“What were you doing 20 years ago?”
MARCH/APRIL 2026 CHAPELHILLMAGAZINE.COM
EDITOR Jessica Stringer
EDITORIAL
I was a high school senior who was headed to William & Mary in the fall as an English major. Little did I know I’d soon get off the waitlist at UNC, which would change the trajectory of my life completely.
At the Dermatology & Laser Center of Chapel Hill, founded by Dr. Chris G. Adigun, we believe that exceptional skin care begins with compassion, expertise, and a genuine commitment to each patient’s well-being. Our team of board-certified dermatology specialists combine advanced medical knowledge with the latest in laser and skincare technology to deliver effective treatments. We take pride in offering personalized care in a welcoming, professional environment – helping our patients achieve healthier, more radiant skin through evidence-based solutions and attentive, individualized care.
Healthier, radiant skin and a level of care that only true experts can provide.
Chris G. Adigun, MD, FAAD
Amanda K. Suggs, MD, FAAD
Karlee Wagoner, ANP-BC
Diana Walker, PA-C
Amy Rodriguez, PA-C
I was living and working in NYC. At that time, I was the assistant managing editor at Woman’s Day magazine, working with a great team and enjoying the city life with friends and colleagues.
EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR Amanda MacLaren
EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CHATHAM MAGAZINE & THE TRIANGLE WEEKENDER
Morgan Cartier Weston
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sharon Kinsella
EDITORIAL INTERNS
Emma Arthur, Regan Butler, Lojine Goumaa, Ali Grau, Stephanie Hughes, Olivia Jarman, Ellie Kollme, Delphine Liu
Rebekah Mann, Katrina McLean, Jamell Mumford, Tiffany Plusnick, Lexi Tatum, Cassie Tripp, Libby Wakefield
CONTRIBUTORS
James Dupree, Scott Oldham, Jaclyn Parris, Rebecca Savidge, Lauren Rouse
ART & PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kevin Brown
PHOTOGRAPHER
John Michael Simpson
GRAPHIC DESIGNER & PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Lindsay Scott
AD MANAGER
Khadijah Weekes-Nolan
MAGAZINE DESIGNER Alex Crotti
ADVERTISING For advertising inquiries, email advertising@chapelhillmagazine.com
Melissa Cooley melissa.cooley@trianglemediapartners.com
Melissa Crane melissa.crane@trianglemediapartners.com
Sarah Davis sarah.davis@trianglemediapartners.com
Jasmine Gaines jasmine.gaines@trianglemediapartners.com
Megan Hussey megan.hussey@trianglemediapartners.com
Lucinda Poole lucinda.poole@trianglemediapartners.com
Clayton Wrisley clay.wrisley@trianglemediapartners.com
CORPORATE PRESIDENT Rory Kelly Gillis
VICE PRESIDENT, SALES Chris Elkins, chris.elkins@trianglemediapartners.com
VICE PRESIDENT, CREATIVE OPERATIONS Ashlin Acheson, ashlin.acheson@trianglemediapartners.com
VICE PRESIDENT, CLIENT SERVICES Sally Scruggs
VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Amy Bell
I was attending high school in Raleigh and dreaming of a career at a newspaper or magazine!
I was in the second grade, learning multiplication and competing in class races to see who could learn their tables up to 12 x 12 first. Guess who didn’t get that coveted first-place trip to the treasure box? (Hint: it was me!)
I was layering lace-trimmed tank tops with waffle henleys and obsessed with both ‘Garden State’ and ‘Little Miss Sunshine.’ I had transitioned from theater kid to video production kid, so put that all together and I was pretty insufferable.
ACCOUNTING & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Cassady Orsini
MULTIMEDIA PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR OF CLIENT DIGITAL STRATEGY Jenna Parks
DEPUTY EDITOR, HEART OF NC WEDDINGS Renee Ambroso
CLIENT ONBOARDING & OPERATIONS MANAGER Brian McIndoo
DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Jack Fry
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT PRODUCER Caleb LeJeune
DISTRIBUTION Matt Bair
CO-FOUNDERS
Dan Shannon & Ellen Shannon
Chapel Hill Magazine is published 6 times per year by Triangle Media Partners, founded in 2006 by Dan and Ellen Shannon. 1777 Fordham Blvd., Ste. 105, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 | 919–933–1551 Subscriptions $38 for 2 years – subscribe at chapelhillmagazine.com
I had just moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia, for my first big girl job out of college as a volleyball director at Tidewater Volleyball Association. I worked 80-plus hours a week, played volleyball whenever I wasn’t working and ate a lot of day-old pizza.
I was a wee lad that went to school and played video games during lunchtime in the computer lab. After school, I would stay and help repair computers for our school and others in the district. When I got home I would ... play video games. So you know, nerd stuff.
It all began at a dining room table in Southern Village in 2006. Dan Shannon and Ellen Shannon set out to create a magazine rooted in creativity and a deep love for this community. That first issue sparked what has become a 20-year tradition of conversation and connection.
I graduated from high school a few months after the launch of Chapel Hill Magazine and headed to UNC to study journalism, fresh off my stint as yearbook co-editor and carrying a very specific idea of magazine life. I imagined fast-paced days, dreams shaped by rom-com newsrooms and the glossy pages of all the magazines I read cover to cover. I never expected that my path would eventually circle back to this town.
My career after college took me to Fast Company and Southern Living before I joined the staff here in 2014 and quickly realized how much there was still to learn. Dan proved to be a tough but fair teacher who pushed the work because he believed it could always be better. He taught me to sweat the smallest details to make a cover truly stand out. He considered sharing the stories of our neighbors in print to be a great privilege, and it remains true even more so today, especially as thoughtful, high-quality local storytelling becomes increasingly rare.
I stepped into the editor’s role in 2016 with a deep sense of responsibility. That shared sense of stewardship stretches across our team – from company president Rory Gillis to creative director Kevin Brown, the magazine’s longest-tenured leaders – and it guided every decision behind this refreshed 20th anniversary issue. We wanted the pages to honor where we’ve been while making space for what comes next.
I spent hours revisiting old covers, early stories and familiar names while preparing for this issue. Each edition reminded me how much our community has grown and changed while holding tight to what makes it special.
Thank you for being part of this story. We’re honored to celebrate the past 20 years with you – and even more excited for what’s ahead. CHM
We photographed Hannah Lee, my run club buddy and former Chapel Hill Magazine staffer (2018 to 2022), at Lumina Studio Loft We turned to some longtime businesses to help us celebrate: Uniquities (34 years!) shared a few outfits, and balloons from Balloons & Tunes (46 years!) looked oh-so-festive. Big thanks to our VP of creative operations Ashlin Acheson for coordinating everything and providing snacks from Trader Joe’s and to our executive managing editor Amanda MacLaren for being on confetti duty.
Photo by John Michael Simpson
Shop the cover look from Uniquities Mother mid-rise rambler zip ankle jeans, $258, and Autumn Cashmere puff sleeve sweater with princess seam, $275.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Like our new look? Tell us what you think about the magazine and what you want to see next.
21 Number 2
54 Cover to Cover
Twenty years of stories, told on the front page
62 Worth Repeating
We revisit two iconic covers and reconnect with the families who brought them to life
66 In Good Company
Chapel Hill Magazine co-founder and current Triangle Media Partners president sit down for a candid conversation about our publication’s past and look ahead to what’s next
72 Photographic Memories
Photographers, past and present, share a few of their fave snaps
86 Behind the Byline
Former staffers reflect on the magazine’s early days
88 Back Issues
Two decades of unforgettable stories that filled our pages
104 Let It Grow
Carolina North shifts from vision to action plan, expanding UNC’s footprint – and its future
108 Home Sweet Home
Who doesn’t love looking inside other people’s houses? Here are some of our favorites we’ve featured over the years.
120 Design Forecast
Industry experts share insights on changing tastes (take note: gray is on its way out!) as well as the lasting details that never go out of style
124 Still the One
Catching up with the couples behind our past wedding stories
130 Cheers to 40!
Sister publication Heart of NC Weddings also marks a major milestone this year
132 Recipe Rewind
From our archives to your table: beloved dishes that have stood the test of time
138 How It Started, How It’s Going
We caught up with local leaders and business owners also marking major milestones to reflect on their beginnings, growth and what lies ahead
VUORI / ABERCROMBIE & FITCH / JCREW
42 A Day Trip to Downtown Pittsboro Stroll through the Circle City, named for its iconic central traffic circle
160 Tales With Taste Spring Council honors her mother, beloved community icon Mama Dip, in a new cookbook memoir
& culture, from Chapel Hill to Hillsborough
Here & Now
you won’t want to miss
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL KAST
Color, character & connections in Orange County
166 Moments That Made Us
A look back at the people, places and events that shaped our town
168 Defining Character
A thoughtful renovation celebrates the art of refinement and the partnership behind its design
182 Grounded & Growing Stone, trees and sky-reaching gardens take center stage as the Chapel Hill Garden Club marks milestone anniversaries
SCENE AROUND TOWN
Snapshots of local events
188 A Lotta Love’s All You Need Is Love Fundraiser
190 Order of the Long Leaf Pine Awards
191 Chapel Hill Historical Society’s 2025 Community Treasures
192 Carrboro High School’s Creative Writing II Showcase
194 Crook’s Corner Book Prize
195 Edward Draper-Savage Birthday Celebration
CELEBRATIONS
Engagements & weddings
196 Harris & Hladik
199 Spencer & Sumrell
200 Herink & Madigan
46 Vote for the Best of Chapel Hill Our annual poll is back! You can cast your ballot now for your local favorites.
143 Faces of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough Celebrating the people behind our area businesses
I CAN WALK, TRAVEL AND WORK WITHOUT PAIN!
“I
came to Ignite Wellness suffering with chronic plantar fasciitis and a heel spur that kept me from being able to walk! I tried everything before coming to Ignite and after a month or so of treatment I noticed improvement, and after two months I am 90% pain free! Now I can walk at night without pain, travel for vacations, and work on my farm again!”
I CAN ENJOY LIFE AGAIN!
“Icame to Ignite Wellness with severe lower back pain that I’ve had for several years. I couldn’t stand, walk, or even play with my granddaughters. I tried physical therapy, steroid injections, and pain killers, but nothing worked. Within a few weeks of starting care at Ignite Wellness, I noticed great improvement and am now able to get outdoors more often, play and hold my grandkids, and be more proactive in my daily life activities.”
I CAN SLEEP COMFORTABLY NOW!
“I
’m Jim and I am 79 years old! I came to Ignite Wellness two months ago with severe lower back pain due to degenerative disc disease and stenosis. The pain was so bad that any time I tried to change sleeping positions, the pain would wake me up! After a series of treatments, I can now sleep comfortably through the night!“
CULTURE.
Jujube puts a creative spin on
dishes, which perfectly pair with the restaurant’s inventive cocktails and robust wine list.
BY
Townhomes Starting the $600Ks
Condos Starting in the $300Ks
Attached 1-2 Car Garages* & EV-Parking
18 Distinct Plans with Rooftop Lounges* & Private Elevators*
Embedded Community Park & Greenway Trail Access
Steps from the New Carolina North Campus
Commuter-Friendly I-40 Access to Raleigh, Durham and the RTP
Built by Local Pros, Delivered by Local Experts at Chappell
Events you won’t want to miss
March 25, 7:30 p.m. carolinaperformingarts.org
Experience the power of movement as the legendary Martha Graham Dance Company returns to Carolina Performing Arts at Memorial Hall. Culminating its threeseason, 100th-anniversary celebration, the program pairs one of its most iconic and emotionally charged works, “Appalachian Spring,” with bold new creations by Hope Boykin and Baye & Asa for an evening of fiery modern dance curated around the timely and timeless question: What is an American?
BY
Grow your money the easy way with Go Green Checking. Enjoy all the perks of everyday banking while building towards your goals.
We’re here when you need us with extended teller hours from 7AM to 7PM, seven days a week. You can even get access to your money sooner with direct deposit featuring Early Pay 1
Coastal Credit Union cardholders get discounts at the Coastal Credit Union Music Park, NC Zoo Memberships, Carolina Hurricanes, and more!
March 7, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. thechapelofthecross.org
Shop for jewelry, furniture, art, children’s clothes and more while supporting great causes in the community. The 61st annual sale aims to raise $60,000 for the Chapel of the Cross ’ Faith in Action Ministries, supporting organizations like the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service and Club Nova .
Monet Richardson
Rosé and Roses Soiree
March 8, 5-8 p.m. monetrichardsoncommunity foundation.com
Don your best cocktail attire and head to the Graduate for a fundraiser featuring rose nail art, a makeup bar and more. The event marks the fifth anniversary of the Monet Richardson Community Foundation, a nonprofit created in memory of Kristian “Krissy” Monet Richardson that provides backpacks and scholarships to youth in the community.
March 14, 8:30 a.m. publicschoolfoundation.org
Run or walk to support teachers, schools and the community at the annual 5K and 1K fun run presented by the Chapel HillCarrboro Public School Foundation. This community event promotes health, fitness and school spirit.
March 20-22
cosmicraysfilmfest.com
Grab your popcorn and sink into a seat at Chelsea Theater for a showcase of experimental short films from the minds of North Carolina filmmakers and artists from around the world. This annual celebration pushes the boundaries of what film can be, featuring inventive projects that speak through the screen.
March 22, 2:30 p.m. crophungerwalk.org
Join the community to raise funds for programs that seek to eradicate hunger. A quarter of the proceeds will benefit the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, with the remaining funds supporting Church World Service’s local and global initiatives. Live music and other activities start at Carrboro Town Commons at 1:30 p.m. Be sure to take a photo with UNC mascot Rameses, who will be there to cheer on participants!
April 8-26
playmakersrep.org
PlayMakers Repertory Company presents a witty and heartfelt portrait of six Southern women, including actress Sharon Lawrence as M’Lynn, spilling the “sweet tea” during their weekly salon visits. Laugh and cry as playwright Robert Harling and director Lisa Rothe paint a picture of the way friendship sustains us through life’s highs and lows.
April 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. historichillsborough.org
Take a trip back in time to the American Revolution during this immersive experience hosted by The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough at Ayr Mount. Bring the whole family along for a hands-on learning experience featuring reenactors, Colonial dances and a new slate of activities celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence –presented in partnership with Occaneechi Replica Village interpreters, The Burwell School Historic Site and Orange County Historical Museum.
Only in Orange
Carrboro Day
April 19, noon to 4 p.m. carrboronc.gov
Celebrate your town and your planet as Carrboro Day and Earth Day come together for the first time! Stroll or cycle through Carrboro Town Commons and car-free sections of East Weaver Street and West Weaver Street to explore local sustainability efforts, connect with your neighbors and learn more about the community’s past and present.
April 26, noon to 4 p.m. touchatruckchapelhill.com
This family-friendly event at The Friday Center offers kids the chance to explore an exciting variety of more than 40 vehicles, from construction machinery to emergency vehicles. On-site food trucks will be available for refreshments. Admission is $6 per person, with a maximum of $24 per family, and free for children under 2. All proceeds benefit UNC Children’s Hospital and Scouts BSA Troop 39.
Compiled by Regan Butler
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 14, 10 a.m.
Top Triangle events this season
Compiled by Delphine Liu
Wear green or risk a pinch at this annual Irish procession through downtown Raleigh. The parade kicks off in front of the State Capitol and travels down Glenwood Avenue and Hillsborough Street. Arrive early to stake out a spot for prime views of fashionable kilts, bagpipes and spirited Irish dance.
Holi Celebration
March 14, noon to 3 p.m.
Welcome spring during the joyful Hindu festival of colors at Morrisville’s Cedar Fork Community Center. Dance, sing and toss bright powder paint and water, then browse more than a dozen artisan vendors offering jewelry, henna, soaps, oils, vinyl goods and handcrafted wood pieces.
Spring Ag Fest
March 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Celebrate agriculture, forestry and natural resources during this free community outing at Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center. Find a little something for everyone – from livestock arena events to pony rides, a magic show and food trucks. Plus, learn about local farms, sustainable agriculture, green industry, conservation and more at indoor and outdoor exhibits and vendor tables.
Bull City Food & Beer
Experience
March 29, 4-7 p.m.
This 13th annual event features fare from 30 Triangle restaurants paired with beer from local breweries. Guests can enjoy unlimited samples throughout all three floors of the Durham Performing Arts Center, plus an onstage experience with live music and options from specialty food purveyors. Proceeds benefit Ripe for Revival, a Rocky Mount-based nonprofit that addresses food insecurity.
Durham Bulls
Opening Day
March 31, 6:45 p.m.
Busk and Bloom
April 4, 1-5 p.m.
The North Carolina Museum of Art shines a spotlight on street performance as buskers from across the state fill its 164-acre park with live music, dance and other engaging acts. Wander around the park and linger at any performance that catches your eye. Be sure to bring cash to tip!
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
April 16-19
Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies brings this internationally renowned four-day festival to downtown Durham for the 28th year. Catch more than 60 nonfiction film screenings; attend parties, panels and exclusive sessions with filmmakers; and meet industry professionals and cinephiles from around the globe.
Earth Day Festival
April 19, noon to 5 p.m.
Celebrate sustainability and expand your environmental awareness at Durham Central Park during this free, all-ages annual event. The 2026 international Earth Day theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” spotlights collective action for environmental change. Enjoy music, Earthfriendly activities, educational resources and food vendors throughout the day.
Root, root, root for the home team as the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays kicks off their minor league season at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, hosting the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in their first home series. Dig into classic hot dogs, peanuts and cotton candy, and enjoy the fireworks after the game!
Spring Daze
April 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Head to Cary’s Bond Park to shop and view art by more than 170 creatives during this sunny lakeside festival. Celebrate the community and warmer weather with live music, delicious food trucks and plenty of activities for all ages.
Spring Chicken Festival
May 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Flock to downtown Siler City for the eighth annual celebration of all things chicken. Three blocks of Chatham Street come alive with music, inflatables, craft vendors and a mouthwatering array of food trucks. It’s featherruffling fun for the whole family! CHM 2025
Head to our Triangle-wide event calendar for even more seasonal festivities
Duke Arts o ers world-class performances, free hands-on workshops, and year-round arts programs in Durham and on campus. Don't miss a beat! Sign up for our newsletter.
Nabarun “ Nab” Dasgupta , an epidemiologist at UNC , was awarded a 2025 MacArthur Fellowship, or “genius grant,” in late 2025, for his work in opioid harm reduction.
As Carolina’s third faculty member to receive the prestigious award, Nab leads the UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab, which analyzes community-donated samples of street drugs nationwide to reveal drug composition and trends that help to inform proper care provision. This honor recognizes the impact his groundbreaking research has on public health and overdose prevention. – by Katrina McLean CHM
$1.6 million $1.1 million
We opened right during the pandemic. We had to come up with a plan to pivot, sustain and survive. Before the restaurant opened, our plan was to for the patio to be a warm and welcoming space for the community. With the pandemic, we weren’t able to financially meet that dream, and so the grant funding was used to build out the patio. Our goals are to continue to sustain ourselves and grow with the community ... We want to bring our passion for food and service and elevate that to a level people haven’t experienced elsewhere. Hopefully that creates a memory or long-lasting [impression people seek out] for years to come.”
– Smita Patel , Nomad
We’ve been in operation since 2016 when we first purchased the farm. Everything was covered in trees. In the past seven years, we’ve slowly built greenhouses and hot tunnels and also implemented a sustainable farming system. We used our grant funds to install irrigation. We were dry farmers the first four years, but now we have automatic irrigation and a well that is 125 feet deep that pumps out a lot of water for us.”
– Kamal Bell , Sankofa Farms
New books by local authors
Set in 1984, “Finding Your Place” tells the story of 11-year-old Ginny, who is jolted away from the place and people she calls home and moved to central North Carolina in her family’s search for a steady paycheck at the cotton mill. Inspired by her settled life in Hillsborough, Janice Irwin writes from personal experience as a military wife, depicting the shift from the comfort of rooted stability to the upheaval of unfamiliar territory. Drawing on her knowledge as a mother who has had to ask her children to make such sacrifices, Janice immerses the reader in this historical novel, told through the imaginative eyes of young Ginny as she struggles to adapt and find her footing in her new world.
illsborough-based poet Matt Poindexter delivers a deeply personal, poignant reflection on fatherhood, tracing his journey to becoming a parent through seasons of growth and moments of loss. This collection, titled “Fatherland,” is a touching look at raising children that captures the memories we cling to and the ones we struggle to carry. Deeply rooted in the sensory beauty of North Carolina, it pulls readers in through both emotion and a sense of place.
Our readers discuss what they enjoyed in the magazine over the past year:
I really liked the recent Glow Getter! Loved hearing about the people who go under [the radar] in Chapel Hill!
– Kim Jeffs
I loved, loved the “Still Standing” feature from the March/April [2025] issue.
– Sarah Persia
The one about Carolina Brewery – Robert [Poitras] works hard, and it was nice to see him recognized!
– Julie Carrow
he long-abandoned house next door to young Stella’s home suddenly fills with light – its new resident turns out to be the Moon, and she finally has a friend to play with. In “The Moon Moved In,” Chapel Hill author Sue Soltis perfectly captures the wonder of a child through charming pictures and an amusing story that encapsulates levity and delight as readers wonder if Stella’s task is too great. Will Stella be able to convince the Moon that Earth needs its light, even if it means giving up her wish for a reachable friend? – by Zahra Alqudaihi CHM
Pease, since our team [at Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture] has worked with her. It was great to see more of her work in the issue, and I loved that local public art was being showcased in such a big way.
– Darien Cropper
What home or garden project is on your spring to-do list? We want to hear from you! Drop us a line at jessica@chapelhillmagazine.com
I greatly enjoy getting to know my patients, not only by diagnosing and treating their medical conditions and advising them in matters of health and wellness, but also getting to know them simply as persons their families, what interests them, and how and why they’ve ordered their lives as they have. Not only is that personally rewarding to me, but taking the time to get to know patients personally is an integral part of their health and wellness. Over the course of my practice of medicine, I have been humbled by the trust that patients have placed in me as their physician. I take that trust seriously, and I will do all that I am able to ensure that it has been rightly placed. ”
Call us to see how affordable a personal physician is. Our annual subscription offers:
• Longer, unrushed appointments — guaranteed to be with Dr. Granger
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• More personal care — a smaller practice means that you are more than a number
• More personal approach, less influenced by insurance companies and healthcare networks — PATIENTS are in control of their own healthcare.
• Lower out-of-pocket expenses, especially with high insurance deductibles — by being seen and treated earlier and more appropriately
Let’s Dish at ...
BY RENEE AMBROSO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Acheerful maneki-neko
– a Japanese cat figurine believed to bring luck and prosperity – waves a welcoming paw to hungry diners as they enter Jujube, a tucked-away gem in the Glen Lennox Shopping Center serving Asian cuisine with creative flair.
Brett Lyszak and Payge Petty took over ownership in early 2025, though their connection to the restaurant runs much
deeper. The pair first met working there about 13 years ago, when founder Charlie Deal was still at the helm. “I [also] helped him open Juju in Durham,” Brett says. “I was running the bar programs at both for quite a while, until right before the pandemic. … He was my mentor in a lot of ways.”
The polished menu was only part of the charm when Charlie opened the restaurant in 2005. “Nobody could find it,” Brett says, noting that Google Maps was much less reliable back then. “It’s small with a unique layout, and it has its own vibe,” he says. A serene garden-like patio, hidden from the entrance, offers guests a tranquil spot for outdoor dining.
Jujube’s dishes draw heavily from classic Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai cooking, but Brett says the chefs “playfully rearrange” those ingredients in inventive ways. “[They] start out with more traditional methods and authentic flavors,” he says, then build thoughtfully upon those foundations to create truly unique fare.
This spicy whiskey sour pays tribute to Jujube’s founder, Charlie Deal, and captures the playful evolution and reinvention that defines so many of the restaurant’s dishes and drinks served over the course of its more than two decades in business.
The initial inspiration came from a trendy detox diet Charlie tried, which required him to drink a mixture of water, lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. That combination inspired a Jujube cocktail called “Sweet Heat,” blending maple syrup and cayenne into a whiskey sour for a bold kick.
“That drink evolved into what we cheekily refer to as the ‘Hot Date,’ in which jujube – an Asian date – preserves are utilized as the sweetener,” Brett says.
The ‘Hot Date’
Much like we’ve done with this issue of our magazine, Brett and Payge recently revisited the restaurant’s storied 20-year history, which yielded surprising treasures. “Last summer, we found a master handwritten recipe book from about a decade ago while deep cleaning our office,” Brett says. The pair decided to add a few of those offerings to rotating specials, including crab and shrimp cakes with green coconut curry, originally served about 15 years ago. The dish garnered such positive reception that it quickly earned a permanent spot on the dinner menu. Brett calls it a meal that “deserves attention,” noting how beautifully the North Carolina-caught shrimp and crab pair with the rich curry.
1.5 oz bourbon of your choice
2 heaping bar spoons of jujube preserves (also called jujube honey or jujube tea)
2-3 dashes cayenne pepper
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with a full rocks glass worth of ice cubes. Shake, then pour into the rocks glass – be careful to catch all those flavorful bits of jujube!
“One of Jujube’s calling cards has always been an uncommonly ambitious beverage program,” Brett says. This includes sake and beer, of course, but he says creative cocktails and a carefully curated, unexpected wine list set the restaurant apart.
“Charlie was an oenophile, and he [always] had a deep and exciting wine list that was [rare] and unexpected for a small restaurant,” Brett says. “We’ve continued to honor that interest with a wine list that’s curated to pair exceptionally well with the flavors of the cuisine at Jujube.”
Bartenders experiment freely with ingredients and techniques like vapor distillation and milk washing, dedicating significant time to research and development in order to elevate every cocktail.
Brett recommends the Drunken Noodles: thick-cut rice noodles combined with jalapenos, onions, scallions and imported Thai mushrooms cooked in a traditional sauce and served with tofu or chicken.
“Historically, the Drunken Noodle is a fusion of Thai and Chinese [cooking],” Brett explains, “incorporating Chinese stir-fry methods such as wok hei, whereby you push the food through the fire utilizing a really hot pan, which introduces a measure of smokiness and char that can make dishes sing.” Try it alongside an order of dumplings – with the filling of your choice – for a well-rounded meal that hits all the right notes.
“It’s entirely gluten free, utilizing panko and vermicelli noodles as the binding agent in the cakes,” Brett says. “Sweet potato gives the coconut milk green curry additional body; it’s a nice, warming dish for the chilly weather we’ve had this winter.”
Brett says he and Payge strive to honor Jujube’s roots while simultaneously exploring its future. “We feel some degree of indebtedness,” Brett says. “There’s [clearly] something special about it that we want to keep – but the question of any new ownership is, ‘Where do you want to take it?’”
Updates on our local food scene
Complied by Ellie Kollme
New York-based bagel company H&H Bagels opened Jan. 15 at University Place H&H Bagels, which you may have heard referenced in TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother,” “Seinfeld” and “The Office,” serves bagel sandwiches featuring ingredients ranging from bacon, egg and cheese to chicken salad and Nova salmon, along with an assortment of cream cheeses and a variety of bagel flavors. This location, which is owned by Amanda Klein and Michael Klein, is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Kipos Greek Taverna is set to reopen in Eastgate Crossing after last July’s flood forced its temporary closure, though no date has been announced as of press time. Elsewhere in the shopping center, The Loop reopened on Jan. 27.
Carrboro breakfast spot Grata Diner permanently closed Jan. 4 after more than four years in business. Owner Jay Radford announced plans to shift focus to his nonprofit, Grata Connects, which helps families in need connect with organizations providing essential support.
La Vita Dolce, an all-day neighborhood cafe in Southern Village, will move to a larger space in spring 2026. Owner Annie Johnston says the new location is just a few doors down from its current spot – in the former home of her now-shuttered concept, Market and Moss – and will be three times the size, with an in-house menu offering more breakfast options, sandwiches and salads. Bar Dolce will introduce a new wine and cocktail program separate from the coffee bar, giving diners a full day-to-night experience.
New fine-dining Indian restaurant Ayra is slated to open by summer 2026 in the former Elements space in East 54 Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar owners Ravi Jeyaraman and Mayil Rajendran partner with Michelinstarred chef and James Beard Award finalist Sujan Sarkar on the concept, which will feature Indian-inspired cocktails, a tasting menu and an a la carte dining room.
Hillsborough Bakeshop & Pasta Co. permanently closed in January. The space previously housed Panciuto, a 2022 James Beard nominee, which transitioned to the bakeshop the same year. Both concepts were owned and operated by Aaron Vandemark. Keep an eye on the shop’s Instagram for updates on potential future classes, camps and pop-up events. CHM
A two-story American pub, hand restored and rebuilt for coworking, social, learning, and professional events.
From our two-barrel craft brewhouse we provide fresh English Ales, crisp continental lagers, and house-developed low alcohol styles.
With room for 75+, taps upstairs and down, a full bar, and panoramic views, I invite you to visit my beautiful hometown of Hillsborough.
Spotlighting neighbors who shine bright
BY LAURA ZIMMERMAN WHAYNE
PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
My mom, Lynne Zimmerman, stood in line at Harris Teeter in 1998 next to a young woman and her toddler. Later that day, she called to tell me she had met “the nicest woman” named Anna and her son, Ellis, and I had come up in conversation.
A few years later, my son, Hayden, and I were at the Chapel Hill Country Club pool when I noticed a boy around his age. We gravitated toward him and his mom, and she and I began to chat. When I mentioned that our family had just moved back from California, she said, “Wait! I know who you are! I met your mom in the grocery store! I am Anna, and this is Ellis!” We squealed like middle schoolers because it was so neat to meet randomly. I knew instantly why my mom thought we would be great friends.
Anna Ellis Llewellyn is blonde with eyes that sparkle with equal parts mischief and love. She’s never met a stranger. During our always-fun times together, I found myself making new friends, too. Over the years, we joked that she was my “Friend Zero” in Chapel Hill as an adult. Anna’s life mantra centers on making sure no one feels left out and on
connecting people to one another. What I have come to understand is that she is as close to a “yellow” as it gets. When I called to ask her whether she would be my next subject, she responded in typical Anna fashion: “I love every bit about this! Of course!”
I could write at length about her upbringing – of her experiences moving to Chapel Hill when she was 3, growing up as one of five Ellis kids, graduating from Chapel Hill High School in 1981 and earning a degree in communication studies from UNC. But, I have to say, I just held onto my seat listening to her talk about the gap year she took in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Palm Beach, Florida, where she waitressed and worked as a lifeguard. When she interviewed for the job in Palm Beach, they asked her if she knew how to lifeguard in the ocean. A strong swimmer, she took the test that day without hesitation and got the job! Diving headfirst into situations that might unnerve others has long been one of Anna’s superpowers.
Anna married Michael Llewellyn in 1991 and welcomed their son, Ellis Llewellyn, in 1996. She worked at a company called ITEX in Raleigh for 26 years. As Ellis graduated from college and Michael retired after 32 years with Southern Bell/BellSouth/ AT&T, Anna began to wonder what might come next.
You might have seen the term on social media – a “yellow” is someone who brings light into your life. Laura Zimmerman Whayne makes it a point to notice the yellows around her: the people in Chapel Hill who brighten our days with a wave, a smile, a kind word. In this column, she shines a spotlight on those everyday rays of sunshine –the ones who lift us up when we need it most.
An old friend and neighbor, Tonya Freeman, had introduced Anna to her sister, Danielle Bishop, a fellow UNC graduate. A few years after that initial meeting, Danielle – founder and CEO of The Beyond Collection – reached out to Anna about working together. Danielle’s business concept clearly falls under the hospitality industry, though it is her true love of and gift with technology that drives her success. A need for both skillsets is why they reconnected in 2019. Anna’s sales background is part of the story, but it is her passion for building relationships and connecting buyers with sellers that piqued Danielle’s interest. Anna joined The Beyond Collection just before the pandemic reshaped its entire industry. The company hosts networking events all over the world, so when COVID-19 hit, the entire team pivoted to virtual 1:1 appointments via Zoom for clients. Much of the process required learning in real time. And there was Anna – the sparkling social extrovert who could talk to anyone. She understood how important it was to offer trust and support for their clients, and very quickly, everyone wanted to talk with Anna. Teammates would often laugh while listening to her animated conversations; they could not always tell whether she was talking with a client or her best friend.
The Beyond Collection’s mission statement reads, “We connect exceptional people with extraordinary experiences.” If you could sum up
what Anna is about, it is exactly this. She ensures every gathering – your child’s birthday party, your wedding or just dinner at her home – feels welcoming, enjoyable and exceptional, down to the last detail.
I asked Anna to name a few things that she lives for, and she told me that gratitude and positivity are the foundation of who she is today. She believes that “surrounding oneself with people who lift you up is crucial.” If you know Anna, it won’t surprise you to hear that taking a “big fat walk” with people she enjoys is one of her favorite activities, along with taking time to find a canopy under a tree.
I also asked how it felt to rebuild her career midlife. She said that it truly felt like divine intervention because the connections she nurtured over the years helped this opportunity present itself at the right time.
“Surrounding oneself with people who lift you up is crucial.
– Anna Ellis Llewellyn
I sat back in awe of how happy Anna is right this very second. That enduring zest for life traces back to her late father, Dr. Bill Ellis, a longtime Chapel Hill dentist who just loved to talk to everyone. (It makes perfect sense that Anna was his daughter.) She says that she is lucky her father told her that Chapel Hill is the “greatest place on Earth” to live (thanks to all the Tar Heels). Anna’s involvement in so many sports, and attending UNC football and basketball games with her father and mother, Dottie Ellis, gave her countless opportunities to connect with others.
There’s nothing more powerful than hearing a success story of someone who reinvents their life later on and truly loves everything about it. It’s incredibly inspiring.
If you see Anna out and about, stop and say hello, because she lives for that! You will most certainly walk away feeling brighter and uplifted. CHM
Every community has people who quietly (or boldly!) make life better, brighter and more connected. Chapel Hill Magazine is always looking for meaningful subjects to cover – send your nominations for those whose stories deserve to be shared, along with a few details about why they inspire you, to jessica@chapelhillmagazine.com
PRIVATE OFFICES • CO-WORKING • EVENTS AND MEETING ROOMS
The 79°West Innovation Hub is a 22,000 square-foot office + 8,500 square-foot storage space situated in MOSAIC, a 44-acre mixed-use gateway to Chatham Park, a rapidly growing Live-Work-Play-Learn community just north of historic downtown Pittsboro.
Featuring a strong community of tenants, including:
Shanklin Wealth Planning • Riithink Digital Marketing
Dunning Custom Homes • Chatham Economic Development Corporation
Munson Law Firm • OCHAR • e3 Diagnostics • BOLD Real Estate
The Results Company • Eller Therapy • EKI Consulting • Great Neck Realty
McDevitt Law • Millennium Planning Group • WEBB Squared
April Jones Insurance • Lee-Moore Capital Company • Triangle Design Build
Chatham Chamber of Commerce • RAFI • Crossbridge Financial
Park Properties
• Skyline Exterior Group
A scene that captures the spirit of our towns
Ever since we started dating a few years ago, my wife and I have dreamed of traveling abroad to see the Northern Lights. The pandemic put those plans on pause, but photographing the aurora borealis has long remained at the top of my photography bucket list. So when news broke in April 2024 that the Northern Lights might be visible as far south as North Carolina, we scrambled to make it happen. With a 5-month-old and a 2-yearold in the car, we couldn’t venture too far from home, so we searched for a nearby spot with minimal light pollution. Maple View Farm turned out to be perfect – not just for its dark skies – but because it holds special meaning for us. When we were dating, we’d go there after sunset to eat ice cream on a picnic blanket and look up at the stars. – by John
Michael Simpson CHM
1
“S&T’s Soda Shoppe is a local gem full of old-fashioned charm, delicious classics and, of course, ice cream. My nephews love ordering a single scoop and being handed a cone the size of their heads!”
– Morgan Cartier Weston executive editor, Chatham Magazine and The Triangle Weekender
2 Fashion-forward finds await at New Horizons Downtown, a chic boutique offering women’s clothing, shoes and gifts. Whether you’re after a cute new outfit or the perfect hostess present, the thoughtful selection is sure to inspire.
3
Have little ones in tow?
Pittsboro Toys is a can’t-miss stop packed with games, puzzles, crafts and creative toys that inspire imagination for all ages.
Stroll through Pittsboro aka the Circle City – named for its iconic central traffic circle – and enjoy its historic buildings, welcoming hospitality, modern shops and restaurants
Fresh, delicious Mexican food wherever you are!
Ta Contento Restaurants: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails
Ta Contento Food Truck: Tacos, quesabirria, bowls and more
Ta Contento Sweet Van: Churros, Mexican coffee , ice cream, and sweet Perfect for: Office lunches, corporate events, weddings, graduations, and more!
4
If your sweet tooth strikes, pop into Carolina Cravings, a traditional Mexican bakeshop, and order a concha and a coffee – you’ll thank us later.
5
Art lovers should check out Show of Hands Gallery You’ll find an inspiring range of work, from vibrant paintings and photography to ceramics, jewelry and fiber art.
6
Stroll up Hillsboro Street to visit French Connections, a global treasure trove featuring French and African imports – think colorful textiles, handcrafted decor, jewelry and unique finds you won’t spot anywhere else.
7
For a casual lunch or a laid-back drink, The City Tap is the perfect spot. The chalkboard is updated daily with specials (bonus: there’s always a vegetarian option!); or, order from the regular menu of hot dogs, sandwiches and wraps. Snag a seat on the patio when the weather’s nice and enjoy a pint of local beer.
8
Outdoor enthusiasts will want to swing by Chatham Outfitters to stock up on gear for any upcoming adventures and get expert advice from the friendly staff who live for the great outdoors. CHM
O W
S E L L I N G !
Introducing NoVi, the newest community in Chatham Park’s vibrant North Village. Made up of multiple neighborhoods nestled between the excitement of the MOSAIC town center and the activity at the Chatham Park YMCA , it’s the perfect environment for the on-the-go active lifestyle. Fresh offerings at NoVi include homes near the YMCA, a great lawn for events and leisure, soccer fields, and future commercial district.
HOMES, COTTAGES, VILLAS & TOWNHOMES
Encore by David Weekley Homes (55+)
David Weekley Homes
Homes By Dickerson Tri Pointe Homes
You can cast your ballot now for your local
This poll is meant to highlight the best of the best in Orange County, and we can’t emphasize it enough: Winning this award means so much to local businesses, so take this contest as one more way you can ensure that your favorites – whether it’s a coffee shop, real estate agent, museum or gym –are well-known and well-loved by everyone in our community. Help us showcase the places that make our towns special.
Over the next few pages, you’ll find several businesses that are vying for your votes – if you love them, support them! Every vote counts, so be sure to participate and promote the places that make our community thrive!
Visit our website at chapelhillmagazine.com/ vote or scan the QR code to cast your ballot.
• One ballot per person. The email address you submit is essentially your ID – you can come back at any point to finish the survey at your leisure. We’re only counting one ballot per email address. We want to keep ballot box stuffing to a minimum.
• All questions are optional. Though we’d love for you to vote in all the categories, you are welcome to pick and choose.
• Write in your favorites if they’re not nominated. We did the best we could to be comprehensive in the categories with nominees, but the write-in box is there for a reason – use it!
• Be specific in write-in categories. Where applicable, please use the full name of a business and/or person.
Scan now to cast your ballot. Happy voting!
July 2026
The results will be announced in our July/August 2026 issue, complete with features about a few of our winners.
h ig h -p e rfor manc e d e sig n + b u il d
lis te n pl a n
d e sig n
b u il d
CELEBRATE WITH US
AS OUR MA G AZINE MARKS THIS MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY AND LOOKS AHEAD TO WHAT’S NEXT
For more than 25 years, Dr. Frederick G. Lehmann has provided conservative, relationship-based dentistry to the Chapel Hill community. Supported by a long-standing, experienced team, the practice is known for continuity of care, thoughtful treatment planning, and a calm, patient-focused environment.
Dr. Lehmann emphasizes conservative options whenever possible and collaborates closely with trusted local specialists to ensure comprehensive, coordinated care.
NEW PATIENTS ALWAYS WELCOME
• Conveniently located in the Europa Center offices, across from the Sheraton Hotel, at 100 Europa Drive in Chapel Hill.
• Wide array of restorative, cosmetic and family dental services.
• Specializing in the latest CAD-CAM based Cerec Technology, allowing many dental restorations and individual crowns to be generated in a single visit.
Some of the cosmetic dentistry options available to our clients include:
• Family Dental Services
• Cosmetic Esthetic Dentistry
• Preventative Care
• Same Day Crowns
• Dental Implants
• Dentures
We revisit two iconic covers and reconnect with the families who brought them to life
BY REBEKAH MANN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Three years after their move to Chapel Hill, the Adigun family was featured on the cover of the 2017 Visitors and Relocation Guide, posing for photographer Briana Brough in front of the iconic Chapel Hill mural by artist Scott Nurkin. Dr. Chris Adigun and Yomi Adigun’s family of five was about to become six, with Chris just months away from giving birth. Today, the family has grown into a full team of sports lovers. Youngest child Jacqueline Adigun, 9, loves tennis and soccer. Nylah Adigun, 12, plays basketball and shares a love of volleyball with her 15-year-old sister, Naomi Adigun. Naomi has also found an interest in musical theater. “That was fun for her to branch out and try something that was
maybe not on a court or a field,” Chris says. The girls’ older brother, Julian Adigun, 17, is still on the court and has committed to play basketball at Harvard University next year.
Chris, who opened Dermatology & Laser Center of Chapel Hill in 2016, has seen changes at her private practice as it expanded and moved into a larger space. She and Yomi bought land across from Chatham Downs in January 2020 to build a new location just a mile from their previous spot in Briar Chapel. “The community and that area had received me so positively,” Chris says. “The last thing I wanted to do was then leave the community that had helped my practice become so successful.”
The Greensboro native and UNC School of Medicine alumni says one of her favorite things about living and working in the same community is building relationships. “I love seeing my patients at the grocery store, on the soccer field, at YMCA basketball,” she says. “I knew I wanted to work and be a part of the community that I served, and I feel like I have made that a reality.”
Kathryn “Kate” Sayre and Alex Sayre had recently finished the first renovation to their 1,200-square-foot house on Graham Street when photographer Briana Brough captured them for our March 2015 cover. The home, with its sunny front door and blue trim, was the right size for the couple who were newly married. Following an addition that more than doubled the house’s size, its footprint today is 2,800 square feet, and Alex says there’s a nice flow from old to new. Downstairs, they added a new family room with a garage-style door that opens to the backyard and a loft area that functions as a playroom. The second floor gained a larger primary suite, laundry room and two bedrooms with a shared bathroom.
Alex’s renovation construction company, Argyle Building, has been operational since 2009, and he says his connections in the industry were useful during the project. “As a general contractor, I have a lot of great subcontractors, so they helped with all of it,” he says.
He also oversaw the design and planning for both the renovation and the addition. Kate says that while Alex has the eye for creative elements, she voiced needs of functionality throughout the planning. “I’ll share ideas — like realizing we really needed a mudroom – and he brings them to life, refining the concept with his experience and expertise and ultimately doing the hands-on work,” she says.
Kate, a registered dietitian who works full time in her Durham private practice, says she spends a lot of time in the kitchen, not only because she loves baking but also because it’s always felt like the heart of the home to her. “It was incredibly important in the first renovation and is on the short list for the next one,” she says, adding that they are eyeing future projects slated for 2027 or 2028.
Adding on to the house hasn’t been the only expansion for Alex and Kate — they’ve also grown their family. Both Del Sayre, 9, and Win Sayre, 6, love the updated backyard Alex worked on in 2024 and utilize the space to play sports with friends. The family added a covered structure for patio dining, and Kate says they were able to use it while hosting Christmas Eve dinner this year thanks to higher temps. “It truly feels like another living space because of how much we use it,” Kate says. CHM
From newlyweds on the front steps to a family of four framed by flourishing bushes –
and
return to their March 2015 cover scene, this time with their kids,
in the picture.
Chapel Hill Magazine co-founder and our Triangle Media Partners president sit down for a candid conversation about our publication’s past and look ahead to what’s next
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD BARLOW
Rory Gillis, president, Triangle Media Partners Why did you start Chapel Hill Magazine?
Ellen Shannon, co-founder, Chapel Hill Magazine
My husband, Dan Shannon, and I both worked in the media business for our entire careers, and we knew that local magazines across the country were becoming very successful. The print magazine delivering lifestyle [content] was working in other areas of the country, especially in towns that had a lot of pride and had a lot of interesting things to do.
Rory What was the response after the first issue?
Ellen It really resonated with people. Even people who had been here a long time found things about Chapel Hill that they didn’t know. We were a little nervous, because we had not lived in Chapel Hill for a long time. We knew the magazine business really well, and we knew you don’t have to be an expert in everything that you’re covering, but you have to know who the experts are. We had an excellent base of freelance writers who knew the area very well. A lot of the success was due to Dan’s talent and commitment to good content. The design and production value was huge in our success and still is. Dan was the driver of those things. We had a lot of people call our office to say that they’d seen the magazine or that they wanted to know how to get it. Everyone who advertised on the first issue continued advertising.
Rory Many of those first advertisers are with us today like Galloway Ridge, The Carolina Inn, Fink’s, Carolina Performing Arts, to name a few.
Ellen That’s a real testament to their excellent marketing, products and services.
Rory What were the biggest surprises with starting a local magazine?
Ellen The amount of manpower that it takes to produce a really good local magazine. The importance of timeliness is also much greater in a local environment because there’s so much more viral and word-of-mouth information that’s available to people, [so] they expect us to be very current.
Rory Speaking on that, how has the media landscape changed in the last two decades? I remember when we started a Facebook page. Now we have weekly newsletters, Instagram and events, so there’s so much expectation to connect with your audiences through different means. So [starting with] Chapel Hill Magazine, we really went from a magazine to a brand.
Ellen Yes, a multimedia brand. Think about how many print newspapers were in the media landscape when we started, and now there’s really not many that still publish. There were six or seven that covered our areas.
Rory So, I came in right after the 2008 recession in 2009, and then COVID19 was hard on everyone, especially print publications. How were we able to weather some of those storms, and why are things humming along for us? I know sometimes after economic downturns, we come out stronger, because media companies sell or they go out of business, so we come out with less competition and more market share in the end. The other thing is that our company is always launching things, so when the economy is bad, we start launching to build more revenue and to also fill a void.
Ellen Our really strong relationship with readers and advertisers got us through tough times. We were very flexible with clients and how we might change up their advertising schedules. During COVID, we were doing guerrilla distribution through places like pharmacy windows and through Carrboro United when people picked up their food. You have to be really resourceful during those times.
Rory How do you feel about how, over the past 20 years, we’ve become a natural and integral part of the community?
Ellen I’m going to give the editorial staff a big kudos here. I think we’ve built a lot of relationships with a lot of people. We’ve written an enormous number of great stories about things that happened here. People have learned to trust us and look to us for everything from what to do on a Friday night, to where to find a new house, to great things to do with their kids and where to help their parents retire or retire themselves. I could go on and on.
Rory And where to go to dinner!
Ellen Right. I feel like people are relying on us, which supports our promise. Our original mission was to help people live better lives here, whether they’re working here, visiting here or living here, and I think we’ve done that. People count on us, and they trust us. We only cover the truth of the matter, and while we respect our advertisers, we’re reporting on everybody, which
isn’t always the case with media companies today, I’m sorry to say.
Rory What I would also add is that you and Dan really set the precedent for this, and we’ve been able to continue it: the people [at Triangle Media Partners] volunteer, we’re on boards, we’re going to local restaurants [and] trying our darndest to buy local instead of on Amazon. [As] part of our core values, we believe in a local community and small businesses, and we support that every day.
Ellen I think we’ve done a good job where we can really be in constant communication with our audience. Even though we’re
a magazine that obviously doesn’t come out every day, we’ve got a powerful social media relationship with people, [and] we have e-newsletters. What’s interesting is that people used to have to pay for some of this content. We have given it for free to anyone who wants it by simply making our magazine available online. And in high traffic areas, people can pick it up now at no charge. We did that because we really wanted to be equitable and make sure that everyone in the community could benefit from all of this information. I’m really proud of that.
Rory Every time I pick up the magazine or read our content, it’s like I know more about how I can enjoy my life here better. I don’t feel really good about myself when I watch the news or even a lot of times when I go down an Instagram rabbit hole ... but readers can always expect a good time on our channels, and you can always learn something. You can always live a better life after you read us, and I think that’s been a big evolution over the past 20 years.
Ellen I agree with that. We are a positive place that people can go to, and we’re very inclusive. I would also say that one of the things I love is that we’re ethical and truthful about everything that we do, too. I think we really care about the experience that people get and what they’re learning. I love [how] I’ve had so many people I meet [tell me], “Oh, my gosh. Chapel Hill Magazine? I found my first
this. You introduced us to this.” Through that feedback, you realize you’re really having a great effect on people
Rory Agreed. I was recently at a party, and a woman I had never met before saw the magazine on the coffee table and shrieked, “I’m in this magazine!” She showed a room of 30 strangers her ad and that she had won a Best of Chapel Hill award. I was beaming as my friend hosting said, “She owns that magazine!” It really makes people’s day, month, year to be honored. I remind the staff about the power of what we do. Ellen, what were the keys to your success coming back on the staff in 2016?
Ellen To preface my answer to this question, I had my own business helping media companies launch new products when Dan started this business back in 2006. I was able to help Dan from the sidelines, and then I joined him full time. We worked together very intensely for a few years, until Durham Magazin e got launched in 2008. I went back to work for one of my previous bosses. When I came back in 2016, it was a good experience. It was so much easier than in the beginning because we had a staff.
Rory When you came back in 2016, we were still growing but at very small increments. From an HR perspective, we started offering better benefits to help people live better lives and be great employees. We started hiring people with more experience
versus training them from the bottom up and building better relationships in town. We had more thoughtful business development focused on profit and impact. ... I really needed your mentorship, Ellen, to get to the next step of my career, so I’m very grateful.
Ellen You were always so terrific and talented – and you made Dan and I work better together. Between the three of us, we could really divide and conquer on a lot of different areas to make the company better and really build what now is Triangle Media Partners with multiple products. Together we put the attention and focus into hiring very professional staff and training people and giving people really fantastic careers here. We were true partners in just about everything that we did.
Rory Over the years, you and Dan started Durham Magazine, launched events, and the company bought Heart of NC Weddings and Chatham Magazine. Also, we launched Triangle Digital Partners, partnerships with Durham Performing Arts Center and some custom publishing pieces. What made you guys want to keep striving? I know for me, my perspective on that is, mostly, it’s Dan’s fault. Every single time we would hit a new sales number, he goes, “You know what sounds better?” and whatever the next million dollar up was what sounded better than where we were.
Ellen I agree. Also, how lucky are we that we’re sitting here in the middle of this incredibly high growth period for people moving to the Triangle over the last 20 years? Think about that for a minute. I feel that [excitement] about this area. ... Just think about the number of people who didn’t know where to go for lunch. Where do you go for business lunch, or what’s the best pizza in town? Or, when we started the Best of Chapel
Hill stuff. I think that is so valuable. The first week I moved here, Dan and I [thought], “Let’s go for sushi.” We went to Franklin Street, and we walked into a sushi place thinking, “Oh, this is going to be great.” But it was just a college kid sushi place. There was no way [we could have known]. Google wasn’t even giving that kind of information at the time, and so there was a real need from the reader’s standpoint. I called Cindy Gudeman, my realtor, probably five times the first three days I was here [to ask], “Where do I send my kids to summer camp? Where do I do this?” These are all things we help solve.
Co-founder Dan Shannon passed away in September 2024, but the words he shared during a 2016 conversation with former VP of Content Andrea Griffith Cash, recorded for the brand’s 10th anniversary, still guide how we work today.
Andrea I want to share with readers some of your key philosophies and get you to react: “Local. Local. Local. Don’t just write in a story that someone is a Chapel Hillian. Did they grow up here? What neighborhood do they live in? Where do their kids go to school?”
Dan That seems to stand the test of time, doesn’t it?
Andrea “We must be mindful of the people we cover. The day someone sees themselves in our magazine may be a day they will remember forever. We need to, in a lot of ways, protect them.”
Dan We’re not in the “gotcha” business. It’s so easy to embarrass someone if we’re not careful. An unflattering pose, an awkward moment, particularly when we run photos of kids – that’s just not what we’re about. On the other hand, no one gets prior photo approval either. People are the worst judges of their own reflections, aren’t they?
Andrea “Always be willing to cut copy if it means we can make the spread look nicer and use more or larger photos.”
Dan I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Andrea “We don’t have readers. We have neighbors.”
Dan True. I would add that our advertisers aren’t just clients – they’re our friends first.
Rory Even now, I’m still using the camp guide. I still use a lot of these products to just do everyday life, and I’ve been here for over 16 years. Switching topics, you sold the company to me at the beginning of January 2025. What made you know you were leaving the company you and Dan started at your dining room table in good hands?
Ellen I really had no reservations whatsoever because we worked together for all these years. You watch somebody evolve. You watch how they solve problems. You watch how they care about the company and the people and the products. Those conversations began in 2018. When you became a partner, I think all three of us knew we were always working toward that. Anytime I saw an opportunity to talk to you about something that I thought would help you get to that goal, I always took that opportunity. You usually beat me to the punch with the questions. You’ve put almost 20 years of your life into it, and I can’t imagine anybody that I would trust more than you, Rory.
Rory I would add to your response that I wanted it. There was so much trust. When you’ve built something that I believe is a true reflection of the community that you have the honor of living in, you want those values to move
forward. You don’t want to, I don’t know how else to say this, bastardize what you’ve created. We also have an amazing staff. ... I’ve worked with 15 of my colleagues for over a decade – I know their families, I trust them and I care about them. To create that [and] to be able to carry that forward is an honor of a lifetime. Truly.
Ellen I think you’re absolutely right. I would have hated to sell the company to someone who would have come in here and changed up the staff and killed products that didn’t need to be killed. You have the freedom to do anything that you need to do, but you said the word: I trust whatever decision you’re going to make is going to be the best one.
Rory Thank you for that.
Ellen You’re about as exact a match to our values as I think we could have ever found. Not to mention your knowledge and relationships and, oh, my God, there are so many things you’re better at than we ever were.
Rory So, thoughts on the future … I’ll take this one. I just read a very alarming stat about teenagers not reading for pleasure. There’s been a 50% drop in the last 20 years. We have a real
challenge ahead of us, as far as building community within our brands and focusing on short-form video and multimedia. We work really hard to earn those minutes that people spend with us, with the magazine, on social media, on our email newsletter, and the impact, quality and value of the content is more important than ever. Local media is so important to establish placemaking, to establish feeling like you’re a part of something. Chapel Hill Magazine is a place where you can find joy or bring people together and celebrate the good things. Marketing is harder than ever. We are competing nationally all the time on Google [and] Meta. Alphabet [Google’s parent company] just announced a $4 trillion market capitalization. We’re competing in a world [where] small businesses don’t win. So Triangle Media Partners [Chapel Hill Magazine ’s parent company] supports small businesses, medium-sized businesses and local owners with marketing programs that work and are impactful. We tell your story and share it with the right people. We will continue to evolve, but that will continue to be our purpose. We’re never going to stop remembering how lucky we are, like you said earlier, to live here and to do this work. I know that Chapel Hill Magazine will continue to be a reflection of all those great things.
Ellen I’m excited to see it. I will be consuming all your media and look forward to seeing what you do. CHM
With gratitude to the hundreds of advertisers who have supported Chapel Hill Magazine over the years, and a very special thank-you to those in our first issue. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Fink’s Jewelers
Sheraton Chapel Hill
Peak Swirles & Cavallito Properties
The Carolina Inn
Franklin Street Realty
Chapel Hill/Orange County Welcome Center
Croasdaile Village
Southern Village
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
The Ballet School of Chapel Hill
Galloway Ridge at Fearrington
Carolina Meadows
American Tobacco Campus
The Forest at Duke
Carolina Performing Arts
The ArtsCenter
Durham Academy
July/August 2013
Working with other local creatives was always one of the best parts of my job. I had a ball with author Daniel Wallace, who was game for anything –including jumping in the pool fully dressed!
Briana Brough 2008-2018
“I loved getting to photograph the community where I was born and raised during the 10 years I worked at Chapel Hill Magazine and her sister publications. It’s awesome to see the way the company has grown and flourished as it continues to celebrate everything that makes our home the Southern part of heaven.”
2013 Visitors and Relocation Guide
I always tried to capture images that showed the vibrancy of our little town – whether it was a “magic hour” shot of the Franklin-Columbia street intersection or a fashion shoot at the 140 West Plaza sculpture on the next page – by playing with light in downtown Chapel Hill.
Photographers, past and present, share a few of their fave snaps
September/October 2013
I had the honor of photographing some of the most iconic people in Chapel Hill over the years [but] none more so than Mildred Council, also known as Mama Dip. One of my earliest memories is eating with my family at Dip’s Country Kitchen in its original space on Rosemary Street I still dream about Mama Dip’s chicken and dumplings.
September/October 2013
Fashion shoots were always a full team effort, and it was so fun coming up with a concept, finding the models and working with local boutiques to put together looks that showed off the best of what our local stores had to offer.
May/June 2013
One of my favorite shoots was with Leo Gaev of Leo Gaev Metalworks, who creates incredible architectural and artistic metal installations.
Fun fact: Years later, Leo married my sisterin-law, local architect Heather Ferrell, so now we’re family!
January/February 2018
Chapel Hill is home to so many amazing, kind people, but we’re also no strangers to tragedy. When East Chapel Hill High School student Kenzie Ruston was killed in a plane crash just one day before her 18th birthday in 2016, her Bouncing Bulldogs teammates honored her with a memorial at their newly built gym. I captured this image of her teammates jumping with her to honor her memory in the pages of the magazine.
September/October 2018
An amazing team of stylists, artists and retailers came together to create a stunning style feature for our fall 2018 issue. Alexandria was a phenomenal model, and this shoot allowed me to explore and play in a realm I hadn’t often visited – that of high fashion!
November 2019
It was an honor to get to photograph former Chapel Hill mayor Howard Lee fifty years after his historic election as the first Black mayor of Chapel Hill. But what I loved most about this shoot was learning the rich history we were celebrating. Mayor Lee originated Chapel Hill’s bus transit system during his tenure as mayor, so it was lovely to bring him back into the modern version of what he created to celebrate this milestone.
September/ October 2018
Bill Smith is legendary in the world of Southern cuisine. So it’s fair to say that I was nervous when I asked him if he would prepare his famous shrimp and grits not in the traditional plating from Crook’s Corner, but in my own personal cast-iron skillet. I had a vision for the cover, and I wanted the stark contrast of his creamy grits with the dark pan. But in his classic cool-guy way, Bill was unfazed by my request and delivered a 10/10 presentation. Best of all, the cast iron kept the food warm until I got home and dropped it off with my husband to eat for dinner while I went off to another shoot! Lucky duck!
January/February 2020
This was a tricky shot to get just right. At the time, I’d been working on incorporating a new technique into my repertoire – digital double exposure. The warm, invitingly dark vibes of B-Side Lounge seemed like a perfect place to experiment, and I feel like the end product captures the feel of the lounge really well. It was a good reminder to me to continue to learn and grow and have fun with photography.
July/August 2020
I picked this image of Kalina Acevedo, a nurse at UNC, because I really enjoyed the entire series of covering essential workers during the pandemic because it shined a light on the people who are integral to our society. At the time, I was in the middle of transitioning to a new career and getting my nursing degree. I now work in the same hospital where Kalina does, on the same unit, so we get to work together. That image will always be special to me because it represents the peak of my career as a photographer but also the beginning of my next career as a labor and delivery nurse.
July/August 2018
This shoot was a blast to put together, and I love the result. Penny Kay at The Fragrance Shop in Carrboro picked some awesome scents to feature, which allowed for a creative use of essential ingredients alongside their end products. Fun all around!
September/October 2024
This shoot became my favorite cover for Chapel Hill Magazine. The colors and desserts captured the upcoming fall season perfectly. Aliesha Genevieve Vinar opened her space for the shoot, and we had a wonderful time on an overcast summer day.
March/April 2023
I photographed Joe Branan of Joe’s Wax in his family’s kitchen making his candles. He walked me through the whole process of candle-making while we photographed, then shared a mango-coconut candle with me that still sits on my desk at home.
September/October 2025
On the day of the shoot, there was a miscommunication with the venue about the timing, and we had time to kill before we had access. One of the members of Chiroptera knew of a fun rooftop spot nearby. We captured a lot of great shots on the roof. If that miscommunication never happened, I don’t think we would have captured this shot.
March/April 2023
We photographed Priyav Chandna of MyChessTutor in his kitchen with a backdrop set up behind him. The fun part of the shoot was choosing the placement of the pieces on the board. We shared our vision for what we wanted to capture, and he gamed out different arrangements that made sense for a match and were visually interesting.
March/April 2023
I’ve always wanted to try this technique for this photo. This was shot with a sheet of plexiglass between two stands for artist Meghan Rosenthal to paint on.
March 2021
This shot of the Skurky family at home is from one of my first shoots for Chapel Hill Magazine We had a great time while capturing their colorful home for a feature story, but the most memorable thing about it was that they were so kind and a joy to be around.
September/October 2022
What people don’t know about this shoot with Amir Lyons and Corey Clay Jr. of King’s Lemonade is that it lasted about 10 minutes. The sky above was so dark and thundering as soon as I arrived. We ran as fast as we could to set up all of the props in their backyard for the photo. There was no telling how much time we were going to have to shoot. The weather began to sprinkle for about 30 seconds and turned into an instant downpour. CHM
When I started as an editor at Chapel Hill Magazine in March 2009, the Great Recession was wreaking havoc. At the ripe old age of 25, I had been laid off from a very prominent magazine, and the consensus was that print was on life support.
For the next seven years, I was proud to be part of a team that bucked the national trend. We added print products, navigated the new digital age (websites! social media! a podcast!), and most importantly, deepened our ties to the community. I never grew tired of calling someone up to share that they would be on the cover or hearing an executive director share the successful results of a nonprofit fundraiser that the magazine had supported.
So much transpired during my tenure, both good and bad – UNC winning national championships, the murders of Faith Hedgepeth and three Muslim UNC students, the passing of coach Dean Smith, chef Andrea Reusing receiving a James Beard award.
I will always be grateful to the late Dan Shannon for seeing my potential and making it so that my foray into unemployment only lasted about a month. Dan was obsessed with creating a magazine that was aspirational. He impressed upon the team that readers should thumb through its pages and be moved to help others, experience art, admire the beauty surrounding them, improve their personal lives and feel pride for where they live.
The world has gotten much more uncertain. Even downright frightening. But I know that a stronger community is the way. Neighbors helping neighbors will make for a brighter future for all. And I’m proud to witness how Chapel Hill Magazine continues to connect us, 20 years in. – Andrea Griffith Cash
When Ellen Shannon was looking for the magazine’s first style editor, I was in the right place at the right time. During a meeting at the Ronald McDonald House for the spring fundraiser event I chaired called Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Ellen asked if anyone knew a fashion-forward person to fit a new role with the magazine, the first style editor for Chapel Hill Magazine
One of my favorite article collaborations was a fall fashion preview for the fall 2008 arts & style section, which was a special supplement to Chapel Hill Magazine. I had the idea of finding fun photo shoot locations around Chapel
Imet Dan Shannon at a Kidzu fundraiser in the spring of 2006, and he mentioned that he was starting a magazine about Chapel Hill. As an experienced magazine editor, I was intrigued. The first issue had yet to be published, and no one knew what to expect because Dan was a relative newcomer to the area.
The first issue debuted in May and surprised everyone by how professional it was. Dan had a bold idea and clear vision of what he wanted to create: a magazine that celebrated this beloved community and all the interesting people who lived here. He and his wife, Ellen, gathered some very talented individuals to get it off the ground, including Freddie Kiger, John Ripley, Carl Johnson, Callie Gudeman, Mary Stuart Alfano, Angie Sloan and later, Nancy Michelle and Bri Brough, to name a few.
In an established place like Chapel Hill, it can be hard to break in socially. But Dan did it with a mix of friendliness, charm, talent and chutzpah. He got us believing that
Hill and Carrboro with a local couple whose wardrobe looks we styled from area boutiques. We had the best time taking pictures on UNC’s campus from Memorial Hall to Kenan Stadium to the quad then down the road at Whitehall Antiques and finally to date night at Glasshalfull in Carrboro. Thanks to photographer Briana Brough! It all felt so glam, like Chapel Hill fashion meets NYC! That young couple, Eddie Williamson and Carrie Williamson, have been living in Chapel Hill ever since and have been married for almost 20 years, now with two teen sons! – Kristin Tucker
a great magazine was possible and worth the effort.
I remember Dan emphasizing the importance of being kind to our neighbors as we published stories about them. His rules: No “gotcha” journalism and show them in the best light possible. “Whatever you do, don’t include unflattering pictures of people,” he’d say. But I think the secret sauce in all this was Chapel Hill itself. It’s a community with tremendous depth in every direction (sports, arts, music, literature, cuisine), and that is what made it so fun to brainstorm story ideas and cover the people who were making good things happen in Chapel Hill. – Kathy Irvin
First, congratulations on your fine china anniversary. AI tells me the 20th symbolizes “beauty, delicacy and strength when nurtured.” I think Dan Shannon and Ellen Shannon’s brainchild has been all that and more. And secondly, after serving as a statistician for coach Dean Smith, I appreciate an assist, so, Debbie McCormick, I’m pointing to you for connecting me with Dan. For CHM’s first five years, Dan and Ellen gave me complete latitude to write about whatever struck my fancy.
My first story was about one of UNC biology professor William C. Coker’s gifts to Chapel Hill – redwoods.
TAmazed to find them around town, Dan gave me the “go” with a rousing, “Well, who knew?”
There were a few that came straight from my heart. One, “A Life in Reverse,” was about my opening a trunk in the corner of my apartment and discovering – layer after layer – the life of Ethel Clark Holbrook. And two are particularly dear to me. Titled “Mother Mary” and “Flag of My Father,” I told stories about my heroes – my mom and dad. And the beat goes on. CHM continues to cover all that’s good in our community and, for that assist, I’m pointing at you, CHM. Continued success! – Freddie Kiger
he magazine sent me to cover an author’s festival, and I became all fluttery inside because R.L. Stine, my favorite author from my youth, was there. I introduced myself to him and learned quickly that his dinner date had canceled on him and he didn’t want to dine alone. “I’ll go to dinner with you!” I said. I ended up at Crook’s with my husband, Mike, and maybe Andrea or Bri was with me – I can’t remember – it’s been too long! He regaled us with stories of his massive wealth. I think he has a giant slide in his backyard. He was kind of hunched over; I posited it was from years and years of writing. It was one of my favorite memories of working at Chapel Hill Magazine – magical things happen when you go out in that community! – Lisa Rossi CHM
FACP
Two decades of unforgettable stories that filled our pages
Back in our inaugural issue, we chatted with Ray N. Fredrick Jr., coach of The Bouncing Bulldogs, about his high standards. The jumpers needed all As and Bs, in addition to the requisite skills, to qualify for a spot on the worldrenowned competitive jump rope team. Over the years, the team has earned over 200 national and international championship awards and produced 26 world champions.
In 2017, the program reached new heights with the establishment of the Bouncing Bulldogs Community Center, created by architect Josh Gurlitz . The state-of-the-art facility on the Durham-Orange county line was the first jump rope gym in the world built from scratch and serves as a hub for training and community engagement. – by Alison Grau
Highlighting folks doing good in our community has been a priority since the first year of the magazine –from highlighting nonprofit fundraisers in our calendar to printing features on charities like the Chapel Hill Service League’s Christmas House. Back in 2006, Peggy Akers was part of the effort to organize “wish trees,” providing Christmas gifts for less fortunate children. The CHSL estimates that the initiative helps 430-450 families and 850-900 children each winter, and this upcoming holiday season will be its 76th year. – by Libby Wakefield
We first spoke with Hubert Davis back in 2007 when he worked as an ESPN college basketball analyst, three years into his post-NBA retirement. Hubert had returned to his old Chapel Hill stomping grounds, where he once led the UNC men’s basketball team to the 1991 Final Four as a sharpshooting guard. “In Chapel Hill, you’ve got Michael Jordan and Sen. John Edwards walking around. … I’m nowhere close to that list,” a modest Hubert said at the time, chuckling. “I can walk up and down the street unscathed — people don’t look twice. I fit in like just another graduate student.”
Hubert became an assistant coach on Roy Williams ’ staff in 2012, serving in that role until Roy’s retirement in 2021, which put Hubert at the helm. Now in the swing of his fifth season as head coach, Hubert gets to watch his older son Elijah Davis dribble down the court in Carolina blue, echoing their relative Walter Davis’ Tar Heel greatness and leaving a multigenerational legacy in the Dean E. Smith Center
Something Hubert told us in 2007 about Chapel Hill still rings true. “It’s a place I’ve known since I was a little kid, coming up to see my uncle [Walter Davis] play when I was 3 and 4 years old,” he explained. “I came to basketball camps here every year. I’ve been a part of this place basically for my whole life.” – by Regan Butler
BY
It’s been 18 years since we first covered the debut of The Monti, a nonprofit founded by Jeff Polish, pictured left at the mic, that invites community members to share personal stories on stage. Since 2008, The Monti has hosted an estimated 230 live storytelling events, featuring more than 1,600 participants across the area. Though notable authors like the late Randall Kenan (pictured below), playwrights, musicians and athletes have appeared on stage, Jeff says the organization’s true focus remains local voices. “What makes The Monti special is that over 98% of the people who take our stage are just people in the community with extraordinary stories to share,” he says. “I used to seek out celebrities or known figures. Now, I hardly care about that.” – by Katrina McLean
We first brought together past and present mayors of Chapel Hill at Sutton’s Drug Store for a special downtown section. Six former mayors (Sandy McClamroch, Howard Lee, Joe Nassif, Jon Howes, Ken Broun and Rosemary Waldorf ) joined then mayor Kevin Foy for the photo op in 2008. According to Kevin, the position of mayor of Chapel Hill “is the greatest job in North Carolina, because our community is engaged and informed and supportive of elected officials – even when they take risks.”
We kept the tradition going in subsequent years, with the setting moving to The Carolina Inn Mark Kleinschmidt joined the group photo in the November/December 2011 issue, followed by Pam Hemminger in the March 2017 issue. The most recent photograph, published in the March/April 2024 issue, features Mayor Jess Anderson. Jess was only six weeks on the job and said that being mayor took more emotional energy than she realized. “When people in the community are hurting, we feel it,” she said. “But you can’t just fall apart and be sad with everybody. They’re looking to you to help and console and be calm. And I feel prepared to do that.” – by Emma Arthur
We featured Fitch Lumber and Hardware in 2008 alongside other longtime family businesses like Kendall Page Law Firm and The Persian Carpet A.B. Fitch founded the company in 1907 as a lumber business in Mebane and expanded to its Carrboro location in 1923, where the Fitch family decided to concentrate its efforts. Mac Fitch , third-generation owner and president, told us at the time, “When I got out of college, I knew I wanted to come back in the business. The best thing about working with your sons and your dad is that you’re proud of your heritage and of what got you here.” Mac retired in 2020 and left the family legacy in the hands of his sister, Carol Fitch Walker, and three of his sons. John Fitch and Miles Fitch came on board in the years leading up to their father’s retirement, and David Fitch assumed his father’s position. David says they have plans for a new building product showroom in Raleigh this spring. One thing that has remained constant is the company’s support of nonprofits like Hope Renovations and Table , as well as a cause close to the family’s heart: The Fitch Family Comprehensive Pediatric Rehabilitation Program This program was inspired by David’s son, Lee Fitch , who was struck by a moving vehicle and had to travel out of state for care. – by Rebekah Mann
Thankfully not much has changed since we featured the Merritt’s Grill BLT as one of the six stacked favorites in our “6 Great Sandwiches” cover story. It’s still as popular as ever, and a line still forms every day around lunchtime. We just appreciate that the eatery housed in a former gas station has since expanded their seating in the front, making the hardest part of going to Merritt’s whether to order the single, the double or – buckle up, bacon lovers – the triple with nine crispy slices. – by Jessica Stringer
Construction began in summer 2010 for 140 West, a building featuring eight stories, 140 dwellings, 26,000 square feet of retail space, two courtyards and 337 parking spaces in underground decks (including one level of paid public parking). Originally imagined as a bridge between East and West Franklin Street, it opened in 2013 with condos, retail space and public gathering areas that reshaped downtown Chapel Hill. Today, its plaza features Mikyoung Kim’s “Exhale” sculpture, houses restaurants like One40 Social and Que Chula Craft Tacos & Tequila Bar, and hosts community events like Festifall Arts Market, making it a lively hub along Franklin Street. – by Regan Butler
We first featured Rabbi Jen Feldman of Kehillah Synagogue in a 2011 photo essay highlighting places of worship in the community. When we interviewed her for her Woman of Achievement profile a decade later, she told us about her move to the area in 2002: “I was [searching] for a vibrant community with a wonderful cultural scene and strong public schools, and a chance to help build something for the Jewish community.” During her 24 years of service, she has made an impact by helping found Orange County Justice United , co-leading a TorahQuran study group and being chosen for the Martin Luther King Jr. Citizenship Award in 2020.
– by Libby Wakefield
Scott Conary, who founded Carrboro Coffee Roasters in 2004, was featured in 2012, and he spoke about taking the risk to open a coffee roastery in Carrboro. He reflected on growing the company slowly and intentionally, prioritizing relationships and local connection over rapid expansion. Scott owns multiple spots to find community, founding Caffe Driade in 1995 and Open Eye Cafe in 1999 and buying Perennial Cafe in 2021. The cafes withstood the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and a volatile coffee industry, where climate instability and logistical disruptions can impact every harvest. “Small local businesses thrive only if their community wants them to,” Scott told us recently.
“We are beyond fortunate that our community appreciates [our drive] to create and sustain unique spaces that focus on quality and engagement.”
– By Emma Arthur
Sure, we’ve got Chapel Hill in our magazine’s name, but we’ve covered the county seat of Orange County since the very beginning. Back in summer 2013, writer Libbie Hough highlighted Hillsborough and its must-visit shops and spots for fun. While some of the businesses have now closed (We miss Radius!), others like The Wooden Nickel moved up the block to larger digs. Thankfully, many – like Purple Crow Books and Moorefields – endure, while newcomers such as dwell, The Rookery and Saltire Gallerie add to the charm of the historic town.
– by Jessica Stringer
Back in spring 2014, writer Matt Dees covered the new wave of commercial development coming to Carrboro and how the former mill town would balance character with innovation.
“That’s the big challenge,” said newly elected mayor Lydia Lavelle at the time. “Carrboro has this really strong sense of who we are and who we’ve been. I think most people recognize that growth is a good thing because people want to be here. But it gets everyone a little anxious. How much is it going to change the character of our town?” At the time, mixed-use development 300 East Main, anchored by a Hampton Inn and locally owned shops, was finally finished after years of public discussion. A key question was scale, Matt wrote, and the five-story height was the result of a consensus that Carrboro needs to grow up to avoid sprawl but doesn’t need anything approaching skyscraper status.
Town leaders were striving to create a place where bohemians and breadwinners could coexist, and architect Phil Szostak had proposed building a new, larger ArtsCenter that would anchor an arts district. These days, The ArtsCenter does have a new home with plenty of space for classes and performances, while another new hub, the Drakeford Library Complex , houses a library, radio station WCOM and the town’s parks department among others.
A quote from that story from lifelong Carrboro resident Miles Andrews still holds true no matter what comes Carrboro’s way. “I believe places have a soul,” Miles said. “It would be really hard to put that soul out here, because it burns pretty bright. I’m not worried. Carrboro’s cool and will stay cool.” – by Jessica Stringer
BY
Our inaugural women’s issue featured an extraordinary number (35!) of remarkable people, including Jamie Fiocco of Flyleaf Books, chef Vimala Rajendran (pictured) and musician Emily Frantz (whose story is consistently one of our most-read blog posts 12 years later!). Then-UNC chancellor Carol Folt graced the cover of what would become an annual tradition of profiling a diverse range of women from all backgrounds and vocations. Over the years, everyone from business owners
and elected officials to nonprofit directors and educators have joined the ranks as we recognize each new class of women, along with their Durham Magazine and Chatham Magazine counterparts, with an event held at The Carolina Inn This spring our staff will have the alltoo-difficult task of putting together our 13th annual Women of Achievement issue. (Send your nominations to jessica.stringer@chapelhillmagazine.com !) – by Jessica Stringer
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In 2015, Eugenia Floyd was a second-year teacher, fresh into her career and teaching fourth grade at Mary Scroggs Elementary School. A proud product of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Eugenia was clear about her purpose. “One of the things I am a true believer in is that every kid has the ability to learn,” she said, describing herself as a facilitator – there to help keep kids engaged and inspired. By 2020, Eugenia had earned Teacher of the Year at her school and for the district, later becoming the 2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. When we caught up with her in 2020, she emphasized connection by stating, “Discourse is one of the most valuable tools to learning.” After 13 years in the classroom, Eugenia is teaching third grade and continues to connect with and motivate her students at Scroggs Elementary. – by Olivia Jarman
At the 2016 Just Tryan It youth triathlon, William Harrison crossed the finish line just behind his younger sister, Maddie Harrison – whom he had pushed across in a stroller after pulling her in a raft for the swim and towing her in a trailer behind his bike. Maddie, who has cerebral palsy and is nonverbal, cannot sit, stand or walk independently. When we spoke with the family for our July/August 2016 edition, they were all on the same page: Maddie’s differences shouldn’t keep her from fun, community-building activities. In our November/December 2024 issue, we checked back in with a 16-year-old Maddie and her new service dog, Lilly, who was adopted from the Hillsborough-based nonprofit Eyes Ears Nose & Paws. Her mother, Margarita Escaler, said Lilly eases Maddie’s anxiety, can alert others of potential medical emergencies and draws others to engage with her – breaking down barriers for Maddie much like William did years ago. – by Regan Butler
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
With then-First Lady Michelle Obama on the cover, the 2016 Foodie Issue is a difficult edition of our magazine to forget. Mena Choi, only 10 at the time, and her mom, Tracy DeLozier, posed next to Michelle during their trip to the White House for a kids “State Dinner” that celebrated youth chefs from across the country. Mena was North Carolina’s representative in Michelle’s Let’s Move initiative with her recipe for lentil patties inspired by her Korean heritage.
Years later, the mother-daughter duo was featured again in December 2022,
this time alongside Mena’s brother, William Choi. The family gathered around their kitchen island to share Mena’s favorite apple cake tatin recipe by Ina Garten. Mena, now a junior at George Washington University majoring in international relations, is currently studying abroad in Belfast, Ireland. Tracy says even though her daughter is abroad, she still enjoys experimenting with new recipes, and her favorite dish to prepare at the moment is a pesto chicken bake with rice.
– by Rebekah Mann
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Cynthia Edwards-Paschall, whose family has lived here for five generations, wrote a powerful essay for us after hearing, “Where are you from? You don’t sound like you’re from around here,” one too many times. Her answer was sometimes met with disbelief – “I didn’t know there were any Black people from Chapel Hill!” – so she got to writing:
“We are every path, road, sidewalk, hospital hall, UNC building, Franklin Street restaurant and bar. Every Rosemary Street block. Every Black church that holds up the western border of town — St. Joseph CME , St. Paul AME , FBC and Second Baptist . We are Northside and Tin Top and the Hargraves Community Center. And Merritt Mill and Lindsay and McDade and Church streets.
“We helped build and sustain and maintain this ‘Southern Part of Heaven’ that is not just UNC and the home of the Tar Heels. It is the home of Pottersfield, Ridgefield, Lincoln High and Vacation Bible School at all those churches. We bought pickles, chips and candy from Mr. Bynum Weaver who ran the Black funeral home that gave our beloved relatives a homegoing burial with love, family and pride. We buried our ancestors in the segregated cemetery in the middle of UNC’s campus. We have watched our neighboring town of Carrboro change from a place where the kids threw rocks at us and unleashed their dogs on us as soon as we got near the railroad track into an accepting town of many colors of the rainbow.
“Some of us are descendants of Elizabeth ‘ Libba ’ Cotten , an American blues and folk musician and songwriter who played a righthanded guitar upside down because she was left-handed. We elected a Black mayor – Mayor Howard Lee – before it was cool. We used to be the only people swimming and playing ball at the Hargraves Center because it was the only place we could go. We are here. Always have been. We are Chapel Hill, too.”
We first featured Jeanne Langley in 2018, telling the story of how Morgan Creek evolved from a quiet, aging neighborhood into a vibrant, intergenerational community centered around a restored playhouse that became a symbol of connection and memory. In our January/February 2021 issue, we highlighted how some of the neighborhood children formed Playhouse Productions during the pandemic to stay connected and bring joy to their community, strengthening friendships and easing isolation. Most recently, in May/June 2024, we featured Jeanne as a Woman of Achievement and photographed her with those same children, now grown. She shared how she co-founded Students to Scholars in 2017 to help students from marginalized communities succeed in independent schools and prepare for college. – by Emma Arthur
Charged with commemorating the 200th anniversary of Chapel Hill, I dove deep into the archives of the Chapel Hill Historical Society. Seeing all the old photos of Franklin Street made me realize how much has changed over the years. Then I’d spot Carolina Coffee Shop or Julian’s and feel grateful some things hadn’t changed. One recent change for the Town of Chapel Hill is its new logo, featuring a stylized tulip poplar that represents both the community’s growth and its roots, which was released in 2026.
– by Jessica Stringer
Best Museum
Best Family Outing
Best Summer Camps
The Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top-rated destinations, an interactive science center and nature park with animals and 84 acres of open-ended experiences. From bears and dinosaurs to train rides, treehouses, NASA artifacts, and butterflies from around the world, there’s something for everyone. Join us in 2026 as we celebrate 80 years in Durham!
433 W. Murray Ave, Durham, NC 27704
lifeandscience.org
919-220-5429
Our April 2020 edition went to press the week the world shut down in mid-March 2020, and half the events in the calendar were canceled or postponed. By the time the next issue came around, we had pivoted to working from home, social distancing and Zoom meetings. We pooled resources for the May/June 2020 issue of Chapel Hill Magazine, sharing much of the same content with the May issue of Durham Magazine. Instead of scheduling photo shoots with that year’s Women of Achievement class, we had an illustrator draw the honorees, like activist Miriam Slifkin (who passed away later that year). – by Jessica Stringer
We asked a few folks what stories they’d like to see in future issues COMPILED BY EMMA ARTHUR
“As Carrboro looks ahead, I imagine the next 20 years telling the story of a community that continues to shine through deep civic engagement like ‘Carrboro in Motion,’ grassroots sustainability efforts such as our Green Neighborhoods Grants, and an unwavering commitment to racial equity and belonging for all people. I’m excited for stories of a reimagined, pedestrian-friendly East Weaver Street plaza that centers green spaces, equity, people and local businesses, alongside downtown workforce and affordable housing that allows those who serve Carrboro to call it home. And, as always, Carrboro will keep telling its story through poetry, history and beloved festivals.”
Patrice
Toney, town manager, Town of Carrboro
In our September/October 2011 issue, we featured the Sacrificial Poets, a Chapel Hill- and Durham-based spoken word poetry organization led by and for youth. Then-Chapel Hill High School student CJ Suitt co-founded the group and was pictured in a photograph in the article. Years later, after he was appointed the first poet laureate for the Town of Chapel Hill in November 2019, he brought his passion for the written word to a feature for our December 2020 issue. His role was originally created for a two-year term, but in the wake of the pandemic, the town extended his term to three. During that time, CJ estimates that he wrote at least 100 poems and found inspiration in the hardships of the time period. Working in collaboration with the town to develop the role, CJ paved the way for future poet laureates Cortland Gilliam and Donovan Livingston – by Rebekah Mann
“I hope to read how Orange County has become a haven for artists and how we’re setting an example for the rest of the country. We’ve figured out how to make housing affordable for artists and how to support and sustain our creative organizations and small businesses so they can continue to hire artists and attract visitors to our communities. Because arts and culture are such a priority for our local leadership, we’ve worked together to create a new source of public funding that floods our communities with public art, affordable space for music, theater and dance and provides access to the arts for all people, no matter their financial standing.”
Katie
“Over the next 20 years, we’d love to see features that tell the story about how Chapel Hill met the demand for housing with a mix of housing styles and amenities, where local businesses also have space to grow and outdoor space remains central to daily life. We hope several of those stories are about South Creek – a look back at how this community delivered muchneeded housing in a neighborhood serving retail and more than 80 acres of preserved green space, becoming a place where people feel connected to nature and one another for generations to come. Ultimately, we hope to read stories showing how Chapel Hill can grow through projects that fit into the fabric of the town, reflect community input and are still seen as positive contributors decades after completion.”
Steven
Dubb, principal &
president,
The Beechwood Organization and developer of South Creek
“My hope is that, years from now, I’ll be reading a story about how the Extraordinary Thrift Store carried forward – and expanded – the deep community impact of the PTA Thrift Shop and CommunityWorx in Carrboro. I hope it’s a place where everyone can experience the power of inclusive employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities firsthand and where donating, shopping and volunteering become shared acts of supporting our community. Research shows that having purpose is essential to happiness. I hope to see stories of how the Extraordinary Thrift Store created purpose for many different people in many different ways – bringing us together across differences and turning our collective effort into a lasting force for good.”
Lisa
Kaylie,
executive director, Extraordinary Ventures
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“[In future issues, I hope to read that] The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro has not only achieved but exceeded the goals of [its] campaign to [invest in workforce development, accelerate small-business growth and increase housing supply], setting a strong foundation for even greater success in future initiatives. With the rapid bus transit system now up and running, our community is seeing meaningful progress in connectivity, sustainability and access. Local businesses continue to thrive and grow, exemplified by Olmaz Jewelers expanding into its own standalone location. And on a personal note, the idea of Kenan Stadium one day hosting a Bayern Munich soccer match captures the bold, world-class future I envision for Chapel Hill.”
Elie Abou-Rjeileh, co-owner, Olmaz Jewelers and 2026 chair of the Chamber Board of Directors
“Here are some headlines for stories I’d love to see:
` South Churton Street Expansion Completed Four Years Ahead of Schedule
` Downtown Riverwalk Expansion to Neighborhoods Increases Walkability and Recreation Options
` Hillsborough Becomes Regional Hub for Tech Jobs, Independent Businesses and the Arts
Scott Czechlewski, chief executive officer, Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce
“I hope we’ll be reading stories about kids biking to school and seniors walking to the library along a fully built ‘Everywhere-to-Everywhere’ greenway network that connects our whole community. I’d love to see headlines about a world-class park on Legion Road buzzing with concerts, festivals and everyday joy. I imagine features on a downtown that’s become an even stronger hub of creativity and innovation, with new places to live, work and gather.”
Jess Anderson, mayor, Town of Chapel Hill
“We envision storytelling that elevates rising voices, honors unsung heroes and shines a light on innovative changemakers while capturing the everyday moments that quietly shape who we are. In the years ahead, we look forward to stories of young leaders transforming passion into impact, neighbors choosing connection over division, bold local initiatives redefining what’s possible and the people and places that will continue to make Chapel Hill a community worth investing in – and believing in – for generations to come.”
Patricia Richardson, executive director, Monet Richardson Community Foundation
We’ve hit our stride during the last few years with some creative covers and fascinating folks featured on our pages. Some of my favorite stories include one in November 2021 featuring members of American Legion Post 6 who got to mark Veterans Day in their new building, May/June 2022’s profile on Missy Julian-Fox (because you can’t think of Chapel Hill without its biggest cheerleader), and a piece in the January/February 2023 issue by former intern Teresa Fang, now a first-year student at Georgia Tech where she’s continuing her journalism streak as the assistant opinions editor at the student newspaper. – by Jessica Stringer CHM
Got any favorite stories from over the years or ones you’d love to see on our pages? Drop us a line at jessica.stringer@chapelhillmagazine.com
The possibility of Carolina North — a live, learn, play, work satellite campus north of UNC’s main campus — has been in conversation for almost as long as Chapel Hill Magazine has existed, but now, its implementation is finally in motion with the project set to break ground next year.
Carolina North shifts from vision to action plan, expanding UNC’s footprint – and its future
BY REBECCA SAVIDGE
First imagined in 2006, UNC has developed its goals over time for Carolina North to serve the university, the town and the entire state of North Carolina. As North Carolina’s population continues to grow, Kevin Best , senior director of University Strategic Communications, says that the university is trying to find more space and availability to serve the increasing number of in-state students who want to attend UNC while also maintaining its 18% cap on out-of-state students. “The administration just feels that now is the time to go forward, because we see this decreasing number of students who were able to [be] admitted to Carolina, percentage-wise, and the land is there,” he says. “It’s been sitting there, and [Chancellor Lee Roberts] feels, and the [UNC Board of Trustees] feels, it’s just the time to do it.” Utilizing Carolina North would help the university continue to
increase its undergraduate enrollment by 500 students each year.
Located 1.5 miles north of UNC’s main campus off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard , Carolina North would aim to tackle local issues such as affordable housing and an increased desire for certain degrees at UNC. The entirety of Carolina North spans almost 1,000 acres, but only about 230 acres would be utilized for the project — primarily the space of the former Horace Williams Airport , which closed in 2018. “The acreage at Carolina North allows us to address the town’s housing challenges, our own housing challenges – particularly for our graduate students, as well as our undergraduate students, as we continue to grow – and to create space that allows us to serve the increasing demand to serve STEM areas of study,” Lee says. Many UNC undergraduates live off campus after their first year, and the space will provide them with another option for accessible living. The project plans to house 2,200 undergraduate beds in the first phase, alongside a mix of classroom, lab and office spaces, as well as shopping and other residential developments.
Another popular topic of conversation regarding the new project is the potential relocation of the Dean E. Smith Center, the university’s men’s basketball arena. Along with talks over the past several years of necessary renovations to the existing structure, there have been conversations about building a new arena entirely at a different spot like Carolina North or The William and Ida Friday Center. This possibility has been met with some opposition, not only from students who want the stadium to remain accessible on South Campus, but also from key UNC basketball figures like former coach Roy Williams and former player Tyler Hansbrough, who currently teaches at UNC’s journalism school. There is even a petition circulating aimed at combating the relocation of the arena and an Instagram page serving the same purpose. Lee says that opinions
from people like Roy and Tyler carry a lot of weight but that no decision has been made yet. “There was an announcement about a year or two ago about the different possibilities of places that an arena could go, including a renovation at its existing site,” Kevin says. “But that work kind of continues right now. Obviously, one of the options was Carolina North in that study, but it’s really just to continue to talk to people and get information and feedback from various stakeholders before they want to make a decision.” Kevin says that other worries from community members include that the project will disturb the Carolina North Forest and other trails in the surrounding area, but he and Lee assure these spaces will not be disturbed.
The goal for Lee and the university is to approach the project holistically,
ensuring it is developed as a campus rather than a collection of buildings. “Everyone knows that when you step on a campus, there’s something that feels different about it compared to say an office park or an apartment project, and it’s having [that] combination of uses in one place,” he says. “And we want to make sure that we design so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” While many details are still up in the air, the current manager of the project is Tiffany Lacey, the executive director for real estate at UNC.
To members of the UNC administration, this project is meant to further grow Chapel Hill and the university, utilizing a vast space that hasn’t been touched since 2018, hopefully establishing a new development that benefits locals, students and the whole state for the foreseeable future. CHM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
BRIANA BROUGH
Alove of both nature and art inspired the modernist home that Chapel Hill architect Phil Szostak created for himself, his wife, Rhonda Szostak , and their children. Located on 3.5 acres next to a 30-acre open space on Homestead Road, the more than 4,000-square-foot home was a tranquil retreat filled with light and a feeling of openness. “I wake up and I’m still amazed that I live in a house like this,” Phil said at the time about his now-former house. “Every young architect grows up wanting to live in one of their houses — something that came from their creative beings. I’m one of the lucky few.” A seamlessness between the home’s interior and exterior was created by the 11 doors leading outside as well as extensive terraces and a courtyard. The house emphasized a connection to nature with walls of windows facing the verdant landscape as well as Bolin Creek. Inside, the primarily white color scheme created an ever-changing palette of colors. “Every day, it’s a different color inside,” Phil said. “The sunsets and sunrises are reflected in the interior.”
Who doesn’t love looking inside other people’s houses? Here are some of our favorites we’ve featured over the years.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
BRIANA BROUGH
Interesting isn’t the word to describe Linda Butler and Cliff Butler ’s sprawl of a home in the Lake Forest neighborhood –fascinating is. The 3,400-square-foot house they built in 1980 on a plot hard against Cedar Falls Park and next to a strip of greenway at the end of a long dead-end road is a jumble of stuff collected over a lifetime and somehow connected to their families, friends and history. “I just love old solid stuff,” Cliff says, “but it’s really lucky that everything I collected worked out. Of course, we spent a lot of time thinking about what we wanted and how we wanted to use it.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIANA BROUGH
At the end of a gravel road, past a vegetable garden and surrounded by trees where honeybees, a pair of dogs and almost 20 egg-laying chickens make their home, it’s easy to forget how close one is to downtown Chapel Hill. In fact, an old farmhouse would fit right in here — but Kris Dunn and Kevin Murphy ’s home couldn’t be more modern. The fourbedroom, 2,950-square-foot custom house sits on 4.3 acres west of Carrboro right off Highway 54 and backs up to land owned and protected by the Triangle Land Conservancy. “No one will ever develop behind us, and the land itself is unbelievable,” Kevin says. “We got really lucky.” Layers of light welcome visitors in the entryway, thanks to large windows, a suspended staircase and the landscaped courtyard beyond. The living, dining and kitchen areas are cozy yet expansive, spaces that encourages both large gatherings and intimate dinners.
abriella de Ocampo and Richie DiFranco have lived in their Ridgefield home since 2013. Built in 1965, the house had undergone some renovations by previous owners, but none that honored its midcentury modern architecture – or Gabriella and Richie’s tastes. “It had been on the market a while, and we knew we would need to make some changes, but we fell in love with the neighborhood, the large lots and big trees,” Gabriella says. “Richie grew up in a similar neighborhood [in Cleveland], with homes that had character, style and a big yard to play in, and we knew we wanted that for our kids, too.” Her grandparents’ dining set from the ’60s is a centerpiece of the remodel and brings both sentimental value and an authentic tone to the home. “The midcentury modern aesthetic is something we are both drawn to generally, but me especially because it reminds me of the house I grew up in in Phoenix,” Gabriella says.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIANA BROUGH
It was the quiet that brought the late Gardner Altman to downtown Chapel Hill. The UNC School of Law alum is used to living on a 400-acre farm in eastern North Carolina – a hop, skip and a jump from the actual town of Tarheel. It seemed like a paradoxical quest to find somewhere close to campus – but also quiet – until he walked into a condo on the top floor of Greenbridge on West Rosemary Street, high enough to be removed from the hustle-bustle of the streets below. He bought the industrial, modern condo because of its peacefulness – despite a personal aesthetic preference for “wood and stone and glass” — and promptly teamed with Cindy Spuria to entirely overhaul the interior. Gray concrete columns were all covered with black-combed plaster, which adds character and texture. In the main living space, a den that flows into a kitchen and dining area, columns were covered in warm stone which complement the wooden cabinets. And although he had some stunning pieces of art, it’s the floor-to-ceiling windows that stole the show, revealing a view that defines panoramic.
BY
BRIANA BROUGH
To say that this farmhouse made us swoon would be an understatement. Kimberly Jenkins’ former home was made from an 1846 barn on 37 acres off Old Greensboro Road. “It’s amazing to have the peacefulness and serenity of a farm but the proximity to all the culture of Chapel Hill and Durham,” she told us. Kimberly filled the home with hand-me-down George Nakashima furniture from family, salvaged pieces and antique finds. CHM
F O R E C A S T
Industry experts share insights on changing tastes (take note: gray is on its way out!) as well as the lasting details that never go out of style
COMPILED BY LOJINE
GOUMAA
We are excited to see that entire rooms of gray (gray walls, gray floor, gray furniture) are being phased out. We love to use color to bring joy and personality into our designs, which is what turns a house into a home that’s made to be loved. – Cat French, principal interior designer, Cat French Design
Bordering bed areas with random stones or rocks. It often looks unstructured and can distract from the overall design rather than enhance it. – Brian Popp, owner and lead designer, Landscape Logic
Gray floors. They tend to feel cold and unwelcoming. Looking ahead to 2026, homes are shifting toward richer, warmer tones that feel more inviting and create spaces that function as true retreats. – Amy DiCicco, selections coordinator, Bold Construction
Exotic plants that require constant care to keep looking their best: pruning, fertilizing and fretting over pests are things that few gardeners have time for these days. Native plants that are suited to the soil and light conditions where they’re planted will thrive without all that extra effort!
– Jessica Davis, owner, Roots & Sproots
Over-designed spaces that scream a specific year. Gray-on-gray everything, harsh overhead lighting and kitchens designed more for Pinterest than real life. If a space can’t age gracefully or be lived in, it’s not doing its job. – Dallas Cederberg, Cederberg Kitchens and Renovations
PHOTO BY MICHAEL BLEVINS
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To maintain their lower mortgage rates, homeowners are remodeling and adding on to existing homes with decked-out primary bathrooms; functional mudrooms or mud halls; and warmer, eclectic interior spaces that incorporate clean, interesting details referencing years past. For our new homes, we see strong interest in sculleries. – Carol Ann Zinn, managing partner, Zinn Design Build
I’m seeing lots of layers in garden design – texture, color and year-round interest. Plus, learning to enjoy the ‘brown’: leaving plants standing through the winter and appreciating that unique kind of beauty is something I’m glad more gardeners are embracing. – Jessica Davis
Arched case openings. These are doorways or passageways with a curved or rounded top. They create a sense of grandeur, elegance and timelessness, softening hard lines for a more natural flow throughout the home. They also guide the eye upward, which adds a feeling of height and openness. You’re seeing arches used almost anywhere: inside the home, on exterior openings and even echoed in details like cabinet door fronts. – Amy DiCicco
Outdoor kitchens, firepits and usable functional outdoor spaces that extend the home into the landscape. Homeowners are investing in outdoor areas that are both beautiful and truly usable.
– Brian Popp
Homes that feel intentional
but relaxed. We’re seeing a big shift toward warmer palettes, natural materials and layouts that support how people actually live. Design is getting quieter, smarter and more personal.
– Dallas Cederberg
Layered spaces full of personality – [think] funky art, interesting color combinations, textural fabrics and unique heirloom pieces. What pieces are uniquely yours and carry personal significance and meaning? Let’s weave those into the design with intention; we also love that odd sculpture you inherited, the weird-but-treasured piece of family art and that curiously colorful vase that you picked up once on vacation. Your space should reflect what makes you who you are, and maximize what brings you joy. – Cat French
WHICH STYLE ELEMENT(S) DO YOU SEE REMAINING TIMELESS?
American boxwoods. They’re elegant, timeless and lowmaintenance, with a soft texture and classic structure. These plants can live for 100-plus years and look especially striking in foundation beds. They can also be used to mark walkways or entrance ways. – Brian Popp
Adherence to classic architectural principles like balanced proportions and symmetry. These elements resist fleeting trends and ensure a home remains both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional for decades. – Amy DiCicco
Black metal trellises in simple and unfussy shapes – whether arches, obelisks or panels – add structure to the garden and won’t go out of style anytime soon. – Jessica Davis
Open kitchen/dining/family rooms as the center of casual living, connected to screen porches, decks and patios for easy access to outdoor living. Mudrooms have such a high degree of functionality that I can’t believe we didn’t always have them in homes. – Carol Ann Zinn CHM
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Catching up with the couples behind our past wedding stories
BY OLIVIA JARMAN
MAY/JUNE 2006
When Christine Hoke and Trevor Hoke were featured in our first issue, they were newly married and still closely tethered to the town that shaped them – high school classmates, shared friends and a wedding that felt unmistakably local.
Wickham Cash Partners at UBS Financial Services.
The couple met as students at Chapel Hill High School and married at Hillsborough Presbyterian Church, with a reception at Durham’s Croasdaile Country Club. Two decades later, Christine and Trevor are celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary – a milestone that still catches them a bit off guard. “Time flies,” Christine says, “and is so much fun.”
Both were early in their careers twenty years ago, building professional lives while settling into marriage. Today, those careers are firmly established, as is their life in Charlotte. Christine is an attorney with the same firm, K&L Gates, which merged with Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, and is a partner in their finance group. Trevor has spent the past 18 years in wealth management, currently serving as a senior vice president with
Their most meaningful evolution, though, has come with family life. The couple is raising two children, Lucy, 15, and George, 13, and has found that travel is one of their favorite ways to spend time together. This spring break, the family is heading to Japan, adding a far-flung adventure to a routine that includes frequent escapes to the North Carolina mountains.
Looking back on their early days of marriage, Christine offers this simple advice to newlyweds: “It’s an adventure – enjoy the ride. Things unfold in ways that are amazing and unexpected, despite the best plans.”
2016
When Kathryn Robinson and Tarron Robinson
talked about the future in our pages back in 2016, the Chapel Hill High School alumni were mapping out a life together just up the road in Mebane. A decade later, they have turned that plan into reality. Within months of their wedding, they moved into the home they had built there.
Now well into married life, their days look fuller than they once did. Kathryn is the chief nursing officer at Cary medical clinic Vascular Wellness, and Tarron is an insurance agent with Highstreet Insurance. Most weeks revolve around work, school and a steady rotation of activities that include
swimming lessons and basketball practice for their children, Chloe, 7, and Cole, 4. They still make room for adventure, marking their 10th wedding anniversary last year with a trip to Singapore and Bali. Kathryn and Tarron have found that this stage of life comes with its own mix of joy and logistics, and that balancing work and kids on top of everything else takes more intention than it once did. “Being open and taking time for yourselves and each other is very important,” Kathryn says. “Take the time to be present in the moment, and enjoy each other and your children.”
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013
Fourteen years into their marriage, Stephanie Carmody and Dennis Carmody are still happily rooted in Chapel Hill, where they have built a life that blends work they care about with the people and places they love.
These days, Dennis continues his work in clinical research as a project manager with the Duke University Office of Research & Innovation, and Stephanie is now a co-owner of her family’s prosthetic and orthotic business, Atlantic P&O. Both are also deeply involved in advocacy work that is important to them.
Outside of work, Stephanie and Dennis’ days are shaped by the things they enjoy doing with each other and with family. They seek out accessible
destinations for travel, spend evenings listening to music on the Southern Village Green with friends and relatives, and rarely miss a chance to take their nephews to UNC games. They also frequent Cat Tales Cat Cafe with their niece, where four years ago, they adopted two cats, Baxter and Ollie, who quickly became part of the family. Over the years, Stephanie and Dennis have learned that a strong marriage requires attention to both the practical and the joyful. “Have the hard conversations about things like finances,” Stephanie says, “but also prioritize finding ways to have fun together.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
Andrea Saye and Hank Saye were first spotlighted in our September/October 2011 issue as newlyweds beginning their life together in Chapel Hill. Nearly 15 years later, they find themselves in a very different season. The Sayes now live in Holly Springs, where they are raising their two daughters, Leighton, 9, and Scarlett, 5.
With an anniversary approaching in April, Andrea says she is still surprised by how quickly the years have passed. The most significant change since those early years has been becoming parents –the girls now shaping the pace of daily life.
Professionally, both Andrea and Hank have grown into expanded roles. Andrea leads communications and marketing at Carolina Alumni, while Hank works in supply chain systems at a global biopharmaceutical company.
When they can, Andrea and Hank try to squeeze in travel; they recently returned from a trip to Croatia. Closer to home, they have created quieter traditions. Andrea took up mahjong this past year, and once the house settles at night, she and Hank make time for a weekly game together.
Marriage, Andrea reflects, is not something you ever finish figuring out. Each stage brings new challenges and opportunities, and her advice to newlyweds is to keep growing –together and individually – while supporting each other along the way.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
John McInnis and Christopher Putney were building a life together across state lines when we first featured them in November/December 2011. Christopher taught in the English and comparative literature department at UNC and John was working as an attorney in Florida – with plans to eventually settle in Chapel Hill.
They closed the distance in 2014, marking both a long-awaited union and a season of loss. In the months leading up to the move, John lost both his mother and sister; Christopher took a leave of absence later that year to care for his elderly father in southern France.
What began as a temporary stay soon became something more permanent. “Within a few months, it became clear that we were so comfortable and happy here that we started to plan our emigration from the U.S.,” Christopher says. He retired from UNC in 2015, and the couple settled in France full time a few years before Christopher’s father passed away in 2018.
Today they live just a block from the Mediterranean Sea in Nice and divide their time between there and the coastal village of Locmariaquer in Brittany, where they bought a small house in 2022.
Their days in Nice are filled with long walks along the Promenade des Anglais, museums, movies and dinners at home or with friends. Both are avid readers and belong to book clubs. In Brittany, life is slower with daily walks along the coast, bike rides, long seafood dinners and short trips to explore nearby villages.
Their dogs, Lucy and Tyler, spent the best years of their lives in France and have since passed away; in 2024, the couple welcomed Gaby, a new rescue pup, into their lives.
Looking back, John and Christopher say the most surprising part of their marriage has been “how pleasurable and comfortable it has been,” even through health challenges, distance and transcontinental changes. Their advice to newly married couples centers on honesty. Open communication, they say, is essential, and even the hardest times can be navigated with mutual trust. CHM
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Sister publication Heart of NC Weddings also marks a major milestone this year
BY MORGAN CARTIER WESTON
For the past four decades, Heart of NC Weddings has guided couples as they dream, plan, and assemble the perfect wedding team. In 1986, Donna Parks founded a planning guide known as Southern Bride and Groom, the first regional wedding magazine in North Carolina. Donna’s daughter, Jenna Parks, joined the business in 2010 to expand support and resources for couples across the state. The name change to HONCW came in 2019 to match the evolution of the brand and to reflect a commitment to representing all couples. A year later, Triangle Media Partners acquired the publication, bringing Jenna on board. What hasn’t changed in the past four decades is our mission that has guided us: a belief that every couple deserves to be celebrated fully and authentically; that diversity strengthens our community; and that love – in all its forms – is worth honoring with intention. Here’s to the next chapter, the next generation of North Carolina weddings and the extraordinary people who help bring them to life! CHM
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From our archives to your table: beloved dishes that have stood the test of time
By Leslie Heintzman, Sari Sari Sweets
Biscuit Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter chilled, cut into 1⁄₂-inch pieces
11⁄₂ cup buttermilk
Sugar Mixture
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄₂ cup pecan or walnut pieces, if desired
Caramel
9 oz. (2 sticks plus 1 Tbsp.) unsalted butter
11 ⁄₂ cup light brown sugar
1 ⁄₂ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. dark rum
1 Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2 In a large bowl, mix all biscuit dry ingredients together and cut cold butter in with a pastry cutter until pea-size chunks. Add buttermilk and mix until dough just forms together. Don’t overmix.
3 Roll dough into ½-inch thickness and cut into ½-inch strips. Cut strips into small squares. Roll squares of dough in cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4 In a greased Bundt pan, place the dough chunks and add pecans or walnuts if desired.
5 In a small saucepan, melt butter for caramel mixture and whisk in brown sugar, salt, vanilla and rum. Pour caramel mixture over the dough evenly and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.
6 Once done, place a platter on top of the Bundt pan and flip the monkey bread carefully upside down and remove the pan. Serve while still warm and enjoy!
MAY/JUNE 2021
By Moreton Neal, longtime author of our Joyous Cooking column
6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
1¾ cups graham crackers or gingersnap crumbs
¾ tsp. salt, divided
1 lb. goat cheese, room temperature
1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
2 cups sour cream, room temperature
⅓ cup honey
5 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
1 Before starting this recipe, set out the goat cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and eggs to make sure all come to room temperature.
2 Heat the oven to 325 F. Grease the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with butter or a cooking spray.
3 In a large bowl, stir melted butter, crumbs and ¼ teaspoon salt until well mixed. Pour crumb mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden. Cool to room temperature.
4 Turn the oven to 450 F. Grease the inside walls of the cooled pan with butter, then set on a baking sheet. With an electric mixer, beat the goat cheese and cream cheese until creamy and combined. Add sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and lemon zest, then beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
5 Gradually add the sour cream, followed by the honey. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Pour into the springform pan and smooth out the surface. Bake the cheesecake for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop open the door slightly for 10 minutes.
6 Close the oven door and set the oven to 250 F. Continue to bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is almost firm in the middle. It will continue to cook after you take it out.
7 Set the baking sheet with the cheesecake on a wire rack and cool.
8 After about 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen the sides. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours before removing the pan’s sides and serving.
By Bret Jennings, Elaine’s on Franklin
¼ lb. butter
2 yellow onions, sliced
3 leeks, washed and julienned (white parts only)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 heads cauliflower (main core removed and florets broken apart)
1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and quartered
1 cup good dry white wine
1 gallon chicken broth, divided
1 pint heavy cream
Fresh truffles (or truffle butter, or both)
Salt and fresh black pepper, to taste Chervil sprigs, to taste
In a stainless sauce pot, heat butter and sweat onions and leeks until soft but don’t let them get color. Then add garlic, and stir for two minutes. Add cauliflower and potato, stirring until warmed through and coated with butter. Add white wine, and let simmer down until reduced by half. Add all but 2 cups of chicken broth, and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream, bring to a simmer again and remove from heat. In a blender, carefully process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper while hot. If needed, add more leftover broth to your taste. When ready to serve, reheat in pot and whisk in truffle butter, if using, or chopped fresh truffles. Save some fresh truffle slices, if using, for garnish. Place chervil sprigs in center and serve.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006
Dressing
16 basil leaves
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup XV olive oil
2T honey
garlic cloves salt to taste
By Kevin Callaghan, Acme
Salad cups sliced assorted hyper-fresh tomatoes (multi-colored)
Dressing
16 basil leaves
¼ cup lemon juice
1 In a food processor, add basil leaves, lemon juice, garlic and honey and puree at high speed until basil and garlic are minced finely, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the food processor on high, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream to create emulsion (about 1-2 minutes) and then add sea salt to taste. Place in a nonreactive container and chill in the refrigerator. This can be made a few hours in advance.
processor and puree at high speed until basil and garlic are minced finely, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With food processor on high, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream to create emulsion (about 1-2 minutes) Add sea salt to taste. Place in nonreactive container and put in refrigerator. Can be made a few hours in advance.
Place bread cubes in bowl and toss with sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Spread cubes on sheet pan and cook in a 225 degree oven for ½ hour or until croutons are crisp and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
By Jamil Kadoura, Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering
6 lamb shanks
2 cups water
Sautee corn with a nut of sweet butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add red onion and cook 1 minute more sprinkling with sea salt. Remove from heat and let cool. OPTION: red onions can be tossed with olive oil and grilled if using grill for the tuna.
2 Preheat oven to 225 F. Place bread cubes in a bowl and toss with sea salt, black pepper and olive oil. Spread cubes on a sheet pan and cook for 30 minutes or until croutons are crisp and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
6 bay leaves
1 carrot
1 zucchini
Slice tomatoes (not too thinly) cutting any cherry tomatoes in half. Keep tomatoes cold.
Wash Arugula and set aside.
If grilling, preheat to high temperature.
2 medium onions
1 small celery
½ yellow pepper
½ red pepper
1 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. salt
Assemble salad: starting with croutons, place all ingredients except Arugula in a large bowl. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt.
cup thinly sliced red onion
2 Tbsp. honey
½ cup fresh corn, cut from the cob
2 garlic cloves
cups French-styled bread cut into large cubes (1”x1”x1”)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
¼ lb baby Arugula (or other green)
Salad
coarse sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 cups French-style bread cut into 1-inch cubes
good quality feta cheese or local goat cheese
Tuna
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil
8-10 oz thick cut yellowfin tuna steaks
2 Tbsp. butter
canola oil
kosher salt and fresh black pepper
½ cup fresh corn, cut from the cob
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 cups assorted multi-colored tomatoes
¼ lb. baby arugula or other greens
Good quality feta cheese or local goat cheese
Tuna
2 8-10 oz. thick-cut yellowfin tuna steaks
Canola oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
3 In a pan over medium heat, melt butter and saute corn for about 4 minutes. Add red onion and a sprinkle of sea salt and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. You can also skip the butter and toss the onions with olive oil if you want to put on a grill pan should you choose to grill the tuna.
1 tsp. allspice
2 cups tomato sauce
Cook tuna: If grilling, brush canola oil on tuna steaks. Sprinkle with salt.
Grill approximately 2 minutes per side. If cooking in pan, heat pan with canola oil until oil shimmers (very hot), salt the tuna steaks and sear in pan, again for approximately 2 minutes per side for medium rare.
4 If you want to grill the tuna, brush canola oil on tuna steaks and sprinkle with salt. Grill approximately 2 minutes per side. If cooking in a pan, heat the pan with canola oil until oil shimmers, salt the tuna steaks and sear in the pan, again for approximately 2 minutes per side for medium rare.
5 Slice tomatoes (not too thin), cutting any cherry tomatoes in half. Keep tomatoes cold. Wash arugula and set aside. Place all ingredients except arugula in a large bowl. Add crumbled cheese to salad and then toss with desired amount of dressing. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt.
When tuna is placed in pan, add crumbled cheese to salad and then toss with desired amount of dressing. Let rest for a minute. Turn tuna steaks. Add Arugula to salad bowl and toss again, separating onto two plates. Remove tuna from heat and place it on top of tomato salad. Top with 2 turns of black pepper. May want to add a touch of basil dressing to the top of the fish or a bit more cheese. Serve immediately.
Place lamb shanks and the next four ingredients in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Cook at 375 F for 1 ½ hours. Chop all vegetables into small cubes and then add to the juices in the roasting pan. Mix cardamom and the next three ingredients and pour over lamb. Cover with foil and cook for another 1 ½ hours, or until lamb is well done. Uncover dish for another 15 minutes while still in the oven so it can get a nice color. Serve lamb over warm Moroccan couscous.
6 Add arugula to the salad bowl and toss again, separating onto two plates. Remove tuna from heat and place it on top of tomato salad. Top with 2 turns of black pepper. You may want to add a touch of basil dressing to the top of the fish or a bit more cheese. Serve immediately.
8/23/06 9:18:47 PM
DECEMBER 2013
By Gary Crunkleton, The Crunkleton
2 oz. Four Roses bourbon
1 tsp. Marasca cherry paste
1 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon
3 drops orange blossom water
1 drop Dale DeGroff pimento bitters
¾ oz. sugar
Mix all ingredients into a tin and shake with cubed ice. Strain into a julep cup filled with crushed ice. Garnish with seasonal greenery, if desired.
APRIL 2015
By Michael Chuong, Elements
2 tsp. cooking oil
2 tsp. garlic, chopped
2 oz. lemongrass, chopped
2 leeks, washed and chopped
8 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
2 oz. Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam)
2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Proteins
Beef, sliced
Vietnamese beef meatballs
Salmon, sliced
Cuttlefish, trimmed
Mussels, fresh in shell
Shrimp, peeled
Fish cakes, sliced
Tofu, chunks
Vegetables
Yu choy
Napa cabbage
Mushrooms, assorted varieties
Zucchini
Cellophane noodles, soaked and drained
1 In a medium stock pot, heat oil and add garlic and lemongrass. Saute until mixture turns golden, then add leeks and cook for 5 minutes. Add in chicken stock. Let the stock simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and fish sauce, and then add cayenne pepper (to taste). Your stock is ready for the hot pot. You can personalize it by adding your own spices.
2 It is not necessary to include all proteins and vegetables, and feel free to substitute others that you like. Arrange all ingredients nicely on a serving plate, keeping vegetables and proteins separate. Add small quantities of ingredients to hot pot broth, keeping track of contents to avoid overcooking. CHM
We caught up with local leaders and business owners also marking major milestones to reflect on their beginnings, growth and what lies ahead
COMPILED BY SHARON KINSELLA AND LIBBY WAKEFIELD
THEN I was hired as the CEO of The Chamber in March 2001 after previously serving on its board of directors representing [UNC] and chairing the community betterment committee. When I started, there was a staff of three, 500 members and a $300,000 budget.
NOW Today, the Chamber is a staff of 10 with 100 volunteers, a network of 600-plus businesses, 2,500 business leaders, a budget of more than $1.5 million and a network of affiliates and partners we manage, including the Carrboro Business Alliance, Chapel Hill Young Professionals, Leadership Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Black Business Alliance, Chamber Export Partnership and The Partnership for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro.
WHAT’S CHANGED Fundamentally, my role remains the same as it was 25 years ago: to lead a dedicated group of community-minded business leaders and a talented, hard-working professional staff in helping our members grow and succeed while building a resilient community where local business thrives.
MILESTONES I am most proud of how our Chamber responded to COVID. Our staff and volunteers sustained maximum effort and top-level performance, providing our members and the broader business community with what they needed.
THEN Pivoting from being an artist exhibiting in fine art shows across the county to opening a retail store on Churton Street was a huge leap. I am still in shock that 25 years have passed by so fast.
NOW Very quickly, I was consumed with custom jobs and repairs and decided to bring in a carefully curated collection of additional artisan jewelry lines, many of which my shop still includes today. We focus on local, national and international work of all different price points. I’ve also developed an incredible staff who not only make my life run more smoothly but who my clients have come to know and trust.
MILESTONES Just over a year ago, I moved to my fourth location. With each move I’ve gained more space – my newest location on West King Street allows ample space for my jewelry benches, a beautiful gallery and a private area for custom appointments.
WHAT’S NEXT Having always been an old-school jeweler, I have been resistant to using high-tech tools like computer-aided design. I prefer doing hand sketches and designing for wearability and stone protection. I believe there is and will continue to be a movement back toward old-world craftsmanship in jewelry.
– Melissa Booth, founder
THEN Founded in 1995 by Will Johnson and Laurie Johnson, the company began as a small, home-based operation near Jones Ferry Road.
NOW Thirty years later, it has grown into a multidisciplined team of 18 working out of its Finley Golf Course Road office – known internally as “the bullpen.”
MILESTONES The 2007-2008 recession was a defining moment for the company. Like many, we were navigating underwater projects, tightened lending and a sharply reduced housing market. During that period, a client, who has since become a close friend, entrusted us with their home on Laurel Hill Road. That home sustained our firm and many of the craftspeople who worked alongside us during an otherwise bleak time, and it became a clear demonstration of what our team was capable of. From there, we had references that are still sustaining us today. It also shaped our understanding of the responsibility we carry as builders and the positive impact we can have on others, just as that friend did to us.
WHAT’S NEXT We hope to see the company continue evolving toward homes that are healthier, more intentional and deeply rooted in place. As people become more aware of how their environments affect daily life, there’s growing interest in natural light, durable materials, biophilic design and thoughtful restraint in technology.
– Rebecca Johnson, partner and director of sales
THEN I founded the firm in 2006 after previously partnering with Giles Blunden at Blunden Piesse Architects, P.A. As our professional interests evolved – Giles focusing on commercial and multifamily projects, and my continued dedication to custom residential work –establishing my own practice became a natural next step.
NOW The practice consists of the two of us – [myself and Luisa Pedrosa] – supported by an exceptional network of local small businesses and craftspeople with whom we collaborate to bring our designs to life. We specialize in new homes and large-scale renovations with a contemporary, modern aesthetic and value a collaborative approach to thoughtful, intentional design.
WHAT’S CHANGED Rather than growing in size, we have evolved by deepening our specialized expertise in areas such as ergonomics, passive and active design systems, high-efficiency homes, indooroutdoor living, color and tile, technical lighting, and accessibility and aging in place. This depth allows us to meet most project needs inhouse while collaborating with outside experts when appropriate.
MILESTONES We recently celebrated the firm’s 20th anniversary with past and present clients, friends and collaborators. It was a truly joyful and meaningful celebration.
WHAT’S NEXT We are currently undertaking a brand refresh and website update to further enhance the client experience.
Sophie Piesse, architect, principal and owner
–
THEN I started Neat Freak in February 2005, but I’ve been organizing most of my life. My first marketing campaign was an email to 60 people I knew. I built a simple website, purchased a few supplies and was off and running in spring 2005.
NOW Neat Freak now serves clients in five counties around the Triangle. With eight organizers, including myself, we’re able to handle larger jobs and respond to urgent needs. Our focus remains on individuals, students, families and small-business owners, with
an approach that’s more functional than aesthetic.
MILESTONES I’ve completed more than 5,000 organizing sessions for 1,000-plus clients. I’ve also served for seven years as a national education leader and instructor for the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals and as president of its North Carolina chapter.
WHAT’S NEXT I want to continue to grow my time management coaching business, especially with academics working toward professional milestones. I also hope to continue learning more about working with adults with ADHD and gaining more experience with executive functioning coaching.
– Perri Kersh, owner
THEN Empowerment Inc. was founded in 1996 by Myles Presler and Termain Kyles, who recognized a critical gap in communication and community services within historically African American neighborhoods – including Northside, Pine Knolls, Carr Court and Lloyd Street – where residents faced systemic issues such as high housing costs and substandard housing quality.
NOW Today, Empowerment is a community development corporation serving Orange and Chatham counties with a holistic approach to community well-being: [It] owns and manages 60-plus affordable rental units and privately owned homes for low-income residents, operates the Midway Business Center to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, and more.
WHAT’S CHANGED The organization has extended its reach in both housing and economic support, becoming a trusted resource for residents navigating shifts in the housing market.
MILESTONES The Pine Knolls Empowerment Affordable Community Housing apartments – 10 homes for families earning at or below 30% of area median income – mark a major shift from services to lasting, brick-and-mortar housing solutions.
WHAT’S NEXT Empowerment will preserve and create more affordable housing while strengthening housing counseling and support services. It also plans to expand its economic development efforts by supporting women- and minority-owned businesses through mentorship, technical assistance and access to resources.
– Delores Bailey, executive director
little shop, and the support within that community is exceptional. The past two decades have brought considerable growth for Hillsborough. I celebrated when Weaver Street Market arrived and am thrilled that so many wonderful small businesses have followed. WHAT’S CHANGED The more I learn, the choosier I am about the yarns I bring in, paying close attention to their structure, sourcing and environmental impact, and our selection has improved accordingly. I opened with no staff but myself, and I now have two full-time employees, Julia and Bailey, who bring enthusiasm and knitting expertise to the table.
WHAT’S NEXT My hope is that we continue to bring the best natural fiber yarns to the community and that we are able to grow our vendor representation. I’d also love to expand our educational programming to offer more classes, workshops and knit-alongs.
– Anne Derby, owner
THEN Jackie Helvey and Nic Beery started the festival in 2006 as a hyperlocal event, only showing films that were made in Orange County.
NOW It [has grown] into an international film festival and is an official Town of Carrboro event. In 2026, every event sold out more than one week before the event.
MILESTONES In 2019, when Bradley Bethel became festival director, he renamed the event the Carrboro Film Fest and shifted the focus to only Southern films. In 2021, organizers reduced programming to one screening room across the three-day event. In 2024, [I] became the director and moved the festival to the Drakeford Library Complex.
WHAT’S NEXT We are deepening relationships with Southern filmmakers and growing our reputation for Southern hospitality in the independent film industry. Our audience is growing, and our festival is poised to grow to match that growth.
– Bryan Reklis, festival director
THEN I first chose Hillsborough in 2006 because I had friends with businesses there, and Hillsborough did not yet have a local yarn shop, unlike Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh. I was fortunate to find one on South Churton Street. Though it’s known as “historic Hillsborough,” this is a living, breathing town.
NOW A community of makers and friends has grown up around this
THEN When [my family] arrived [here], we [struggled] to find child care for our daughter, Sofia, and I soon met many immigrant mothers facing the same challenge. We decided to use church classrooms to create a cooperative preschool called Rayito de Luz, or “Little Beam of Light.” Our first teachers were from Bolivia, Argentina and Colombia, and I served as administrator. – Maria T. Palmer, founder NOW Today, Mi Escuelita serves 47 families in our community as a Spanish-immersion early-learning center rooted in connection, trust and high-quality education. Our program is led by native Spanish-speaking professionals who bring cultural authenticity, expertise and a deep commitment to inclusion and care for every child’s development. – Ingrid Prado, director
WHAT’S CHANGED We realized that an informal program could not meet the needs of the many immigrant families who desperately wanted to be part of it. As we grew and attracted students, we formed a board that helped us incorporate. – Maria MILESTONES The children who attended Mi Escuelita when we first opened are still friends, and they are bilingual. I helped secure a grant with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools to fund elementary school language immersion programs. – Maria
WHAT’S NEXT Through intentional growth and continued investment in our people and programs, Mi Escuelita will continue opening doors for years to come. – Ingrid CHM
Founded by Helen Bode, M.D., M.P.H., DeeTox is a physician-led aesthetics and wellness practice shaped by excellence and empathy. Dr. Bode began her journey at UNC – Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, earning her medical degree with honors and becoming a proud triple Tar Heel. In 2021, her mother, Dee, survived a sudden ruptured brain aneurysm – a life-altering moment that shifted Dr. Bode’s focus to caring for Dee while raising her young family with her wonderful husband. That experience inspired DeeTox: a welcoming space where science, beauty and compassion meet, dedicated to helping patients feel confident and authentically themselves.
BY SARAH MARTIN
Ironwood Custom Remodels was founded by Marine Corps veteran Ethan Randle after more than a decade building alongside elite luxury contractors in Southern California. When his family relocated to the Triangle, he brought that same high-level craftsmanship and attention to detail to Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Since launching in 2022, Ironwood has become known for luxury kitchens, bathrooms, additions and wholehome renovations. The company delivers projects through a smooth, organized process with clear communication clients can count on – a process clients actually enjoy. With integrity, respect, and quality at its core, Ironwood is proud to serve homeowners throughout the Chapel Hill community.
A financial services professional since 1999, Jessica Villagrana joined Edward Jones in 2019, drawn to the firm’s commitment to positively impacting the lives of clients and their families. She chose to set roots and build her practice in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community for its celebrated culture, diversity and inclusivity. Her team’s approach centers on a deep understanding of clients’ values to help meaningfully prioritize goals, creating fulfilling partnerships that impact multiple generations of families. Beyond her practice, she serves the community through leadership roles, including chair of TABLE’s board, a nonprofit delivering healthy food and nutrition education to local children.
For more than 35 years, Phoenix Wealth Advisors has proudly supported individuals and families in Central North Carolina and beyond as an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm. We are passionate about our work and fully engaged in the relationships we build. Our team exists for one purpose: to put successful client outcomes above all else. We craft long‑term investment strategies around what matters most to our clients – their goals, needs and personal circumstances. By combining thoughtful asset allocation, disciplined rebalancing and ongoing conversations about tax, retirement and estate planning, we help ensure portfolios stay aligned with
evolving priorities.
PHOTO BY SARAH MARTIN
Growing up in Reidsville, North Carolina, Shannon Kennedy learned at an early age the power of community – as well as the importance of giving back. Her mother and her sister taught public school for over 30 years. They were extraordinary at what they did.
Through their work, Shannon learned first-hand that – at the end of the day – home and community are what matter most. It is the reason that she enjoys sharing her success in real estate with organizations in this community that have such a huge impact: Habitat for Humanity of Orange County; TABLE; SECU Family House; and UNC Children’s Hospital.
Shannon relies every day on her strong work ethic and her problem-solving skills – as well as a healthy dose of good humor – to think creatively and strategically about how to serve her sellers and buyers. She believes whole-heartedly in bringing everything she has to every deal and she loves working with clients at all price points.
The more success she has on that front; the more she can give back to her community. Shannon is grateful for all of it!
Aesthetic Solutions has been a leader in aesthetic medicine for more than 30 years, recognized nationally for advancing the science and artistry of injectables, laser resurfacing, body contouring and medical-grade skincare. Founded by Dr. Sue Ellen Cox, an internationally regarded expert and researcher, the practice brings patients the latest, clinically proven treatments with a focus on safety and naturally refined results. What sets Aesthetic Solutions apart is its research-driven approach, exceptional team and longstanding commitment to the Chapel Hill community through education, pro bono care and meaningful local partnerships. Aesthetic Solutions has been voted “Best of Chapel Hill” for eight consecutive years.
Carolina Longevity was created for people who refuse to age passively. Led by Duke-trained internal medicine physician Ryan Schulteis, M.D., the clinic uses advanced diagnostics – including VO₂ max testing, hormone and metabolic analysis, and iDXA body composition scans – to give patients clear answers and a personalized longevity plan. With a concierge-level experience and a team committed to whole-person care, Carolina Longevity empowers people to live with more vitality, resilience and freedom in every chapter of life.
BY SARAH MARTIN
Dr. Stefan Weiss, a Duke-educated dermatologist, is passionate about how beautiful skin can transform lives. He founded Trillium Dermatology on a simple belief: Expert dermatologic care should feel personal, precise and rooted in community. With decades of experience in cosmetic dermatology, he has become a trusted physician for advanced treatments – from lasers and injectables to comprehensive skin health management. What sets him apart is his commitment to results that look natural and feel authentic. His mission is simple: to help all patients feel genuinely confident in their own skin.
“We want to make home your favorite place to be. We want it to bring you and your family the most joy possible.” With this guiding philosophy, Cat French and her team specialize in creating homes with a perfect balance of comfort, functionality, and each client’s own unique style. Working closely with each client throughout the design process, her team crafts spaces that are deeply personal, and designed to make the rhythms and needs of day-to-day living feel seamless. Cat and her team have been named Best of Chapel Hill for seven consecutive years and celebrate 10 years in business this year.
BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
Adam W. Jones started investing in fixer-upper houses while working as an advertising executive. In 2002, he founded Mill House Properties, named after his first projects –mill houses in Carrboro. As Owner and CEO, Adam specializes in investment sales statewide. Ying Zhu, Property Manager and Broker, ensures each of the nearly 500 rental properties receive personalized attention and expert oversight. Michelle Johnson, Director of HOA Operations, manages nearly 2,000 HOA doors across Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Pittsboro. Mill House handles sales, rentals, property management and HOA management, accepting only properties meeting its high standards. Mill House has a support team second to none who provide exceptional customer service to renters and owners alike.
Dr. Tammy Severt founded Severt Smiles in 2000. With a continued presence in Chapel Hill for 58 years, the practice now treats the grandchildren of former patients. Dr. Severt prides herself on maintaining long-term connections with families. She believes in changing lives “one smile at a time,” helping both children and adults gain confidence to pursue their goals. As an adjunct faculty member at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, Dr. Severt also gives back to the profession through teaching. Severt Smiles provides cutting-edge and efficient treatment with a team who supports and genuinely cares about patients as individuals.
School of Rock Chapel Hill makes musicians. Their talented instructors teach aspiring artists how to sing and play guitar, bass, keys and drums. Students are also taught how to play in rock ‘n’ roll bands and perform shows at local rock venues. They learn teamwork, accountability, presentation skills, self-confidence, poise and leadership – qualities favored by universities and future employers. School of Rock is a safe, welcoming and encouraging environment, offering lessons and programs for students ages 6 to 96. Music is a joy that lasts a lifetime. Come learn and play with us at School of Rock Chapel Hill!
BY
As a State Farm Insurance agent since 1991, Pam Herndon has helped customers with a wide range of insurance needs. In 2004, she opened her agency in Chapel Hill and developed a passion for providing customers with solutions to manage their risks. Pam leads an outstanding team of agents who help customers with retirement, education and estate planning.
Since 2010, Finn Plastic Surgery has been Chapel Hill’s premier destination for aesthetic excellence. The practice offers a full spectrum of services – from minimally invasive treatments and injectables to advanced surgical procedures. What sets FPS apart is its commitment to the highest standard: every surgeon is double boardcertified. Dr. Elkins-Williams specializes in breast rejuvenation and body contouring, while Dr. Sowder performs the complete range of facial procedures including facelift, rhinoplasty, and brow lift, alongside nonsurgical options like laser skin resurfacing. Together, they uphold FPS’s legacy of innovative technology and exceptional results. FPS has been voted “Best of Chapel Hill” for 14 consecutive years.
The Triangle leads in research medicine, technology, academia and manufacturing. The spaces driving that momentum demand builders who can deliver at the same level. Intrepid Build is not your typical Commercial Class A General Contractor. This womanand veteran-owned Pittsboro business also serves as an Axis Communications security integrator, unlimited electrical contractor and metal building erector for clients in all sectors. From clean rooms to boardrooms, Intrepid’s design-build approach, in-house electrical team and local trade experts ensure your spaces reflect regional excellence. Technical precision plus commitment to local trades, suppliers and partners delivers world-class capability, local pride and regional impact.
At Chapel Hill Oral Surgery, Dr. David Lee Hill Jr. offers expert, patient-focused care. As a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, he specializes in wisdom teeth removal, extraction, advanced dental implantology and tissue grafting, using stateof-the-art CT-guided implant technology for precise outcomes. Dr. Hill is committed to patient safety and comfort, improving lives through specialized oral surgical care. His commitment extends beyond the clinic with volunteer work, providing essential dental services to underserved populations in the U.S. and internationally. Schedule your visit with Dr. Hill and experience care that exemplifies clinical excellence and dedication to patient well-being.
Spring Council honors her mother, beloved community icon Mama Dip, in a new cookbook memoir that serves up fresh Southern dishes alongside the stories that shaped her as a chef and storyteller
BY REBEKAH MANN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNA ROUTH BARZIN
Always use the freshest ingredients. The difference between using Parmesan versus Parmesan-Reggiano can make a dish. It takes patience to perfect a recipe. “Keep trying,” Mildred “Mama Dip” Council would encourage her daughter Spring Council These reminders were more than cooking advice for Spring – when combined, they became the recipe for growing into the chef, author and person she is today.
technique in the kitchen. In Spring’s new cookbook, “Southern Roots: Recipes and Stories from Mama Dip’s Daughter,” she recounts her inherited knowledge and memories that inspired her new collection of original recipes. “While [the recipes] honor my roots, I’ve added new layers of flavor to create something fresh that reflects the bounty of the South today,” she says.
Mama Dip was the visionary behind West Rosemary Street’s iconic Mama Dip’s Kitchen, a staple in Chapel Hill since 1976. Although Spring’s mother died in 2018 at 89 and the restaurant closed last year, Mama Dip’s community-loving spirit and legacy of superb Southern comfort food continue to flourish through generations of the Council family. Spring, her daughter, Tonya Council – founder of Tonya’s Cookies – and other family members were all taught how to cook by Mama Dip, but the lessons she instilled in each of them go beyond
Spring originally began with the idea of writing a book on entertaining at home in 2015, but that manuscript was met with rejection. So she put her writing on hold until 2022 when her close friend, Marcie Cohen Ferris, professor emeritus at UNC and former president of the Southern Foodways Alliance, suggested she shift her concept to a culinary memoir. At first, Spring says she had reservations about whether anyone would want to read her story, but after encouragement from Marcie and other friends, she gained confidence in how her lived experiences set her apart. “I realized that people don’t
Parmesan cheese and bacon pair well with the sweet flavor of asparagus in this omelet in a pie crust, imparting a delicious sweet and salty combination. This recipe is ideally served for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
just want a recipe, they want the stories behind it,” she says.
The personal narratives she highlights throughout the book tie together aspects of growing up as a Black woman in Chapel Hill, featuring recognizable locations like the Northside community, Franklin Street and more. One chapter, “Forbidden Flavors,” serves to convey the resilience of Chapel Hill’s Black community during the Jim Crow era, as well as the lessons she took away from that point in history. “I really like that I was able to create the space to not only talk about the negative part but also what came out of [it] that was good,” she says.
“Everybody loves to be at a beautiful table setting. It makes them feel special, and I just hope through my book, people will start to bring people back to the table.”
Southern Roots also explores Spring’s love for thrifting vintage tableware, and items from her personal collection
— Spring Council
are showcased throughout the photography. Much like how these recipes remind her of growing up, Spring says the thrill of finding classic serveware connects her to the history behind each piece she discovers. The process of assembling a decorative table, she says, creates the perfect inviting atmosphere for guests to share their own stories over a meal. “Everybody loves to be at a beautiful table setting,” she says. “It makes them feel special, and I just hope through my book, people will start to bring people back to the table.”
CHM
ASPARAGUS, BACON AND PARMESAN OMELET PIE | Serves 6
FOR THE FILLING
1 1 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
4 thick slices of bacon, diced
8 eggs
1 4 cup milk
1 4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 2 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (recipe follows)
FOR THE PIE CRUST
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
3 tablespoons ice-cold water
TO MAKE THE FILLING
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice the asparagus 1-inch thick on the diagonal, leaving the tips whole. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet on mediumhigh heat until it is crispy, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain on paper towels and set it aside. Beat the eggs and milk together in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese, asparagus, bacon, parsley and breadcrumbs. Stir to combine.
“Southern Roots: Recipes and Stories from Mama Dip’s Daughter” is now available from most major booksellers.
$29.99 | 248 pages Countryman Press
TO MAKE THE PIE CRUST
1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Add the water and mix everything together to form a soft dough.
2 Gather the dough, press it into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to two days.
3 Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Lightly flour a work surface and roll half of the dough out into a 1 8 -inch-thick round. Press the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
TO ASSEMBLE
Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is puffy in the center.
EXCERPTED FROM “SOUTHERN ROOTS: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM MAMA DIP’S DAUGHTER” BY ANITA “SPRING” COUNCIL, COPYRIGHT ©2026, REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF COUNTRYMAN PRESS, AN IMPRINT OF W. W. NORTON & CO., INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
An architect’s new kitchen is the crown jewel in her family’s Lake Forest home, a 1950s ranch expanded with soaring ceilings and playful details
BY
A look back at the people, places and events that shaped our town
This Chapel Hill-raised musician first found his voice amid the quiet of Morgan Creek, long before achieving worldwide fame
COURTESY OF THE CHAPEL HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Six-time Grammy Awardwinning singer-songwriter
James Taylor – who celebrates his birthday in March –commands stages around the world today, but Chapel Hill can claim him first. He is the son of Dr. Isaac Taylor, former dean of UNC School of Medicine, and grew up in the Kings Mill-Morgan Creek neighborhood. He attended grade school here before transferring to a boarding school in Massachusetts. James later returned to enroll at Chapel Hill High School and joined his brother Alex Taylor’s band,
sharpening the sound that would define a generation. In 1968, James recorded “Carolina in My Mind,” a wistful ode that forever tied his name to his home state. His self-titled debut album (above) followed shortly afterward, launching a career that carried him to international acclaim.
He is probably best known for classics such as “Fire and Rain,” and “Copperline,” which nods to days spent along Morgan Creek. Residents still reminisce about 1970, when James and his then-girlfriend, Joni Mitchell, joined the neighborhood’s annual Christmas caroling. The image of two future music legends singing door to door remains a favorite local memory.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted James in 2000. The N.C. Department of Transportation honored him in 2003 by naming the bridge on U.S. 15-501 the James Taylor Bridge – a landmark that reminds local drivers each day that a global icon first found his voice right here at home. CHM
The Chapel Hill Historical Society has chronicled life in our community for nearly as long as James Taylor’s music career. Check out its resources at chapelhillhistoricalsociety.org
Test your local knowledge
Can you name this Chapel Hill musical legend? Email us your best guess by March 17. We’ll recognize one savvy resident who answers correctly in our next issue.
Hint: This Tar Heel got his start a century ago, entertaining audiences with fake beards and stage antics that made even a “horrible” band unforgettable. Send your answer to jessica@ chapelhillmagazine.com
Showcasing the best in architecture & design
Natural light, exposed beams and warm wood surfaces set the tone for an open living space designed for everyday connection.
A thoughtful renovation celebrates the art of refinement and the partnership behind its design
BY LAUREN ROUSE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Sunlight filters through kitchen skylights and over alder cabinets, landing on a slab of quartzite that ripples in blues and grays, like water. Gold-framed glass doors gleam softly against the wood, their shimmer picking up the warm undertones of the cabinetry. The mix of materials feels serene, grounded and luminous.
For residential architect Bronwyn Charlton, that harmony of color, texture and light is the foundation of good design. She begins not with blueprints, but with feeling. “I always like to center my design approach in experience,” she says. When working with clients, that means helping them define the mood a room creates. In her own home, she turns inward. “What’s the experience I want to have, and that I want others to have, when they come into this space?” That question guided the new kitchen in her family’s Lake Forest home, a 1950s ranch expanded with soaring ceilings and playful details, and now reimagined again in collaboration with Mary Kate Bedell, owner of Fresh Air Designs
Bronwyn shares the home with her husband, Brian Driska, a commercial architect who sometimes consults with her firm, Charlton Architecture, as well as their three children Imogen Driska, 8, Oskar Driska, 5 and Evonne Driska, 4 – and their dog, Jasper. The family moved to the neighborhood in 2020, drawn to the
wooded lot and the home’s blend of midcentury roots and retro touches from its 1970s renovation. When it came time for the kitchen, Bronwyn wanted to honor the home’s original spirit while creating a space that fit her family’s everyday needs.
The partnership between Bronwyn and Mary Kate came naturally. The two had already worked together on Bronwyn’s mother, Morag Charlton ’s kitchen in Southern Village, where they developed an easy rhythm and a sense of trust. “I was so excited to work with Bronwyn and Brian,” Mary Kate says. “She’s got great taste, she’s got great vision and, together I knew we could do a great kitchen.”
That easy rapport set the tone for a remarkably smooth process – just two weeks from concept to final plans. “The process is that I come in and interview them and ask a lot of questions,” Mary Kate says. “Then we measure everything, go back and work in our 3D-CAD program to create an initial plan and present it.” Her detailed approach meshed smoothly with Bronwyn’s architectural mindset. “I got way more specific feedback from Bronwyn, which really helps move the design process along,” she says.
Together, they set out to rework the kitchen’s function without losing its personality. The footprint couldn’t change, but storage and flow needed to improve for a family of five. “It’s actually a tricky project because there were some real functional
The homeowners have already tackled a couple of projects outside the featured space. Last fall, they converted an existing sunroom into a light-filled office and creative studio. They also previously renovated the hallway bathroom. Looking ahead, Bronwyn and Brian hope to add a primary suite and a screened porch, continuing to shape the house over time.
aspects,” Bronwyn says. Working within those limits, the pair focused on subtle craftsmanship and material expression.
Warm wood cabinetry continues from the kitchen into the great room, unified by a softly ribbed door style called linea. The design nods to ’70s interiors while feeling distinctly modern. Flat, vertical-grain slab fronts balance the texture, while a micro Shaker style adds dimension. “They marry with each other,” Mary Kate says. “It absolutely gives it more interest.” The dishwasher is concealed behind a matching cabinet face to preserve clean lines. Hardware installed in a rhythmic “dot dot dot” pattern hints at Morse code – a playful detail that feels uniquely theirs. The Acqua Bella quartzite countertop’s ripples flow seamlessly into a mitered
The little details – from a built-in dog food bin to subtle architectural moments –give the renovation its sense of character.
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2,800 BEDROOMS 3 BATHROOMS 2 ACRES 0.92 YEAR BUILT 1957
edge. “You can see the direction is even calculated,” Mary Kate says.
Throughout the renovation, they preserved defining features of the 1970s updates, including the windows, passthrough and wall sconce light fixtures – while replacing worn materials. Above the cooktop, a new drywall-wrapped hood keeps sightlines open and allows natural light to pour across the kitchen. Alder trim ties seamlessly into the home’s existing woodwork, creating continuity between old and new. A plant shelf behind the kitchen sink – in the same material as the countertop –replaced the original wood one, protecting the surface from water while tying the space together in color and texture. “I love having plants,” Bronwyn says. “[The plant shelf] connects me with the outdoors, which is such a huge part of what I love about the neighborhood.”
Function hides in plain sight. Deep toe-kick drawers store baking sheets, while LeMans corner trays swing fully into the kitchen, so nothing disappears in the back. One clever set of drawers opens from both sides, and beneath the bar, a smooth push-to-open panel conceals a liquor cabinet. Just off the kitchen, a built-in bin makes smart use of an otherwise blind corner on the laundry room side – Brian’s idea –keeping Jasper’s dog food close but out of view.
A cork floor softens the space underfoot and complements the richness of the wood, blending comfort with sustainability. The finer touches add a sense of
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whimsy. Over the island, three figurines – a frog, a snail and two thinking men – perch playfully on pendant chandeliers. The space feels both timeless and personal, shaped by care and collaboration. “It’s a really great experience all around the kitchen,” Bronwyn says. “We’ve enjoyed so many different dimensions. It makes me feel happy.” CHM
he Chapel Hill Garden Club is celebrating the 30th year of its biennial Chapel Hill Garden Tour this spring, as well as the 95th anniversary of the club’s founding in 1931. The event has showcased exceptional public and private gardens throughout Chapel Hill since 1996, and the April 25–26 offering follows suit with seven properties and a theme of Sculpted & Soaring Skyward. “It reflects the incredible history and molding of the exquisite gardens among majestic and sometimes grand specimen trees,” says tour chair Margit Iwanowicz. “We believe that at the core of our gardens are the grounding presence of stone, the shelter of trees and the beauty of nature.”
Stone, trees and sky-reaching gardens take center stage as the Chapel Hill Garden Club marks milestone anniversaries
North of UNC ’s campus and a block from the Horace Williams House sits a home steeped in rich Chapel Hill history. In 2021, Susan Allison and Ritch Allison bought the historic home of William C. Coker, a professor of botany at UNC in the early 1900s. The inside of the house has 32 easements on it with the state of North Carolina and also has restrictions on the land. “[In] some places the North Carolina Botanical Garden has a say on what work can be done,” Susan says. “You can’t live here and not be dedicated to preserving the land.”
While originally from Charlotte, Susan and Ritch are both graduates of UNC and always planned to retire here. “We are living our dream,” Susan says. However, before moving in, the couple spent three years renovating the house and property, carefully preserving the historical elements while reviving lost pieces of the past.
Built in 1908, the house was originally the farmhouse for 65 acres of farmland. Much of the land has been sold following the deaths of William in 1953, and 30 years later, his wife, Louise Coker, in 1983. Susan and Ritch are only the third owners after Walter Woodrow Burns Jr. and his wife, Mary Jane Stratton Mayhew Burns bought the home in 1986. “Mary Jane was the one who really researched what the land looked like when Dr. Coker lived here,” Susan says. “She so loved this property and took many notes about the plant life. Some notes would end with three exclamation marks because she would be so excited about the species she discovered.”
As a botanist, William treated the land like a personal laboratory, planting specimens over the years for study and observation. “We’ve had neighbors talk about how Dr. Coker would go to their homes and plant things as a gift,” Susan says. Now, she tends her own experimental plot — the vegetable garden. It includes sunflowers along with vegetables like cucumbers, okra, watermelon, carrots and lettuce. A fig tree in the backyard, planted by William, still thrives.
The garden bed on the northern side of the house is all new. “The terrace wasn’t here, and the driveway used to run through where the garage is now and connected to the back driveway,” Susan says. What was once a sloped, poorly drained area has been
ABOVE Wandering through nature’s cathedral brings peace and tranquility.
MIDDLE As the layers unfold, this pink peony shows its flair for drama.
BELOW One of four remaining millstones from William Coker’s 65acre working farmland is repurposed as a fountain.
transformed by installing a French drainage system and permeable pavers to manage the water. The rain garden was recreated to resemble what was originally there. “During construction, we had to remove everything, but we preserved several plants — including Mary Jane’s peonies — by storing them in a greenhouse for two years,” Susan explains. While the new beds and rain garden reflect thoughtful restoration, another meaningful feature has also been brought back to life: the arbor, a prototype for the Coker Arboretum on campus. Years ago the arbor had weakened over time and collapsed, but the original stone pathway remained. Using photos of the original structure, and with the help of landscape architect David Swanson, Susan and Ritch were able to recreate the arbor using timbers made from black
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walnut, a notably stronger wood. “[David] is known for his historic recreation and preservation of history,” Susan says. “He was really instrumental in constructing it.”
Lining the side of the arbor are 100-year-old camellias also planted by William.
Other historical remnants from the original farm have been carefully preserved and thoughtfully integrated into the landscape. Four millstones now serve decorative and functional roles throughout the property – one has been repurposed as a fountain in the front of the property, another acts as the centerpiece of Susan’s vegetable garden, a third anchors the rock garden in the front yard, and the last rests beside a cedar tree in the side yard. Also located near the latter is the farm’s original hand-dug well. The well was preserved at the request of the Town of Chapel Hill, with the couple installing a custom cover that provides a clear view into the stone interior. At night, the well is illuminated, offering a striking view to the bottom measuring 65 feet deep.
The trail leading into the wooded area facing North Street known as The Rocks, named for its distinctive rock formations, falls under the jurisdiction of the Botanical Garden, which holds an easement on the land. “They’ve helped us clear things out,” Susan says. “They’ll point out the natives and tell us what invasive plants to remove and what not to touch.” The path is well-trodden, with visitors, many of whom are students, passing through daily. A bench sits at the top of a hill surrounded by massive boulders and a plaque tribute to Louise Coker. “People say this rock has healing properties,” Susan says about a boulder jutting out at an angle. “Students will come and lie down on it and say they can feel a positive energy here.”
Tucked into the Rocky Ridge Farm National Register District, a 1928 Elizabethan Revival-style home was designed by Durham architect George Watts Carr Sr. for one of William Coker’s students, John Couch. After earning his Ph.D. under William, John spent his career teaching botany at UNC. The home was a longtime residence for John and his wife, Else Dorothy Ruprecht, set on a lot bordered by a low fieldstone wall. “After that, his daughter, Sally Louise Couch Gooder, lived in the home,” says current homeowner Sara Gourley. Sara and her husband, Rob Euler, became the home’s third owners in 2015 and took on what turned out to be a major
ABOVE These boulders, which are 630 million years old, enclose the water lily-filled pond. Ferns, hydrangeas, ground cover, maypop and a huge agave plant soften the water’s perimeter.
LEFT The alliums stand tall like purple sentinels, while the peonies spill over the edges in a soft, fragrant riot.
RIGHT A dozen colorful birdhouses are tucked in and among the mature trees, providing refuge for bluebirds and Carolina wrens.
restoration. “We did extensive renovations that took three years due to sewer issues,” she says. “We also added a new garage and dining porch. We did a lot with the garden with the help of David Swanson and Rick King. We have been working extensively on this for the last five or six years.”
The property has 55 mature trees, mostly white oaks, red maples, magnolias, a hickory tree and some southern red oaks. “We have some mature specimens of some odd things,” Sara says, “like eastern red cedars, parsley hawthorn, red buckeye, a Georgia oak, a bunch of Japanese maples and a lot of camellias.”
Toward the back of the property, where a dense wall of 7-foot-tall juniper once blocked the view, a new pond garden was created. “You couldn’t even see the bottom of the property from the front because of the junipers,” Sara says. “The first thing we did was rip those out.” The garden is filled with vibrant lilies, baptisia, purple sage, lavender,
hydrangea and allium. “The coolest plant is that mayapple,” Sara says, pointing to a stem full of unusual purple blooms hanging underneath the dark green foliage. Amid all of this variety is a surprisingly hardy agave. “It’s survived all these winters,” she says. “We never have to cover it.”
Across the path from the pond, another garden bed bursts with color. Sara’s favorite flowers, the peonies, relish in the sun and Zephirine Drouhin roses climb halfway across the pergola, while a clematis vine shows off its purple blooms. There’s milkweed, common flax, golden Alexander, a red bee balm that lights up in July, goldenrod, salvia, primrose and lanceleaf coreopsis.
At the bottom corner of the property near the street, Sara has carved out what she calls “bee heaven.” Here, sedge grass frames a bed of rattlesnake master, mountain mint, spicebush, elderberry and layers of goldenrod. A tulip poplar sprang up on its own, and joe-pye weed stands tall in the back. From there, a trail was created, winding through a wooded garden with lots of shade-loving plants, including sweet woodruff, Solomon’s seal, star anise and ligularia.
Along the property’s edge, the original fieldstone border wall had started to crumble, so the couple hired Custom Stone to preserve its historic look. “They took all of the stone out, put some concrete blocks down and then built the original stone back over the top,” Sara says. “So it’s new on the inside but very old on the outside. “This is called Rocky Ridge for a reason,” Sara says about the hulking boulders that litter her property, unearthed like fossils. While geology may not be her area of expertise, Sara and fellow club member Daphne McLeod have been researching the area. “We’re thinking it has to do with the movement of tectonic plates, which would make these boulders millions of years old,” she says. Daphne adds, “What probably happened is when the plates moved, these rocks got pushed up and then erosion exposed these rock layers.”
Sara and Rob enjoy spending time observing their gardens from one of their four porch areas. “They each have different views,” Sara says. “[We enjoy] the smaller green garden in the back to watch the bird feeder on our ‘breezeway’ porch; the forest garden from the screened porch off of our bedroom; the front porch rocking chairs for the ‘vista’ view of the front gardens and yard; and of course, the pergola where it is fun to have cocktails when the mosquitoes aren’t biting!” CHM
The Chapel Hill Garden Tour will be held April 25 & 26, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visit chapelhillgardentour.org or email chapelhillgardentour@gmail.com for more information.
For Kevin Ann Huckshorn and Noel Mazade, the christening of their new home started with a pond. Kevin has made a tradition of designing ponds for each new place she calls home, starting in 1990 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “I always like to join the local wildlife habitat and get my property certified,” Kevin says. “But first you have to have a water source.”
In September 2015, Kevin and Noel bought a 2-acre property just north of Briar Chapel. Though Kevin had not previously lived in North Carolina, her husband, Noel, had held his first academic appointment at UNC more than 50 years earlier. “I’d always thought the climate in North Carolina was more conducive to gardening than either the Deep South or the North,” Kevin explains.
The land surrounding the couple’s new Chapel Hill home had once been an old tobacco field, but Kevin quickly got to work establishing a water source. She designed the shape of the pond and hired American Aquascapes to do the install, which was completed in just three days.
A few years later, she collaborated with them again to expand the waterway, adding a narrow creek that connects the original pond to a new, smaller one.
Large stones border both ponds and the creek, as well as mulched garden beds hosting a wide variety of plants, including lupine, black-eyed Susan, yellowblooming sedum, aromatic aster and a soft touch Japanese holly, to name a few. Above the gentle stream of water is a garden sign reading “Kevin’s Kreek,” a cheeky gift from a neighbor.
On the north end of the property is a thriving community garden. “The first garden I tried to put in back in 2015 had been eaten by the deer,” Kevin says. “And no one in the neighborhood could grow anything because of the deer either.” So in 2016, the couple carved out a roughly 180-by-40 section of land and enclosed it with fencing. The garden now includes around 40 raised beds, tended by 10 of their neighbors. Everyone pitches in and shares the harvest that includes strawberries, asparagus, peppers, herbs and an abundance of cutting flowers. There’s even a fig tree rooted near the edge.
Garden Environments was instrumental in shaping the landscape into the serene retreat it is today. They installed the gravel paths that wind gracefully around the ponds, giving visitors the feel of walking through a botanical garden. From the back deck, one can take in the beautiful view of the wildflower meadow, filled with native grasses and flowers like Jacob Cline bee balm, blue false indigo, lemongrass, prickly pear, coneflower, lyreleaf sage, verbena, foxglove, red hot poker and more.
But the meadow wasn’t an easy victory. “I spent four years throwing seed around and nothing came up,” Kevin recalls. “I was so frustrated because I’d read all these books, but the weeds would take over before anything could germinate.” Kevin had envisioned a pollinator meadow, knowing the area above the septic field couldn’t support deep-rooted plantings. But it wasn’t until Garden Environments came back in 2017 that progress truly began. “I could not have done the pollinator meadow without them,” she says.
All of this makes for a picture-perfect view from the back deck – so perfect, in fact, that Kevin and Noel used the spot as the ceremony site for their wedding in 2018.
Snapshots of local events
BY LEXI TATUM | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDAN ABDUR-RA’OOF AND RHONDA JEAN
Nearly 150 guests filled the Chapel Hill Country Club on Nov. 21, 2025, as A Lotta Love hosted its inaugural fundraiser to celebrate community, compassion and the nonprofit’s 10th year. The evening featured inspiring speakers, refreshments and live entertainment, raising more than $50,000 to further the organization’s work transforming shelter spaces into safe, dignified environments for those experiencing homelessness. Since completing its first room makeover in 2014, the A Lotta Love has served more than 1,000 families across 26 shelters in North Carolina with the support of hundreds of volunteers each year. CHM
Five
BY EMMA ARTHUR
Four Orange County residents – Howard Lee, Lillian Lee, Braxton Foushee and Freddie Kiger – received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in late 2025. Howard Lee became Chapel Hill’s first Black mayor in 1969 and established Chapel Hill Transit. Lillian Lee helped launch the UNC Hospital School and championed education and community advocacy for decades. Braxton Foushee, who became the first Black member of the Carrboro Town Council in 1969, served continuously as an elected official, member of a town advisory board and community leader for 55 years.
Freddie Kiger is a longtime Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools educator, Civil War historian, ESPN associate producer and statistician often seen courtside at the Dean E. Smith Center CHM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EARL BYNUM
The Chapel Hill Historical Society honored its 2025 Community Treasures on Nov. 15, 2025, during an award ceremony at the Seymour Center. The program recognizes individuals and couples for their contributions to Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the surrounding areas. This year’s honorees – Leo Allison, Jean Earnhardt, Helen Galbreath, Joy Gattis, William Gattis and Tom Magnuson – received a proclamation from Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee, Orange County Commissioner Phyllis Portie-Ascott and Chapel Hill Town Council member Paris Miller-Foushee, declaring each individual to be a true “community treasure” for their work as local leaders, public servants, business figures, mentors and civil rights advocates who create a more welcoming and inclusive community. CHM
Chris G. Adigun, MD, FAAD
Amanda K. Suggs, MD, FAAD
Karlee Wagoner, ANP-BC
Diana Walker, PA-C
Amy Rodriguez, PA-C
Meet Chris G. Adigun, MD, board-certified dermatologist and the owner of the Dermatology & Laser Center of Chapel Hill. Dr. Adigun and her team provide comprehensive medical and cosmetic dermatological services in a warm and welcoming environment. Using cutting-edge technology and treatment options, she and her providers help address concerns from acne to wrinkles to that extra belly fat that won’t go away.
For Dr. Adigun and the DLC team, building a trusting relationship and providing individualized care is the main focus. Treating patients respectfully, expressing genuine concern, and talking with them are hallmarks of the practice. Working together, Dr. Adigun helps patients identify and achieve their personal skincare goals because DLC believes everyone can have the skin they love.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARI SINGH
Carrboro High School’s Raquel Harris hosted a showcase on Jan. 15 to share her creative writing students’ work from the first semester. The exhibition consisted of a gallery walk from 7-8 p.m., followed by the young storytellers each reciting a piece of their work inside the JagTheater CHM
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BY LOJINE GOUMAA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY HUTHPHOTO
Melissa Mogollon won the 13th annual Crook’s Corner Book Prize for best debut novel set in the American South at The Crunkleton in January. The Rhode Island-based author earned the $5,000 prize for “Oye,” a coming-ofage story structured as a series of one-sided phone calls from a ColombianAmerican teenager, Luciana, to her older sister, Mari, during Hurricane Irma in South Florida. Renowned author and creative writing professor Clyde Edgerton, this year’s judge, says the narrative is “doused in suspense, tension and humor. … The story deals with the most ancient of groups – family – in the most ancient of ways: through love.” CHM
Scene Around Town
BY ELLIE KOLLME | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MOOREFIELDS
Friends and artists gathered at Moorefields on Jan. 6 to celebrate the 132nd birthday of Edward Draper-Savage – a sculptor, French instructor at UNC and former owner of the estate remembered for his extensive restoration and preservation efforts. Actor and UNC professor emeritus Ray Dooley delivered a special presentation featuring a poem by former Carrboro poet laureate Jay Bryan, who was also in attendance. The gathering raised $5,000 to support garden restoration for the 70-acre Hillsborough property, which is open to the public for tours every Thursday. CHM
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southern, down to every detail.
Tradition is alive and welcoming at The Carolina Inn. Whether you’re passing through town, gathering with friends, or celebrating one of life’s ner moments, we invite you to join us here. As soon as you arrive, you’ll feel the warmth of the South. And up until the time you leave, you’ll be served with the re ned hospitality of an icon like no other.
BY KAITLYN HARMON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER O., ONCELIKEASPARK.COM
Lifelong Chapel Hill residents Jay Hladik and Brooke Harris met as classmates at McDougle Middle School and grew close as friends before beginning to date during their sophomore year at Chapel Hill High School. Nearly eight years later, Jay proposed in November 2024 during a trip to his grandmother’s beach house in Kure Beach, North Carolina. He led Brooke down a flower-lined path at sunset to a “marry me” sign on the beach, where her family and a photographer waited to capture the surprise.
The couple celebrated their black-tie, summer garden-themed wedding July 12, 2025, at Fearrington Village, where Jay’s parents married more than 25 years prior and Brooke’s family holds deep ancestral ties to the land. They exchanged vows in a heartfelt, faith-centered ceremony officiated by Brooke’s cousin, Minister Jeff Toomer, which included a unity cord ritual.
At the reception, attendees including Isaac Sinclair, Christian Garcia, Joshua Molanga, Connor Bassett, Fili Garcia, Alena Bradley, Jess Schinsky, Alexis Hladik, Caroline Grant, Lydia Laney and parents Bernardo Harris, Kellie Farrington Harris, Dr. Angela Ellis and Dr. Gerald Hladik sipped signature cocktails from The Crunkleton. Wedding coordinator Gilda McDaniel helped ensure every detail unfolded effortlessly.
“The night was truly magical,” Brooke says. “One that felt like a dream come to life.” Jay adds he’ll never forget watching Brooke walk down the aisle. “It hit me that this was the beginning of forever.”
Brooke, a dental assistant at Ellis Family Dentistry, will return to her alma mater, UNC, this fall to pursue dental hygiene, while Jay works as a realtor with LPT Realty CHM
BY EMMA ARTHUR
PHOTO BY IRA WILDER, IRAWILDER.COM
George Spencer and Laura Sumrell first met four years ago at Hillsborough United Methodist Church, just a short walk away from each of their homes. Although they had also lived only blocks apart in Chapel Hill for years, their paths never crossed until then.
George presented Laura with a commitment ring during a trip to Hawaii in December 2024 and officially proposed less than a year later in October 2025 atop South Dakota’s Black Elk Peak, surrounded by breathtaking views.
The couple welcomed guests with a rehearsal dinner at Antonia’s before they married Dec. 5, 2025, in the sunroom of their 120-year-old historic home overlooking the Eno River. They were joined by close relatives and friends, including best man Barry Kendell and maid of honor Ann Talton. During the ceremony, the bride and groom exchanged heartfelt poems – Laura reciting Mary Oliver’s “When I Am Among the Trees” and George reading Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29. They held a reception in their home, dancing to Van Halen’s “Dance the Night Away” and Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “The Way You Look Tonight.” Cake and desserts by Kim’s Bake Shop and flowers from Victoria Park Florist brought sweetness and elegance to the intimate celebration, and guests found comfortable lodging at The Colonial Inn
Laura is a retired GlaxoSmithKline executive, and George is a former executive editor of the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine and author of the forthcoming book on Alzheimer’s, “When Memory Fades.” CHM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRYSTAL KAST, KRYSTALKASTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Chapel Hill native and Carrboro High School graduate Grace Madigan and Zachary Herink first met as students at the University of Texas at Austin’s school of engineering. Though they shared classes, their love story didn’t begin until years later, when both found themselves working in Washington, D.C. After settling in Denver, Zach surprised Grace with a proposal at the iconic UT Tower during a trip to Austin. He presented her with a ring featuring an heirloom diamond passed down for nearly 100 years as their families waited nearby to celebrate. The two returned to Chapel Hill to celebrate their marriage surrounded by family and friends, including Grace’s close childhood friend Jacqueline Kirsch and Carrboro High classmate
Sammie Strobin Festivities began with a welcome party at The Crunkleton, where guests gathered over craft cocktails.
Grace and Zach exchanged vows June 14, 2025, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in a faith-centered ceremony. She wore her mother’s pearl and diamond earrings and a pearl necklace gifted to her at age 7 for her first communion. The celebration continued at The Carolina Inn, where soft shades of light blue, peach and green set the tone for the reception, complemented by signature drinks and monogrammed napkins.
Grace’s favorite moment was seeing all their loved ones gathered in one place, while Zach cherished having his grandfather – who served as a deacon during the Mass – at the altar with them. The couple moved back to the area this spring. CHM
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