Stories

Illustration of a used car lot with a white dog on a car roof and a skeleton salesman
Samson Auto: We're Dealin' and the East Charlotte Legend That Wouldn't Die
The East Charlotte used-car lot with the white dog, the We're Dealin' sign, and the joke every local still tells. The story behind the shirt. Read more...
Illustration of skeletons eating barbecue outside a smoky Carolina Country Barbecue joint with flames on the roof
Carolina Country Barbecue: The Tyvola Road Pork Plate That Fed the Coliseum Crowd
Carolina Country Barbecue on Tyvola Road fed Charlotte's Coliseum crowd for years. The pork plates, the politicians, and the 7-Eleven that replaced it. Read more...
Illustration of after-bars skeletons eating at the Knife and Fork diner at 2am
Knife and Fork: Where Charlotte Went After the Bars Closed
Knife and Fork fed Charlotte's after-bars crowd on Sharon Amity from 1963 to 2001. The late-night diner Independence's widening erased. Read more...
Illustration of dressed-up skeletons dining in a red booth at Valentino's under a neon sign
Valentino's: Charlotte's Neon-Lit Italian Steakhouse on Independence
Valentino's ran 33 years on Independence Blvd by the old Coliseum. Charlotte's dress-up Italian steakhouse. The story behind the Lost Charlotte tee. Read more...
Illustration of skeletons dancing outside the three-story purple Plum Crazy club at night
Plum Crazy: The Purple Disco on Tyvola That Charlotte Still Swears Was the Best
Plum Crazy was Charlotte's three-story purple singles disco on Tyvola Road, where Pantera once played. The lost club locals still call the best. Read more...
Illustration of skeletons roller skating at Roll-A-Round under disco lights
Roll-A-Round: The East Charlotte Skating Rink That Raised a Generation
Roll-A-Round was East Charlotte's Friday-night roller rink off W.T. Harris. The floor a generation grew up on, and the tribute tee. Read more...
Illustration of skeleton bowlers at Park Lanes with a basket of onion rings at the snack bar
George Pappas' Park Lanes: Charlotte's World Famous Onion Rings
The greasy old George Pappas' Park Lanes and its world-famous onion rings, before Montford Drive got renovated and franchised. Charlotte, NC. Read more...
Illustration of skeletons sliding trays down the line at the Barclay Cafeteria
The Barclay Cafeteria: Charlotte's Lost Sunday on a Tray
The Barclay Cafeteria fed Charlotte off Independence Blvd for decades. The squash casserole, the tray line, and the Sunday ritual we lost. Read more...
Illustration of skeleton punks dancing at the Pterodactyl Club with a band on stage
The Pterodactyl Club: Charlotte's Lost Alt-Rock Cathedral on Freedom Drive
The Pterodactyl Club on Freedom Drive was Charlotte's alt-rock and dance mecca from 1987 to 1997. The scene, the bands, and how it disappeared. Read more...
Illustration of skeletons skating on the indoor ice rink inside Eastland Mall while others watch from the food court above
The Ice Rink in the Mall: Remembering Eastland Mall, East Charlotte
Eastland Mall opened in 1975 with an ice rink in the middle. East Charlotte's living room closed in 2010. Here's the story behind the shirt. Read more...
Illustration of skeletons eating late-night at Athens Restaurant under the blinking neon chef sign
Athens Restaurant: The 24-Hour Greek Diner That Never Turned Off Charlotte's Lights
Athens Restaurant fed Charlotte 24/7 for 43 years at Independence Blvd, from lunch to last call, until CPCC took the corner. The story behind the shirt. Read more...
Illustration of skeleton fans in teal pinstripes outside the Charlotte Coliseum, The Hive
Charlotte Coliseum: The Hive That Buzzed to Death
The Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road, aka The Hive: 371 sellouts, teal everything, and one 2007 implosion. Here's the story behind the shirt. Read more...