Through the grant, DRA hopes to not only incentivize and attract new retail, restaurant and service businesses, but support pop-ups, and minority- and women-owned businesses; and encourage a good economic flow in DTR.
“We greatly admire the tenacity and creativity storefront business owners bring to Downtown,” says DRA VP of Economic Development Will Gaskins. “Their contribution brings tremendous value to our community, and we are thrilled to support them.”
In addition to that $32,500 grant, DRA has also awarded $60,000 in the last fiscal year to nine downtown storefront businesses in alignment with its mission to advance the vibrancy of Downtown Raleigh, as, after all, it takes a lot of cash to run a business. So, local businesses get a leg up, and we get another excuse to shop local!
“I have boot-strapped nearly everything about my business,” says Copperline owner Anna Grace FitzGerald. “Receiving the DRA Upfit Grant relieves some of the financial burden of starting the brick-and-mortar aspect of Copperline Plant Company and it affirms that my work is meaningful within Downtown Raleigh.”
The deadline to apply for DRA’s next round of funding through the Storefront Upfit Grant is Nov. 1—and a total of $57,500 in funding remains for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Now how’s that for some #LocalLove?!
New app ReUp is dedicated to creating a fully inclusive way to online shop from small businesses.
“Add to cart” is no doubt de rigueur. But it’s not without its pitfalls—no reviews or photos, less than credible sellers, glitchy websites and even super-delayed shipping. If only there was a way to find a plethora of reviewed products with photos, videos and descriptions…
Knepley got the idea for ReUp after frequenting Downtown retail and pop-ups to then discover finding those products outside of the occasional markets… well, the struggle was real. “Going to pop-ups in Downtown Raleigh, I became friends with vendors and saw their products, but could only buy them at pop-up events,” says Knepley. “I figured there had to be a better way for these vendors to sell, so I thought of ReUp.”
Knepley’s goal with the innovative retail app is to create a shopping experience that is entirely inclusive and offers a large variety of products while curating your feed to what you want to see and shop. “I made sure that ReUp is all-inclusive—it represents businesses owned by LGBTQ+ members, women and minorities,” she says. “There’s also over 14 different categories of products, so there’s something out there for everyone.”
The market pioneer also hopes to give small businesses an opp to gain a following and sell products outside of physical boundaries by implementing “frictionless shopping”—meaning that purchasing a product is just one click away (!).
“Every vendor can go live, and their followers can interact with them in real time and get a gauge on their products,” says Knepley. “The idea of going to the store is fading away, so ReUp allows you to interact when you can’t physically go to a store.” Translation? Retail therapy just got a whole lot easier. joinreup.com
Spend more time with your bach babes and less time planning via this new Raleigh-based bachelorette planning company, Oak City Bash.
Bach, please. Every bride wants their last fling before the ring to be magical, but the planning can be a real timesuck (where to eat, what to do, where to stay…). Read: It can be tough to narrow down the top spots to take your crew.
That’s where recently launched Raleigh-based bachelorette planning company Oak City Bash comes in. Owner Audrey Gould founded the company upon realizing she enjoyed the bachelorette-planning process while planning her sister’s soiree in Raleigh this past summer.
Once the City of Oaks established its Fayetteville Street Social District, Gould’s initial thought was that “Raleigh now has an excellent opportunity to draw tourists from across the state and across state borders,” adding: “The Social District combined with Raleigh’s tremendous growth sets our city up to become a destination for foodies, art enthusiasts, beer lovers and bachelorette parties alike.”
While bachelorette-planning companies exist in popular bach party destinations like Nashville, Austin and Charleston (NTM cities with their own loose open container laws like Savannah and New Orleans), Oak City Bash is the first of its kind in Raleigh. “It is my belief that if Oak City Bash succeeds, then Raleigh wins,” says Gould. “Attracting weekend visitors to Raleigh benefits so many.”
And Gould’s done her research to make sure that both the bach babes and the Raleigh businesses succeed from her planning. OCB offers itinerary-planning assistance and a 20-page digital planning guide for bachelorette fun, including recs for Airbnbs/hotels, restaurants, activities and more. The company can also help with room decorating, personalized welcome bags and even stocking the fridge (Champs required, obvs).
Gould tries to support Raleigh businesses as often as possible, scheduling local activities, restaurant reservations, services, etc.—even ordering from a local bachelorette decoration company (!). Her long-term goal is to facilitate these partnerships even further to be able to offer small but unique experiences like a free glass of bubbles for the bride. Leave it up to Oak City Bash to squash all your (Champagne) problems. oakcitybash.com
Swipe right on this new real estate software, HomeLifeIQ that helps match you with the perfect home.
Gorgeous home? Check. Big yard? Natch. Pet-friendly? You betcha. And a pool? Swipe right for sure. While many local potential homebuyers have all but lost hope of finding their dream home, enter this new free (!) smart real estate software. HomeLifeIQ matches your individual lifestyle with the most optimal homes on the market—while also serving up a comparison to your current home or any home you may be considering against your lifestyle and must-haves or wants.
Like Tinder for homeowners and buyers, HomeLifeIQ (via the Referral Realty app) prompts you with questions regarding home prefs—from location and price range to interior and model type, allowing you to find, well, your perfect match.
“What this technology means is we are transforming what the client has for decision-making,” says HomeLifeIQ CEO and Referral Realty broker Kathleen Warnaar. “For example, if you have a dog and there are two workplace commuters in the family, my software ranks homes that are roughly equidistant from the two workplaces and have dog-friendly attributes such as a low/slow traffic road, nearby parks, dog parks, veterinary services and a fenced-in yard.”
As a matter of fact, the software considers 11 criteria just for dogs—plus 27 criteria for outdoor living. “So if a client’s dog is important, we prioritize that,” adds Warnaar.
Warnaar says she’s been working on the app for two years “to ensure that the needs of the actual clients are at the forefront of the software and the Realtor’s mind.” A former IT executive with the USPS, she applied her experience in IT toward HomeLifeIQ after watching her daughter and son-in-law search for a home that best suited their lifestyles.
And she touts Referral Realty for its dedication to transparency and compassionate care—“because you’re putting everything into your search, it’s completely transparent to you,” says Warnaar. “You weren’t wondering if I missed the house, or if I didn’t understand what was most important to you.”
Adds Emma Greijn, a broker with Referral Realty: “This is a big purchase. … You’re buying a house. So it is really important for us to work for you, and help you find your perfect home.” Like Hinge’s MO, it’s the app that’s designed to be deleted—and we’re here for it. homelifeiq.com
Score points with your tailgating crew with tips from Sam Jones BBQ co-owner and operator Michael Letchworth.
Football season is in full swing, and you know what that means… tailgates! While all you really need for a good old-fashioned tailgate is friends, food and drinks, Sam Jones BBQ co-owner and operator Michael Letchworth has some tips to take your football pre-game party next-level.
The Menu
The No. 1 thing you’ll need to keep your crew on the offense (aka keep everyone satiated during a morning drinking sesh…) is good food. And while Bojangle’s and Chick-fil-A are solid ops, nothing beats a homemade dish.
If you’ve ever hosted a tailgate party, you know you’ll need something equal in quantity & quality departments. Letchworth’s go-to to meet both criteria? A low-country boil. “People love it; it’s easy to prep ahead of time; and it’s super-easy to clean up,” he says.
The tailgating guru is also a huge fan of anything with cheese (who isn’t?!), especially his signature mac ’n cheese fritters (see recipe below!), which he maintains make a great appetizer or side—and we have to agree because fried mac ’n cheese = heaven.
Prep
With all great food comes great responsibility, so accommodating plenty of prep time is crucial—esp for those noon games!
“I would plan for an hour or so for shopping, another hour for prep and an hour for loading up,” says Letchworth. “Set up will depend on how much you plan to do but will usually take around 20 minutes.”
Planning Ahead
And preparing more food/drinks than you anticipate people will be beneficial in the long run. … As we all have that one friend who drops in at the last-minute—NTM leftovers! “I try to treat everyone as family; what’s mine is theirs,” says Letchworth.
With all that said, don’t forget to take time to sit back, relax and enjoy a cold one with your buds. “I enjoy tailgating as a reunion with people I have met over the years from the tailgate, but mostly as a reunion with old friends from college,” says Letchworth. “There’s a feeling of going back in time, and you get to relive that experience.” IYKYK—and there’s truly no better feeling in the world.
Mac ’N Cheese Fritters
Ingredients
Leftover mac ’n cheese that has been cooled overnight Buttermilk Housemade chicken breader (any breader will work)
Directions
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out balls of the mac ’n cheese.
Toss in buttermilk
Toss in breader
Fry at 350 degrees for three minutes or until golden brown
