Interest in social districts in Charlotte appears to be fading

It’s now been three years since Charlotte City Council allowed for the creation of social districts. You know those areas where you can walk down the sidewalk while drinking alcohol. Several businesses and neighborhoods immediately expressed interest, but so far, Charlotte only has one. It’s in Plaza Midwood. For more on this and other business stories, im joined now by Lindsey Banks of the Charlotte Ledger Business Newsletter for our segment BizWorthy.

Marshall Terry: So the social district in Plaza Midwood has been successful, according to neighborhood leaders. Why aren’t there more elsewhere in the city if there was all of this interest initially?

Lindsey Banks: Yeah, I think when Charlotte first approved its social district ordinance three years ago, there was a lot of early buzz, like you said, businesses and neighborhoods like South End and uptown and NoDa all submitted interest forms. I think what's happened is that a lot of that momentum has just fizzled. In most cases, groups say it's just not a priority anymore. The city puts a lot of responsibility on the actual neighborhoods or the business groups to launch and manage the district — not the city itself. So there's a lot of logistical work, especially in dense areas like uptown or South End. So groups are saying they're still interested, it's just not a priority right now.

Terry: Is part of the reason that there's just not been the boost to businesses that people were hoping for? Or are other neighborhoods that were considering this just doing well and don't see the point anymore?

Banks: I would say a little bit of both. In Plaza Midwood, it's gone smoothly, they've said. They've got about 25 businesses participating, and they've reported around — I think it's $90,000 — in extra sales over the past 16 months. But no one's calling it a game-changer, and I think for areas like South End, the bars are already packed, so there's just less urgency to experiment with something new right now.

Terry: There's been a lot of reporting on the plateau of the craft beer boom, and people are drinking less in general. Do you think this is driven in part by just a vibe shift in what's cool, and "sip-and-stroll" doesn't have the appeal it did a few years ago?

Banks: Yeah, definitely. Just personally, I can feel that cultural shift. People are leaning more into mocktails and maybe lower-alcohol options, so the idea of walking around with a beer doesn't quite carry the same novelty it once did. That could explain why some neighborhoods just have decided to move on.

And I also think the restrictions on social districts, staying within a certain geographical area, the district itself ending at 10 p.m., having to finish your drink before you enter another establishment, I just don't think it has the appeal it maybe once did or people thought it might have.

Terry: Let’s go to South End, where there is some scuttlebutt about a big new tenant that could be going in at the new office tower, 110 East. What can you tell us?

Banks: There's definitely some chatter. The new 23-story tower at East and South boulevards it had a slow start, but now we're hearing that First Horizon Bank is eying a major lease there — big enough that they've reportedly looked into how they might get their name on the side of the building. So it's not confirmed yet.

No permits have been filed and nothing has been announced, but it would track with the bank's growing local footprint. First Horizon it's based in Memphis, Tennessee, but it already has a few locations in Charlotte, and they signed a major sponsorship deal with the Hornets last year. So that could be a part of the broader push to raise their profile in the city.

Terry: Finally, you can now order Bo-Berry biscuits in Spanish. Bojangles this week announced new Spanish ordering options. What’s behind this move, and does that include the drive-thru as well?

Banks: Yes, it does. So, Bojangles just rolled out the new Spanish-language ordering options across its digital and in-store platforms. That includes their website, mobile app, kiosks, and then even their drive-through. They currently have an AI assistant named Bo-Linda who has been taking orders in English, but now she can take orders in Spanish. It's a pretty big deal. Over 400 locations are now offering that option, making Bojangles one of the first national chains to do this at this scale. The CEO, Jose Armario, has said that the main driving force behind the decision is that language isn't a barrier to hospitality. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but I am curious. I might need to brush up on my Spanish first, though.

Support for BizWorthy comes from the law office of Robertson and Associates.