Merz Aesthetics has everyone around the world talking—and Raleigh is part of the conversation.
Frankfurt, Mexico City, Singapore and Raleigh. These are the four regional hubs global medical aesthetics titan Merz Aesthetics chose to exhibit its seminal Confidence to Be initiative—with Raleigh, its global HQ, serving as the sole stateside selection.
Tapping into employee esteem—fitting for a company built on instilling confidence—the initiative uniquely merges business, art, self-acceptance and community by simultaneously celebrating confidence and creating dialogue. At a time when our cultural focus is set largely on work/life balance, mental health and employee happiness, Merz Aesthetics’ groundbreaking global campaign queried employees the world over “What gives you confidence?”—then compiled responses by region and conveyed them to select local artists to inspire four unique art pieces.
To that end, the initiative tells a unique—even unheard—story on a scale never before seen by “tapping into artists around the world to bring stories of confidence to life through a unique lens and medium,” says Merz Aesthetics CEO Bob Rhatigan. “We sought out artists in these locations who offered a unique perspective of confidence and who could create a work that would represent our employees in an authentic and inspiring way.”
“Confidence to be is fundamentally about respecting and empowering individuals. We feel more confident when we feel accepted, included and respected.”
—Wasim Rahman, Merz Aesthetics Assistant General Counsel
Here in Raleigh, that intuitive artist is Candy Carver. “We knew Candy would be able to capture the essence of our employees in North America through an exciting, colorful and textured piece of art that resonates with everyone who views it,” says Rhatigan. “Candy’s aesthetic approach aligns well with representing the welcoming and vibrant community of Raleigh.”
Utterly distinct from its three campaign counterparts, Carver’s masterpiece, “Confidence Inspired by Merz Aesthetics North America,” truly “met the challenge of translating our employees’ confidence stories into art,” says Rhatigan. Drawing from words from employees’ direct responses, Carver’s use of black and white (a nod to the company’s logo), and enriched with bright, bold colors and patterns, is at once poignant and impactful—down to the figures that comprise the foreground to reflect the four hubs around the world.
“Confidence to be is a mindset—when you feel confident about yourself, you believe you have an important and meaningful place in the world.”
—Sandra Dewberry, Merz Aesthetics Senior Manager, Head of Global Medical Operations
So at a time when #WorkLife is a trending topic and no doubt at a crossroads, Merz Aesthetics’ ambitious avant-garde initiative is rooted in its past (with the legacy of confidence built in its very DNA)—and in our future. “By highlighting some of the stories of our employees and the art that was inspired by them, we hope that others are empowered to share their own unique sources of confidence,” says Rhatigan.
And beyond the framework of these four artworks, in its constant effort to find new ways to connect with consumers, health care pros, employees and industry leaders, Merz Aesthetics has also launched a global social media conversation to engage individuals to share their own unique confidence stories using #ConfidenceToBe in hopes that conversation “will foster connection and engagement among these audiences online as well,” says Rhatigan.
The takeaway? It’s about confidence (clearly)—and connection. “I hope the Raleigh business community and community at large believe in the power of confidence as much as we do,” says Rhatigan. “Medical aesthetics treatments today are less about drastically changing one’s appearance, and more used as a tool for self-expression. … I hope our community feels empowered by this initiative to create their own vision of what confidence means to them—inside and out.”
“This is how I live my life. My life is around confidence and joy and gratitude. This just happens to align really well with who I am already.”
Well, Raleigh—we got what we wanted. Another grand—literally—lesson in being careful what you wish for. So have we made it or lost our minds? The latest and greatest from real estate juggernaut Kane Realty Corporation is towering over Midtown as Raleigh’s tallest residential tower—with soaring rent to boot. Previously dubbed The Walter, The Eastern Residences’ primo penthouse is priced at—wait for it—just under $14K per month (!). As we celebrated our top billing on No. 1 lists across the land for everything from best place to live to top tech to Black and women entrepreneurs to best place to start a biz… we also escalated to, well, top billing. Some of you may think this means we’ve made it. And it may scare the sh*t out of the rest of you. … While all this hoopla is great and we’re no doubt Raleigh proud, with that comes a price tag—especially when it’s time to house or apartment hunt.
It’s all about… Location, Location, Location
Gaining almost $7 trillion in value over the course of 2021, the U.S. housing market is now worth twice as much as it was only a decade ago (aka amid the Great Recession)—obliterating previous single-year records. But one thing that hasn’t changed? It’s still about location, location, location. Reflecting that premise in Raleigh, as people continue to relocate here in droves, in addition to sky-high prices, inventory is also down more than 24% from last year at this time—and risk-aversion is at a seemingly all-time low. Hence, people are not only paying more, but at the cost of security. Beyond throwing down offers exorbitantly above asking price and insanely high due-diligence fees to compete, says DeRonjaReal Estate Broker Ann Gray, “buyers are also waiving inspections and appraisals, creating a lot of potential risk. All this translates to potential buyers being priced out of neighborhoods they may have chosen a year ago—or not being able to compete in Raleigh at all.”
So what’s a would-be house hunter to do? We tapped a local buyer who managed to muddle through the mayhem without sacrificing their must-haves for inside tips. Their top advice: “Do not panic buy,” they told us. They also suggested preparing yourself for a two- to six-month hunt, which “will allow you to look at a greater pool of houses. By giving yourself more time, it will give you experience to know what a good house is—and what is overpriced.” While that may be a tough pill to swallow as housing costs continue to trend upward—and as everyone’s situation varies—the longer you extend your hunt, the more likely you are to find the right house. And as our triumphant buyer so aptly reminds us: “Nothing is worse than overpaying on a house you are not happy in.”
Stonehenge | Townhome | $230,000 7808 Falcon Rest Circle | 1,194 sq. ft.Lions Park | Detached | $329,900 1105 Brighton Road | 1,045 sq. ft. Village District | Townhome | $445,000 1306 Cameron View | 1,944 sq. ft.North Hills | Detached | $495,000 5406 North Hills Drive | 3,238 sq. ft. Northwest Raleigh | Townhome $534,900 3526 Barron Berkeley Way | 2,662 sq. ft.Stonehenge | Detached | $625,000 2008 Tiverton Court | 3,000 sq. ft. West Raleigh | Detached | $749,000 2904 Everett Ave. | 2,207 sq. ft. Five Points | Detached | $850,000 2010 Pine Drive | 2,400 sq. ft. Country Club Hills | Detached $1,200,000 2503 Glenwood Ave. | 2,866 sq. ft.
House Hunting Struggles
Having never hunted for a house inside Raleigh city limits before, this couple gives us their firsthand experience in their own words:
“We were only on the chase for about a month—not terribly long, all things considered. Our search began on Oct. 25—and we received an acceptance response on Nov. 23. By Dec. 30, we closed on the house. House hunting was like having a second job for a while there. It was very high-paced and dependent on what was available.
Every day was exciting and new—but challenging and painfully unpredictable. We had to be on the lookout for new listings at all times and had to be willing to sacrifice our leisure time to make it to showings before anyone could make an offer.
We made it a point to only look within our desired area. This and the size of the house were our biggest concerns. We would often draw strict lines in the sand not to step out of our location and size requirements; both were nonnegotiable in our minds. For the price, however, we were willing to move, if needed. We knew getting a good house was worth adjusting our price.
We made a total of three offers and lost out on two of them. For one of the offers, we had high optimism that we would receive an acceptance letter; however, we did not land that house. It was a bit of a shock to us, especially considering how much over the selling amount we bid—which revealed just how tough the competition is.
The circumstance that cost us the bid was not knowing how much more the other buyers were willing to go over—and not knowing how much more we needed to bid over was the hardest part. It was about on par with playing poker. You’re not sure how much the other buyers are willing to go up. While at the same time, you’re trying to not overspend and you only have one chance to one-up the other buyers—but not too much. We played out every scenario in our heads before making an offer.
For the house we ultimately closed on, our size and location preferences were adequately met, but the price was slightly higher than our original expectation (very near our max, but within reason). Our house absolutely satisfied our original wish list. There are a few minor preferences that weren’t met, but they are overshadowed by the major preferences that were fulfilled. We originally didn’t want a house with an HOA, but the one we have meets our needs. Outside of a few odds and ends, we are still very pleased with the house.”
Renting Is Not a Remedy
As the housing market continues to smolder—with no signs of slowing—so too does the rental market, as many city dwellers have been forced to rent or continue renting—creating a “lessor market,” if you will. To exemplify this trend, we spoke to a recent transplant employed by Wells Fargo (ironically in mortgage lending) who was being relocated from Virginia. For six months, he commuted between Norfolk and Raleigh in search of a place to purchase and call home. Alas, after “looking for a house for about six months, I finally gave up and went the rental route,” he says—landing at 616 at The Village in Village District.
While new Raleighites like this one scrounge to lay down roots, other current residents looking to buy are forced to continue to rent as they get repeatedly outbid or lack home purchase options at their price point. And as monthly rates soar for new and renewal leases—jumping as high as 40%—residents are facing the impossible, with many unable to afford the steep increase. (Such jumps are pretty much a unicorn—with even 20% and 30% rental increases being reportedly rare.) So… as Raleigh grapples with going rental rates, we take a look at some of the top rental properties across the city—and the shift in how people are living to get by.
Rooms for Rent?
Out of problems are born cultural shifts, innovation and invention. To wit, as the market balloons, many residents have returned to “room rentals” as an affordable option. And platforms such as Alcove have emerged, specializing in helping find the right room for rent for everyone.
“Over the past decade, there’s been a pretty dramatic change in how we live,” says Alcove CEO Colin Tai, noting a sudden rise in people seeking rooms for rent. “Today, just about 1/3 of American adults live with roommates. North Carolina is no exception, and renting with roommates has become the go-to option for many of us here.” Spurring that charge, he says, beyond rising home prices, are other cultural indicators—delayed marriages, student debt… “these are big societal changes, and we’re seeing that drive incredible demand on our platform.”
For those who live here, says Tai, it’s certainly “no secret the Triangle is in a ‘Goldilocks’ zone.” Translation? Great schools, talent and diversity of industries in spades—all for a fraction of the cost of bigger cities like New York and San Francisco. “Combined with the growth of NC’s tech industry,” he says, “these conditions have created an amazing flywheel of growth.”
But growth comes at a cost—literally. Like house price tags, rents are soaring here, which is a big concern for both tenants and businesses. “I believe it’s going to take us years to solve the shortage issue,” says Tai, “and we desperately need a faster and more sustainable solution.” To put it into perspective, Alcove received 4,000 applications for their homes last year in NC alone—a 4-times increase from the year before that.
“Our plan is to play our part and double down in this region to continue to enable more homes to be accessible to roommate groups,” says Tai.
Forecasting 2022
Grab the popcorn, Raleigh. 2022 looks to be another wild ride. As DeRonja Real Estate owner and principal broker Frank DeRonja explains, right now, as we head toward Q2 2022, “prices continue to rise across the board; inventory of homes remains at record lows; and many new-to-the-market buyers are having to adjust their expectations.” But will the market frenzy start to level at all or just continue to smolder? Industry experts are divided.
For starters, inventory is predicted to improve. Developers and builders have responded to the red-hot market by working to bring more homes online, explains DeRonja—“but this takes time.”
The impact that will have on the buying frenzy, though, remains up for debate. Says Allen Tate Realtors President Gary Scott, “While the market won’t do a complete inverse this year, we’re already seeing signs that the frenzy is starting to cool.” Scott and his team predict the number of offers—which averaged 5.1 in 2021—will normalize toward the end of 2022. With that, they also forecast a return of risk aversion—meaning the trend of buying “as is” or “sight unseen” with nary an inspection or appraisal will begin to dissipate, “signaling the entrance of a more discerning buyer,” says Scott.
But Compass Real Estate broker Cara Pierce has a different outlook. While she notes she’d like to see a cool down in due diligence fees “as many buyers are leveraging their entire down payment in their due diligence fee—and it is a terrible risk to buyers,” she also thinks “it will not be unusual to see 10 to 20 offers on some properties.” So while there’s hope the wild market will start to level out, signs right now give no indication.
Highland’s new brew promises to be good to the last drop.
Sorry, TLC, we’re def chasing this waterfall. Cult-fave NC hops heavyweight Highland Brewing Co. is dropping its newest brew this month—dubbed Lower Falls IPA, and Raleigh Mag has the exclusive deets. The newest sipper to be added to the native brewer’s year-round legendary lineup, Mother Nature flexes in this citrusy tropical session IPA inspired by—you guessed it—the waterfalls of Western NC that surround Highland’s home base.
A nod to the region’s active lifestyle, the lower 3.9% ABV “bright and easy” sixer is brewed with Centennial, Amarillo and Mosaic hops to yield its bright and fruity hop flavor. Keeping the malt simple to allow the citrus and tropical notes of this hops trio to shine through, “we employ a hopping technique called hop bursting to impart deep flavors of peach, mango, grapefruit and floral notes,” says Highland Head Brewer Shane Cummings. A fruitful fit for the behemoth brewer’s fans who wanna squeeze the day, “I love how Lower Falls fits into my active lifestyle,” says Highland President Leah Wong Ashburn. “It’s a flavorful and refreshing lower ABV beer that pairs beautifully with the activities we have at the brewery like volleyball, trails and disc golf.”
Dropping in March, look for this latest sessionable froth obsesh to flow into town this month. So we’ll be off chasing waterfalls… be back never. highlandbrewing.com
Getting your spirits from out of state? You’re likely breaking the law.
Fancy spirits you can’t find in NC delivered straight to your door? Whether it’s that ever-elusive bottle of Blanton’s or that Spicy Ranch Water you had on Broadway in Nashville—or even if you just wanted to send your out-of-state bestie a bottle of our local Conniption gin… turns out, you’d be breaking the law.
Perhaps you’ve seen the likes of websites such as Drizly, Frootbat and the like promising to have “the drinks come to you.” … Sounds simple enough? Well, things that sound too good to be true usually are.
According to the hundred-plus-page North Carolina ABC Laws spelled out in Chapter 18B of the NC General Statutes, shipping or receiving any malt beverages or liquor to residents without a valid wholesaler’s permit is illegal. (Vino lovers—don’t sweat that wine subscription though. Wine can legally be shipped from out of state to your in-state address in specified amounts.)
And before you go rolling your eyes and turning the page because you just drive a state over for those bottles and brews—well, our liquor mule friend, that makes you a criminal too above a certain quantity. Who knew?
We’re as shocked as you—which is why we thought it best to break it all down. The more you know…
WHAT CAN I DO?
It is legal to have wine shipped or delivered—both in state and out of state—in limited quantities.
A winery may ship no more than 2 cases per month to any person in NC. A case of wine constitutes 12 standard 750ml bottles—thus 24 standard bottles per month.
It is legal to transport liquor or malt beverages* over state lines by car, boat or plane in limited quantities. But a person may bring no more than 4 liters of spirituous liquor (a standard size bottle is 750ml) and 80 liters of malt beverages (aka 9 cases).
WHAT CAN’T I DO?
It is illegal to have any person or business out of state mail malt beverages or liquor to you in NC for any reason.
It is illegal to mail/ship any beer or liquor to anyone outside of NC for any reason.
The newest whiskey sensation, Smoke Wagon shows 10 states it cannot legally ship to—but despite our laws, NC is not listed as one of them.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE WEBSITES…
Self-billed as “any bottle, anywhere,” Massachusetts-based Frootbat is an online purveyor for “the world’s finest whiskey, wine and liquor, all in one place.” Likewise, Liquor Bar Delivery out of California delivers “carefully crafted and exceptional liquors.” And the web is rampant with another dozen-plus sites just like them that will drop-ship any bottle you crave tomorrow. So what happens when you live in NC where it is both illegal to have that liquor shipped to you and illegal for you to receive it? Well, turns out, best we can tell, nothing.
We put on our investigative caps and talked to Raleigh residents who are using these sites to see what red tape or rejection they’ve encountered, if any. During the month of February, two bottles of ever-elusive Blanton’s and Buffalo Trace whiskeys were purchased via two separate orders from Frootbat. Upon remit, the customer was sent immediate receipt and tracking details with a simple note that someone 21 years of age or older needed to be home to sign for the package. In essence, it was as easy as Amazon Prime—signed, sealed, delivered. The order was easy; the shipment was fast; arriving from F-Bat Inc. Irokos.
Over on Liquor Bar Delivery, the same experience unfolded upon ordering a $60 bottle of Rabbit Hole Rye, a bottle impossible to find here (and it’s worth noting it was marked at the going price in every other state—compared to exorbitant prices on the black market). With the seemingly standard hefty $25 shipping fee, the bottle was delivered as promised in the one- to five-day timeframe.
So we wondered, are these sites an anomaly? Turns out, not so much. Distillers are shipping too. Relatively new Smoke Wagon whiskey is not yet available for purchase in NC. But while bellied up to the Dram & Draught bar recently, we were told by a bargoer sipping on the latest whiskey sensation—who was oblivious to our efforts on this story—that he liked the whiskey so much that he went to their website and ordered it to his residence with no problem.
Interestingly, Las Vegas-located Smoke Wagon seems to think they are doing their due diligence, as upon “add to cart,” you see a message stating “orders cannot be fulfilled” in the following states: “Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Vermont.” Thus, deeming NC one of the states the site is “legally” shipping to. So what gives?
Well, not all websites will mail you spirits all willy-nilly. Popular website Drizly, which promises to “let the drinks come to you,” asks you to select your location, and once you select Raleigh, liquor is off the table. Malt beverages can be purchased, but are brought from a proximal location and delivered to you within 60 minutes (um, score). So, given the product is being delivered within the state, this is legit.
But… Drizly does give you the option to send liquor as a gift. And since Drizly is based in California, you are arguably buying that liquor outside of NC and shipping it to a destination outside of NC (say from California to that bestie in New York).
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ME?
If you violate these laws, you are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. What will happen to you? Well, we’re not sure.
So we asked the NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) how this is happening and how it’s being enforced—and if it’s not, why the arguably outdated law in hypertech times remains on the books. As of press time, we haven’t gotten an answer, but we’ll let you know when we hear back. In the meantime, “drink responsibly.” abc.nc.gov
Unfurling in April with food & bev as its focus, Fenton is primed to change consumer habits.
If you build it they will come? If we were the betting kind, our money’s on yes—and we’re going all in. The first major retail center to be built from the ground up in Wake County in the last 20 years, behemoth Fenton—all 92 acres of it—is changing the game and redefining the way we plan and use mixed-use concepts—think retail, restaurant, residential.
Instead of setting its initial focus on a Goliath corporate anchor or tech HQ to bring the workers, or sexy retail brand to bring the shoppers, or hip hotelier to lure the visitors with a luxe place to rest their heads, the team behind the monumental Fenton development leaned into and doubled down on food and bev as the anchor tenants—specifically a local and regional mix of the biggest players to establish the brand, says codeveloper Paul Zarian, managing director at global real estate firm Hines—and, ultimately, bring the patrons and more big-name participants.
Perhaps it doesn’t seem as revolutionary as it is at first thought. After all, when you think of modern mixed-use developments, your mind no doubt goes to North Hills, which arguably first put Raleigh on the map as the urban player it is today, razing the outdated big-box mall while earning Midtown its moniker with a nod to bigger players like Atlanta and New York. And, clearly, North Hills serves up a slew of highly esteemed crowd-pleasing sip and sup spots—from Level7’s rooftop and Capital Grille to Vita Vite, Coquette and Rosewater, etc. But when Kane Realty Corporation first repurposed the then-revolutionary North Hills in 2001, it was conceptualized around a “Main Street” with primo walkability and driven by a successful mix of local and national brands. North Hills didn’t deem food and bev as its lynchpin. In essence, we hadn’t yet come to the realization as a culture that, as Zarian notes, restaurants and bars excite people most.
Likewise popular and walkable Village District—nee 1949 as Cameron Village shopping center—has no doubt seen many iterations from its hip nightlife underground days to those famed blue awnings to what we know today. Its very promenade layout gave it the breathing room it needed to lean into cultural shifts—swapping stores in and out as trends and times changed, updating edifices, and having the real estate to encircle it with proximal high-rise residences boasting luxe amenities.
And while our last big-box mall Crabtree (which just went on the market—and is viewed as a hot commodity) has so far won its heavyweight fight to remain relevant by bringing in big players like Brio and Uncle Julio’s, other malls across the country have been relegated to obsolescence–even memed and compared to other “obsolete” social media platforms: “Facebook is like the mall: It was a cool place to hang out when we were teenagers, but now it’s a decaying monument to the past; I return there sporadically to shop and see elderly people get in fights.”
While Crabtree lives on to champion itself as one of America’s top malls in rapidly changing times, Fenton enters the market as our city’s first foray into the future of mixed-use. And they’re betting we’re hungry for it.
