The Common Market’s original Plaza Midwood location.

The Common Market, the eclectic deli, general store and community gathering spot, will be opening its third and largest location near Cotswold in Spring.

The 6,500-square-foot space will be located at 4420 Monroe Road near the Oakhurst and Cotswold neighborhoods across from Commonwealth Avenue. The store will be known as Common Market OakWold to reflect its proximity to both neighborhoods.

The newest space will include the usual deli and retail oddities as well as coffee, beer, wine and prepared foods from its full kitchen.

A community meeting planned for Monday, Feb. 6, at Clayworks will collect ideas from local residents for other things people would like to see the market to offer.

There is also plans in the works for a fourth location on Tremont Avenue that will occupy 7,000 square feet of space to replace its former South End location, which was shuttered to become regional headquarters for Austin, Texas-based Dimensional Fund Advisors.

The new South End site’s opening is planned for early next summer.

JJ’s Red Hots’ Dilworth location

JJ’s Red Hots will be serving up its tasty hot dogs and sausages from a new location at 400 S. Tryon next year.

The Queen City’s self-proclaimed “hot dog joint” signed a lease for 1,500 square feet of space in space across from Romare Bearden Park. JJ’s already has locations in Dilworth and Ballantyne as well as a food truck.

According to the JJ’s web site, the restaurant serves sausages and hot dogs from Sahlen’s, a brand that has been around since 1869. JJ’s offers a variety of house made toppings for its sausages and dogs, including homemade chili.

JJ’s will share space in the renovated 400 S. Tryon location with Rhino Market and b.good restaurant. The new space is expected to open somewhere between spring and summer 2017.

400 S. Tryon, which is owned by Trinity Capital Advisors and DRA Advisors, currently is under renovation. The 33-story building in the Third Ward recently opened its newly renovated lobby and fitness center. The building is currently 90% leased.

With its continued growth, Charlotte has more to offer than ever!  From its many delicious restaurants (Italian, Indian, Southern Home-Cookin’ Cuisine, Chinese, and even Ethiopian, you name it, Charlotte’s got it) to the new urban green-spaces of Uptown, and the new Trolley-line that courses through Elizabeth to Uptown, Charlotte’s got it all!  There are many wonderful places to visit in Charlotte, so this blog simply features a few of my favs from around the our beautiful city.

Romare Bearden Park – this gorgeous 5.4-acre public park is located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, across the street from BB&T Ball Park, home of the Charlotte Knights and nearby the famous Brevard Court & French Quarter.  What makes it so fantastic? It’s equipped with a glass water-wall that is adored by all ages!  The park opened in August 2013 and is named for Charlotte born artist Romare Bearden, it opened in late August 2013.  With a picture-perfect view of Charlotte’s skyline, this is the perfect place to capture the moment in photographs!

Assorted Table, located at the 7th Street Market – Entertaining?  Need quality wine recommendations to go along with the menu you’ve planned? Be sure to stop by Assorted Table & speak with Josh Vlipiano about wines.  Josh always has great wine advice for me and I enjoy learning more every time I visit.  Plus you won’t want to miss the shop’s Weekly Tuesday Night Wine Flights, held every Tuesday from 5-7pm, $5.00 plus tax entitles you to a taste of five wines! Plus, you get a $5.00 voucher good on any future purchase. Same day purchases of featured wines are 10% off. Light appetizers provided by Church Street Realty and Orrman’s Cheese Shop or Pure Pizza.  This is definitely one of my favorite things to do during the work week!

Portifino’s Italian Restaurant – If you love Italian cuisine, you must stop into Portifino’s!  It’s a great place to dine-in or get Friday night take out.  Whether your passion is pasta or pizza, seafood or meats, cheeses or vegetables, they have it at Portifino’s.  With 3 locations, each Portofino’s restaurant is staffed by friends and family, many of whom are originally from Italy. The food is simply delicious and they have a nice selection of wines if you would like to pair.

The Manor Theatre – The Manor is Charlotte’s oldest movie house, often showing independent films that can be hard to find in Charlotte.  This is one of my favorite Charlotte movie theaters for that reason.  It’s fun to see a film that is not a Hollywood blockbuster.  Constructed in the affluent Myers Park neighborhood in 1947, the Manor was considered to be the most beautiful movie house in Charlotte at that time. The bathrooms were floored with hand-laid tile, and elaborate plaster work in art-deco styling framed the theater’s movie screen. The building was originally created as a single-screen theater, and opened with The Egg and I starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert. Several years later, however, the theater was divided into two screens, and although this renovation made for smaller viewing auditoriums, it created a more intimate space that went nicely with the independent and foreign titles the theater became known for hosting.