Tag: concord

Cigar Loft Owner Took His Passion and Made a Living Out of It

Written by Brian Perry on February 21, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

Updated 8/23/24: This business has closed. Contributor: Jamie Richardson Derek Kilgore has been passionate about cigars for over a decade, which is why he opened The Cigar Loft in January 2020. Whether you are a cigar aficionado or a novice looking to learn more, The Cigar Loft has something for everyone. Kilgore opened his business right before the pandemic and is now surrounded by the courthouse and apartment construction in the middle of downtown Concord. But the oasis he has created, tucked away on the second floor of the building at 76 Union Street, keeps members coming back again...

🧋Boba Tea Served Up Daily by CabCo Classmates

Written by Brian Perry on February 21, 2023. Posted in Food & Drink.

Contributor: Jamie Richardson You are probably reading this article from 1 of 2 perspectives…. “OMG! I’m obsessed with Boba tea and can’t wait to try out BOTH B&K Tea Cafe locations” OR “What in the world is Boba tea????” I must confess, I fell into the latter camp, which is why I was excited to sit down with co-owners Bobby Cain and Kristen Compton at their downtown Concord location, but not before I did some research, meaning I asked my 20-year-old daughter who has a mini Boba tea on her keychain. She explained the basics and I decided I needed to try it myself. Boba tea is a tea-based...

🍔 🗳️ Get Your First Peek at Local Competition’s Mouth-Watering Burgers

Written by Brian Perry on February 21, 2023. Posted in Food & Drink.

Cabarrus Burger Madness is back for its third year and your local restaurants have turned up the heat on their unique culinary creations once again! How Does It Work? Diners are invited to sample limited-time burgers from 15 participating local restaurants and vote on the ExploreCabarrus website for their favorites. Voting will be open March 1–31, 2023, with a winner announced on Tuesday, April 4th. 🗺️ Visit the Cabarrus Burger Madness webpage so you can plan your tasty tour across Cabarrus County. Check out all of the participating restaurants, along with a mouth-watering burger photo (thank...

🍷 Toast National Wine Day at U.S.V.I. Wine Company

Written by Brian Perry on February 14, 2023. Posted in Food & Drink.

Contributor: Jamie Richardson Cabarrus Weekly is continuing its celebration of Black History Month by spotlighting another up and coming business here in our community and just in time for National Wine Day on February 18th! Genia Vanterpool and Deidra-Ann Varlack, natives of the U.S. Virgin Islands, launched U.S.V.I. Wine Company on International Women’s Day in 2021. Inspired by their homeland, and love of wine, founders, Genia (born in St. Thomas) and Deidra-Ann (born in St. John) met as Girl Scouts at the age of 9. They attended high school together but went their separate...

🎭 Area Schools Vie for Theatre Awards

Written by Brian Perry on February 7, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

Pictured: Bryson Battle, 2021 Best Actor Award Winner Photo Credit: Blumenthal Performing Arts Center The Blumey Awards is a regional High School Musical Theatre Awards program, and eight of our local Cabarrus County schools have nominated their upcoming musicals to be judged for the competition. Why is it important? Because in 2021, the Blumey Best Actor Award went to our very own CabCo student, Bryson Battle of Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg. Man Can Bryson Sing! You may remember hearing Bryson Battle sing in person if you attended the Cabarrus Arts Council’s Breakfast for...

🐢 🐇 Register Now for This FREE Musical Version of The Tortoise and The Hare

Written by Brian Perry on February 7, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

This is one of our favorite family events across all of Cabarrus County… and it’s FREE! Opera Carolina comes to town to perform two shows on the Davis Theatre stage as part of the Cabarrus Arts Council’s Family Day. 🎭 Reserve your seats for either the 1:00 pm Show or 3:00 pm Show. This lively performance is sure to delight the kids and adults alike! Enjoy the other free activities that are part of Family Day (1-4 pm), including craft stations perfect for preschool/school-age children and their families. English and Spanish-speaking volunteers will be available to help with crafts. The Cabarrus...

🌳 Make a Date with a Trail This Month!

Written by Brian Perry on February 7, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

Did you know that 2023 is the Year of the Trail in North Carolina? Our friends at Walk Cabarrus have an entire section of their website dedicated to Where to Walk, including all of the great trails around Cabarrus County. 🥾 Each month, there’s a theme for Year of the Trail, along with an activity to go along with it. For February, they want to invite you on a date on one of your favorite trails…and for you to invite a friend or loved one to join you! Share your “trail date” pictures on social media and be sure to tag the Great Trails NC on Instagram or Facebook and Walk Cabarrus...

🍪💖 Cookies with a Purpose Baked In

Written by Abby Cagle on February 7, 2023. Posted in Food & Drink.

Contributor: Jamie Richardson Cara’s Cookie Company owners Jennifer and Tom Hamilton didn’t start out as bakers, but their popular store is serving up delicious baked goods while also supporting their charity, Cara’s Purpose. Located in the bustling Gibson Mill Market food hall, Cara’s HUGE cookies are putting smiles on their customers’ faces, especially their best-selling chocolate chip and their toffee coffee cookie, which is a partnership with their neighbor at the market, Defined Coffee. 🧈 The newest yummy addition to their menu is the butter board, which Jennifer says came...

🍻 Lil’ Robert’s Place Hosting “Lucky 13” Anniversary Party on Feb 3 🍻

Written by Brian Perry on January 31, 2023. Posted in Food & Drink.

Contributor: Jamie Richardson From just a bottle shop, to the quirky but home-like bar they are today. “If you lived here, you’d be home” has been the slogan at Lil’ Roberts Place (LRP) for the past 13 years. There’s an eclectic vibe at LRP, from funky couches and chairs to an airplane hanging from the ceiling…there is a lot to take in, but it’s also easy to fit in. When Cabarrus Weekly contributor Jamie visited, there was a group of regulars hanging out at the bar and several people watching the Keno numbers as they appeared on the television screen. LRP is known throughout the...

👚💪👛 Local Entrepreneur Blazing Her Own Trail

Written by Brian Perry on January 31, 2023. Posted in Shopping.

If you haven’t heard of at least one of Ashton Pollack’s businesses, you must still be in quarantine! This entrepreneur is literally everywhere and blazing a trail wherever she goes. An entrepreneur can be defined as someone who “takes on most of the risk and initiative for their new business and is often seen as a visionary or innovator.” Meet Ashton “Ash” Pollock, a female U.S. Marine Corps veteran and entrepreneur whose vision and innovation have led to a portfolio of projects that clearly requires her Marine training to keep it all going. You may have first heard of her as last year’s winner...

☘️🎳 Any “Spare” Time for a Great Cause?

Written by Brian Perry on January 31, 2023. Posted in Events.

💚 🖤 Are you looking for a great opportunity to support mentoring and empowering children to reach their potential? This is a great fundraiser for your work family, church, or friend group to get involved and support Big Brothers Big Sisters in Cabarrus County! Bowl for Kids’ Sake is the perfect way for individuals to make an impact while also having fun! BBBS asks that each bowler set a goal to raise $150 or their team raises $1,000. (Minimum $50 per bowler) as part of the Challenge. *Bowlers representing our School Challenge are asked to raise a minimum of $150 per team. Teams are made up...

📣 🤎 NC Black Heritage Festival Coming Feb 26

Written by Brian Perry on January 31, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

As Black History Month kicks off, be sure to make plans to attend the 2023 North Carolina Black Heritage Festival at the Cabarrus Arena on Feb 26th from 1-5 pm. This year’s theme is “Remember the Past, Celebrate the Present, & Shape the Future.” This is a great way to support black-owned businesses with over 100 companies represented with free giveaways, discounts, and coupons making the vendor shopping experience like none other. This family-friendly event will also feature performances, a kids’ zone, arts & crafts, and lots of fun! Click here for ticket information! Planning...

Cabarrus County Is Home to NC’s Largest Board Game Café

Written by Brian Perry on January 24, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

CONTRIBUTOR: KAYLA CHADWICK-SCHULTZ Tucked beneath a variety of delicious restaurant offerings, on the lower level of the Gibson Mill Market, there is a place where all imaginations are welcome. It’s a place where fathers and daughters can bond over the shared joy of good storytelling. It’s a place where new friendships are formed and old ones are rekindled during hours-long adventures. It’s a place where regulars arrive at their usual café order waiting for them at their usual table because the owners actually took the time to get to know them. In truth, this unassuming ground-level...

🍿 These Local Businesses Are Poppin’! 🍿

Written by Brian Perry on January 16, 2023. Posted in Shopping.

Decadence Popcorn’s custom Popcorn Pop (left) is perfect for engagement parties. Tastebuds Popcorn makes custom orders with unique flavors like this blueberry cheesecake combo for Panther Pop (right). January 19th is #NationalPopcornDay. This time-honored snack has a crunch we all love to enjoy, and its POPularity is only increasing with the introduction of new variations, flavors, and dedicated shops. To celebrate this fun day, pop into one of these local stores to grab this sweet or savory snack this week and tell them the Cabarrus Weekly sent you! Tastebuds Popcorn (Concord) Offering FREE...

Can You Spot Downtown Concord in the Trailer?

Written by Brian Perry on January 16, 2023. Posted in Things To Do.

Several Scenes from New Movie Filmed in Cabarrus County 🎥 Filming facts: Filming took place during the spring and summer of 2021, with scenes shot in Charlotte, Concord, Kannapolis, and Hickory. Actresses Rachel McAdams, from films like Mean Girls, Wedding Crashers, and The Notebook, and Kathy Bates, a multiple Emmy, and Academy Award winner, were in Cabarrus County filming a scene. More than 1,000 extras were used in the filming, including about 85 in Concord. Downtown Concord was dressed up in a 1970s setting in New York City with an Italian bakery, a pizza shop, and a produce stand...

💵 Want to Take Your Side Hustle to Market?

Written by Brian Perry on January 16, 2023. Posted in Shopping.

The Retail Lab Pop Up Store in Downtown Concord Features Products from Graduates of the Retail Lab Boot Camp. 🧼 Meet Nicole Fodeke, a Retail Lab graduate and small business owner of Be Handmade Natural Soaps, which are made in small batches using the cold process method. She has been gaining knowledge about branding and marketing, e-commerce, as well as point-of-sale, and inventory through the Retail Lab Boot Camp. What is the Retail Lab? The program includes an application-based, six-week immersive Boot Camp held at the Cabarrus Center, followed by an opportunity for new retailers...

New Online Store Features First Responder-Inspired Clothing

Written by Brian Perry on January 10, 2023. Posted in Shopping.

The Liberty & Co. online store was founded in 2022 by Haylee Shuping. Her husband, Concord Police Officer Jason Shuping, was tragically killed while serving in the line of duty on December 16, 2020. After her husband passed, she realized she needed to take greater precautions in protecting herself and obtained a concealed carry permit. >> Liberty & Co. Special Gift to Cabarrus Weekly Subscribers << USE PROMO CODE CABARRUSWEEKLY AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF ANY PURCHASE. OFFER VALID THROUGH FEBRUARY 8TH. Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in the United States was celebrated on...

⚡🚘 You May Be More Ready for an Electric Vehicle Than You Realize

Written by Brian Perry on January 10, 2023. Posted in Shopping.

Think owning an Electric Vehicle (EV) is just too complicated? Are you still holding out due to range anxiety? What many two-car families are choosing to do is keep one vehicle for that road trip to the beach while the other is reserved for local trips, easily less than a hundred miles a day – a perfect EV option! And what could be simpler than plugging in your car to charge overnight just like you do your cell phone? When it comes EVs, Tesla isn’t the only game in town. Nearly every auto manufacturer is bringing EVs to market, from compact crossovers and SUVs to luxury sedans and trucks....