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Think Bandon Dunes meets SoHo House on a whopping 1,250 acres.
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10 days ago, they announced Milkstone, their first of several golf courses. It's designed by Mike Koprowski, who just finished Broomsedge ($60K initiation).
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I'm bullish. Charlotte is starved for premium public golf and several private country clubs have 8-year waitlists.
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Aaron Oberman, Candyroot's founder, who lives in Chicago, made his money in media. I know him! I should invest, but I'm scared. Anyways.
đź’ĽÂ Hot Job:Â Corporate Executive Chef at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery ($125K – $150K). Manage kitchen P&L. Reports to COO Jim Birch.
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🏠For sale: Updated cottage asks $3M on Sterling in Myers Park. Rare half-acre lot. 4,200 square feet, 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath. Pool and hot tub. Tasty curb appeal. Listed by Anne Bell.
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👨 Shout-out: Chef and owner Rob Clement for reopening Meshugganah, a classic Jewish deli. Order the $18 Pastrami Sandwich.
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MARKETS: YEAR-TO-DATE
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S&P 500 |
6,881 |
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Nasdaq |
22,754 |
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SO HOT RIGHT NOW
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Naked Farmer experiencing "bonkers" opening with lines out the door and 1,000 daily guests
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Bowls at Naked Farmer, next to Harris Teeter in South End
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Now open: Naked Farmer opened 8 days ago in South End. Lines have been out the door. It’s serving 1,000 guests per day.
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"Given the success, we've delayed making online ordering available," comms lead Joshua Sims told me. "Bonkers!"
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The Tampa-based restaurant is similar to Flower Child, but with a Chipotle-style ordering experience.
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Positioning: No freezer. Everything is locally sourced.
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Trending: Top dishes so far👇
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$15.61 Classic Naked Plate with chicken, mac, kale Caesar, and brown rice (my rec with the honey BBQ chicken).
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$19.71 Seared Salmon Salad with sesame crunch and chimi-lime avocado.
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Tiny take: It’s kinda funny that our city is losing its mind over a Florida-based franchise opening!! But I get it — it’s tasty, fresh, fast, and healthy.
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PRESENTED BY CRAFTWORK
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Craftwork has painted over 1,200 homes across Charlotte, spring dates now open
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Craftwork recently raised $7M in Series A funding to support growth
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Most painting companies are brokers – you meet the salesperson once before a rotating crew of subs shows up to paint your home.
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Solution: Craftwork, a modern painting company, led by my friends Suzanne, Mike, Joey, and Tim.
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Full-time crew. Trained to deliver reliable quality.
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Prep prioritized. They’ll always protect your home.
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No back and forth. Regular updates in their fancy app.
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Trust. Over 1 in 3 customers hire them again.
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Book: Limited slots available this spring. Request an estimate for your home painting project in the next 48 hours and get 20% off!
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OPENING HYPE
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33-year-old couple invests $225K to build coffee and cocktail bar in Plaza Midwood
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1,627 square feet, seats 50 inside and 30 outside on the patio
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Opening soon:Â Plot Twist, an all-day coffee and cocktail bar, plans to open in the next 90 days or so in Plaza Midwood next to Trope Bookshop.
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Idea: "It came from watching how people actually live," says co-owner Nikki Velazquez, previously a manager at Tipsy Pickle.
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Build in public: Nikki posts behind the scenes, diary-like updates to their 2,900 Instagram followers. It’s awesome.
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"Transparency builds trust," says Nikki. "Sharing real decisions, wins, and challenges helps demystify entrepreneurship."
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Life timing: "We're both in our 30s, which feels like the perfect moment to dive into this," explained Nikki. "We have enough experience to understand the risks while being at a place in our lives when we want to take them on."
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MONEY TALKS
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39-year-old college professor making $51K takes on 4 side hustles to support kids
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Showmars, this professor’s No. 1 spot with $13 chicken salad
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Money Talks is a weekly series showcasing how real people in Charlotte approach money. Participate.
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Living Situation: “I own my home with my ex-husband. 2.4% interest rate. The only reason I am able to afford it is alimony and child support.”
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Job: “Community college professor. Annual salary is $50,000 with an additional bonus of $1,000. I deeply regret my career decision.”
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On your mind: “I've got two kids. I do not make enough as a professor in Charlotte to support them month-to-month without working another job and several side hustles.”
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Side hustles: “I’ve got 4 👇”
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$1,500 from being an author. But expenses from marketing the book cancel the profit out entirely.
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$700 modeling.
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$500 running community writing workshops.
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I'm also interviewing for a part-time catering position next week to make ends meet.
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Budgeting: “I use AI to help me analyze my money leaks, budget, and create savings plans. I track everything and have check-ins every 3 months.”
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Financial win: “I saved $1,000 in a Wealthfront HYSA this year to help pay for a $3,500 elite academic program my kids were accepted into. I’ll be damned if I don’t try to give them every opportunity I can.”
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Net worth: “Unfortunately I still have $67K in student loan debt, so it's negative.”
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Rich in Charlotte: “It’s going to sound strange, but me. I know where I want to go. I’m smart. I'm ambitious. I’m not giving up on improving my situation.”
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Full story: Professor making $51K says "Quickest way to become poor in Charlotte is to act rich when you’re not"
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MONEY SNACKS
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5 other financial headlines I’m snacking on
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HOUSEKEEPING
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Improper Pig now open in Plaza Midwood — I ate the $34 “Charcuterie” and took a nap
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Meat charcuterie plate at Improper Pig on Central
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Improper Charcuterie: This $34 plate includes 3oz pulled pork, 3oz sliced brisket, 6oz andouille sausage, and 4 St. Louis-style ribs. Served with warm pimento cheese, house chips, house slaw, pickled onions, and 2 hush puppies.
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Happy Thursday! I’ve been rewatching The Last Dance on Netflix with my 11 year-old son in preparation for his Myers Park church league basketball playoffs this weekend. Let’s gooo!
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– Ted
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MONEY POLL
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Are the costs of raising a child "out of control" in Charlotte?
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Last week’s poll results: Will AI replace your current job within the next 5 years? (12,869 subscribers)
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