Elm Partners is investing in building up Raleigh by putting good people in good places.
When Humble Pie announced last fall it was closing its doors after 33 years of business, Raleighites were heartbroken—and left posturing what could possibly take its place. But there was always a plan for the building. … Enter Elm Partners, a local full-service commercial real estate firm founded on the simple goal of “making Raleigh better.”
One such instance—and a full-circle moment—Ashley Christensen approached Elm to assist Poole’s then-chef de cuisine David Ellis in opening his own restaurant. At about the same time, Jim Beriau reached out with the sale of Humble Pie, where Christensen incidentally got her first industry job working as a prep cook.
“We raised a bunch of money through friends and family, structured a payback model for Dave, and it worked,” says Elm Managing Partner Nick Wilson, who ultimately helped secure the serendipitous space and assembled the design and construction team for a new concept Raleigh has already rallied behind. “We’re really just trying to put good people in good places. That’s the most important thing to us—and Figulina is the perfect example of that.”
“We feel quite fortunate to have found Nick Wilson and the Elm Partners group at the beginning of our restaurateur journey. What sets Elm Partners apart is not just their ability to find spaces, it’s their genuine investment in the success of their clients and their impact on the community. They didn’t just hand us the keys to a new location; they opened doors to endless possibilities, offering invaluable insights and support every step of the way.”
David Ellis, chef/owner, Figulina
The deal also perfectly encompasses his and partner David Meeker’s inspiration for starting Elm Partners in the first place—just a pair of pals/neighbors “helping friends get better real estate deals.” Clearly tapping into a need, business blossomed, and now the duo represents buyers, tenants and development properties across Raleigh and Durham—mostly by word-of-mouth thanks to their vast Rolodex of connections in the local food and bev world.
“Folks like Ashley Christensen, Caroline Morrison of Fiction Kitchen, Kim Hammer of Bittersweet and Andrew Cash of Jubala got behind us early on, and that allowed other folks to trust us,” reflects Meeker. “We can’t thank them enough for their early belief in us.”
Unlike your standard brokerage firm, Wilson approaches deals from a consumer POV, thinking long and hard about good fits for each client. “All those food and beverage people, they’re kind of like artists—they’re really creative—and it has to feel right to them,” he says.
“They really care about us as owners/operators and want us to succeed on a personal level, knowing that a rising tide lifts all boats,” says Mala Pata’s Marshall Davis of their partnership with the brokerage. “It feels good to work with folks who share some history with me as a native and see the city’s potential in a healthy way. They understand our vision—and that gives me confidence.”
So while some people may see the closing of iconic Raleigh havens like Humble Pie as a sign Raleigh is “dying” or “losing its soul,” Wilson sees them as openings of opportunity for a new wave of talent.
“It’s important to me to backfill these spaces that are important to people in Raleigh,” says Wilson. “There’s a lot of creative people out there who want to do cool things, and they’re gonna do them—it’s just about: How do we make them happen?”
A committed crew, Meeker and Wilson—along with Elm VP Jeremy Deckelbaum (who represented Dose and YogaSix’s Bloc[83] location, and was Elm’s first employee) and associates Blaine Smith, Matt Tomasulo and Paul Siler—already have a ton of new deals and projects in the works for this year and beyond (Wilson hints they’re currently in talks with Jubala, Benchwarmers, Trophy Brewing and others).
“We believe in Downtown Raleigh when a lot of people are hesitant,” emphasizes Meeker. And Raleighites are certainly benefiting from that belief. As Wilson says, chalk it up to “another one by Elm Partners.” elm.partners
And straight from the depths of your fever dream as you look to live out all your Caniacs passions, now you can eat, sleep and breathe in the chaos via The Burnzie Bowl—aka wild and wonderful defenseman Brent Burns’ fire collab with Happy + Hale. Spoiler alert: It’s what victory tastes like. So, essentially, if you really wanna feel the burn and can’t spring for Playoffs tickets, now at least you can throw on your No. 8 jersey and fork into the hype. This is (hopefully) our year!happyandhale.com; nhl.com
You’ll definitely feel the ~burn~ via the fun, vibrant and wild Burnzie Bowl—on offer April 3 through June 30 at Happy + Hale—stacked with winning ingredients like BBQ steak, bacon, Brussels sprouts, onions, peppers, dill slaw, brown rice, arugula, scallions and chipotle BBQ sauce.
It’s Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! The Asian American population in North Carolina has seen a boom in the last few years, with a 86% growth from 2010 to 2020. Coupled with that, more and more AAPI-owned businesses are popping up in the area—and we are here for it. This month (and beyond), we encourage you to support one (or all!) of the following AAPI-owned businesses. And if we’ve missed one of your faves, let us know!
We got the chance to sneak a peek (and taste!) of the delish seafoodcentric menu + coastally inspired libations (the leathered quartzite bar is an absolute beaut—and she’s got texture!) at Raleigh’s new Adriatic Sea-inspired sensation. Swipe to see a few of our faves—but be warned: It’ll make you hungry!
POV: digging into Figulina’s positively perfect pasta dishes
You’re not going to find pasta like Figulina’s anywhere else in Raleigh. Period. Not your run-of-the-mill Italian-American spaghetti joint, chef/owner David Ellis and team’s brand-new restaurant, which just opened in the former Humble Pie space, features just six pasta dishes on its adorably illustrated menu—and you might only recognize one or two of them by name—alongside veg-heavy small plates.
Personally, I’ve been writing about Figulina since the concept was first announced last fall, so I was somewhat familiar with the dishes by the time I finally got the chance to dine there last week. Not to mention I got the pleasure of watching Ellis and his chef de cuisine, Dylan Shook, prepare a couple of the pasta stars at his home for a photoshoot (and I’ve been thinking about them ever since…).
Naturally, the little known rotolo was one of the dishes I ordered right out of the gate. Although chef David’s presentation of the rolled pasta had changed since his home kitchen R&D, it was everything I’d hoped it to be—and then some—thanks to its flavorful pesto-esque celery root and mustard greens filling, and buttery broth base starring whey and blue oyster mushrooms.
Now, if you know me, you know I’m a big sauce girl, especially when it comes to pasta. But I didn’t miss it in this dish at all, nor did I in the short rib cappelletti with brothy mushroom conserva. Clearly, pasta in broth is having a moment—and I am here for it.
That’s not to say I didn’t appreciate the saucy rigatoni with braised sweet potatoes, caciocavallo cheese and fried garlic, a treat from Ellis himself that I happily forked into despite starting to get full. Or the gnocchi (my favorite pasta shape and another must-order) feat. turnip green pesto and stracciatella. I’m calling it now: Stracc is going to be the next burrata (you heard it here first!).
Figulina’s apps deserve a round of applause as well. Namely the market lettuces sprinkled with panko and piled high with a mountain of pecorino romano. After all, “it’s not a salad without cheese,” Ellis said after I gushed over the pecorino-to-greens ratio. Clearly he got the message of my love for cheese, as he then sent out the whipped ricotta with golden beets, castelvetrano olives and marinated rainbow carrots (two words: *chef’s kiss*).
When it comes to drinks, I rec pairing your pasta with a selection from the extensive vermouth and amaro list, a highlight of the drinks menu. You can’t go wrong with a simple Negroni—or a glass of wine if that fits your fancy. Cocktails, beer and NA options are available as well.
And, offering dinner and a show is Figulina’s pride and joy: the pasta-making room, which you can get a full view of from the large community table right next to the bar. According to Ellis, it’s the best seat in the house. But thanks to Ellis and his wife Sam’s redesign and sprucing up of the space—complete with a gorgeous mural, indoor string lights and more artwork to come—there’s not a bad spot to perch. Especially when you know you have a comforting, unique dish of pasta on the way. Bon appetit!
