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I have to disagree that Epicenter is the only thing going on for nightlife in Uptown Charlotte. Parts of College, Tryon, and Trade streets also have nice clusters of establishments and was where nightlife was concentrated before Epicenter. And I'd definitely say Uptown is booming these days with tons of new construction all over, the streetcar line, and an increasing amount of conventions and special events coming to Charlotte along with the regular fixtures but I guess your definition of the term is different.
The streetcar line is a joke. Parts of College and Tryon? Where on Tryon is a happening spot? Bank of America Plaza or Wells Fargo buildings? There are like 3-4 restaruants and a bar on Tryon. College is where Epicenter is. I say not booming because its not booming there are 2-3 pockets that everything is and the rest is apartments, condos, or office buildings. I live and work in Charlotte, I know you do too but I worked in Wells 3 and used to watch the max exodus after business hours. Sure there are things and it could be worse but it isnt exactly a boomtown. Convention center is on college 2 blocks south of the Epicenter and thats where they all go if not the restaurant in the Westin. I guess we will have to agree to disagree because I think places like Plaza Midwood, Southend, Montford, and Noda are more happening than downtown/uptown.
Yes forget epicenter, the street car, clubs and dining just give me that wonderful urban park that serves as the front yard of the surrounding high rises and the ball stadium on game night. Downtown Charlotte is nice!
Yes forget epicenter, the street car, clubs and dining just give me that wonderful urban park that serves as the front yard of the surrounding high rises and the ball stadium on game night. Downtown Charlotte is nice!
Im not saying it isnt nice, and I am not saying they arent trying. What I am saying is against Houston thugh they both suffer from the same issues. Houston is on a whole different playing field between population, dining, downtown size and buildings. If Charlotte does what it proposes with Tryon place, and the Stonewall coridor then it will rival cities much bigger than itself, but as of today it needs a lot of work as does Houston but just based on sheer size and actual shopping options in downtown Houston it gets the nod here. I still think Charlotte punches above it's weight in a lot of things though. Dining needs to be addressed for a city its size for sure, though that is coming along.
The streetcar line is a joke. Parts of College and Tryon? Where on Tryon is a happening spot? Bank of America Plaza or Wells Fargo buildings? There are like 3-4 restaruants and a bar on Tryon. College is where Epicenter is. I say not booming because its not booming there are 2-3 pockets that everything is and the rest is apartments, condos, or office buildings. I live and work in Charlotte, I know you do too but I worked in Wells 3 and used to watch the max exodus after business hours. Sure there are things and it could be worse but it isnt exactly a boomtown. Convention center is on college 2 blocks south of the Epicenter and thats where they all go if not the restaurant in the Westin. I guess we will have to agree to disagree because I think places like Plaza Midwood, Southend, Montford, and Noda are more happening than downtown/uptown.
People always say the starter line of a streetcar (or light rail) system is a joke, forgetting that it's the first line of a larger system. You can't build the whole system at once.
I'm starting to think you haven't been Uptown since the mid-2000's if you think there's only 3-4 restaurants and a bar on Tryon. The intersection of Tryon and 5th in particular sees a good amount of after-hours foot traffic towards the end of the week with Blumenthal, Ri Ra, Binaco, Prohibition, Connolly's, Malabar, Luce, etc. Further up you have Rock Bottom and Sydney's. There are all sorts of restaurants that line the whole length of Tryon in Uptown. On College, around 5th Street and going north, you have Fitzgerald's, Blue, Cosmos, Bar Charlotte, Republic, Fuel Pizza (open late on weekends), Sports One, etc. These are areas that were pretty active on weekends even before Epicenter hit the scene and I know because I was in Uptown often on the weekends back then when I lived in Charlotte.
And the term "booming" and "boomtown" is typically used to refer to growth and development, not nightlife. New Orleans has always been known for its nightlife but isn't really a "boomtown" (well as least not before its post-Katrina resurgence).
People always say the starter line of a streetcar (or light rail) system is a joke, forgetting that it's the first line of a larger system. You can't build the whole system at once.
I'm starting to think you haven't been Uptown since the mid-2000's if you think there's only 3-4 restaurants and a bar on Tryon. The intersection of Tryon and 5th in particular sees a good amount of after-hours foot traffic towards the end of the week with Blumenthal, Ri Ra, Binaco, Prohibition, Connolly's, Malabar, Luce, etc. Further up you have Rock Bottom and Sydney's. There are all sorts of restaurants that line the whole length of Tryon in Uptown. On College, around 5th Street and going north, you have Fitzgerald's, Blue, Cosmos, Bar Charlotte, Republic, Fuel Pizza (open late on weekends), Sports One, etc. These are areas that were pretty active on weekends even before Epicenter hit the scene and I know because I was in Uptown often on the weekends back then when I lived in Charlotte.
And the term "booming" and "boomtown" is typically used to refer to growth and development, not nightlife. New Orleans has always been known for its nightlife but isn't really a "boomtown" (well as least not before its post-Katrina resurgence).
When has Cosmos or Bar Charlotte been hoping since 2000? Blue is a restaurant in the bottom of an office building that isnt exactly a hot spot(I used to work there). . And I worked uptown up until March of this year and saw it from SpeedStreet to normal Saturday night the other parts of Charlotte are busier than Uptown. Fuel Pizza thats a spot to hang out? That is what I am talking about its not exactly going nuts uptown other than Epicenter. I am sure other places got business but since Epicenter thats where it all is and its not a bad thing with Bubble, roof top, Whiskey River, WildWing, Vida, and a ton of other things in there but it is the main draw to uptown at this point. Ri Ra's is packed when there is a soccer game or something otherwise it isn't all that. The street car is a joke not because its short but because how it was handled, when its done it will connect Elizabeth and uptown and make it better so you have things like Jackelope jack's and so on. ALso I forgot Metropolitan if we count that as uptown. I am not saying there isnt anything to in uptown but that there is a lot of work to do.
PS would the Music Factory count, because otherwise nightclubs are pretty much NIL in uptown.
When has Cosmos or Bar Charlotte been hoping since 2000? Blue is a restaurant in the bottom of an office building that isnt exactly a hot spot(I used to work there). . And I worked uptown up until March of this year and saw it from SpeedStreet to normal Saturday night the other parts of Charlotte are busier than Uptown. Fuel Pizza thats a spot to hang out? That is what I am talking about its not exactly going nuts uptown other than Epicenter. I am sure other places got business but since Epicenter thats where it all is and its not a bad thing with Bubble, roof top, Whiskey River, WildWing, Vida, and a ton of other things in there but it is the main draw to uptown at this point. Ri Ra's is packed when there is a soccer game or something otherwise it isn't all that. The street car is a joke not because its short but because how it was handled, when its done it will connect Elizabeth and uptown and make it better so you have things like Jackelope jack's and so on. ALso I forgot Metropolitan if we count that as uptown. I am not saying there isnt anything to in uptown but that there is a lot of work to do.
PS would the Music Factory count, because otherwise nightclubs are pretty much NIL in uptown.
All the spots I mentioned are part of the nightlife scene and several of them have a nice crowd at night towards the end of the work week and on the weekend. I'm guessing you think that because Uptown isn't the French Quarter that there's nothing going on there. That's an unrealistic standard for any city and again, there's a decent amount of foot traffic outside of Epicenter at night on the weekends. Uptown has come a very long way within the past 10 years and it only continues to get better.
If you have criticisms of how the streetcar was implemented, that's one thing but calling it a "joke" is pretty far off the mark.
I'd count Music Factory as well as SouthEnd for all practical purposes.
As of right now, most of the criteria for Houston is being addressed. What will help it is more people live in downtown which is why they are building thousands of units.
As of right now, most of the criteria for Houston is being addressed. What will help it is more people live in downtown which is why they are building thousands of units.
Never been to Houston, but I live in Charlotte. I would just have to assume based on population alone that Houston wins this. Plus Uptown Charlotte is the part of Charlotte I like the least, aside from the sports and skyscrapers. Most of the bars besides Hooligans and Belfast Mill are terrible and it's so damn sterile. But a lot is changing for Uptown, there are a lot of big things in the works and MY GOD is it better than it was 10, even 5 years ago. By an unbelievable margin. It's just not my scene. Charlotte's neighborhoods are where its soul is.
If mullets = Charlotte, than Uptown is the business in the front and her neighborhoods are the party in the back.
Never been to Houston, but I live in Charlotte. I would just have to assume based on population alone that Houston wins this. Plus Uptown Charlotte is the part of Charlotte I like the least, aside from the sports and skyscrapers. Most of the bars besides Hooligans and Belfast Mill are terrible and it's so damn sterile. But a lot is changing for Uptown, there are a lot of big things in the works and MY GOD is it better than it was 10, even 5 years ago. By an unbelievable margin. It's just not my scene. Charlotte's neighborhoods are where its soul is.
If mullets = Charlotte, than Uptown is the business in the front and her neighborhoods are the party in the back.
I agree that the neighborhoods are where the heart and soul of Charlotte is to be found, but I've had plenty of fun at different spots in Uptown. I simply don't expect it to be River Street in Savannah or the French Quarter; in Uptown, Charlotte is doing what it does pretty nicely these days.
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