Serving coffee and cocktails from morning to night, the newly renovated and newly concepted Bespoke (previously Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods) is now open in downtown Wilmington. By leaning into the overall vibe of Italian apertivo drinking culture, Bespoke’s owner, Robby Dow, has developed a new business model for the staple at the corner of Second and Princess ...

When Brian Dickey opened Sweet D’s Cuisine in 2020, it was in the middle of one of the most turbulent times in recent history. The world was grappling with COVID-19, and many businesses were struggling to survive. But for Sweet D’s, it was as if Wilmington had been waiting for them. From the moment they opened their doors, they were busy, and business has never ...

It appears the ability to sip and stroll has found favor with several thousand Wilmington residents and visitors. That’s the report on a pilot social district project that took place on three consecutive Saturdays in February within the Brooklyn Arts District downtown. With the results of the test run in hand, organizers now want to ask city officials to make the ...

Crofton’s Pretzels plans to open a new shop in Raleigh this spring. The Raleigh location will be the second shop for the Wilmington bakery, which opened on Oleander Drive in 2019 before moving to the corner of Market and S. 17th streets in 2022. The new Raleigh store is part of a broader effort to grow the business, said Nathan Miller, Crofton's chief operatio ...

Wandering Cone Creamery opened in Wilmington’s Soda Pop District last year, and culinary collaborations have been on owner Amanda Cassella’s radar since Day 1. Her shop at 921 Princess St. is one example of the many food and drink establishments in Wilmington that work with others to create unique offerings. “I am really big with helping to promote ...

Wilmington’s Sweet n Savory Cafe has closed its doors, following a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing this week. Owner Rob Shapiro confirmed the cafe’s closure in a text message to the Business Journal on Friday morning. Court records show that in October, the business voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy under the name SNS OG LLC.  That filing was c ...

Wilmington chefs Sunny Gerhart and Lauren Krall Ivey of Olivero were named semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Southeast Award on Wednesday. “I am deeply honored to be nominated alongside Sunny and so many talented names in the hospitality industry,” said Krall Ivey. “We’re very grateful for the recognition.” A ...

Giorgios Bakatsias said if he were to serve up a dish of Wilmington, he’d know exactly what to cook. “Sea bass or snapper, grilled whole, perfectly seasoned with salt and finished with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice,” he said. “It captures the essence of Wilmington.” Owner of Kipos Hellenic Cuisine and G Prime Steak & Cellar ...

Mocksie, a mobile bartending service specializing in nonalcoholic beverages, has been a refreshing addition to Wilmington’s social scene thanks to Carter Jewell’s entrepreneurial vision.  Jewell is a Wilmington native who studied at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and later pursued graduate studies in Valencia, Spain. Upon returning to her h ...

Danielle Mahon, owner of Topsail Steamer, a local family-run company specializing in customizable ready-to-cook seafood boils, appeared on ABC’s reality show “Shark Tank” on Oct. 25. The show allows entrepreneurs to pitch their products and ideas to five potential investors to gain financial backing to get a business off the ground or expand it. Mah ...