Is It Crazy to Close Trade & Tryon to Traffic? Ask CLT Development.
GUEST EDITORIAL: What if The Square of Trade & Tryon Was for People, Instead of Cars?
by Clayton Sealey of CLT Development
The melodic “clang-clang” of a passing streetcar harmonizes with the song of a hopeful street performer looking for their big break…
Carefree people amble about, pausing briefly to consider what sight, sound, taste or smell they’d like to experience …
Every great city has that one place you go home and tell your friends and family about. Great places are for sensory satiation, they offer a boundless assortment of engagement all wrapped up in an intimate location. What is Charlotte’s place?
Sadly, it does not yet exist.
Placemaking is about identifying areas with the potential to be exceptional. What better place to create something special, than at the historic crossroads of Charlotte — The Square at Trade & Tryon?
Speaking of Tryon Street…
200 Block of South Tryon St. Remains Closed to Traffic
The 200 block of S Tryon St. — the site of Uptown’s “Black Lives Matter” mural — will remain a closed pedestrian plaza past the initial plan to reopen after September. Here is an official statement about it from the City of Charlotte:
“The 200 block of South Tryon will remain closed temporarily as the City continues to study a more pedestrian-focused Uptown along Tryon, beyond the current plaza. This next step in our evaluation will allow us to do that while continuing to keep plaza visitors safe from traffic. We are aiming to reopen the street by the end of the year.”
Other Uptown Placemaking News:
On September 30, Charlotte Center City Partners announced a partnership with Blumenthal Performing Arts and the City of Charlotte to produce a series of fall events, dining opportunities (such as the City’s Street Eats program), live music performances, open-air shopping and more uptown. To share this information, they’ve launched the new website: uptowncharlotte.com. [EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an opportunity to program and “game-ify” the Center City landscape in new ways, much as Clayton Sealey proposes in the editorial above.]
Charlotte B-Cycles announced Wednesday it has changed its name to Charlotte Joy Rides. The organization has added four new Uptown docking stations (bringing the total to 33) and a fleet of 343 new e-assist cycles. These bikes provide an extra electric boost to assist riders with hills and longer travel routes. Seven Queen City creatives provided a jolt of creativity to the new e-assist cycles. Each cycle features a design created by one of seven Charlotte artists – Owl, Georgie Nakima, Nick Napoletano, Rosalia Torres-Weiner, Marcus Kiser, Sam Guzzie and Sydney Duarte.
WFAE Ushers in “Pod-tober”
“Podcasting can be a solitary medium (whether as a producer or a podcast listener), which is why I wanted to find ways to connect podcasters to each other (to create a support network and room for collaborations) and encourage listeners to discover their community and amplify their own stories through audio.” – Joni Deutsch, WFAE
You may have suspected it, but this might just seal the deal — Charlotte is becoming known as a podcast capital. Organized by WFAE’s Joni Deutsch, this inaugural online event will include more than 40 virtual sessions and panel discussions featuring Charlotte-based podcasters covering topics such as interviewing techniques, recoding from home and avoiding common audio mistakes, marketing your podcast and budgeting.
Sessions launch October 5 and will continue through October 30. While sessions are free, space is limited. Sessions will not be public to those without a reservation. See the schedule of Charlotte Podcast Festival’s online sessions.
WFAE is a sponsor of The Biscuit and Charlotte Is Creative.
Who will become CLT DJ Royalty on Saturday Night?
The CLT DJ Battle cannot be stopped. Last year, it was rained out at Charlotte SHOUT, but punched back for a show at Dupp & Swat where Arial Dominquez AKA DOMii was crowned. This year, with restrictions holding back large live events, the DJ Battle is taking the beat online. After winnowing down an initial group of 22 contestants, five DJs remain standing for a chance to spin it up and throw it down against DOMii herself Saturday, October 3 at 7:00.
“Fans can expect more dope DJs they should know call Charlotte ‘home.’ The competition this year is very entertaining, diverse and consists of DJs that were fan picked. Also, much like last year, who’s crowned 2020 champion will be in the hands of the fans as they will vote live October 3 for their favorite to win the final battle,” said organizer Dae Lee.
The clubs have been pretty quiet for the last 6 months, so these DJs are ready to bring their best kung-fu Saturday night. Tickets are free and available here.
 Latinx artist Gustavo Soto 5 More Latinx Creatives You Need to Know NOW
Through October 15, we’re celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing glimpses of Charlotte’s incredible Latinx creatives on our Instagram feed. To help us determine who to feature, we asked our followers to give us suggestions. And, the floodgates open. There’s no way we’ll be able to get everybody in by 10/15 … so we’re just going to keep going. This week, we’re introducing you to: Rosalia Torres-Weiner, Nani Lee, Geo Soto, Gusavo Soto and Jo Diquez.
Thrillist Honors Hospitality Heroes
2020 has been undeniably a year of hardship for many. But you know what is bred from hardship? Heroes. Heroes are people who have stepped up and helped others, even though no one asked them to. They did it out of the kindness of their own heart.
Between COVID-19 and the ongoing fight for social justice, this has been a year where many heroes have risen to the occasion to help the community. This includes members of Charlotte’s food and hospitality industry. The online publication Thrillist is looking for nominees for their “Thrillist Heroes of 2020” list to honor the unsung heroes of the industry. This list is nationwide but we want to see some love for CLT included, too.
If you know a local hero in the hospitality industry who has continually strived to make Charlotte a better place during this time, please nominate them by October 8. Learn how you can recognize your hospitality heroes here.
Taking Art Online: Three Art Shows Launching in Charlotte
SouthEnd ARTS – Oct. 2 at 7PM
Tonight, SouthEnd ARTS will broadcast its first virtual art show. While a donation of $10 is suggested, admission is free to watch a documentary entitled “Justice” and to view art from 9 Charlotte artists which will be available for purchase online. More information.
Arts Empowerment Project – Through Oct. 5
The Arts Empowerment Project uses creativity to help children affected by violence and abuse break the cycle and alter the trajectory of their lives. To raise funds for their work, the Project’s #ArtSaves virtual auction features original works from Charlotte artists available for online purchase through Oct. 5. More information.
McColl Center’s Benefit Art Sale – Oct. 29 at 7PM
75 original pieces of art created by artists in Charlotte and across the United States will hit the inter-web on the evening of Oct. 29. Pieces start at $250 and bidding will begin at 70% the retail price. Each host and general ticketholder will be entered to win a framed piece by Amy Cheng valued at $750. Individual tickets start at $50. More information.
Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris Uses Mural as Backdrop
On the heels of presidential candidate Joe Biden speaking beneath banners designed by 8 Charlotte artists at Camp North End last week, frequent Charlotte creative collaborator, LORD PHLY, had a similar honor this week. Biden’s running mate, Senator Kamala Harris spoke in front of a mural he painted on White’s Barbershop in Raleigh.
“Truthfully it meant that everything I Am, I Have Been, All That I’ve Spoken & Stood For In These Moments Is No Longer Simply based on the faith I have in myself, it’s now a reality, & The Future VP of America Is right there making history where I LORD PHLY laid a foundation for it to happen! Let Me Know Keep Going, Go Even Harder, With No Fear No Worries No Apologies!” – LORD PHLY
We’ll share a longer interview with Lord Phly about his work across North Carolina in next week’s batch of Biscuit.
 Design by Grace Stott. PHOTO CREDIT: Brooke Brown Taking a Tour of NoDa’s Gorgeous Trash Cans
There’s a lot to look at when you’re walking around NoDa … but have you stopped to admire the waste receptacles? Well, we have.
Earlier this year, the NoDaRioty Committee — the arts committee for the Historic North Charlotte Neighborhood Association — commissioned eight local artists to create original works of art on trash cans across their community. Thanks to the wandering lens of photographer Brooke Brown, we have detailed shots of each of them, as well as the story behind the project. But, that will have to wait until next week.
Save room for this story. It’ll be a feast for your eyes.
QC Life: Four Things to Get Out and See This Weekend
Happy Friday! Now that Phase 3 is officially here, we’re ready to push our exploration of Queen City creativity a little further. And, we bet you are, too. To that end, Matt Olin and Tim Miner shared three things (and one to grow on) they can’t wait to see with host Kristen Miranda on WBTV’s QC Life earlier this week. Watch the quick segment to learn about:
- Sheryl Oring’s “I Wish to Say” exhibition at UNC Charlotte Center City, featuring typewritten letters from students & faculty to the President
- The van in front of Town Brewing was “yarn bombed” by 20 artists from across Charlotte & the world
- The “Modifyed” art exhibition at Gallery C3
- Mike Wirth’s new crosswalk mural at The Metropolitan, which lets you play real-life Frogger
Biscuit Blitz: Pizza Questin’ and Box Collectin’ with Peter Reinhart & Scott Wiener
It’s an understatement that the era of COVID-19 has been tricky for the restaurant industry. But, pizza — the ultimate comfort food — has stayed hot. To explore why, Tim Miner grabbed a slice of time with two foremost pizza experts.
Charlotte’s Own Chef Peter Rinehart, Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University, is the author of American Pie and Perfect Pan Pizza. Scott Wiener is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in NYC, a co-host on Thrillist’s Really Dough and a Guinness Book of World Records record-holder for the world’s largest pizza box collection. Together, they produce a new segment of “Pizza Box of the Week” on Peter’s internet show, Pizza Quest.
So, yeah … when it comes to pizza … they know what they’re talking about. This is a fun, lively chat about the allure of pizza box art, the neverending quest for the perfect pie and how mozzarella cheese is the perfect binding agent for great friendships. (Plus, they play a really silly pizza trivia game.)
George R.R. Martin and HBO introduced the world to a bounty of iconic villains when Game of Thrones first aired in 2011. We loved some, hated others, and loved to hate almost all of them. But, none of them compare to Tristan Bishop Pan of Garner, NC, who was caught this week after fraudulently applying for $6.1 million from the Paycheck Protection Program that was designed to provide relief to businesses impacted by COVID-19.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Pan submitted applications for 14 PPP loans using fake businesses, three of which were named after GoT references: White Walker, Khaleesi and The Night’s Watch. To see how the community is feeling about Pan going “all medieval on PPP,” let’s check in with a few (totally fake) stock image Charlotteans to hear their thoughts on the latest Game of Thrones’ “villain”:
It’s easy to have your head down while walking around. You may be watching your feet to ensure you don’t trip or you might have your eyes glued to your phone screen as you await the next Twitter notification that confirms that 2020 is trash. But, we implore you to look up when walking around the Queen City because you’re missing out on the creative sights hidden in every nook and cranny of Charlotte.
And when we say look up, we mean look UP! This fresco painted by Ben Long has graced the dome of TransAmerica Square since 1998. Titled “Continuum,” the fresco is a whopping 1,047 square feet of hand-painted goodness.
Words from Mr. Long’s website about the meaning behind the fresco: “The subject matter represents the cycle of life’s continuous disintegration and rebirth, thus reinforcing the notion that the more things change, the more they remain the same.”
Fun Fact: The man painting on the canvas is a self-portrait that Ben Long decided to include as an easter egg in the fresco. There are all kinds of hidden details in the painting. Another one of our favorites is that the stoic man underneath the tent on the left is none other than Charlotte banking legend, Hugh McColl.
Directions: 401 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Don’t go ’round hungry. If you missed the last batch of The Biscuit, don’t worry. We’ve kept it warm for you. This batch features:
- The story behind Park Road Shopping Center’s sign restoration
- A look at Sheryl Oring’s “I Wish to Say” exhibition
- A “Biscuit Blitz” chat with Varian Shrum of Camp North End
- News on Charlotte’s museums reopening
- A “Where Are We In CLT” trip to Truist Field
Click here to dig in, y‘all.
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