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INSIDE ▼ United Way names new leader PAGE 2A Friday, March 21, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 11
thecharlotteweekly.com
@southcltweekly
Tommy Bahama to open new bar at SouthPark CHARLOTTE – Tommy Bahama will make its North Carolina debut with the opening of the brand’s latest hybrid dining and shopping experience at SouthPark Mall.
The Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar is scheduled to open in mid-March. The casual new concept allows guests to eat, drink and shop. The 9720-square-foot space will include a retail store with Tommy Bahama men’s and women’s sportswear, activewear and swim collections as well as home entertaining and décor items. “We’re excited to bring the Marlin Bar to SouthPark,” said Doug Wood, CEO of Tommy Bahama. “We developed the Marlin Bar concept to create a more casual way for our guests to enjoy the Tommy Bahama shopping and dining experience. It's one of the ways Tommy Bahama is different from other lifestyle brands.”
The Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar features a relaxed dining approach that appeals to a more casual diner. The menu offers dishes such as WorldFamous Coconut Shrimp, Blackened Mahi Tacos, All American Beef and “Nashville” Hot Chicken Sliders, Ahi Poke Bowl, sandwiches and desserts like Key Lime Pie or Chocolate Brownie. The bar will serve cocktails, Island Rum drinks, martinis, wine and beer. Want to go?
The Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar opens for dining from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 4400 Sharon Road. There will be live music most evenings. Retail hours span from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. On the web: tommybahama.com
Photos courtesy of Tommy Bahama
Run Jen Run raises record amount Customshop duo for breast cancer support
launching third concept
CHARLOTTE – More than 1,100 participants took strides for local breast cancer patients at the 13th annual Run Jen Run 5K and Festival.
To date, the event has raised more than $195,000 – the most raised in the event’s 13-year history – to support the Go Jen Go Foundation and local breast cancer community. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the 13th year of Run Jen Run so special and amazing,” said Susan Evren, executive director of Go Jen Go. “Honoring Jen’s legacy by showing up for breast cancer patients in financial crisis means the world to us. Our Story continues, see RUN page 3A
Chef Andres Kaifer and business partner Alex Bridges are adding a wine bar to their portfolio. Photo courtesy of Customshop
CHARLOTTE – Andres Kaifer and Alex Bridges plan on opening a wine bar and retail shop within the 1,200-square-foot space that used to house Mere’s within The Courtyard shopping center off Park Road. Proceeds from Run Jen Run support the Go Jen Go Foundation, which provides hope and support to families facing the financial burden of a breast cancer diagnosis. Photo courtesy of Go Jen Go
Publix Super Market opens new store in Charlotte
These photos show various departments within the Publix Super Market at Quail Commons before the store opened. Photos courtesy of Publix
CHARLOTTE – Publix Super Market celebrated the opening of its new 51,477-squarefoot location March 12 at Quail Commons. The store will employ 150 people.
“We are excited to open Publix at Quail Commons,” said Jared Glover, media relations manager. “We look forward to providing premier service to our new customers and being active members of this vibrant community.”
Highlights of the store include: • Deli – The full-service deli counter features a variety of meats, an international selection of olives, antipastos, hummus and more than 200 artisan cheeses from the U.S. and around the world. • Produce – Shoppers can find organic and conventionally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, with locally grown produce and exotic choices from across the globe. • Bakery – A scratch bakery of-
fers cakes, cookies and pies as well as desserts made by skilled decorators. Breads and rolls are baked fresh throughout the day. • Meat – Shoppers can find custom cuts of meats, including Publix private label all-natural and organic GreenWise chicken. Ready-to-cook items are prepared fresh daily. • Seafood – Fresh seafood is delivered throughout the week, including wild and farm-raised
fish, as well as a variety of shellfish. Whole fish and fillets are fresh, never frozen. Sushi chefs create hand-rolled selections daily. • Pharmacy – The full-service pharmacy includes a variety of body care products and a selection of natural and conventional vitamins, minerals and supplements. The store, located at 11525 Carmel Commons Blvd., also offers catering, delivery via Instacart and a pharmacy drive-thru.
Kaifer and Bridges are the guys behind neighborhood restaurant Customshop and the recently opened Marina’s Tapas in Optimist Hall. “Opening a wine-focused spot has always been a dream and is what’s kept me in the business,” Bridges said. “We look forward to working with small producers and importers because we care about the people making the wine and where it comes from. It’s also important for us to introduce people to regions and varietals they haven’t had and will love.” The concept will offer an extensive “by the glass” list and feature a custom tap system. They will also offer a wide selection of wines by the bottle, with the invitation to enjoy on-site or take away. They want to offer frequent tastings. The space will have indoor seats, including a bar, a banquet and a large communal table, as well as a patio with outdoor seating options. The bar will be a light and airy place for casual daytime hangs, meetings and work sessions, switching to a more intimate experience in the evenings. “Alex becoming a partner at Customshop has led to what is now an amazing working relationship,” Kaifer said, “We designed a concept where his expertise on wine will be the main event and the food menu can be a culinary playground not tied to any genre. At the end of the day, we’re creating a place we’d both want to hang out with friends on a free afternoon or night.”