Leslie Smith said if he didn’t pick up his phone on first try, he was probably with a building inspector. Such was the case on a scorching August day in one of Wilmington’s hottest food and shopping attractions, the Cargo District.
“It never fails,” said Smith, developer and proprietor of Wilmington’s Cargo District, which began in 2017 and includes parts of Queen, Castle, 15th, 16th and 17th streets, along with areas on Wrightsville Avenue.
In Smith’s world of repurposing 20- and 40-foot shipping containers to create homes for small, locally owned businesses, a date with a building inspector can only mean one thing – more growth.
“Things are booming,” said Smith, whose containers must submit to the same rigorous standards as any other city structure. “I mean, we got 85 businesses in the Cargo District that are currently rented – if I’m not mistaken, we got 19 restaurants and nine bars all within three or four blocks, and it just keeps on going.”
Smith, who landed in the Port City more than two decades ago and began buying up property from his Queen Street home, recalled the rise and initial growth of the container community from its earliest days.
“So, if we went back to 2018, between now and then, we opened up End of Days Distillery, we opened up Mess Hall, we opened up The Rift, Banh Sai, we’ve redone Delgado Square, put in CheeseSmith, put in Tides Beverage (Co.), Salt & Charm and Queen Street Barber,” said Smith with a soft Southern drawl.
Fast forward almost a decade later: “In just the food court alone, you got Seoul Sushi, Zeke’s, Astro Dogs, I Love Empanadas, Sinful Cupcakes, Sunset Slush, Shepard Barbecue, The Rift and so many others,” said Smith.
Hair and beauty, clothing, plants, records, books, pottery, jewelry and flowers are some of the goods and services district patrons can browse and buy on a daily basis.
To create unique atmospheres, the Cargo District is divided into three distinct sections – Cargo East, Cargo West and Cargo Central. Together, they are products of “cargotecture,” or “the act of taking old cargo containers and repurposing them to build more efficient and sustainable residential, business, or industrial buildings,” according to the Cargo District website. Rent varies widely, Smith said, from $400 to $15,000 a month, depending on the size of the space.
And with the rent paid, so to speak, Smith said he has set his sights on enhancing the district’s aesthetic, beginning with a dash of color.
“Definitely paint and then some landscaping and tree installs – 42 to be exact,” Smith said. “We’ll have some parking upgrades and additional spots. More outdoor lighting, banners and definitely murals. I love art.”
And then there’s a different kind of growth at the Cargo District, one truly close to Smith’s heart, he said.
“It gives people the ability to feed their dreams,” he said. “The American dream is nothing more than happiness. We’re helping people find their little piece of happiness.”
As for what’s next at the Cargo District, Smith said there’s a “robust list of people asking to acquire space” but nothing definitive yet.
“I’ve kind of got a hankering for a boutique hotel,” he said. “We’ll see how that goes.”
Read more on The Cargo District:
Owner, Developer Sees Room to Grow
Container Use Has Benefits, Challenges
