Popular Plaza Midwood bar closes + why is there only one Midtown Sundries left?
Happy Friday, Charlotte. Here’s a quick download of what’s happening in food, drink and local life today, pulled from today’s CharlotteFive newsletter. If you’re new here, CharlotteFive is the Observer’s daily newsletter serving up what to eat, where to go and what’s new around town — and you can sign up for free right here.
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Grab your coffee. Let’s get into it. ☕
Remember when Midtown Sundries seemed to be everywhere? In the 1990s and 2000s, the sports bar had locations in Cornelius, University City, South Charlotte, Rock Hill, Indian Land, Kenilworth Avenue and Denver. Now? Just one is left, about 20 miles northwest of uptown in Denver, NC.
Evan revisited the Denver spot this week — a place he grew up going to in high school for half-price wings on Tuesdays (now 30% off, for the record) — and found that almost nothing has changed. Same big square bar, same TVs, same pool tables and Golden Tee in the corner. Manager Chuck Howard, who’s been there about 13 years, told Evan that consistency is the whole point. Small menu tweaks here and there (RIP shrimp and grits, hello Big Mac-inspired salad), but no reinvention. “I don’t think it’s going anywhere,” Howard said. As for the food? Regulars swear by the jumbo wings, especially the Barbalo — a housemade barbecue-buffalo blend.
👉 Read Evan’s full story here.
📍 7296 NC-73, Denver, NC 28037
Some sad news from the bar scene, writes Tanasia: Lorem Ipsum, the beloved listening bar tucked inside The Refuge hotel on Central Avenue, has shut its doors after more than two years. Owner Justin Hazelton confirmed the closure Wednesday, July 15, on Instagram. This is the same bar Esquire named one of the 15 best in America in 2025, so it’s a real loss for Charlotte.
Tanasia reports that the pop-up concept was always slated to wrap up in late July, but HVAC issues during the recent heat wave pushed things up. The good news: Hazelton isn’t done. He told CharlotteFive he’s planning a new concept at the Innovation Barn just off Central Avenue, and Unpretentious Palate reports a radio venture with live music and DJ sets is also in the works. “Because of all of you, Lorem grew into something far greater than a cocktail bar,” Hazelton wrote in his farewell post.
👉 Get all the details in Tanasia’s story.
📍 1101 Central Ave Unit B, Charlotte, NC 28204 (inside The Refuge hotel)
Road trip idea, anyone? 🚗 Sierra Nevada Taproom in Mills River — about a 20-mile drive south of Asheville — just landed at No. 9 on Yelp’s list of the 25 best breweries in the country. It’s the only North Carolina spot to make the cut, beating out even Sierra Nevada’s original California taproom, writes Simone.
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Yelp based the rankings on the “volume and ratings of reviews” from its Elite users, and fans gave the Mills River location 4.5 out of 5 stars. Reviewers rave about the outdoor patio views and the brewery tours (from a one-hour “hoppy hour” experience to the three-hour “beer geek” deep dive). The No. 1 spot nationally went to Pure Project in Carlsbad, California.
👉 Read the full ranking here from Simone.
📍 Sierra Nevada Taproom, Mills River, NC
From Latoya Hunter on Instagram, responding to Evan and Desiree’s recent office chicken tender taste test:
“Missed opportunity, @cltfive. My 8-year-old would have gladly offered her Michelin-star tender expertise. It’s time to bring child labor back just for this specific assignment.”
Duly noted, Latoya. 😂
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That’s your Friday download. Have a great weekend, Charlotte. 👋
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists. To learn more about how The Charlotte Observer is using AI in our newsroom, see our policy here.
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This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM.
