CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This weekend, one of the named new businesses in the Queen City Quarter opened its doors.
Queen City Quarter used to be the Epicenter; a hot spot for nightlife. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Epicenter closed down due to financial pressure. It had seen a slew of violent events for years before.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed before the pandemic in 2019 to during the pandemic in 2020, there was a 53.7% drop in spending on food away from home.
Stepping into the frame of the newly named Queen City Quarter, Portal CLT is open. It's a collection of themed rooms where people can take Instagram-worthy pictures. It's the first of eight named businesses that have signed a lease.
Carol Hall is the owner of Portal CLT and said she's captured the perfect spot.
“We have already 500 followers before we opened on Instagram," Hall said. “I’m Getting messages from people saying I’m so excited the Epicenter is back. I love what they are going to do to the interior and put seating and will bring and airy and somewhere to go.”
She said she is looking back on what the Epicenter used to be. It was a thriving spot filled with bars and restaurants. With the new business model, some City leaders said businesses like Portal CLT will fill the spot.
“Uptown will look significantly different than it does today," Councilman Malcolm Graham said.
Councilmen Graham said retail and housing are in the foreground.