Chapelboro is beginning a new series called “Mind Your Business,” summarizing some of the latest stories, announcements, and updates from businesses in the community every three months. From local openings to closings to everything in-between, we’re sharing a snapshot of what’s happened in the most recent quarter of the calendar year.
The report will go in roughly chronological order of the developments, and will conclude with a section of any general updates on ongoing projects that are undated. The previous edition, covering April through June 2024, can be found here.
Do you see something that is missing or want an update about your own business? Get in touch with us by emailing news@wchl.com with your announcements!
JULY
• After a soft opening at the end of June, a new Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken location held its full opening just over the Alamance County line in early July. The Triangle-based business brought its brand of rotisserie chicken and Latin-inspired sides to 1414 Mebane Oaks Road, according to the News of Orange newspaper. The addition comes not long after an Alpaca joined the Chapel Hill restaurant scene off South Elliott Road.
• While the Mexican restaurant Ta’Contento has been operating for more than two years out of the Chapel Hill part of Chatham County, the business never got to hold a grand opening celebration when they launched toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with the Chatham County Chamber of Commerce, the restaurant held a “grand opening” party at its space at 11620 U.S. 15-501 on July 12 — which ownership said coincided with a new relationship with the Refuel gas company, who recently became the landlord of the building.
• The Italian café 411 West shut its doors for much of July, as issues with its water line led the Chapel Hill Restaurant Group to temporarily close the business. But the ownership team used the opportunity to make several other changes to the building, including replacing its kitchen floor and redecorating its dining space. The restaurant reopened to customers in September.
The water line problems at 411 West led to closures of not just restaurant, but lanes on West Franklin Street too, as overnight crews completed repairs this summer.
• Morinaga America announced in mid-July plans to expand its production of HI-CHEW candies in Orange County. The Japanese company, which first established its plant just within Mebane city limits in 2013, is investing around $136 million to build 40,000 square feet of additional factory space. Already, the plant reportedly churns out more than 7 million pieces of HI-CHEW every 24 hours — and the expansion is set to double that output with new flavors and more jobs. Morinaga is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction in October.
• Downtown Chapel Hill saw a big bump in business around the FC Series friendly between Manchester City and Celtic F.C., as thousands of fans visited the area for the international soccer match in Kenan Stadium. For the second year in a row, the event had a regional economic impact in the millions and brought increased foot traffic — and a trolley service — to the college town. Several downtown businesses held special programming around the game, with some owners speaking to Chapelboro about their wishes to see more events like this held in Chapel Hill. See photos from the event and trolley traffic in our gallery.
• The Franklin Street Starbucks in Chapel Hill officially moved across the street at the end of the month to open in 100 East Franklin Street — the business space underneath Top of The Hill. After a brief closure, the popular coffee shop reopened on July 26 in an expanded space that can serve around 90 customers. According to the Triangle Business Journal, Starbucks’ vacant space at 103 East Franklin Street already had a new use lined up: more space for Raising Cane’s to expand into with its chicken tender business.
• On the final day of July, the VooDoo Wings Company opened its first North Carolina location along Franklin Street. The Las Vegas-based business chose Chapel Hill because of its proximity to the university and vibrant downtown, according to its franchise owner, who purchased the 147 East Franklin Street space previously occupied by Dame’s Chicken & Waffles. What separates the product? VooDoo touts its 17 different wing flavors, including unique options like Carolina Gold Strike, Spicy PB&J, and Strawberry Reaper.
AUGUST
• Rather unceremoniously, Piero’s Pasta and Wine closed its doors on East Franklin Street toward the beginning of August. According to Carrie Brogren of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Foodies Group on Facebook, though, a restaurant quickly stepped in to take over the space. The Heel and Horn describes itself as a craft kitchen and bar with “made-from-scratch” food — and a menu and atmosphere of a sports bar. Brogren said in August that The Heel and Horn’s ownership aimed to open around the end of summer.
A sign for the new restaurant The Heel and Horn covers the old signage for Piero’s Pasta, which closed at the beginning of August.
• After months of renovating and preparing the storefront previously occupied by Just Salad, the Wilmington-based Drift Coffee & Kitchen opened its first location in Chapel Hill off Elliott Road on August 13. While customers may be drawn in by the coffee and loyalty program, the business also offers an extensive brunch and lunch menu.
• Following a few days of operating under a soft opening, Hoops Pizzeria in Pittsboro held a grand opening on August 15 to tip off its serving up pizza pies to patrons. The basketball-themed restaurant is in the Alpha Center shopping center off Hillsboro Street and aims to set itself apart not just with a menu featuring several styles of pizza, but by operating sustainably through solar energy and local food sources.
• August 17 marked the end of an era in Chapel Hill — or did it? Mama Dip’s Kitchen closed its doors for dine-in service, moving to simply a take-out model. The Council Family indicated the business founded and named after their matriarch will be returning in a different form in the future, and perhaps a different location than 408 West Rosemary Street. The property had been posted for sale more than a year and is still controlled by a family company, but restaurant says the change in August represents a step into the “next phase” for the Mama Dip’s brand.
• Another long-time Chapel Hill staple announced it would be permanently closing its West Franklin Street location, with Schoolkids Records announcing August 19 it would shutter by the end of the year. Owner Stephen Judge said in a heartfelt post that he’s turning his focus to Schoolkids’ Raleigh location and continuing the in-house record label — but it would come at the expense of the 405-C West Franklin Street storefront, which had been around for decades. Judge described it as a “heartbreaking” decision and “like a death in the family.”
• Triangle-area Food Lion stores celebrated recent renovation and face lifts on the morning of August 21, with several in Chapel Hill and Carrboro holding ribbon-cuttings. The brand invested more than $365 million to bring new pre-packaged meal sections and self-checkout lines to its grocery stores, and held giveaways of hundreds of dollars in gift cards at their celebrations.
• After a water main in University Place mall burst overnight, the Kidzu Children’s Museum and play space suffered significant water damage. The Chapel Hill business’ leadership says insurance money should help cover some of the damages, but the space will not be occupied for a while. Kidzu resumed some of its programming over at Binkley Baptist Church as a short-term solution, but anticipates needing community fundraising and support during the rebuild of the mall space.
• As football season began in Chapel Hill, East Franklin Street gained a new bar for people to go watch the Tar Heels play. Max’s Tin Can opened on August 28 in the underground space at 201 East Franklin Street, advertised as a neighborhood bar full of UNC history. That includes the name itself, which is a reference to where the UNC men’s basketball team played in the 1920s and 1930s — and it’s the theme of the menu too, as the bar mostly serves canned beer and wines.
SEPTEMBER
• Those who missed having a Chick-fil-A location at University Place mall rejoiced in September, as a new location of the popular chain opened a bigger, freestanding building on the mall property. Using the land where K&W Cafeteria used to be, developers constructed a new facility that accommodates a drive-thru line and establishes a new lynchpin for the Chapel Hill mall’s redevelopment along Fordham Boulevard.
• A smoke shop franchise opened its doors at 149 East Franklin Street on Sept. 6. Cloud 9, which has most of its locations in Georgia, is now operating in the unit above Goodfellows. The tobacco shop may promote its glassware and smoking accessories the most, but it also features a skateboard shop, clothing, novelties and a Delta-9 infused drink selection for customers. Before the smoke shop, the space was most recently used for The Princeton Review tutoring services.
• With an entrance directly next door and its space on the second floor above Cloud 9, the tattoo shop Beauty Art Studios opened on Sept. 7. The interior has been transformed into a colorful and artistic shop for customers to get custom tattoos, haircuts, and microbladed eyebrows. It is open Tuesday through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Purple Bowl officially completed its move down Franklin Street and opened the doors to its new location at 505 West Franklin Street on Sept. 12. The move represents an expansion of space for the açai bowl café, and an opportunity for a new business venture too. The Patio will operate in the short-term as the walkup service spot for customers who want to stay outside the space — but Purple Bowl owners say they plan for it to eventually be where an expanded menu of healthy food options will be offered.
• After months of renovation at 173 East Franklin Street where Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe used to be, the new Spanish small plates restaurant Próximo officially opened on Friday, Sept. 20. The business is owned by Glendale Hospitality — the entrepreneurial team of Chef Brandon Sharp, Elizabeth Sharp and Neal Benefield who is also behind Hawthorne & Wood and Bluebird in Chapel Hill. Some of the fun elements of Próximo include primarily walk-in seating and a valet parking service to get patrons ready for a mix of hot and cold plates inspired by traditional Spanish cuisine.
• Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar at 100 West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill officially opened for business on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The business, which is a franchise of an Ohio-based chain of smoothie bars, aims to provide grab-and-go healthy food options for patrons while also offering plenty of indoor seating. Pulp Juice is the first venture to open in the high-profile corner space since Seafood Destiny closed in 2022.
• A new glass studio and art gallery officially opened on Friday, Sept. 27 in Carrboro. Say It With Glass in the South Green development takes over the corners space where Craftboro operated until February and is operated by artist Sam Nguyen. The business offers workshops and classes, while also operating as an event space and selling glass art supplies.
ONGOING and UPCOMING
• The Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership held its annual meeting in September to update local leaders on the state of downtown. The nonprofit’s leaders hinted during their presentation that some retail could be coming soon to 120 East Franklin Street, which is the former space of The Library, and a restaurant is set to fill 122 East Franklin Street, which has been empty since Benny Cappella’s closed. Neither specific business or formal plans have been publicly announced yet, but the properties are within the building owned and leased by Chapel Hill Foundation Real Estate Holdings Inc. — which is UNC’s commercial real estate operations in town.
• The address just next door, 124 East Franklin Street, will also become vacant in the coming year. The News & Observer reported in September the University Florist shop will be moving to 116 North Roberson Street in Chapel Hill after selling its building to Chapel Hill Foundation Real Estate Holdings for $2 million. It marks a big shift for the business that’s operated since 1946 at its spot on East Franklin Street. But the new shop, which is being constructed from the ground up, will offer more space than its current location and was one of only a few properties in the stretch of East Franklin not owned by the university.
• Throughout the month of October, several local businesses in Carrboro are teaming up to fundraise for The ArtsCenter and look to get their own boost in patrons. “Artstober” is part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations for the nonprofit arts education hub, and 11 business are having their own days in October where part of their proceeds will be donated to the ArtsCenter. Find the full list here.
Do you see something missing or want an update about your own business? Get in touch with us by emailing news@wchl.com with your announcements!
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