Raleigh’s largest urban park presents Raleigh’s smallest park.
Need a mini respite from the Downtown hustle and bustle? Dix Park, Downtown Raleigh Alliance and Artsplosure—along with local installation artist, photographer and art director Katie Stewart—have teamed up to design a miniature park and art establishment Downtown debuting June 9 (!).
“Raleigh’s smallest park” will be, ahem, parked in front of the Dix Park mural on the corner of Hillsborough and West Street by Roast Grill and State of Beer. And, rest assured, its inaugural ribbon-cutting is intended to be as “campy” as possible, according to Dix Park Conservancy’s Community Engagement Manager Trey Roberts—think tiny scissors and shovels as part of the festivities, naturally.
The urban oasis’ focal point, a mural made by Gabriel Eng-Goetz in September 2022 depicting Dix Park, has been expanded on by Stewart with an engaging 3D art experience feat. sculpted mushroom seats, huge sunflower suncatchers and topiaries made with repurposed materials and nodding to the natural beauty and cultural significance of Dix Park (and adding a splash of color and pizzazz to the spot!). … Pro tip: It also makes for an excellent photo op! #DoItForTheGram
“This installation reimagines his themes and color schemes in a three-dimensional, interactive context,” says Stewart. “It welcomes visitors of all ages, cultivating engagement and imagination with art and fostering connections within the community while paying tribute to Dorothea Dix Park’s past, embracing its present energy and projecting its future as a creative communal hub.”
She adds: “This small park nestled in Downtown Raleigh is an illustration of art’s inclusive and transformative power. It presents a unique space for reflection, connection and inspiration to be enjoyed by all.” Sounds like a fresh spot to keep in your back pocket!
Raleigh Founded and Cary Founded’s CEO launches co-warehousing concept centered around service-based businesses.
Feeling blue? From the mind of Jason Widen—you might recognize him from his longtime work with Raleigh Founded, Cary Founded and an array of other ventures—comes a new endeavor backed with a mission to “empower service-based entrepreneurs,” thus filling a need Widen identified in the market: providing additional resources for service-based orgs (think: companies and tradespeople, makers and food/beverage entrepreneurs).
Enter Blue Co., Widen’s newest endeavor with the goal to provide easy and beneficial warehousing ops via shared workspaces, commercial vehicle parking and a slew of other specialized resources. … And it’s sliding onto the scene hot with two Raleigh locations coming this summer—situated on 510 and 517 Pylon Drive—with plans in the works to launch more spots around the Southeast soon.
“The past few years I’ve been contemplating what’s next in shared space and landed on a co-warehousing concept for service-based companies, tradespeople, makers, food and beverage entrepreneurs, and more,” says Widen, Blue Co.’s founder and CEO. “Shared spaces have been a valuable tool for high-growth tech startups, offering flexible lease terms, business resources and collaborative communities—yet few similar resources exist for service-based industries. Through my experience, I see a tremendous unmet need and scalable opportunity with co-warehousing.”
Essentially, Blue Co. is amping up to help service-based businesses succeed—and that’s anything but blue. Let’s get to work! bluecowarehousing.com
Would you attend a live show sans your smartphone?
Would you rather live in the moment or have captured pics/videos to look back on for a lifetime? (Do it for the mems?!) … With rising controversy surrounding cellphone use during concerts and performances—from artists’ rising frustrations with seeing a swarm of cameras rather than their fans’ faces to the ongoing conversation about social media linking to myriad mental health issues—it’s becoming more and more common for venues and performers to ask for the smartphones to stay away, with some even contemplating whether cellphones are “ruining the live experience.”
The trend is sweeping shows across the country—with no signs of slowing down. Here in Raleigh, former SNL cast member, actor and comic Pete Davidson is coming to Goodnights for six sold-out nights of shows June 6–11—with no phones, smartwatches or related accessories allowed. Each device is required to go inside individual Yondr pouches that viewers will keep on their person throughout the event—and can be reopened only at the end of the show or in designated areas.
A cast of other comics are on the same wavelength. Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer, Hannibal Buress and Chris Rock are all in support of holding tech hostage during performances, as are a slew of singers—from Madonna and Jack White to The Lumineers and Alicia Keys.
To wit, as streaming services touting comedy specials and concert recaps become more mainstream, the lack of allowed amateur videography makes sense on a variety of fronts— namely creating a more engaged environment between the performer and the audience. So could you take a break from your devices for the duration of a two-hour show? Whether you’re an influencer or just prefer to stay connected, we think quality time with Pete Davidson is worth the phone hiatus (!). goodnightscomedy.com
Your Pete Davidson Know-How-To-Go
Don’t attempt to pull out your phone or device. Anyone seen with a phone during Pete’s set will be escorted out of the venue.
Rideshare apps are recommended! There is limited parking at the venue—so book a ride for your drop-off/pickup ease.
Say cheese! There will be a photographer on-site to snap a pic of your experience.
Due to sellout shows each night, there will be specific arrival times before each show. Check Goodnights‘ website before you plan to arrive.
Stay up-to-date on Goodnights‘ website for more deets before the show. Happy Pete week!
Raleigh’s first (!) cupcake shop/boutique bakery celebrates a milestone birthday.
Want a piece of this? Sara Fitzpatrick has proven you can (literally) have your cake and eat it too, as her treasured The Cupcake Shoppe celebrates its 16th anny this year. After spending ~seven years in the corporate world, Fitzpatrick felt a lack of fulfillment in her career—and craving creativity/passion in her profession, she began tapping into the possibility of a sweeter gig.
“At the time, I was living in Florida and felt very interested in Raleigh,” says Fitzpatrick. “I wanted to get back to my home state and bring something to the area that seemed to be lacking. It was a combination of a love of beautiful sweets and wanting to start something of my own.”
And she truly baked her business up from scratch. After compiling a business plan, testing recipes, doing research on the DTR sector and drawing inspiration from bakeries in other cities, Fitzpatrick stumbled upon her storefront during a visit home one Thanksgiving.
“I discovered this space with its really big windows,” recalls Fitzpatrick. “The appeal for me was the idea of the neighborhood bakery. I wanted a quaint cozy cafe where people could come enjoy a pastry with a cup of coffee—but could also serve what I felt was an untapped market: the custom cake and specialty dessert niche.”
Before transforming into the cake concept it is today, the Glenwood South digs housed an old furniture refinishing warehouse, The Highsmith Interior Building. “The space was not anything you see today,” explains Fitzpatrick. “We had to transform it from the dirt up. When we saw the space, I knew I was ready to take the leap—and that was the spark that ignited the fire for me to jump in.”
To boot, building and maintaining a small biz is no piece of cake. Fitzpatrick attributes passion, commitment and community support to her sweet spot’s success over the shop’s 16-year tenure. “The biggest thing is, you have to be in it for the long haul,” she says. “Some years are easier than others… and there’s no handbook.”
So what makes Raleigh’s first custom cake shop so sweet? “We bake fresh every morning,” Fitzpatrick maintains. “The motto behind the product is you eat with your eyes, but it also has to taste really, really great.”
“Since we are a small-batch bakery, another special joy for us is that we are able to take requests from customers—and they bring us great ideas,” adds Arlen Mabe, the shop’s front-of-house manager. To add icing to the cake, the menu stays up-to-date with fresh dessert selects (in addition to its always available list of fan faves!).
To signify its sweet 16, the shop is debuting a special menu next month (from July 27–29), feat. fun flavors and added flair. Think: funfetti blondies, sprinkle cookies, sparkle lemonade (made with edible glitter!), and double chocolate brownies topped with giant swirls of frosting and fun sprinkles, to name but a few.
Cake connoisseurs can also keep an eye on Instagram throughout the week leading up to the big day for throwback pics and trivia Qs (winners score gift cards!)—plus, swing by the store July 27 to see a chalk mural by Peak City Chalk outside the shop and a selfie station/balloons inside.
“We are so proud to be able to tell people we’ve been open for 16 years,” says Mabe. “We sometimes feel like an unassuming storefront—but we stay true to what we do and I’m glad to see that it keeps drawing people in.” Cheers to many more years of sweetness! thecupcakeshopperaleigh.com
Sit and sip at Trig Modern’s wine/cocktail bar—coming soon.
Channel your inner Olivia Pope a la Scandal and sip a glass of vino on a nice couch at Trig Modern’s upcoming wine + cocktail bar (cheers to that!). Situated at the front of the store, the bar will serve up boujee alcoholic ops and an unparalleled experience in Raleigh.
New owner Ryan Riek is excited to implement his vision for the updated vibe of the space while maintaining the seasoned mod spot’s signature style and brand as a furniture + lighting showroom.
“We are creating a designer experience,” he says—“a hospitable space where people can bring clients or come hang out on comfy furniture with a glass of wine.” Riek plans for the store’s hours to extend a bit later to accommodate earlier evening bar hangs—not to be confused with a nightclub atmosphere—when the in-store sippin’ commences by the end of summer (*fingers crossed*).
“Our goal is to change the furniture shop experience,” adds Riek. “We want to be the hub for your nontraditional, your modern and your eclectic.” Pour it up! trigmodern.com
