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INSIDE ▼ Hospitals excel at heart, stroke care
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Friday, October 3, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 40
thecharlotteweekly.com
The Smoke Pit expands to south Charlotte CHARLOTTE – The Smoke Pit has opened in The Arboretum.
This marks the brand’s first restaurant in the city, expanding from popular spots in Concord, Salisbury, Monroe and beyond. It is located at 8136 Providence Road. The restaurant is known for its hickory-smoked meats, hearty Southern sides and family-friendly atmosphere. Guests can look forward to smoked
@southcltweekly The Arboretum is an openair shopping and dining destination at Providence and PinevilleMatthews roads. It offers a mix of national brands, local boutiques, and restaurants, including The Smoke Pit.
brisket, pulled pork, ribs, wings and other favorites, cooked low and slow, along with scratch-made sides and signature sauces. Since opening its first restaurant in 2014, The Smoke Pit has built a loyal following for its generous portions, bold flavors and Southern hospitality. The new south Charlotte location seeks to continue this tradition. On the web: thesmokepitonline.com or shoparboretum.com
Photo courtesy of The Arboretum
Oaklore Explore Gabby’s Dollhouse at SouthPark Distilling releases new Story Series bottle
CHARLOTTE – Oaklore Distilling Co. has released the latest whiskey in its Story Series.
Children can enter Gabby’s Dollhouse through a Magic Door inside the CAMP store. Photos courtesy of CAMP
CHARLOTTE – After seeing “Gabby’s Dollhouse” in theaters, children can walk through a Magic Door at SouthPark Mall to explore more than 5,000 square feet of paw-some themed rooms.
Gabby's Dollhouse x CAMP offers an immersive and interactive experience. Some of the purrrrks include: • Step into Gabby's iconic bedroom, and with the help of Pandy Paws, enter the dollhouse world brought to life through immersive play. • Channel your inner pastry chef in Cakey's kitchen, whipping up make-believe party treats. • Wander through the Fairytale Garden, helping Story continues, see CAMP page 3A
Since the debut of the “Gabby's Dollhouse” series in 2021, kids around the world have joined one big sprinkle party with Gabby and her friends on Netflix. The party moves to SouthPark Mall for a limited time.
15-year-old Paralympian to swim for charity CHARLOTTE – Swim Across America’s mission is deeply personal for Drennan Shall, a 15-year-old Paralympic swimmer with SwimMAC Carolina and two-time cancer survivor.
Drennan, a sophomore at Providence Day School, was diagnosed as a toddler with stage III, group 3 rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive tissue cancer. He underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery before going into remission in 2013. While the treatments were lifesaving, they left him with lasting weakness in his left foot and leg, qualifying him to compete as a Paralympic swimmer. He also became involved in Charlotte-based Swim Across America, which organizes swimming events across the country to raise money for cancer research. Swim Across America – Charlotte has donated more than $1 million to Atrium Health Levine Cancer and Levine Children's Hospital, supporting lifesaving research and patient care. The nonprofit is preparing for its ninth annual Swim Across America – Charlotte Open Water Swim on Oct. 5 at Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie. Proceeds benefit Atrium Health Levine Cancer and Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. “Every year since 2019, I’ve looked forward
to Swim Across America because it’s not just a swim, it’s a community all united by a shared purpose to make waves in the fight against cancer,” Drennan said. “As someone who has faced cancer and witnessed family members like my grandfather, battle the disease, I know how important this cause is. Every dollar raised helps fund lifesaving research and provides hope to patients and families. I am grateful for every single contribution and proud to be part of this incredible movement.” Outside of the pool, Drennan serves on the Swim Across America – Charlotte Junior Advisory Board, where he is part of the social media committee (@jabcharlottesaa). Drennan’s twin sister, Annie, and younger sister also swim in the event. Their parents and Apollo, the Bernedoodle, will cheer them on during the Oct. 5 swim. Drennan said his goal is to inspire others to support Swim Across America and to show that even the toughest challenges can fuel strength and purpose. Swim Across America has raised more than $120 million since 1987 to help fund cancer research and clinical trials. That work has contributed to FDA-approved cancer immunotherapies such as Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. In the past year, Swim Across America funded a breakthrough clinical trial at
Drennan Shall, a 15-year-old Paralympic swimmer and two-time cancer survivor, will participate in the Swim Across America – Charlotte Open Water Swim with his two sisters. The open swim attracts more than 300 swimmers, volunteers and supporters each year.
Photo courtesy of Swim Across America
Memorial Sloan Kettering that showed that immunotherapy alone could successfully treat certain types of cancer. The nonprofit recently awarded two first-of-its-kind gene editing innovation grants. Want to go?
Swimmers and volunteers of all ages and skill levels will gather on Oct. 5 at Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie for the ninth annual Swim Across America – Charlotte Open Water Swim. Participants choose from 0.5-mile, 1-mile or 2-mile swim options, with a same-day pool swim available. Visit swimacrossamerica.org/charlotte to register to swim, volunteer or donate.
Oaklore Story Series: Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished Four Grain Bourbon (SRP: $99.95 for 750 ml) is available in very limited release, with only 750 bottles for purchase. Bottled at 95 proof, this six-year-old, non-chill-filtered, small-batch bourbon is a fresh take on Oaklore’s original Four Grain Bourbon, creating a new flavor exploration enhanced by the finishing in Spanish Oloroso Sherry Casks. The whiskey makers start with their traditional Four Grain Bourbon, which is crafted by Oaklore at the brand’s sister distilleries in North Carolina and Kentucky. Distilled on 24-inch Vendome all-copper column stills, the Four Grain Bourbon uses “the big four” American whiskey grains (corn, wheat, barley and rye). The whiskey combines the best five- to sixyear-old barrels of wheated bourbon and rye bourbon mash bills, which are aged separately, hand-selected and then batched together, producing a final mash bill of 70% corn, 10% rye, 10% wheat, and 10% malted barley. Master Blender Tom Bogan, along with Co-Founder Matt Simpkins, oversees the batching process and then re-barrels the Four Grain Bourbon for additional aging of approximately eight to 12 months in palletized, non-temperature-controlled warehouses in the North Carolina Piedmont. Oaklore uses #2, #3 and #4 char level barrels and multiple cooperages to achieve consistency and a flavorful bourbon that’s not overwhelmed by wood influences. Bogan and Simpkins transferred the whiskey into Spanish Oloroso Sherry barrels where it rested for 12 to 18 months, picking up the Mediterranean flavors and influence inherent to Oloroso Sherry casks. The resulting whiskey features an aroma of dried fig, raisin and vintage wine coupled with cherry bark, cocoa and apricot on the palate and a dry sherry finish. Relative to other American-whiskey-producing regions, North Carolina’s Piedmont is an ideal climate, particularly when it comes to barrel aging, according to Oaklore Distilling. The humid subtropical environment spends less time in the extremes, but experiences broad, daily temperature swings more frequently than in Kentucky and other regions, resulting in a more consistent, year-by-year aging process. This allows for a more uniform whiskey profile, with developed character and a richer taste. “National Bourbon Heritage Month feels like as good a time as ever for folks to try a smaller American whiskey that represents a lesser known, but emerging whiskey-producing state like North Carolina,” Bogan said, “whether that’s our original Four Grain Bourbon or this special Oloroso Sherry Finished Cask expression. Bottles are available online at https://shop.oakloredistilling.com/.
GRADES K-12 OPEN HOUSES OCTOBER 24, 9:30 AM & NOVEMBER 18, 6:30 PM Register at carmelchristian.org/starthere • Where Minds Engage, Lives Change and Hearts Serve.