Drift Coffee Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
WDI along with Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Drift Coffee & Kitchen.
Drift Coffee is a coffee shop that serves breakfast and lunch located at 221 N. Front St. This is Drift Coffee's fifth location along the NC coast.
Be sure to stop by and check out Drift Coffee's newest location!
Jeff_Nass_Productions_Wilmington_2022_TV_Ad_30_UPDATED
The Wilmington Boat Show is scheduled to take place this week from September 30 to October 2 at the Wilmington Convention Center and outside of the convention center on the event lawn overlooking the Cape Fear River.
The Wilmington Boat Show showcases beautiful boats and tons of marine products and services. There will also be live music, food, and family fun!
Pending weather conditions, the event is scheduled to be taking place on Friday from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please follow the Wilmington Boat Show on social media and stay tuned in for updates on potential weather impacts.
For more information about the Wilmington Boat Show or to purchase tickets, visit wilmingtonboatshow.com.
Momentum Distillery Business Spotlight
Momentum Distillery is a family-owned microdistillery located at 318 Nutt St. in The Cotton Exchange. The distillery aims to create and sell craft spirits in a retail setting for everyone to enjoy!
The distillery has released its new North Carolina-shaped vodka bottles containing Momentum’s gluten-free, 80-proof, 100% corn-based vodka, filtered with activated carbon from ground coconut shells. Hunter Ford, head distiller, designed and developed the patent for Momentum’s unique NC Vodka bottle.
To celebrate the release, Momentum Distillery will be donating $2 to NourishNC with every bottle sold. The donation drive takes place through Friday, Sept. 23, to support NourishNC’s mission to provide proper food and nutrition for kids in Southeastern North Carolina.
Owners Misty Ford, and her husband Hunter, recently won North Carolina Vodka Distillery of the year in the New York International Spirits Competition.
The award-winning vodka, limoncello and orangecello are available for purchase in-store. The distillery will be introducing more new spirits soon, including a clear rum, aged rum, rye whiskey, and two different kinds of gin (international and new world).
The Ford family has previously owned other downtown area businesses, such as Momentum Surf and Skate Shop and Burnt Mill Creek Billards and Wine. Hunter continues to be an active member of the downtown community.
For updates on new releases and more information on Momentum Distillery, visit ncvodka.com and follow them on social media!
Cape Fear Riverboats Business Spotlight
Cape Fear Riverboats offers narrated sightseeing tours, sunset cruises, nature tours, and private charters on the Cape Fear River. The business launches its tours just off the Riverwalk in Downtown Wilmington near the intersection of Dock and Water streets.
The tour schedule runs seven days a week from April to October (weather permitting) and offers a variety of both daytime and nighttime cruises on Cape Fear. The boats are also available for private charters!
The Cape Fear Riverboats business consists of charters running on two boats. The Henrietta, a 120-passenger boat, is one of the famed iconic vessels off the docks of the Wilmington Riverwalk. Cruises also run on the Captain Maffit, a smaller, 49-passenger boat that came to Wilmington in 1976. The Captain Maffit is said to be one of the oldest certified passenger boats in the country!
Owner Carl Marshburn started Cape Fear Riverboats in the late-1980s. He envisioned Wilmington’s Downtown Historic District as a major tourist attraction and knew people would enjoy its water views coupled with a rich narration highlighting the area’s history, legends, and charm.
Book a cruise for your next sightseeing adventure in Downtown Wilmington and explore all the Cape Fear River has to offer! For the tour schedule and more information, visit crfboats.com.
Roses are Blue Ribbon Cutting
WDI along with Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and Cheryl Hartsoe recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Roses are Blue.
Roses are Blue is a new consignment shop in downtown Wilmington featuring clothing, jewelry, shoes and more!
The shop is located at 225 S. Water St. Suite F inside of Chandler’s Wharf.
Be sure to stop by and check out what Roses Are Blue has to offer!
Take a cruise down the Cape Fear River! Cape Fear Riverboats and Wilmington Water Tours offer exciting tours 7 days a week. Checkout theses upcoming tours! Visit cfrboats.com and wilmingtonwatertours.net for more information. #wilmingtonnc #downtownwilmington #cruise #capefearriver #boattours #historicaltour #watertours #tours #explore #downtown #capefear #wilmingtondowntownnc
The Half Ribbon Cutting
WDI along with Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for The Half.
The Half is a sandwich and beverage shop located at 510 ½ Red Cross St. in the Brooklyn Arts District.
Be sure to stop by for your next sandwich and drink!
Keeping It Glam Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
WDI along with Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, WDI Chair Deb Hayes and DBA President Terry Epsy recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Keeping It Glam.
Keeping It Glam is a lash and waxing studio that offers high class services at an affordable rate. The studio is located at 326 Nutt St. in The Cotton Exchange.
Visit keepingitglam.com for appointments and more information!
24 South Coffee House Business Spotlight
24 South Coffee House is a coffee shop located at 24 S. Front St. in the Central Business District. Its owners boast that its location is home to downtown's oldest coffee shop.
The shop offers locally roasted, gourmet coffee and espresso along with delicious pastries in a comfortable atmosphere in the heart of downtown Wilmington. New specialty drinks are offered in its seasonally-inspired menus that rotate every few months.
The coffee shop has changed names over its history, originally Cape Fear Coffee and Tea, then it became the Italian Gourmet Coffee Shop. What makes 24 South a unique coffee shop is having a manual-lever espresso machine creating a very delicious shot of espresso.
The manager of the coffee shop, Molly Prosser, has a passion for downtown Wilmington after growing up in Wilmington and attending UNCW.
Occasionally the shop will host events with small businesses in the area. Stop by 24 South Coffee House for your next brew!
The Half Business Spotlight
The Half is a neighborhood sandwich and beverage shop located at 510 ½ Red Cross St., the former home of Detour Deli, in the Brooklyn Arts District.
Owners of The Half, Andrew Dennison, Carl Cross and Dean Moore combined their passion for sandwiches and beverages to create a space for the community to come together.
The shop has a diverse menu that features innovative sandwiches with inspirations from around the globe. Moore and Cross are vegans and included several vegan options on the menu.
The owners all have previous experience in the brewing industry and decided to interpret a nomadic brewing concept with breweries from across the East Coast to help bring unique beers to the Wilmington market. The bar also serves canned beer, wine and hard seltzer.
The owners also wanted to work with the local arts community. The shop spotlights local artists and their work throughout the year.
Be sure to stop by The Half for your next sandwich and drink!
Port City Power Yoga Business Spotlight
Port City Power Yoga is a Baptiste-inspired power yoga studio located at 12 S.16th St. The studio offers classes every day for all levels. During each class, the studio is heated to 85-95 degrees.
Baptiste yoga is a methodology and style of yoga created by Baron Baptiste. It is focused on poses, meditation, and self-inquiry and is intended to be adaptable to all levels of physical ability.
Owner Katelyn Maginnes, started yoga around 2015. The life-changing experience made her want to share her passion with others in hopes that they have the same experience.
Port City Power Yoga also offers massages by Vicki Soltis, a licensed and board-certified masseuse. She specializes in deep tissue therapeutic massage for injury recovery, post-surgery treatments, stress reduction, and pain relief.
The studio has a great introductory offer: 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. There are also drop-in options, class pass options, and an unlimited monthly membership.
Visit Port City Power Yoga’s website for more information, including class schedules and workshops!
Blue Post Billiards Spotlight
The Blue Post is a local downtown pub and billiard hall located at 15 S. Water St. in the Central Business District.
The bar offers a laid-back environment with couches, a jukebox, pool tables, arcade games, skee ball, air hockey and more! Its business partners are Barbara Weetman, Gil Johnson and Harper Peterson.
Blue Post Billiards has been a popular spot for over two decades for locals, downtown employees, and even ghost tours. The building itself is over 100 years old with tons of history!
Blue Post is open Monday through Friday from 3:00p.m. to 2:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on the weekends.
The Plant Outpost Business Spotlight
The Plant Outpost is a houseplant store specializing in indoor tropicals and cacti located at 624 S. 17th St. in downtown Wilmington’s Cargo District. The shop also sells plant accessories such as pots, stickers, note pads, shirts, and more.
Sarah Mertz, the shop’s owner, is a single mom and Wilmington resident for about 7 years. She started the Plant Outpost right before COVID-19. She began attending pop-up markets around the downtown area for fun in her free time. Then after losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic, she started her own business delivering plants.
This idea took off and was the stepping stone for her to move the plants into a shipping container in the Cargo District!
Join The Plant Outpost as it celebrates its two-year anniversary on Saturday, June 25 with Queen Street Tattoos. There will be a special pottery guest, games, raffles, and prizes.
Visit the Plant Outpost in the Cargo District or online at www.theplantoutpost.com.
Places to Park Near N. Front St.
Here are three places to park near N. Front St. that have quick and easy access to all these great businesses and many more!
The Cotton Exchange The Basics @ the Cotton Exchange ˈedət by Island Passage Java Dog Coffee House Desert Rose Boutique Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Wilmington NC Local 910 Bar & Lounge The Hop Yard Wilmington Outdoor Equipped Tacobaby. Rumcow Wilmington Whatever Wilmington Nsalo Salon
Bring It Downtown Wilmington City of Wilmington, NC Government Downtown Alive Wilmington NC
#bringitdowntown #yeswilmington #downtownwilmingtonnc #downtownilm #historicwilmington #wilmingtonnc #explorenc #wilmingtonbusiness #wilmingtonliving #nccoast #wilmywood #explorewilmington #lovenc #localfave #travelwilmington #supportsmallbiz #supportlocalbusiness #shopsmallbusinesses
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Be sure to check out all the great places N. Front and Grace streets have to offer. The sidewalks and shops around the construction are open!
Local 910 Bar & Lounge The Cotton Exchange Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Wilmington NC The Hop Yard Wilmington
Momentum Distillery Ribbon Cutting
Momentum Distillery is a new boutique micro-distillery in downtown Wilmington. It's slated to launch a series of new products this summer!
Momentum Distillery plans to release its new limoncello and orangecello mid June, and its new aged rum and rye whiskey will be released mid July. It is currently selling its signature 90-proof vodka out of the Cotton Exchange location.
The distillery is located at 318 Nutt St. in the Cotton Exchange. WDI recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for this new distillery along with Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple, Cheryl Hartsoe, Property Manager of The Cotton Exchange, and partners, Downtown Business Alliance and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.
The distillery will begin selling its new North Carolina-shaped bottles in-store this summer and will eventually hit ABC Stores across the state this fall.
Go check them out this weekend! The business will be open Sunday and on Memorial Day.
WDI recently had the pleasure of welcoming True Blue Butcher and Barrel to the South Front District!
Thank you to our partners the Downtown Business Alliance of Wilmington and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, as well as Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo for joining True Blue for this special occasion. The restaurant is another wonderful addition to our burgeoning business community!
Here's a look back on the 75th Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival at Wilmington, Inc.! We hope you enjoyed all the festivities. We'd like to thank the entire Azalea Festival team, the City of Wilmington, NC Government, our MSD Ambassador team, and all our other partners for making this year's celebration such a huge success Downtown!
Jengo's Playhouse and key Cucalorians celebrated this week the extensive renovations completed on the Cucalorus creative campus!
WDI once again joined our partners with the Downtown Business Alliance of Wilmington and Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo for this ribbon-cutting event!
Check out the work at Jengo's Playhouse the next time you're in the Soda Pop District!
Yesterday, we joined our partners with Downtown Business Alliance of Wilmington to welcome the newest business to the Castle Street Arts & Antiques District!
Castle Street Kitchen is now open at 509 Castle St. and ready to serve guests! Head over to the restaurant this weekend for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Seabird is a restaurant set in a historic building located at 1 Front St. in the heart of downtown Wilmington! Seabird serves quality fish, oysters, wine, cocktails, coffee, and more, and is open to customers Thursday through Monday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its seasonal offerings include locally-sourced ingredients and seafood from our coastal communities. The restaurant also offers a selection of beers, wines, and handcrafted cocktails to enjoy while you dine.
Seabird, owned by local chef Dean Neff, opened in May 2021. He opened Seabird with a goal to be a community hub for people that feels like home. Be sure to make a reservation at Seabird for your next stop in downtown Wilmington!
Yesterday, Wilmington Downtown, iNC joined its partners with the Downtown Business Alliance of Wilmington and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the new location for Ruth's Chris Steak House - Wilmington - North Carolina. This fine-dining restaurant is now located on the third floor of River Place (244 N. Water St.) in downtown Wilmington. Ruth's Chris is now open to serve guests. Make a reservation today!
DRINX just recently opened in downtown and offers a 21st century spin to coffee. The shop’s owner, April Walker, chose the Cargo District because it was up-and-coming and catered to a younger demographic. DRINX’s concept introduces a new way to consume your caffeine. The drinks use Lotus Plant Energy which is a concentrate that includes benefits such as adaptogenic botanicals, super-fruits, key amino acids, b-vitamins, and natural caffeine. The shop also plans on offering acai bowls and other grab and go snacks!
Some of their most popular drinks include tropical thunder, supernova, pink dragon, forbidden fruit, and honey bee lotus. DRINX uses locally sourced honey from Seaside Honey Bees!
DRINX will hold its grand opening market in the Cargo District on Saturday, January 15th from 12:00pm-4:00pm! There will be 18 other local vendors participating.
Have you had a chance to visit the new Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center and see all it has to offer? The hotel has a rooftop bar with scenic views of the Cape Fear River, a downstairs lounge, and much more! WDI and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce held a joint Ribbon Cutting ceremony and Grand Opening with the amazing Aloft crew to celebrate this 125-room hotel addition to our city!
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: This Saturday is the 10th Annual Toys for Tots Fundraiser and benefit concert put on by L Shape Lot! WDI had a chance to catch up with the band's lead singer to talk about L Shape Lot's formation and upcoming show at Brooklyn Arts Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Make sure to bring as many new, unwrapped toys as you can and come out to the Brooklyn Arts Center for a great show!
Marcus Rich, owner of Art Factory, has gone full circle starting at UNCW as a marine biology major, venturing into a variety of side trips as a researcher, educator, exhibit designer, importer and is now immersed in the arts. Rich decided to open up Art Factory in 2012 when there was an acute shortage of studio work space for artists in downtown Wilmington.
The gallery is filled with local and African art that Rich collected throughout the years. Art Factory also offers a 40 seat theater/screening room upstairs that they make available to community organizations for a modest charge. Three years ago, Rich, put in a wine bar that helped drive many customers in. Make sure to stop by the Art Factory and try their new ‘Art of the Vine’ wine!
Check out WDI's latest Business Spotlight on Gravity Records!
Gravity Records owner Matt Keen started this records store in 2004. The business moved to the Castle Street Arts and Antiques District in 2013. Matt has a goal to support the growing Castle Street District community. Be sure to stop by the shop for your next music purchase!
Gallery Citrine is a co-op-based business with six working artists studios located at 17 S. Second St. in downtown Wilmington. There are currently 11 artists that rent the gallery's studio space. Most of its artists are painters, however, the business also carries 3-D art, pottery, wire sculptures, woodwork, and more for sale! The business strives to foster a community that supports artists and their work.
Citrine also helps raise funds for local organizations through gallery shows. Help support the arts community by attending Citrine's Holiday Market, Nov. 20-21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.! Keep up to date on all that is happening at the gallery by following GalleryCitrine!
Auggie and Zo is a locally-operated boutique located inside a shipping container in downtown's Cargo District. Owner Zoe opened her business in September 2020, during the pandemic.
As a young entrepreneur, Zoe was inspired by the Cargo District, choosing this enticing location for her shop and joining a community of fellow business owners and friends who also have a spot in this district. Auggie and Zo strives to have versatile and comfortable clothing, including women's, men's and omnisex wear. The business aims to have something for everyone, tying into the A-Z concept from which the store derives its name.
Head to the Cargo District to check out this unique boutique. Be sure to greet Zoe's golden retriever, Auggie! auggieandzo
WDI joined Parastream Development this morning as the developer updated local leaders about their upcoming plans in the Soda Pop District. Parastream recently purchased more than 3 blocks in the district for a multi-phase, adaptive reuse project that will add manufacturing, retail, and residential space to our downtown!
Thank you, Mayor Bill Saffo and other members of the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County who came out to the site today! Exciting news coming out of one of our growing emerging districts!!
