¡THE QC LOCAL!

Charlotte’s a busy place. Here’s the best of it.

🎢 The idea of learning an instrument is always so enticing. You think to yourself, “Man, if I had a decent voice, I could be the next Ed Sheeran if I learn to play guitar.” Ed’s red hair is especially applicable to gingers like myself. If you’re like me, you could also see people doing it and think that it’s not that hard to pick up because you played the harmonica a couple times and could be musically inclined.

I’m here to tell you that it is not the case. Guitar is hard. Sheesh. Anyways…

🌹ROSE

• After getting berated several weeks ago for missing a week in this newsletter, the QC Local interaction is at an all-time high. Our open rate is at nearly 85% and we get consistent clicks on the things that I try to target. I really can’t thank you guys enough for all of the support so far. That being said, if you could help me grow this and send it to a couple of friends that’d be awesome. The plan is to reach as many local folks as possible, so the more the merrier.

🪷BUD

• I’ve got a couple ideas that I want to test here in the near future, but I’m now realizing that I haven’t done enough customer research to know what my readers want to see. While my overall open rate has gone up over 10%, there hasn’t really been a steady trend in what I’ve been writing about, so I’m not quite sure what the correlation is.

• Point being, all I want to write about is what you guys want to see. Text me, email me, show up unwarranted to my apartment for all I care. As long as you guys tell me what you want to see, I’ll put it in here for all of my loyal readers. That being said, here are a couple of my ideas:

  • Featuring Charlotte entrepreneurs/startups on the first newsletter of every month.

  • A “hottest right now” segment (Example being Rose Honky Tonk for Charlotte bars)

  • A “Dumbest Thing I heard this Week” segment with the dumbest thing one of my friends or I said that week.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

 🍹2 great National Margarita deals for tomorrow

• At all Sabor locations in CLT, they’re doing $6 Margaritas on Saturday for 2/22. Not sure why they’re doing it, but I’ll be going for sure.

• ½ off Mi Casa Margaritas at Taco Mama all day on 2/22.

ZIBT BETA VERSION

‼️Last year, I participated in an Entrepreneurship class at Wake that you had to apply to get into, with my idea for collegiate Henleys. Basically, you applied to this class with an idea, and get accepted or denied, with the culmination being a pitch to over 200 investors and a network of great people.

One of my classmates, Blake Jaronko, was working on an idea for an app with an adaptable alarm that monitors traffic to wake you up and tell you exactly when you need to leave to be at work at your preferred time. Since traffic is such a variable factor, especially in Charlotte these days, we all could use something telling us an accurate time to leave so that we aren’t late or in the office longer than we wanted to be. When time is money, we all need as much as we can get.

Obviously, this was a great idea, but it wasn’t much more at that point. However, after I graduated, Blake kept working on his idea and even brought in my friend Nati Correa. Now, their app ZIBT has a Beta launch version that needs sign-ups so that they can turn their idea into a fully realized app. Support the cause and sign up for the Beta here.

(1 of) My Favorite Restaurants Right Now

The Eagle Food and Beer Hall

Lit up like an old drive-in, in the dead heart of Southend, stands one of the best new restaurants in Charlotte in the last 5 years. Since the Charlotte location opened its doors in 2019, this fried chicken spot has been a favorite of many locals. Moderately priced enough, their food is phenomenal. I really have never gotten anything bad on the menu.

I tend to get their Fried Chicken BLT, which is unbelievable. Be sure to pair it with their Mac n’ Cheese or grab a spoonbread for the table. They also have $5 Miller High Life Chalices, which are absolutely unbeatable. Check their menu out here. 

other goings on 🔥

• A 35,000-square-foot pickleball/gaming center is opening this weekend at Camp North End. You can find 6 pickleball courts, golf simulators, pool tables, arcade games and a full food and beverage menu at Tipsy Pickle.

• Charlotte FC kicks off another season this Saturday ,2/22, against the Seattle Sounders FC. Hopfly, known for their love of our local MLS team, is hosting an opening season kickoff at 7pm with beer collabs and more.

• Hoppin’ is hosting the “Crown Pop” vintage pop-up on 2/23, this upcoming Sunday. Put on by the same folks that run the Charlotte Vintage Market, they’re sure to have good stuff.

Let me know of anything you hear about or wanna hear about!

Hit me up at [email protected] for any q’s or debates you may have.

— Jack