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 ...

While continuing to offer much to still see this year, Cameron Art Museum is looking ahead to a new year that includes new exhibits and projects for the midtown Wilmington attraction.   They include the overlooked legacy of the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT), whose Civil War service led to the fall of Confederates at the Battle of Forks Road, right at the location of th ...

Danny and Earl McPherson, owners of King Neptune Restaurant in Wrightsville Beach, have opened the doors to their newest project, Brunches, at Mayfaire Community Center.   The McPhersons have ambitious plans for the growth of the new restaurant, with a second Wilmington location already under construction on Randall Parkway near Flying Machine Brewing Co. That locat ...