Everyone is talking about the businesses “ditching” DTR—but rest assured, it doesn’t mean what you might think.
If you’ve scrolled through Instagram lately or seen the news, you’ve likely noticed what feels like a plethora of local businesses breaking away from Down. Places like Capital Club 16, Umbrella Dry Bar, Clouds Brewing, Armadillo Grill and Oak City Meatball Shoppe have closed up shop, proliferating fodder and speculation about Downtown’s revival as “fake news.” But these business decisions don’t accurately reflect the health and future of DTR—and say nothing of the wealth of spaces slated to soon bow.
“Downtown is changing,” emphasizes Richard Averitte, who as executive director of the American Cancer Society for Central & Eastern North Carolina has a vested interest in the health of Raleigh’s business community. “It’s like a gawky teenager experiencing growing pains, sounding/looking different, doesn’t know what to do, etc. As citizens we need to give unconditional love, be patient, create a feedback loop and support whatever decisions are made in the best interest of our great city.”
In terms of the now-defunct businesses, each had their own reason for shuttering—or “retiring,” as Averitte puts it (see “Real Talk“ sidebar). “The average restaurant is open eight years, and many of the places doubled or tripled that number.” In essence, it’s business. Places close, and other spots open—nothing is permanent.
Naturally, the pandemic and lack of people returning to the office play a large part in Downtown visitation. “Not going to lie, Downtown is not the same space it was prepandemic,” says Crank Arm Brewing co-owner Adam Eckhardt. “A lot of folks have stayed with the work-from-home model, which has really disrupted what Downtown is all about. Through collected cellphone data, it appears 9,000 less people are in DTR every day. Those 9,000 people ate at restaurants, shopped and drank beer.”
But despite the seeming DTR mass exodus, Downtown Raleigh Alliance President & CEO Bill King assures there are “far more openings than closures in Downtown.” See: the laundry list of hot new businesses like Figulina, Gussie’s, Little Native Coffee, Burger Village and Flavor Hills, to name but a few, never mind the lot bowing soon like La Mala and Vic’s new outpost. Add to that the plethora of existing spots who’ve doubled down on DTR like Copperline Plant Co.’s new larger locale on Hargett Street, Madre’s new Smoky Hollow bar and even Raleigh Magazine.
To wit, DRA’s just-released Q1 2024 market report shows a net gain of 14 storefront businesses Downtown and 1.5 million unique visitors—not to mention $24.1 million estimated average food and beverage sales and $9.7 million monthly hotel revenue in January and February alone (the latter up 6.7% over the same period last year).
DTR’s population is also expected to grow. “We have 3,000 units hitting the market in the next year, and at 1.5 people per unit, we will have 4,500 new residents Downtown,” maintains David Meeker, partner in Trophy Brewing, Elm Partners and Carpenter Development. “We currently have 10,000, so that’s a 45% increase. That’s a different group than the office workers, but hopefully it’s folks who are working from home a lot and Downtown all day.”
According to Eckhardt, “There’s a symbiotic relationship between the businesses and the residents—you can’t have one without the other. If there’s nothing for the residents to do, then the allure of living Downtown goes away.”
So, the question becomes: How do we get people to come back—and continue coming back—to Downtown in order to help foster both new and existing businesses? First and foremost, he maintains we need to “stop the bleeding” and “figure out how to keep people from fleeing Downtown—because every business we lose, that’s less a community there.”
More specifically, he’s kicked around a couple of ideas: Have businesses pay their workers to be Downtown and spend their money at local businesses; add more lunch options for office workers; make parking free in decks for the first two hours; and create a light rail system and address the overall transportation barrier.
Eckhardt’s proposals have sparked so much conversation that he’s hosting a public meetup and roundtable community discussion June 10 at Crank Arm, with moderators including DRA’s King, The Davie owner Matt Coleman, local entrepreneur Jacob Molz and representatives from City Council. He hopes the discussion will foster even more innovative ways to attract people to the heart of our city.
“Downtown is the crown jewel of the city and the state,” says Eckhardt. “We’re the capital of NC—we need to remember that and treat it like that, not abandon it for greener pastures. We’ve got a lot of great things going for us—we can build on that and get people excited. … I know we have a lot of residents coming, and I want them to know this is a fun place to live, work and play.”
REAL TALK
There’s more to DTR closures than meets the eye.
• Capital Club 16 Focusing on its food truck, The Wandering Wolf
• Umbrella Dry Bar Honing in on pop-ups and private events
• Clouds Brewing Lease ended (but assures, “this isn’t the end of Clouds Raleigh”)
Anyone around in the ’80s may remember a rumpled-trench-coated dog whose business it was to remind us that crime is everyone’s business—and that police can’t fight crime alone. Now, with the marked decline in Downtown crime as the result of a vast community effort, McGruff’s message is more prescient than ever.
In November, we reported DTR crime had increased 60% over the previous eight months as compared to the year prior. Now, incidents running the gamut from aggravated assault to lesser (albeit annoying) evils like harassing phone calls, are improving across many categories. From September to February, drug violations—which accounted for a whopping 30% of all crimes reported—saw a steady decline, ultimately down 55% over the six-month span.
Thanks to extensive unified community efforts, weapons violations also declined a mammoth 73%. And, ultimately, total February crime incidents were almost half of those in September Downtown—including in the “disorderly” dubbed Glenwood South District, where RPD has been focusing much of its enforcement and prevention efforts.
While RPD’s response has been swift and effective, the department credits business and residential partners with whom they work closely for the cooling crime. “Our numbers continue to trend in the right direction thanks to the partnerships made with Downtown Raleigh Alliance and others,” maintains RPD Public Information Officer Lt. Jason Borneo.
For its part, DRA worked to provide private security services, as well as advocate for increased RPD presence and for the City to hire private security in the transit center, says DRA President and CEO Bill King. “All of these efforts have had a meaningful impact as evidenced by the crime data,” he adds. “Having said that, we cannot take our foot off the gas or let the City do so, as there is still a lot of work to be done to fortify these improvements in safety and make even more.”
RPD also worked with local businesses to roll out the CONNECTRALEIGH public safety program in an effort to enable Raleighites to help protect the community by increasing real-time data for guided emergency responses via fususCORE cameras.
Ultimately, Downtown safety is the most vital element to keep businesses progressing—which is why many local owners are happy to be involved in the conversation and efforts, including owner Matt Coleman of popular Blount Street bar The Davie.
“RPD has made tremendous efforts to help solve the growing issue of crime in the Fayetteville Street/Moore Square District after hearing our concerns last September,” says Coleman. “The numbers definitely show a decrease in crime, and we are seeing an increased police presence since then. My only hope is [RPD] continues to apply pressure, as crime tends to escalate during warmer weather, and summer is rapidly approaching.”
Borneo agrees, but ensures RPD is ready. “As the warmer months approach, we anticipate changes in crime trends,” he says. “RPD is always prepared to respond regardless of season—and we are prepared to respond accordingly to those trends. … We rely on our community to actively contribute to public safety, and we are fortunate that so many people have embraced the ‘it takes a village’ approach.”
Fortune no doubt favors the brave—and these efforts are no doubt valiant—but we can’t rest on our laurels. There is still work to be done, and we have to remain diligent and keep our communal foot on the gas. We’ll circle back after the thaw with what we hope is more good news for DTR.
Birds of a feather flock together to imbibe and vibe at Fayetteville Street’s newest bar and restaurant.
If Ella Fitzgerald was a restaurant, it would be Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen. While LM Restaurants’ and Highwoods Properties’ summer-debuting dining + drinking destination on the ground floor of the 150 Fayetteville Street building won’t be 1920s-themed, it will lean into the trailblazing jazz singer’s big personality and “hostess-with-the-mostess” vibe, with the name a nod to her bird-themed songs “A Hot Canary” and “Lullaby of Birdland.”
“We’re sitting on Fayetteville Street; Downtown Raleigh has all this history; our building has this art deco lean—so we really gravitated toward Ella Fitzgerald,” says LM President and owner Amber Moshakos. “And when we’re talking about revitalization, we’ve got to talk about the energy it takes to make it big, and that’s who she is. … So in the heart of North Carolina, along the main street of Raleigh, we are reawakening our sense of place.”
Taking a cue from Fitzgerald’s MO of being a larger-than-life joymonger and life of the party who connects people—turning strangers into friends—the resto will be a hub for social interaction: a true watering hole and meeting house for reconnecting and reigniting community over great food and drinks.
The all-day dining and imbibing experience will boast a morning barista-led cafe nicknamed Breakfast at Birdie’s; a grab-and-go section, online ordering and full-service dining for lunch; and sit-down dinner service. To boot, the American grill will feature a central bar-in-the-round with ample outdoor seating and a private event space.
“We are committed to providing the most exceptional workplace experience we can for our customers,” says Highwoods SVP and Raleigh Market Leader Skip Hill. “And we believe if we can stimulate them at the start with coffee, nourish them at noon with lunch and then hydrate them at happy hour, they’ll be able to achieve together what they cannot apart. Our decision to partner with Amber and LM Restaurants was a deliberate one, as we could think of no better homegrown purveyor of exceptional experiences to realize the collective goals for North Carolina’s Main Street.”
And what better character to revive Fayetteville Street than Fitzgerald, who was known for her legendary parties, joie de vivre, personable grace and charm, and overall warm hospitality—which will certainly be echoed at Birdie’s.
“If you’re at Birdie’s, Birdie knows you,” maintains Moshakos. “And that’s the beauty of Birdie’s being this place of moxie and spunk and grit—because that’s what Raleigh is. Through grace and moxie, from sunrise to moonrise, all will be welcome at Raleigh’s next living room.” @birdiesraleigh
Slated to bow on the first floor of the landmark 150 Fayetteville Street building this summer, Birdie’s will deliver an all-day dining and drinking experience—from sunrise to moonrise—with a morning barista-led cafe nicknamed Breakfast at Birdie’s; a grab-and-go section, online ordering and full-service dining for lunch; and sit-down dinner service. To boot, the American grill will feature a central bar-in-the-round with ample outdoor seating and a private event space.
“Being a Downtown restaurant, it’s so critical to us to be approachable and useful to that guest at any time,” LM President and owner Amber Moshakos told Raleigh Mag. “Being able to meet the guest where they are—whether that’s through online ordering or grab-and-go or sit-down dining—that’s where Birdie’s needs to transform throughout the day.”
More than just a restaurant, Birdie’s will act as a true watering hole for connections to foster between both patrons and employees, with a welcoming environment “catering to everyone from suits-to-sneakers,” maintains Moshakos, adding: “We are thrilled to bring the vision of a meeting house to life in the heart of Raleigh, where every guest is not just a customer, but a newfound friend and member of our extended family.”
A beacon of warmth, hospitality and fellowship, the upcoming location will be go-to for casual drinks, lunch meetings, celebratory dinners and everything in between.
“We are committed to providing the most exceptional workplace experience we can for our customers,” says Highwoods SVP and Raleigh Market Leader Skip Hill. “And we believe if we can stimulate them at the start with coffee, nourish them at noon with lunch and then hydrate them at happy hour, they’ll be able to achieve together what they cannot apart. Our decision to partner with Amber and LM Restaurants was a deliberate one, as we could think of no better homegrown purveyor of exceptional experiences to realize the collective goals for North Carolina’s Main Street.”
And a Main Street destination it will certainly be, embodying “the spirit of the quintessential hostess-with-the-mostest, infusing every interaction with grace, moxie and charm”—just like the street it’ll call home.
Exclusive details on Sir Walter Coffee’s new Fayetteville Street location
Sir Walter Coffee is brewing up buzz Downtown—literally. The fan-fave DTR cafe is slated to open its previously announced second sip spot in the former B.GOOD space at Highwoods Properties’ Charter Square on Fayetteville Street this summer. … But this ain’t just a carbon copy of your East Davie Street cozy-casual coffeehouse.
“We want to make sure to create a new Sir Walter that mirrors the reason Highwoods engaged with us for this partnership: a fast, fresh, all-day cafe with a bar element that will serve as an amenity to the tenants of Charter Square and the public,” says owner Kevin Frazier. “We are excited to be part of the goal of making Fayetteville Street the Main Street for North Carolina… and can’t wait to bring the project to life.”
Boasting both the beloved OG drinks (hey, popular seasonal lattes, espresso martinis, coffee cocktails and nitro cold brew on tap!) and expanded kitchen offerings, SWC will satisfy cravings—from breakfast sandos, seasonal toasts, yogurt bowls and pastries to salads, soups, sandwiches and more. And on Saturday and Sunday mornings, don’t sleep on the famous mouthwatering Dough Babies, aka housemade apple-filled pastries drenched in icing (drooling yet?).
Segueing from day to night, SWC 2.0 will also spotlight Sir Walter Cocktail, a full bar (open seven days a week!) feat. an array of traditional and draft cocktails, wine, local beer and prosecco on tap, and mimosa flights. NTM a nod to namesake British explorer Sir Walter Raleigh via a creative rum cocktail menu showcasing eight exclusive rum-based drinks starring Kill Devil Rum from Outer Banks Distilling and other hard-to-find rums.
“This bar will be the spot to grab a drink after a day’s work Downtown, and will be a great place for networking with other DTR workforce,” maintains Frazier. “We are installing an entrance from the Charter Square lobby for easy access for office employees to come grab coffee, have breakfast or lunch, have meetings, and enjoy happy hour cocktails with a creative bar snacks menu.”
Further enticing patrons to sit and stay awhile (like, until midnight on weekends) with your bev(s) of choice will be an activated patio and large glass windows offering a picturesque view of Fayetteville Street and City Plaza—aka ideal for people watching. Sounds like a day-to-night dream, no? Consider us pumped. sirwaltercoffee.com
