Chick-fil-A who? Last week, award-winning Raleigh chef Ashley Christensen announced she’ll be opening a fast-casual chicken sandwich restaurant chain in the Triangle. The chain will look pretty different to Christensen’s other restaurants—Poole’s Diner, Beasley’s Chicken + Honey and Chuck’s—and the presently nameless chain will move away from the downtown Raleigh area and into places like Durham’s University Hill Shopping Center and Cary’s Parkside Town Commons.
Christensen partnered with friend Michael Olander Jr. and his investment company, MDO Holdings, on the new venture. Together, they plan to shake up the food service industry by promoting fairness, equality and kindness in their restaurants and for their customers and staff.
With this in mind, the duo hopes to bring Christensen’s mouth-watering dishes to a larger community. The menu will feature five chicken sandwiches along with sides, salads, milkshakes and fried pies. And, not-so-common to fast food places, the chain will also serve beer and wine.
This new AC venture presents Southern cooking with a simple platform: there’s no extravagant theme or ideal customer but all food lovers will feel welcomed to gather for a great meal and good conversation. Look for a name, a full menu and other updates in the coming months.
Newcomer Abby Anderson plays Red Hat
Amphitheatre this week.
Most 22-year-olds are fresh out of college and just beginning their careers, but most 22-year-olds aren’t Abby Anderson. Anderson moved from Texas to Nashville at 17 to pursue her county music career, and she signed a contract with Black River Entertainment two years ago. Since then, Country Music Television (CMT) named her a “next woman of country” and she’s spent the last few months touring with alternative rock and pop artist, Rob Thomas. She opens for Thomas this Thursday, July 11th, at 7 p.m. at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheatre.
How has your
upbringing influenced you as an artist?
I come from a big
family. There’s seven kids in my family and I am the second oldest. As far as
being in the music business, I’m really lucky to have learned how to work with
all kinds of people from a young age. You learn how to listen to people and how
to speak up for yourself. And that’s something I look back on now and I’m so
thankful for.
Which artists
inspire you?
Tina Turner is
right up there next to Dolly Parton. I say those two because Tina Turner went
and did her own solo career late in her life. She was in her mid-40s when she
was finally Tina. That just shows
it’s never too late to do what you love and to be at the top of the world doing
it. For Dolly, she also had a slow start, but she kept going and became the Dolly we know and love today.
What was it like to
move to Nashville alone at 17?
It wasn’t as hard as you think it’d be. I think I was naively optimistic about what I was going to accomplish at a young age and my parents were the kind of people that taught us to go for it.
Abby Anderson playing a show
In an interview
with Glenn Beck you said it felt like “God was moving your hands” when you were
writing music. Have you ever had a
similar experience where it felt like writing music was your purpose?
Every day! When I
feel close to God and when I feel centered, that’s when I write the best music.
When I start wandering from that, it’s hard to write music, I don’t play great
shows, and it’s hard to connect with people.
How do you center
yourself?
Honestly, I’m still learning how to do it. Every day is different but a big part of it is making sure I wake up early and have time to pray, read, quiet my mind and be still before the hustle and bustle of the day. It’s tough being on the road; it takes discipline. Sure, I want to sleep in until 10 o’clock but I know I won’t be the best version of myself if I do.
Abby Anderson in photoshoot for hit song “Make Him Wait”
What has been the
best part of your tour with Rob Thomas?
Every night he
watches our set from side stage. And when I go to put on my pack and my in-ear
monitors, I get a 15 to 20 minute mentoring session with him. I ask him
questions and for advice, and the mistakes he made that I can learn from. He’s
very free with the wisdom that he shares.
What is your
advice to young, aspiring artists?
Ask questions!
Ask questions to people in the business who are doing what you want to be
doing.
What has been the
most rewarding part of becoming a country artist?
It is the most
humbling thing to be in front of a crowd knowing that you are getting their
time for a 35 minute set. And for those 35 minutes, you get to entertain them
and spread as much joy as possible.
For a full list
of summer concerts, pick up a copy of the latest issue of Raleigh Magazine.
When Raleigh resident Abby Hilyer graduated from East Carolina University in 2017, she never thought she’d be making candles for a living. Hilyer’s brand, World Wicks, features candles layered with three different scents, so when one is burned up, the next is exposed—three candles in one!
Hilyer’s brand revolves around the idea of home, and what “home” might mean to different people. Specifically, the candles she makes are inspired by different states and universities, and the different scents of each candle reflect the unique traditions of each place. No matter where you are, a little piece of that place is with you when the candle is burning.
Hilyer sets up shop in the downstairs studio of her Raleigh home. From melting wax to mixing in the scents and dye, she does it all herself. It’s a long process waiting for each layer to dry, but the care she puts into creating one candle after another means each is thoughtfully crafted.
Hilyer says her business initially was inspired by the three regions of North Carolina. She created a candle with the scents Outer Banks breeze, Carolina wine country, and Blue Ridge campfire intended to encompass all ends of the state. From there, she expanded into university candles where she crafts the scent combination based on sports cheers, school history, annual festivals and other local culture. “I try to focus on the student and fan experience,” Hilyer explains. “That way when people see it, it’s not just another branded product, but it’s catered to the school.”
World Wicks also features candles based on Gilmore Girls characters and seasons like the American Summer, which smells of hot apple pie, toasted marshmallows, and fresh picked blueberries.
Hilyer says her favorite part is meeting people at markets who say they have her candles and love them. “Everything’s online now so it’s cool to be able to talk to them and watch how excited they get when they see my candles.”
Everyone loves ordering something online and having it show up at their front door. The convenience of shopping without driving anywhere makes these on-demand services so appealing. Packages, flowers, pizza; the possibilities are endless. So what about a yoga instructor?
Co-founders Wes Lippman and Adam Spisak launched their Triangle-based yoga brand, Fytte, in January. Fytte allows customers to choose the location of their yoga session, whether at the workplace, a public park or in their own home. “Many people aren’t comfortable in a traditional studio environment,” Spisak says. The idea is to find a time and place that works for the client without sacrificing the expertise of high-quality instructors.
Lippman and Spisak have called Raleigh home for a combined 14 years, so there was no question for them that the area would be the perfect place to launch their business. “It’s no surprise that our region is consistently recognized as a top location to live, work and play,” Spisak says. Fytte’s refreshing approach to exercise has given Triangle residents another reason to appreciate what it has offer.
Booking a session works a lot like online shopping. After choosing between a group or individual session, customers fill in their information and pay. Most importantly, a question-and-answer section pairs yogis with an instructor, sort of like a match.com for yoga practitioners.
“The matching equation works on both sides,” Lippman explains. By not displaying instructor profiles online, the match focuses on the yoga need and instruction rather than matching based on how the instructor looks. This allows both the customer and instructor to get the most out of an individual session.
Yoga lovers all over the Triangle have been using the service, but Fytte isn’t just for consistent yoga practitioners. In fact, a large portion of its customers are relatively new to their yoga journeys. Fytte is also available for after school programs and other youth groups. These sessions are tailored to kids and teach them how to stay active in a fun group setting.
One of Fytte’s pillars is how face-to-face communication strengthens a workout experience. Online streaming services can fill a similar niche but Fytte’s co-founders believe there’s nothing that can take the place of human interaction. “Something as simple as ‘square your hips’ can prevent injury and contribute to the true practitioner learning experience,” Spisak explains. “And that’s something you won’t get from a streaming service.”
Because the service invites an instructor into a client’s home, safety is of utmost importance to the co-founders. Before they’re hired, all instructors go through national and state criminal background checks and participate in multiple face-to-face interviews. Instructors conduct pre-session phone calls with clients to familiarize the parties with one another and instructor/client feedback is closely monitored. If a customer is still apprehensive, they can always choose to meet in a public place.
Lippman and Spisak say they appreciate the benefits yoga has for them and, in the process of creating their business, they’ve noticed diversity in what fitness and wellness has come to look like. Exercise is no longer just going to the gym or for a solitary run; instead, it’s using technology to pair convenience with expertise and accessibility.
For more information or to book a session, visit fytte.io
You know the deal: you’ve gone through all your clothes, kids’ toys and furniture and you’re left with bags and bags of stuff you no longer want. You could just throw it all away but the better option, of course, is to donate it. Despite the recent closing of the Goodwill on Hargett Street, there are still plenty of other local donation centers that would be happy to take your unwanted stuff.
InterAct – provides services to domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors
Items accepted at Pass It On Thrift Store
1012 Oberlin Road
Accepts women’s and children’s clothes, toiletries and household items
