End of Days Distillery, 1815 Castle St., has announced that it is the recipient of several new awards. The distillery’s Port of Entry series rum and gin both received Double Gold medals at the SIP Awards International Spirits Competition, and Port of Entry Vodka was named NC Vodka of the year at the New York International Spirits Competition.    The SI ...

Jerri Wiggans, owner of Flour Power Sweets and Confections, is busy creating one of the season’s hottest new sweets: hot cocoa bombs. If you’re not yet familiar with this sweet sensation, hot cocoa bombs are chocolate balls filled with marshmallows, hot cocoa mix and other flavorings and decorated like Christmas baubles. When dropped into a mug of hot milk, ...

James Smith, owner of Bone & Bean BBQ, announced via Facebook on Nov. 20 that he will be closing the Carolina Beach Road restaurant on Nov. 28, calling it the most difficult post he’s had to make in his business career. Smith, who owns the downtown and Carolina Beach locations of Fork n Cork as well as Smoke on the Water in RiverLights, took over the restauran ...

The Greater Wilmington Business Journal spoke with Brandon Korman, owner of three area Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations, about weathering the pandemic and the brand's seasonal promotions.  GWBJ: Now that the pandemic is in its eighth month, financially speaking, how much of an impact has COVID-19 had on your businesses? Korman: "It has certain ...

A prominent restaurant in downtown Wilmington has ordered up a new location. Ruth’s Chris Steak House is moving south down Water Street from the Hotel Ballast to River Place, a 13-story mixed-use project overlooking the Cape Fear River.  Officials with River Place developer East West Partners and commercial real estate and development firm MoMentum Compani ...

In 1987, Paul and Martha Gregory bought a 113 acre blueberry farm in Currie, North Carolina, about a 15-minute drive from Wilmington. Over the years they not only grew blueberries but with the growth of their family, the farm grew to 251 acres, ponds were dug and an old tobacco barn was relocated and restored into living quarters. Gregory Farms became a place for family ...

When Panacea Brewing Company opened at its new location on Oleander Drive in January of this year, they grew from the area’s first kombucha brewery to a hotspot for vegan and vegetarian fare. The cultured kitchen and taproom, as owners Robin and Art Hill refer to it, utilizes local, organic ingredients and flavorings whenever possible to create a menu to appeal to ...

The GWBJ spoke with Shelly McGowan, owner of Michael’s Seafood Restaurant in Carolina Beach about how COVID-19 has impacted the business and how she is planning for the months ahead.  GWBJ: Now that the pandemic is in its eighth month, financially speaking, how much of an impact has COVID-19 had on your business?  McGowan: "In an eight- ...

Ashley Tipper, owner of The Blind Elephant, partnered with longtime bar manager Cabell Bryan to launch Vagabond Spirits Mobile Bar, specializing in customizable curbside cocktails for private events. Tipper embarked on this offshoot of The Blind Elephant last November when she purchased a camper to refurbish as a mobile bar. Tipper said she had a surplus of income from ...

Carolina Candy Company, a local, family-owned company that has been in business for 14 years, has recently rebranded as Carolina Candy Company & Gifts. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the company, which previously specialized primarily in wholesale orders of homemade chocolaty confections, to look at ways to restructure. Restrictions on travel and large ...