Local Icon’s shipping container concept at Peace & Glenwood is on.
Remember “The Yard” we first told you about last spring cropping up at the corner of Peace and Glenwood in the old Peace Street Inspection Center? We do—and it’s still happening. Now dubbed Embargo—a play on bar/shipping container, get it?—the buzzy concept will break ground in July and deliver (had to) late summer/early fall, transforming the abandoned repair shop and otherwise dead space atop Glenwood South into a dynamic social hub.
Adding another calf to the cash cow that is the thriving district—which doles a $1.2 billion annual impact—the converted OG go-to auto inspection station will expand the district footprint by extending its northern gateway across Peace Street.
From service station to, well, service, Local Icon Hospitality founder/owner Jon Seelbinder and team (think The Merchant, Virgil’s, Little City, to name a few) are upfitting the original building into a hip hangout to max out the space with a unique boundary-pushing concept while maintaining the legacy of that popular Raleigh pocket. Think: unique one-story F&B concepts over towers, a vision shared by local Icon and property owners CityPlat and Modalia Capital, who aim to create synergy with the current area.
Leaning into the surging popularity of shipping container bars (e.g. Boxyard RTP), the main building’s bar and small kitchen will be surrounded by ~20 shipping containers (some multistories) filled with bars and unique food concepts spread among a fire pit- and game-dotted outdoor space, and playing host to rotating food trucks. And it’s gonna be a total vibe.
With a longstanding MO of maintaining the essence of Raleigh while simultaneously pushing the envelope, Local Icon is primed to perfectly play out this avant-garde vision by thinking outside the box (and literally inside the box, in this case.). While the details are still being flushed out, Seelbinder and his team are flirting with three or four casual food concepts—tossing around ops from resurrecting their former famed Linus & Peppers sandwiches to a “really slick burger program,” he says.
“Let’s make it vibe with Raleigh, but also make it unique in our way,” says Seelbinder. “Let’s make it elevated, but approachable. Let’s not go so over-the-top that it doesn’t resonate with our drinking community—but let’s do something really cool” to visually activate one of the most heavily trafficked intersections in DTR.
Ultimately, “this is not just another Glenwood South bar. … More than anything, it’ll be a cool outdoor drinking and hangout space,” says Seelbinder. “And I’m just really excited to bring it to Glenwood Avenue.” Retweet.
Industrious coworking space to leave Wells Fargo building in DTR—Highwoods taking over with its own brand, The Commons.
Highwoods Properties can now add coworking alternative The Commons 150 Fayetteville to its Raleigh roster. In a super-strategic move, sources tell us Highwoods Properties has reached an agreement with Industrious to directly lease and operate the 27,000-square-foot coworking offices on the third floor of its 150 Fayetteville St. tower (aka Wells Fargo Capitol Center).
According to a current coworking tenant, “everything will remain the same, just new branding—so, same luxury coworking and great snacks”—NTM adaptable spaces via dedicated desks, private offices, shared common areas, conference rooms and thoughtful amenities Industrious has been known for. And bonus for Highwoods tenants, “as they build out all their buildings, if things aren’t quite ready for tenants, they can use The Commons,” he adds.
Photo courtesy of Industrious Raleigh
Highwoods purchased 150 Fayetteville in 2021 and has been making noticeable improvements to both the interior and exterior of the building along the 100 block of Fayetteville Street (including the Alexander Square parking deck) since its acquisition.
The Commons 150 Fayetteville bulks up Highwoods’ rich Raleigh portfolio of Class A office offerings, which will now include a full array of office and mixed-use options for businesses and entrepreneurs—from the flexibility of coworking offices and spec suites to the long-term stability of highly amenitized professional offices across its 45+ Triangle-wide buildings.
If you’re lookin’ for QT with your four-legged bestie (who isn’t), Raleigh’s got no shortage of places to ruff it. Want to pamper your pooch? This trifecta of dog bars, bakeries and dog parks is sure to get a round of a-paws.
Hause of Dogs Ready to let the dogs out? Put two paws up for a pet boutique, barkery and birthday paw-ty space—this Smoky Hollow pup oasis is essential paradise for four-legged friends and their companions. And the spot has plans to partner with neighboring businesses for community events such as Doga—aka yoga with shelter dogs roaming between the mats (did all the dog people just let out a collective squeal?!). Smoky Hollow, @hauseofdogsraleigh
If lil Lucy can hold her licker (had to), trot down the street where happy hour = happy hound at West Street Dog—aka an indoor dog bar (!) with a bonus off-leash dog park… so a pup pourhouse, if you will. For the extra playful pups, doggy day care and evening/weekend social hours serve up extra ops for them to join the pack. Smoky Hollow, @weststdog
Dogs “wuv” Dix—esp. romping around unleashed in its size-specific play spaces. And pet parents dig not having to sweat their Pomeranian getting stepped on by a Saint Bernard. Sun’s out, paws out! DTR, dixpark.org
Cheers to 40 years! It’s been four decades since theIndysplashed on the scene in the Triangle—tapping into an unheralded platform and corralling a cadre of loyal readers over that span. Forty years after launching its first issue with a cover story on toxic waste in NC, its anniversary issue dropped May 3, paying tribute to the ways in which the progressive publication has supported the local community over the last 40 years. … “As a strong independent progressive voice, we act as a watchdog for the community,” says Publisher John Hurld. “We cover local politics, arts, music and culture like no one else. With the continued consolidation and closing of newsrooms around the country, it is vital a community has a strong voice for the underrepresented.” Meeting that challenge of accessibility, Hurld continues: “The INDY believes in providing free coverage to citizens, allowing them to inform and educate themselves on the issues that affect where they live, work and play. An informed populace is vital to a successful democracy. The INDY does and will do that for the next 40 years.” Long live print!
Words you thought you’d never read: Bangs are back. The ’70s curtain bangs a la Goldie Hawn and Farrah Fawcett are back as a flattering French bangs refresh (ooh la la!) being rocked by the likes of Jenna Ortega and Olivia Wilde.
Shorter in the center with longer side pieces, and oft parted like a curtain (hence the name) down the middle or swept to one side to frame the face, the style serves as an easy fash refresh—rising from regretful post-breakup fashion faux-pas to chic style.
“I love this trend because it’s flattering for a lot of hair types/lengths,” says local Loxxe on Jones salon founder/stylist Natalie Philcox. But, if you’re on the ledge (had to) about the style for summer, “fall is a better season for bangs,” she suggests, “because of the cooler temps and no humidity—making it easier to keep your style intact.” Any natural bend in your hair mixed with humidity, she adds, can mean a hot mess.
But, hey, fashion over function, right? NTM those French bangs chic up that summer updo. So whether you sport the effortless ’do for summer or file the fad away for fall, either way, bangs are officially, well, bangin’.
