For the SeaWitch Tiki Bar in Carolina Beach, Memorial Day weekend typically serves up the most lucrative part of the summer tourist season. Jenni Gilewicz, who owns the SeaWitch with her husband, Alex Gilewicz, said the weekend leading up to Memorial Day on May 25 went more smoothly than anticipated at the restaurant, where the bar por­tion had to remain closed by s ...

Business owners on Pleasure Island, which includes the New Hanover County towns of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, share a measured enthusiasm as the phases of reopening from coronavirus restrictions unfold. Few expect a return to “normal” any time soon, but many said they are ready to do what needs to be done to keep their businesses open and safe.   Hot ...

Lee Kent looked out from his Leland storefront. From that vantage point, he saw seemingly endless quick-serve restaurant options, and the adjacent vacant space intrigued him.   “I was looking around the parking lot at McDonald’s, Hardee’s, Taco Bell, KFC and Bojangles’,” Kent said. “So, I was like, ‘You know, nobody is servi ...

One of the Wilmington area's biggest industries – tourism – is feeling the effects of the coronavirus, as school trips to local attractions are canceled, along with volunteer opportunities and other previously scheduled events. On Thursday, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased in North Carolina to 14 (from nine on Wednesday), according to ...

Keeping up a house takes work. Keeping up a riverfront structure that houses ballrooms, exhibit halls and meeting rooms for hundreds of events and thousands of visitors takes even more work. Add hurricane-related damage to that, and the workload increases exponentially. That is the reason the Wilmington City Council unanimously approved $1.9 million for repairs to the W ...

Margi and Doug Erickson offer a laid-back atmosphere at the C.W. Worth House, a Victorian inn and bed and breakfast establishment in downtown Wilmington.   “We are casual and like to have fun,” Doug Erickson said. “There’s nothing stuffy about us,” Margi Erickson added. Unfortunately, the small business faces challenges. The Ericksons f ...

Local hospitality leader Kevin Cottet, general manager of Staybridge Suites Wilmington-Wrightsville at 5010 New Centre Drive, received statewide recognition this month during the 2020 Stars of the Industry Awards, hosted by the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association.   Cottet won Lodging Employee of the Year for his work ethic and commitment to the industry.   ...

Renovations at the Buck Hardee Field are critical, officials say, and if the Legion Stadium Commission doesn’t agree on a plan soon, the Wilmington Sharks could be looking at calling another place home. That is according to Matt Perry, co-owner and president of the Wilmington Sharks, who said renovation and funding plans need to be settled with the Legion Stadium ...

Summer is about fun in the sun and relaxation for many people, but in North Carolina, that translates to big business. Incidentally, that business is also what allows residents to enjoy what they love most about the area.   Last week, the New Hanover County Board of Education decided not to make any changes to the 2020- 2021 school year calendar, keeping the start d ...

The developers of a recently opened $12 million hotel on Medical Center Drive hope to create more in the Wilmington area. The four-story, 109-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Wilmington West-Medical Park, 839 Medical Center Drive, was built on 2 acres by Kismet Wilmington LLC. After a soft opening in recent weeks, the hotel's grand opening cel ...