Latest news with #TasteofCharlotte
Axios
28-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Uptown, South End see a rise in street food vendors operating without permits
South End after midnight on weekends has become the "South End State Fair," owner Tyler Kotch says of the street food vendors operating without permits in one of Charlotte's most popular neighborhoods. Why it matters: Many of these street food vendors are operating illegally, meaning they don't have a permit to sell food and don't adhere to the same hygiene standards as a restaurant or a food truck with a proper permit. Driving the news: Mecklenburg County Public Health says it has seen a rise in complaints about street food vendors operating illegally. These complaints are primarily about vendors operating between 8pm and 2am in South End and Uptown. County officials say they've had 185 complaints over the last year. That's up from 75 complaints in 2022 and 89 in 2023, per a county spokesperson. There were 140 complaints in all of 2024. The presence of non-permitted street vendors has picked up in the last year, with the largest presence appearing to be on Bland Street, Vinyl owner Kamal Patel tells Axios. The county does not have information about whether or not these vendors live in Charlotte. State of play: South End has become one of Charlotte's hottest neighborhoods, and businesses are paying premium rent to operate there. Between the lines: Charlotte has late-night food options, Kotch says. But it's expensive to fully staff a kitchen, given the costs of expenses like rent, permits and inspections. Getting a permit is a process, Sean Potter, who owns Folia, tells Axios, adding that there needs to be a process to fully vet businesses that will be selling products for people to ingest. The other side: People might informally sell food without a permit for similar reasons as non-permitted retail street vendors — an issue the city is trying to address in NoDa: To avoid red tape, fees and operational barriers. Yes, but:"We just want to make sure everybody is playing by the same rules," Potter says. By the numbers: has seen a 20% year-over-year drop in sales, Kotch says. He blames the presence of food vendors operating without a permit near his restaurant. What they're saying: " These vendors have effectively hijacked the business model was built on — serving a market gap for late-night food — and exploited it without investing anything into the community," Kotch says. There is a place for food trucks and street vendors, Patel says, but it shouldn't be detrimental to brick-and-mortar businesses that have gone through the necessary steps to operate a business. How it works: A festival-related permit costs $75. A food truck/pushcart permit is $125. "There is no permit option allowed for individuals setting up to be a street vendor, unless they are part of a festival or are a permitted food truck or pushcart at an event such as Taste of Charlotte," per a county spokesperson. To obtain a permit, businesses can reach out to Environmental Health at 980-314-1620. The penalty for operating as an unpermitted food vendor is a citation from CMPD and notification to City of Charlotte Zoning. Those operating as vendors illegally are given a first-time warning. What's next: The county plans to respond to complaints, educate people about how to obtain the proper permits and ensure the public understands the health risks of consuming food from vendors who don't have a permit. The big picture: The county has issued more than 4,400 permits for food service facilities through its Food and Facilities Sanitation Program. An approved facility must display its food safety scorecard. You can check a permitted vendor's health inspection score here.
Axios
17-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Savannah Bananas give Charlotte hotels a boost
Charlotte went bananas earlier this month when a wacky baseball team packed out Bank of America Stadium two nights in a row. The Savannah Bananas drew 148,000 people in Charlotte, a team record. Why it matters: Mecklenburg County hotels were near record capacity when the Bananas came to Charlotte, which is a win for Charlotte's visitor economy, according to Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) CEO Steve Bagwell. The big picture: Charlotte is on a roll with major sporting events, from last month's PGA Championship to hosting upcoming FIFA Club World Cup matches — all of which bring visitors and dollars to the city. Zoom in: While post-pandemic business travel was slow to recover, leisure travel in Uptown has boomed in recent years, bolstering center city's recovery. Major events like the 2023 Beyoncé concert have drawn thousands of visitors Uptown, where they patronize hotels, restaurants and bars. By the numbers: Mecklenburg County hotels had 81.5% occupancy for Friday, June 6, and 90% for Saturday, June 7, according to the CRVA. The average hotel rate was $146.17 for June 6 and $159.03 for June 7. A total of 52,547 rooms were booked over those two days. June 7 had slightly higher demand with 27,574 rooms. Between the lines: The Savannah Bananas weren't the only event in town that weekend (Taste of Charlotte was also going on), but the Bananas were definitely the main event.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Nowhere to go': Owner asks for community's help after her restaurant catches fire, closes
A Jamaican restaurant in University City is closed indefinitely after a fire significantly burned its interior. Cocoa's Jamaican Jerk was operating out of a food truck for ten years as the owner, Paula Brown, worked to open a brick-and-mortar location, she told Channel 9's Eli Brown. But on Saturday, the building caught fire, damaging much of its interior. 'It's just all gone,' Brown said. 'I'm sorry y'all. I worked hard.' The University City restaurant employed many students looking for job experience, Brown said. And much of her food went to people in need. 'When I came here, they grasped me, and they loved me, and I love them back,' she said. 'I love them back. I have so many friends here and so many associates, and that's something I've never had in my life.' READ: Hickory firefighter, 20, dies after medical emergency following overnight fire call She said she was working at Taste of Charlotte in uptown on Saturday when she got the call that a fire had started in her restaurant. The Charlotte Fire Department said the fire was accidental and likely electrical. Brand obtained surveillance footage that caught the sound of flames and the moment firefighters came running inside, but not much more. The lens was likely burned up by that point. Brown said many of the things in her restaurant that burned were handmade and some of it was sent to her from her now-deceased mother and sister. 'Coming here to Cocoa's was like coming out of my bedroom and into my living room,' she said. 'To invite people into my house and socialize and feed them and cook dinner and stuff like that. Now it's like I'm stuck in my bedroom. It's like there's nowhere to go.' She is asking for any help she can get. But she knows for sure she wants to leave behind Cocoa's as her legacy and a love letter to the city she calls home. 'I just wanted to be a part of something,' Brown said. 'In Charlotte, I felt a part of when I didn't feel a part of a lot of other things.' She told Brand that she is unsure of her next steps, but she had a big success at Taste of Charlotte, giving her some hope. Anyone who would like to help Brown and Cocoa's Jamaican Jerk can visit the Cocoa's Needs Us GoFundMe. WATCH: Hickory firefighter, 20, dies after medical emergency following overnight fire call
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carolina Ascent star prepares for playoffs in team's first season
The Carolina Ascent just finished their first season in the USL Super League and are now preparing for their first playoff run. The soccer club credits much of their success to the team's leading scorer Mia Corbin. Advertisement The team's general manager Philip Poole said that it's not just about Mia the soccer player. 'You know, there's a lot of football and soccer accolades that you can give her, but it starts with she is a phenomenal person,' said Poole. As early as she can remember, Corbin played both soccer and softball and one point she considered the diamond her best friend. Big crowds expected in Uptown as Taste of Charlotte, ballgames take over the weekend 'The first black female athlete I saw was a softball player, so ultimately that's what drove me to want to play sports because I was like if she can do it too, I can do it,' said Corbin. Advertisement 'I was like 10 years old. My grandpa had season tickets to the UW softball games. Her name was Dena Tyson. She kind of mentored me too. It was really cool. I'm really thankful to her and my grandpa obviously for taking me to the games,' said Corbin. Trio of teens makes professional debut for Carolina Ascent FC The transition from fast pitch to the soccer pitch had a lot to do with the joy she experienced with contributing to the team's ultimate goal. Corbin says that soccer also offered the rare shot in women's sports to go pro. 'That was my goal. I just wanted to play professionally. Softball unfortunately it's not there yet. I just want to help drive the younger generation to want to play women's professional sports because I think it's awesome, we're awesome,' said Corbin. Advertisement The team is set to face off against Fort Lauderdale United FC Sunday at 7 p.m. at American Legion Memorial Stadium for the first round of the USL Super League Playoffs. RELATED STORY: Trio of teens makes professional debut for Carolina Ascent FC
