The relationship between a tenant and their commercial property management company can be complex in the best of times, but mix in a historic pandemic and enter a whole new level of complexity.
COVID-19 has undeniably pushed businesses to the brink—rendering them in desperate need of rent relief (not to mention copious amounts of hand sanitizer and masks). For local major shopping centers North Hills, Village District (formerly Cameron Village) and Crabtree Valley Mall, each property management company has approached rent relief and lease renewals on an individual basis. For some, the relationships deepened; for others, it was severed.
North Hills At Quail Ridge Books in North Hills, there were a few details from the onset of the pandemic that became game-changers. Amazon stopped shipping nonessential items, and Quail Ridge offered free shipping for its books and curbside pickup—garnering a whopping 3,000% surge in online sales. Additionally, its property management company, Kane Realty Corporation, stepped in and was flexible with its rent terms, offering a cushion of support while Quail Ridge waited for its PPP loan to come through. Quail Ridge Books manager Jason Jefferies credits this flexibility as crucial for the bookstore’s survival, as it allowed them to prioritize safety over commerce, giving them the ability to successfully navigate the past year-plus.
Stacey Buescher, director of operations for Kane Realty, found herself unexpectedly thrust into this new world as well. “It was a hope and a prayer,” she says about the early days of the pandemic. As a working mom of two, Buescher juggled everyone’s needs in a delicate balancing act that, in the beginning, looked more like triage. When the CDC released its COVID-safe recommendations, Kane Realty went to work to implement them. Hand-sanitizing stations went up; signage was ordered; air filters were upgraded; and foot-pulls were installed on the bathroom doors. Sinks that weren’t already touchless were replaced with touch-free ones, and—once the chill set in—outdoor heaters were sourced. The parking lot was also renumbered to ease customer curbside and pickup orders.
For Buescher, it was crucial to make sure people would still be able to shop at North Hills in a safe way to enable retailer survival. “At Christmas, I told my tenants, if y’all want me to dress as an elf and stand in front of your store, I will do it,” says Buescher. Now, over a year out from the start of the health crisis, it looks like life—and a sense of normalcy—is returning to North Hills.
Crabtree Valley Mall At Crabtree Valley Mall, Marketing and Business Development Director Melissa Timney says the five-year projected decrease in retail played out in rapid speed over a mere six months, resulting in a need for multichannel sales approaches (e.g. digital, social media, by phone, in-person) for national and small business tenants alike.
Timney and her team worked closely with stores at the mall to offer more contactless ways for customers to shop and expanded e-commerce options, including curbside pickup. Now, Timney says, they’re seeing stores invest in digital initiatives and place a bigger focus on personalization with sales and in-store specials, including VIP experiences during less busy times of the day. And to expedite the safe return of in-person shopping, Crabtree adjusted floor plans to make it easier for guests to maintain a safe social distance.
“Overall, we’ve seen stores at Crabtree meet customers where they are comfortable, with the understanding that this pandemic will pass,” says Timney. “With vaccines becoming more widely available, we are already seeing the positive effects at Crabtree, and that’s a good sign.” “It’s been an important reminder to—even during difficult global times—stay in a creative mindset, be nimble, and keep it fun to find joy in every day,” she adds. “It’s how we move forward.” And it’s safe to say that we’re all ready to move forward now.
Cameron Village For Village District, owned and operated by Regency Centers, the year has no doubt been a tumultuous one, dealing not only with pandemic-related closures, but also a historic name change.
While most tenants don’t want to talk about the specifics of their relief, (understandable given they are constantly in negotiations with their commercial property management companies and dependent on them for their spaces), with rent relief being negotiated on an individual level, it is difficult to pinpoint where talks fall through.
For Cheshire Cat Antique Gallery in Village District, the first month of the pandemic was difficult, to say the least. “I hate to say it,” says June Hastings, dealer and manager of the art gallery, “but we were pretty much left on our own with this. After we asked, Village District allowed us a month’s stay on rent, but, while we were hoping they would forgive the month, we had to pay it back in increments.” For their part, Cheshire Cat shifted to selling its wares online and forgave a month’s rent for all 100-plus vendors.
Village District’s Crunch Fitness is proud they were able to keep its management staff paid throughout the pandemic; however, being closed for seven months impacted them severely. “At the time, we were hoping that it would just be a month. … It turned into months upon months,” reflects Crunch Fitness manager Emily Muirbrook. “For us, we did not receive any support as far as our lease.”
Seeing the writing on the wall, mainstay K&W Cafeteria closed down its super-popular Village District location, recognizing that, for its core customer base, dining out would not look the same for a long time. “We had a long and productive relationship with Regency,” K&W’s Dax Allred shares, noting that, at the time, it was early enough in the pandemic that they hadn’t had conversations with Regency Centers about rent relief.
On the other end of the spectrum, decadelong tenant Cantina 18 was able to find a way to partner with Regency Centers to help its business survive, expanding its outdoor space and awning, and installing permanent heating fixtures. This is not to say Cantina’s year wasn’t full of struggle. “I worked in New York City when 9/11 hit and parlayed that experience,” says owner Jason Smith. When restrictions were implemented last March, “we closed for only one day,” adds Smith, “then reopened for curbside,” but staff had to be reduced down to 20 to 25% percent.
While the full effect is yet to be seen, some pandemic trends will stay with us. “Many trends for 2021 are going to be a direct result of how businesses had to stay operational during the pandemic,” says Eric Davidson, senior manager of communications at Regency Centers. “Digital efforts are going to still be extremely important to reaching a customer, as is prioritizing health and safety. We’ve actually seen a lot of continued momentum for merchants and physical retail space.”
Ultimately, the pandemic has been a learning experience for everyone… all of us forced to blindly navigate through the federal and local governments’ guidelines—though perhaps no one understands what it has meant to pivot and scrap to survive more than small business owners, forced to find ways to operate, pay their staff, and dealwith rent and leasing issues while their storefronts were closed. Let’s just hope that we all learned a thing or two and—in the horrific event that something like this happens again—we’ll be more prepared.
Charlotte has no shortage of fresh air pursuits that will provide a break from your own backyard this spring. Whether your thrill comes from conquering mountains, navigating whitewater rapids or trekking through nature-filled trails, the Queen City invites you to experience every kind of offering under the sun.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
In less than a three-hour road trip, you can take on endless activities like paddle boarding or rock climbing at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, a premier outdoor recreation center; immerse yourself in the excitement, passion and history of NASCAR through interactive experiences at the NASCAR Hall of Fame; or practice your swing in climate-controlled bays at Topgolf, a premier entertainment and event venue.
NASCAR Hall of Fame
Charlotte’s parks, greenways and urban trails offer wide open natural spaces to enjoy with the company of a friend. With more than 21,000 acres of green space, over 200 parks and 50 miles of greenways, there are ample outdoor adventures to choose from. Find a trail that piques your interest and get moving on one of six curated routes on the Charlotte Trail Guide or walk along a paved path around Freedom Park’s 7-acre lake in the historic Dilworth neighborhood.
For the innovators and creatives, make your way to Camp North End to check out Dupp & Swat, a studio that provides a platform for artists and a local shop for the community, and BLK MRKT CLT, a studio and gallery focusing on developing emerging artists. Both workshops feature and sell pieces from local Black artists and often host events. Next, grab a bite from Leah & Louise, a Southern juke joint-inspired restaurant owned by James Beard-nominated chef Greg Collier. The restaurant was recently named the No. 2 “Best New Restaurant in the Country” by Esquire magazine. Walk off your meal and wrap up your day by mural hopping around this open-air artistic hub.
Charlotte takes pride in its craft beer scene, especially since it’s one of the top craft beer cities in the Southeast. The Queen City is home to Salud Beer Shop, which took the title for “Best Beer Bar” in the country; Edge City, a spacious and dog-friendly atmosphere with traditional and experimental beers; and Town Brewing Company, the first brewery in the Wesley Heights neighborhood serving small batch, sour and malty brews. Need we say more?
Salud Cerveceria and Town Brewing
Each of these attractions help set the Charlotte apart from the rest. Treat yourself to a stay in the heart of the city at boutique establishments like the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charlotte, The Ivey’s Hotel or Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel for the ultimate getaway.
No matter your socially-distanced activity, you’ll soon discover why the Queen City is what’s now and what’s next. charlottesgotalot.com
With luxury resort spas, world-class golf courses and miles of beautiful beaches, Kiawah Island is the dream getaway.
You don’t have to book a thousand-dollar-plus inclusive vacay to some tropical paradise to find untouched beaches, abundant wildlife, world-class golf courses, luxury spas and sparkling pools. In fact, you can find all that just a short four-and-a-half-hours southeast—on Kiawah Island.
Right off the coast of South Carolina, Kiawah Island is well-known for its award-winning golf resort, peaceful natural environment, family-friendly restaurants and, of course, its 10 miles of breathtaking beaches.
Explore local wildlife while kayaking or biking beautiful nature trails by day—or choose to take it easy and relax and unwind at a soothing spa. By night, sip cocktails by a saltwater pool or out on a restaurant’s patio overlooking the ocean. No matter which adventure you choose, Kiawah guarantees a refreshing vacation that’ll leave you coming back for more.
DO
The Ocean Course
The Ocean Course Kiawah is known for its golf courses, natch, but The Ocean Course is the most famous—and for good reason. We’re talking one of the best courses in the world, spanning nearly 3 miles of coast, and specifically designed so you can enjoy the views at every hole. But bring your A game—The Ocean Course requires great skill due to the Atlantic Ocean’s unpredictable breezes. kiawahresort.com
The Medical Spa at Kiawah Soothing oasis found. A vacation unto itself, the spa welcomes you to “max your relax” with a massage (or a couple’s massage if you’re feeling romantic), customized facial, LED light therapy and more. medspakiawah.com
Biking Nature Trails Explore the island and its lush maritime forests and sprawling beaches with over 30 miles of biking trails. And, along the way, don’t be surprised to find deer, bobcats, river otters, sea turtles and the like. Don’t have a bike? Rent one from Kiawah Island Golf Resort or SeaCoast Sports in Freshfields Village. kiawahresort.com
EAT
Jasmine Porch
Jasmine Porch Elevated low-country faves with the perfect ocean view satisfy for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don’t miss the bangin’ shrimp and grits—and clear your schedule for a Sunday brunch featuring delectable caramel apple French toast, pancakes, eggs Benedict and more. The Sanctuary hotel, kiawahresort.com
La Tela Pizzeria Family-owned and -operated, this pizzeria serves up wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and housemade pasta—all made using the best local and imported ingredients—to enjoy in its lively, rustic indoor setting or alfresco on the patio against the balmy ocean breeze. latelapizzeria.com
The Players’ Pub Sate your midday cravings after a successful round of golf or unwind after a fun day in the sun with some classic American cuisine. Think wings, burgers, beers, seafood—you name it, they’ve got it! kiawahresort.com
DRINK
48 Wine Bar
48 Wine Bar Pinkies up! With 48 featured vinos on offer daily, this wine bar is a must-stop. Via interactive wine stations, you can get a taste, a half glass or a full glass with your own WineStation SmartCard. fortyeightwinebar.com
The Ryder Cup Bar Some golf bars get written off as overpriced or overhyped—but not The Ryder Cup Bar. It’s worth the hype for its spectacular views alone, overlooking The Ocean Course and miles of beach. Request a seat on the veranda—the seascape will take your breath away. kiawahresort.com
Java Java Start your day off right at this delightful independently owned coffee shop in Freshfields Village, serving up coffee (made with locally roasted beans in Charleston), lattes, pastries, smoothies, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches. javajavaff.com
STAY
Andell Inn
Andell Inn Located on Andell Lake, this inn offers prime access to the island’s best shopping center, biking and kayaking rentals, and daily shuttles to Beachwalker Park. Enjoy gorgeous modern suites and amenities, including a saltwater resort pool and a stunning wraparound porch and bar. andellinn.com
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort Step back in time to an oceanside mansion that lives up to its name. This hotel, spa and salon boasts dozens of fine eateries, upscale shops and boutiques, luxury pools, and a fitness center—complete with the picture-perfect backdrop of Kiawah’s shores. kiawahresort.com
Pam Harrington Exclusive Rentals These primo private home, villa and cottage rental offerings dot Kiawah’s beautiful shoreline. Take your pick, from luxe amenities to private beaches to unbelievable views—making it easy to find and book the best spot for your ideal getaway. pamharringtonexclusives.com
APEX Fashion meets sustainability at Rose & Lee Co., a woman’s clothing, accessory and gift boutique that specializes in clothing made domestically or internationally in factories practicing transparency and fair working conditions. Additionally, the boutique’s jewelry, accessories and most of its gifts are made by women overcoming extraordinary circumstances all around the world. “We believe that you don’t have to travel across the globe to make a difference,” says owner Amber Rose. “We bring these women’s stories from around the world back to our home in Apex, giving you the powerful opportunity to use your purchasing power for good.” roseandleeco.com
Rose & Lee Collective
02
Sweets By Shayda
DURHAM Presentation alone will have you drooling over Shayda Wilson’s desserts—but just wait until you sink your teeth into them. Wilson, who earned her pastry chops at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, started Sweets by Shayda in 2014, initially selling her confections at local farmers markets in the Triangle. Since then, she’s been perfecting her macaron recipe and adding various pastries and cakes to the menu—think pain au chocolat and tiramisu eclairs. Now, Wilson’s first brick-and-mortar pastry shop and cafe is open in downtown Durham, serving macarons in a plethora of delectable flavors, from lavender to salted caramel to red velvet. sweetsbyshayda.com
Sweets By Shayda
03
Raleigh Brewing Arboretum at Weston
CARY Raleigh Brewing Company opened its second taproom (not including its RDU Airport locations) last year in Cary’s Arboretum shopping center in an effort to more widely embrace and enhance the Triangle community. While the brewery’s Neil Street location in Raleigh is very industrial, the Arboretum location has more of a neighborhood-friendly English pub atmosphere that’s perfect for getting together with friends for a pint or two of Raleigh Brewing’s popular brews. And whenever it’s safe for them to do so, the Cary brewery will also host fun events like yoga classes, run clubs and cycle clubs. raleighbrewing.com/arboretum-cary.
Raleigh Brewing
04
TRU Deli and Wine Bar
By day, TRU Deli and Wine Bar is a haven for sandwich lovers—a plethora of meats, cheeses, veggies and sauces allow you to make the sandwich of your dreams. By night, oenophiles, hop-heads and spirits lovers alike delight over a glass of vino, beer or housemade cocktails—with daily drink specials to cheers to. On Tuesdays, sip on $3 well drinks; Wednesdays, $4 craft beers; and Thursdays, $5 bottles of wine (!). Sandwiches are available in the evening as well—get yours cold or toasted, or turn it into a wrap or salad. And with the ability to create your own meal, every experience at TRU is satisfactory. trudeli.com
TRU Deli and Wine Bar
05
J. Lights Market & Cafe
DURHAM J. Lights is a one-stop shop for all food and beverage necessities, whether you’re looking to eat a meal right at the moment or grab a snack and a soda for later. Owner Jared Burton modeled the market and cafe after Charlotte’s The Common Market, a convenience store, restaurant and bar, and one of his favorite places in the Queen City. Tasty lunch and dinner options include loaded sandwiches, salads and wings—with beer, wine and cocktails to boot—for dine-in or to-go. And if you’re just feeling snacky, J. Light’s market is well-equipped with a diverse selection of local goodies, from Carolina Kettle chips to Memaw’s lemon cooler cookies. Nom nom. jlightsmarket.com
After a fire and a pandemic, Local Icon Hospitality is pushing forward—revamping Virgil’s and opening new speakeasy The Merchant.
Rachel Simon
Serial entrepreneur and Local Icon Hospitality owner Jon Seelbinder will be the first to tell you that mid-March is not his favorite time of year. Nearly four years ago, on March 16, 2017, a fire at an apartment building near one of the entrepreneur’s bars—Glenwood South’s Little City Brewing—shut down the streets, bringing business to a grinding halt.
Seelbinder and his Local Icon team spent countless months working to rebuild the neighborhood and start fresh, only to see the pandemic temporarily shutter Little City and all of Local Icon’s other businesses—nearly three years to the day after the fire.
Some unfortunately necessary layoffs, a building eviction and a handful of unexpectedly pricey equipment repairs later, and no one would blame Seelbinder for throwing his hands in the air and calling it a day. But while the last few years have certainly presented their fair share of challenges, the restaurateur is taking it all in stride. In fact, he’s hardly even fazed.
“I look at people and I’m like, ‘I don’t mean to seem so calm about this…’ but all I can really do is laugh at it and figure out how we’re going to fix it,” says Seelbinder with a chuckle. “I was just kind of seasoned before this.”
When the pandemic forced hundreds of small businesses throughout Raleigh to shut down, including those owned by Local Icon—Little City, Virgil’s Taqueria, The Architect, The Green Light and Linus & Pepper’s—Seelbinder says that he and his colleagues didn’t miss a beat when it came to figuring out their next moves. “I met with every one of my managers at the time individually and said: ‘We’re going to do the best we can here. We’re going to keep grinding,’” he recalls. “I said: ‘If anybody’s got some experience and muscles for this, we do. And we’re going to get through this.’”
One of those survival plans included turning Virgil’s—formerly a taqueria that was closed for seven months—into a cocktails and cocina joint offering food truck tacos and to-go drinks. Another change was moving forward with the long-awaited opening of The Merchant, a speakeasy situated above Virgil’s (on Salisbury Street) that’ll offer both interactive cocktails and a French- and Belgian-inspired food menu. While the exact launch date is still up in the air—a planned New Year’s debut fizzled due to a lack of customers, so the team is cautiously waiting for the right time to try again—the Local Icon team remains hopeful about the bar’s long-term potential.
“It’s going to be a nice, relaxed environment—just a place where you can enjoy and have a great time,” promises Tyler Cromer, a restaurant consultant from Philadelphia who was recently hired as The Merchant’s general manager. Alongside Chicago-bred chef Adrian Black (formerly of The Umstead Hotel), Cromer is committed to making the speakeasy a space for “true entertainment,” he says—a full “experience” with lively bartenders, an eclectic menu and cocktails “into the wee hours of the morning. … There’s really nothing like that in Raleigh.”
Opening any new business, let alone a bar, with ongoing restrictions is certainly a risky move, and the team isn’t naive about the obstacles ahead. But they’re confident that when The Merchant is finally up and running, it’ll offer a much-needed reprieve for Raleigh residents. “It’s about creating a space where someone can forget about all the troubles outside,” says Cromer. “Kind of an escape.” (Cheers to that!)
To whet your appetite while we anticipate its opening, The Merchant’s menu will feature such dishes as a take on carbonnade flamande, a Belgian beef stew that Black is supplementing with gnocchi and a braised short rib sauce. And you can wash it down with an orange Negroni that’s lit aflame tableside.
Meanwhile, at the revamped Virgil’s, a DJ spins beats while you nosh on tried-and-true dishes like shrimp tacos, pork carnitas and a marinated ribeye—perhaps alfresco on the new patio space.
And over at Little City, there’s a new brewer on board, so beer fans can expect plenty of inspired choices from the award-winning suds spot. Still, with all the growth, there’s no denying that the lineup is far from the Local Icon of just one year ago. At press time, The Green Light, The Architect, and Linus & Peppers remained closed for COVID restrictions, and social distancing measures mean that it’s unlikely the group’s other businesses will be filled with patrons anytime soon.
Seelbinder, however, knows there’s no point focusing on the past. “Bar experiences have changed,” he says matter-of-factly. “We’ll have to adapt to the situation.” But, as he’s said, if there’s anyone who can handle what’s to come, it’s the group behind Local Icon. “Everything that I could imagine happening happened,” Seelbinder says of the past few years. These days, he adds, “it’s a story of perseverance.” And, clearly, they persisted.
