I kinda like this new building as its taking shape in South End

I've got some clothes I'd like to donate. I don't want to give them to Goodwill or anywhere else that charges people money. I'm not super familiar with all the organizations in Charlotte, and would like to avoid taking them somewhere that doesn't care about the community. Any recommendations?

Considering taking the fam down. My teens are unimpressed with most things. I know there is tubing and ice skating. We’d be doing none of those things, just looking at lights. Are they good? Is it worth $14/person + parking?

Happy Holidays everyone!

I recently made a post in r/SameGrassButGreener about Charlotte that I wanted to share here. Some of you may know we’re not very popular in that sub, so after living in Charlotte for several years, I wanted to share my take on this city and see if any of you echo my sentiments. As someone whose family has lived all over (Virginia, Florida, New York, New England, Maryland, overseas, and more), I have some pros, cons, and "it is what it is" points I'd like to share for anyone thinking about moving here:

Pros:

• Weather (relatively mild winters, all four seasons)
• Job market (particularly for finance/banking, healthcare, construction, etc.). There's a lot of money floating around Charlotte, more than people would think
• Good quality of life for the COL (for now)
• Charlotte's growth is quite impressive within such a short period of time (20 years or less). I don't think I've seen many other cities that are growing as rapidly as Charlotte
• Big city amenities (sports teams, large music venues, etc.) without the chaos or congestion of living in a big city. I recently saw an exhibition match from Real Madrid vs Chelsea, and every musical artist I want to see usually makes a stop in Charlotte or somewhere relatively close. There's enough money and interest in Charlotte to generate big-time productions that will draw people from all over the region
• Airport is a big regional hub that is modern and expanding
• It's a blank canvas for many. Charlotte is a great place for people to start over and find their niche if they look hard enough
• Charlotte is very clean and modern compared to a lot of other cities.
• Whitewater Center and Carowinds are fun tourist attractions, as well as the modern art museums, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Harvey Gantt Center, Billy Graham Library, etc.
• Charlotte is relatively close to the beach and mountains compared to many other cities. You still have to drive a few hours, but you have options

Cons:

• Unfortunately, Charlotte is an urban planner's worst nightmare, and infrastructure is behind where it needs to be. Public transit is extremely limited with the Blue line, Gold line, and the bus system. Although there's a bus to the airport (the Sprinter), the fact that we have no train to the airport is pretty pathetic. They are doubling down on toll roads and car infrastructure. Funding and interest for public transit expansion in Charlotte don't seem to be a priority, largely due to the state government. Biking infrastructure is minimal, and walking is not an option for most. The airport is building a new terminal because the foot traffic is too much for the current building
• The urban center of Charlotte (Uptown, South End, Midtown, Plaza Midwood, NoDa, etc.) is rather small, but the sprawl of the city at large is insane. It can easily take hours to drive from one end of Charlotte to another if there's a lot of traffic
• The food scene is getting better, but it needs a lot of work. The cost of eating out is shockingly high. Many restaurants' prices are on par with restaurants in big cities. Chain restaurants with pre-exisiting locations in other cities are very popular. Restaurants need a lot of revenue to stay in business, and they know they can charge a premium for their food given the number of financial professionals making comfortable salaries. I've met too many people that are willing to pay top dollar for mediocrity
• The culture and identity of this place is a work in progress, but it will get there. Charlotte is admittedly more focused on the future than preserving its past. Any buildings or sites that had any historical context or value were taken away in replacement of rather generic apartment complexes, retail stores, and companies' headquarters. Charlotte has history, but the city doesn't care about showcasing or preserving it at all. Some people may not care about this, but for me, I see it as a negative and a large part of why Charlotte currently has a bland culture
• Wages in Charlotte (and the rest of North Carolina) are low. The gap between the rich and the poor is very noticeable. Education/schooling is a mixed bag. Decent universities but not a place people from all over the country will flock to just to go to school
• Being a Carolina sports fan is brutal. The Carolinas have some of the best college sports teams, but arguably the worst professional franchises in the country. The Panthers and Hornets consistently rank at the bottom every year. People usually go to watch the other teams rather than to root for our teams. Our most exciting team is Charlotte FC, but soccer isn't as big as football or basketball
• Summers can be brutal in terms of heat and humidity. We have lakes to cool off in, but they're both man-made by Duke Energy. You aren't going to get the authentic look and feel of a real beach or lake
• Homelessness and crime have risen considerably. I'm sure they will go down or at least level out in time, but they definitely can't be ignored
• Driving in Charlotte can be kind of scary. A lot of times, you'll drive around and won't see much, so people will let their guards down. That's when the accidents happen. The NASCAR influence could very well have something to do with this. People in Charlotte love their cars (and their suped-up pickup trucks)

"It is what it is." Things that can be pros or cons:

• Many of Charlotte's residents are very religious. Sunday is meant for church, brunch, football, and family time
• The general pace of life is very laid back
• Beer. Lots of beer. Breweries everywhere
• Politically, it's technically a blue city, but it feels more red, especially when you go further out
• Charlotte epitomizes corporate America. It is a part of Charlotte's identity whether people like it or not. It is also a southern city geographically and culturally, but it's easy to forget that because it doesn't feel as southern as other cities. Everyone in Uptown looks like they were pulled from a poster that describes the "what/what not to wear" guidelines for business casual
• It's a peculiar mix of transplants and few locals. You talk to some people that are super friendly and will tell you their life stories after simply asking how their day was, and others will give you an NYC-typical "... what do you want" kind of response. People from small towns think Charlotte is overwhelming, and people from big cities think it's underwhelming
• The suburban sprawl of Charlotte is great for people who value space and quiet, but can be quite isolating for people who value energy, walkability, and availability. Many people have expressed hardships when trying to meet new people and build communities/connections. I think a lot of that has to do with how far everyone is from each other. Can be a good or bad thing depending on your lifestyle and personality
• Charlotte is going through growing pains. As mentioned, the culture and infrastructure are all being built right now. It offers the opportunity to contribute to the growth of one of America's fastest-growing cities, but it does come with its challenges

Despite my criticism, I do genuinely like Charlotte. A lot of the negatives will change in the long run. Charlotte is a good place to live and will come into its own over time, probably sooner than we think. If I missed anything, feel free to comment.

TL/DR: Charlotte's a good place to live. It has its pros and cons like anywhere else and is going through growing pains, but the future of the city is promising.

I’m on the hunt for an artist who can take a painting and enhance it in a super creative way - because right now, this piece is a little... blah (see attached). My dad has had it forever, and while I once dreamed of turning it into a 𝐷𝑢𝑐𝑘 𝐻𝑢𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒, that idea got shot down (pun intended).

Instead, I’m thinking of going full-on 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐬! Picture this:

• An AT-ST (chicken walker) stomping through the scene on the right, maybe blasting at something.

• Even cooler: the blaster "shot" coming through the painting and burning part of the frame itself—like it’s breaking into our world!

I was trying to work with an artist Ion Matthews that I met over the summer to get a sketch & do the painting but their schedule was just to busy to get this completed so I am back to square one.

I’ve got the vision but zero talent to pull it off, so I’m looking for someone who:

Does creative painting enhancements (like those Instagram thrift store art upgrades with characters added).

Is somewhat local to Charlotte, NC, so we can chat, sketch, and get this just right before any paint hits the canvas.

If you know someone or have a friend who does this kind of work, tag them or send me their info. Bonus points if they’re as nerdy as me and love Star Wars!

Please tell me I am not the only one who has dealt with this.

I went to Optimist Hall around 2:30 on December 23, 2024. I ordered to-go food from The Dumpling Lady online (by the way, slaps and if you haven’t, you absolutely should try it and definitely get extra chili oil also). I ordered the food before arriving at Optimist Hall.

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t the first 90 minutes of parking at Optimist Hall complementary? All you need to do is register your car with the QR code & boom.

I couldn’t have been there longer than 25 minutes. Before I picked up my food, I grabbed a coffee at Undercurrent Coffee. Then grabbed my to-go and went to my car (I had work coming up so I ate some of my dumplings in the car). I saved some to have for later and I drove the same car that I drove to come inside out of the parking lot.

Well, then I get a text receipt from Metropolis Parking for my receipt. I click the link and these scoundrels claimed I parked there for 48 hours & 4 minutes to be exact (with me leaving the parking lot on Christmas Day, so yesterday). They charged me $5.99.

This cannot be accurate and it feels like a blatant scam honestly. I was there last on December 23 and went on my “merry,” way.

I have to wait for the charge to post to my bank account to dispute it but I will immediately once it is posted. I have also emailed Metropolis directly to notify them of this error. Granted, $5.99 isn’t a large sum but imagine if I went to Optimist Hall regularly, that will add up. And now I’ve started to look thru my “receipts,” of when else I might’ve unwittingly paid up to this shady ass company.

I would encourage others to do the same & let me know if you have also noticed this.

Typically I order from Harris Teeter or Publix. This is for a young adult f/25. Any suggestions? Is there anywhere to order one that is filled with sprinkles? Any ideas?

Hi All, I am looking for recommendations for tennis lessons and open tennis courts in the area. I haven’t had any luck finding anything that is open to the public (maybe I am not looking hard enough.)

Tennis lessons - we are beginners so looking for a patient and affordable option :)

My dad just moved to Charlotte and one of his favorite foods is an olive burger. Anyone know where you can get an olive burger in Charlotte?

Edit: Clearly I needed at add more information...an olive burger is a burger topped with olives mixed into a sauce, usually with mayo.

Here are a couple links for those that might be curious.

https://www.tasteatlas.com/olive-burger

https://www.tastingtable.com/1209091/what-makes-michigans-beloved-olive-burger-unique/

It appears to be a Michigan thing, but with so many transplants down here I thought there might be a chance.

When I was at university, our town had a 7 Brew coffee. The best thing about 7 brew was that you can get all of their flavor options in sugar-free.

Unfortunately, we do not have a 7 Brew in the city, but I am constantly craving a sugar-free flavored coffee option.

What are your suggestions for places with sugar-free coffees?

Coming from out of state, going to a concert at BC. Concert “ starts” at 7:30, tickets include parking. What time should we go, any thoughts? An hour before, 30 minutes? Never been to this venue so a little unsure. Don’t want to be too early.

I bought my wife and her friends tickets to a concert at The Fillmore for next month, and since I don’t think they’re very adept at driving around Charlotte, I was thinking of getting them VIP parking. But the site is very vague and just says it’s next to the parking garage… what exactly does that mean? Is it just the surface lot around that garage behind AvidXchange? Is it worth it, or should I just let them figure it out when they get there?

Before covid, most indian restaurants had lunch buffets. Passage to India was probably my favorite. Post Covid, no more lunch buffets. Some places have buffets on weekends but it's going to cost you about $30. I don't really need to find a buffet, but would like to know if there are any places with reasonable lunch menus. Thus far, all the places I know use the same menu for dinner and lunch. I am against spending $15+ for a lunch entree. Why can't these places serve smaller portions at reasonable lunch prices?

New to the area, moved here from Austin. Liking CLT so far, but one thing I'm really missing is getting some organized 11v11 soccer action. There was a great league system in Austin with multiple divisions, 3 paid referees for every match, promotion/relegation system, etc. Divisions spanned from extremely competitive to casual.

From Googling so far, I haven't found anything in the area to replicate this. However, I've driven by some fields a few times and seen what looked like organized adult male league action.

Anyone have any leads or knowledge here?

Hi all! I’m a small business owner and make gifts for the home. I’ve been in business for several years and want to have my products in stores. How do you fellow small business owners get your products into stores? I don’t know the first place to start. Do I reach out to local shops? Any advice would be great!

Does anyone have strong opinions on how worthwhile AAA is in Charlotte? I see conflicting reviews online about its worth, but the discounts + lock out + flat + emergency gas seems fantastic. Most negative reviews are about response time. What's it like inside the city limits?

Looking for any recommendations for reputable jewelry stores or pawn shops to sell a piece of jewelry. Long story short, I'm selling a ring I don't need anymore that. Any help here is greatly appreciated!

Starting 2025 single? Come hang with us at one of our speed dating events in January! We're adding some more fun, unique event types very soon.

Follow us on IG/TikTok @connectingcharlotte for updates, and grab your spot at connectingcharlotte.com/events.

No pressure, just great times and great people. Hope to see you there!

I just moved from Boston to work in the uptown area. Back there had amazing active meetup groups based on similar interests/hobbies etc and looking forward to connect and built the similar community here. If enough people are interested, I might make a Facebook group for people to create meetup events. I am into running, yoga, fitness in general, cooking, outdoors, thrifting, soccer, frisbee, raves, dancing, gardening and community service.

Hello everyone. I’m a 22F looking for things to engage myself into in CLT. I’ve been depressed and bored for a very long time, and I feel like though part of it is because I have a lot of anxiety, another part of it is because I never had an outside hobbies or interests growing up. With the new year coming up, I want to be different. I want my mindset and lifestyle to change. I see all the other people my age making music, dancing, in other forms of artistry, traveling, and I’m just sitting on my ass working all day everyday with seemingly no end and I need it to stop before I drive myself crazy.

Sorry for the little vent/rant session—my question is, are there any beginner leagues for adult (females) to do anything around here? Dancing, skating, any sport, art classes, anything? I don’t care what it is, I just want to get out there, make connections, and start enjoying my life somehow. Any recommendations?

Good morning and Happy holidays!

Moved down from NYC almost 3 years ago and I have yet to find a good diner down here. If y’all have any recommendations in the greater charlotte area that has diners lmk. I’d look on google but some people amp up reviews 🤣 I live up in Concord so I don’t mind a drive if the spot is 🔥

Has anyone attempted to permit your own pool build in Meck Co?