Charlotte Retailers

Co I stumbled across a winner’s and loser’s list of inspection reports. I must say it’s refreshing to see a aomewhat efficient accountability system involved in government in some way. If only public officials had inspections into their daily lives, tax returns, private dealings, back records and the result of what was found made it to the web.

Did you know you can go here and search for any restaurant that operates in this area and see what they received in the last three inspections?

You get details of any problems, which may be more than you asked for.

Here’s a few guys taking care of their business listed below, and add to this the big fat 100 score i saw on recent trip to Five Guys Concord.
http://www.charlottecritic.com/five-guys-concord/

Bentley’s On 27 = 100
5201 S. College St. (Feb. 21)

Firehouse Subs = 100
4732 South Blvd. (Feb. 21)

Harris Teeter, Seafood = 99
13000 York Road. (Feb. 21)

Smooth Smoothies = 99
2136-B Ayrsley Town Road. (Feb. 21)

Harris Teeter, Deli = 98.5
13000 York Road. (Feb. 21)

Memories of playing Joust and bank shots into the 50 slot of skeeball. Childhood memories of the robot band and the big purple Elvis bear robot in the side room. Dig dug, Defender, Rastan, Operation Wolf, Firefox (from the movie with Clint Eastwood), Burgertime, Galaga and the thousands of other choices to spend our precious tokens. The pizza coming in the room with the long tables, the ball crawl, the hidden area under the stage and more and more cool things that Chuck E Cheese brought to me when those things were like finding $20 to me is now.

All photos from Chuck E Chese in Concord here.

Now later in life this feeling isn’t completely lost, and neither is the huge choices with little money spent. Now this is the option that parents need to remember on a Saturday of Sunday afternoon located in Concord. For the past month this has been the $2 getaway for my 2 year old and a getaway from spending any amount of money to enjoy ‘watching her enjoy”. The games are different are far less important. The 1980s were the highpoint of arcade games in history and Chuck E Cheese was essentially the first modern arcade franchise. The times have changed the appeal of games and the $1 per game pricetag has lessened the appeal. Chuck E Cheese hasnt changed too much but the backbone role of the arcade games in their business model has changed.

You still get a number of games to play, most of which are not the simple chase and shoot games of the 80’s. The games are now generally prop associated action games form dancing to firefighting. Chuck E Cheese now more features items that are free with the goal of their business model relying more on bringing them in for free and selling them food and services.

At the location in Concord you have essentially 75% of the space used in play areas for the kids. The main play area looks like giant hamster world. The secondary and enclosed area for free play is for kids age 3 and under and is a free way for your kids to socialize and play without a dime from your entertainment fund.

If you havn’t been back to see Chuck E, or you havn’t thought to share what was likely so cool for you back int he 80’s and 90’s then get back there with $2 and enjoy the afternoon. If you have kids age 2-4, they can play most the day for free or ride a few 1 token rides. If your kids are a bit older you may part with all of $5 for what they will enjoy immensely. You owe it to pass on what you once thought was “totally awesome”, and they would now find to be “pretty cool” as well.

if you eat a lunch right before leaving you can get out without getting pinched for the somewhat elevated but generally tasty pizza prices. This is how I have been able to budget some extra money for my own eating and reviews.

I have had a long standing bet with myself in my own mind in regards to McDonalds, and more namely the somewhat shabby McDonalds location by my house on WT Harris by Sugar Creek.

This is a bit run down, a bit beat up location that could use a modernization or upgrade from the 80-90’s feel about it. I am in the group that think McDoanlds is a (somewhat) high quality franchise that does it better than many othr competitors. It seems it is not popular to be a franchise or any of the “big boys’ on the net.

I had done a search marketing research awhile back and if you search companies with the word “sucks” after their name you invariably find that the largest players in every field have more results returned. Walmart has more “complaints posted on the web” than Target, Microsoft more than Apple, McDonalds more than Burger King, etc etc. This seems to be the root for the little guy root against the establishment mentality showing its ugly head.

I say its ok to be the best or more specifically the biggest. You likely built a track record that led to this place you now are. I am not going to say too much nice about the fast food industry in general, but when you take everything as a reletive comparison to others in the same market I find McDonalds to be a pretty good franchise and place to be.

Well my long standing bet with myself is looking for the staff or drive through member that says “your welcome” to my constant barage of “thank you very much”’s.

After at least a dozen stops at the “way home” McDonalds by Harris and David Cox Rd., and always hitting them with a “thank you very much” and not once geting a “your welcome”, I am happy to say the first time I decide to start video documenting my search for “your welcome”, I was finally happily surprised.

They may have stumbled on the order process, but both the payment window #1 and order window #2 hit me with thank you and your welcome. It is almost like they knew it was coming, but this was a hidden cam and the service was with a smile. The fries were also resh which is plus number two. All you hate on the biggest game in town should take a step back and see that sometimes the biggest is the best.

Best fries, good for the community, decent franchise. Lets give McDonalds a break and be thankful for those amazing fries.

Found this add for Charlotte Soul Food at Down to the Bone Soul Food in Charlotte. This is Charlotte’s style as I see it from an outsider’s perspective.

Charlotte is friendly, growing fast, economically strong and growing but when all that cream is scraped away Charlotte is Southern Soul and Nascar.

So this video above coupled with a united community of all colors makes Charlotte have flavor that is down to the bone, off the bone and on all levels.

“If your in the mood for some great Soul Food than I highly recommend this place. Down To the Bone’s food is exactly what the name implies. Lightly battered and moist Fried Chicken with collards and baked mac n’ cheese is a favorite. The mood is family affair with old jazz and soul normally playing in the background. This restaurant is cafeteria style with a mixed crowd of white collar bankers to blue collar auto mechanics. The one thing I always sense when eating at this fine establishment is that everyone always seems to be enjoying the food.”
Contributors review

As I havnt bee there to say for myself and we havnt gotten a hand written review with a rating or strong personal opinion, this wont go down as an officially review. This is though a high five to the flavor of Charlotte on and off the plate.

If you know soul food, or have had the down to the bone flavor please comment us a review below. You can also email us a review of this place at critic(at)charlottecritic.com and well make you the feature story. Looking for more about this too funny ad and if there is anything to this place.

The Charlotte Sports Center

5 Stars 

Charlotte Critic
WT Harris
Charlotte 28269
(704) 597-7311
Features: soccer,gym,basketball courts,golf,hockey

http://www.charlottesportscenter.com/ The Charlotte Sports center is a 75,000 sq foot complex of an athletes dream, I will soon take the time to do it full justice.

Bloom Supermarket

3.5 Stars 

Charlotte Critic
David Cox Road
Charlotte 28269
Friendly folks, great service, nice produce

Bloom Supermarket A Food Lion Market
6430 W Sugar Creek Rd, Charlotte, NC 28269
(704) 598-1067 My first supermarket review is very near my house. The Bloom supermarket which is a Food Lion store on David Cox road is a store to model others after. We in close proximity to three such markets around my area 1 home, and Bloom is by far the superior market. The most important key is the fact that Bloom staff is exceptional when compared to other markets. Not only is the checkout very fast and efficient EVERY time, but the willingness to open new registers and the approachability of the professional staff is close to amazing. Put these facts with the management, which spends a great deal of time walking the store, and you have flawless customer service. The managers (3-4 of them) are always on the floor working with emplyees in a way you dont see at Harris Teeter or Loews stores. The staff and managers always say hello and ask if weve seen new displays or products they just got in, truly impressive. We live very close to the competing 3 star reviewed Loews, but will never gove up on this great Bloom location. Effort and friendliness is so easy to control, that i am sad that more stores dont make as much of an effort to be friendly as does this Bloom. The only downsides is that this store is a Mini-supermarket of sorts. They stress openness and nice convenient displays (milk and eggs in front) but they do not stress huge selections. I think they have everything most people would ever need, so this is a minor concern. All together this store has an exceptional staff, and it appears to come from the management and environment. All workers seem on the same page and enjoy the store, which means i love to be there as well.

AMC Northlake 14 North Lake Mall Movie Theater

Charlotte Critic
7325 Northlake Mall Drive
Charlotte 28269

A review coming as soon as soon as I get a chance to see some more movies here. First impression was good but not great, very steep seating is nice, but they put it way around backl of the mall which isnt that nice for the new foottraffic shoppes. I think Birkdale will be better, further…but better. We will see on this one soon, I have only seen King Kong there so far.

Gandy Communities Inc

Protest the Rezoning Petition
Rezoning request # 205-129 is a request to re-zone 142 acres just 350 to 400 feet east of Statesville Road (for more info contact petition@halthucksdev.info) Protest Gandy Communities, Inc.

I have noticed a large number of visitors to this post and we can only assume that a few of them may think different that this negative opinion below. Keep in mind this is formed on the opinion we were provided after reading halthucksdev.info and their descriptions of the projects and reactions to community efforts.

I hope if there is another side of the story, someone takes the time to use the comment form and offer up the benefits of such a development for the Davis Lake area.

I assure you this is an open opinion based thread and no side of a story will be flamed. We understand the benefits of home development and respect those who respect all people involved in a discussion.

Original Post:
The Davis Lake area appears under attack by “build and leave” developers looking to strip down 142 acres of nature to put up substandard housing in the already overcrowded school district. I have a family member in North Mecklenburg High School 12th grade, and I watch them put up new temporary building to accomidate the overcrowding, and now Gandy wants to bring another 300 stucents to this school with there small lots and substandard building materials?

Gandy also wishes to build this substandard housing where the easiest through route to the new Shoppes at Davils Lake will be driving through one of the nicest roads in Davis Lake. gandy will be making a through route of Davis Lake and the streets that house multiple child familes.

Gandy seems to think ruining our home prices wil this add traffic and depleted school system is ok, perhaps they would feel different if this was where they live, but its not.

Gandy execs are most certainly living somehwere they would not allow such building to go up, and I am certain after they make there profit they will never return to this now overbuilt area.

The Davis Lake HOA is not agaist new homes, just against this type of dump and run sub standard housing, already David Cox is flooded with traffic, and Statesville is congested to make a left turn, and North Mecklenburg High School is overcrowded to the point of critical.

I suppose that wont affect them and profit is the motive for them, while depleted neighborhoods and schools are ok for us, not their problems.

I think Gandy Communities, Inc should go visit parts of Florida I have lived in and let their children try to play kickball, or find a park, or navigate through High School hallways overcrowded to the point of violence and discomfort just to move.

Maybe they would learn a lesson about how their quest for profits leaves alot of poorly organized, and overcrowded communities.

Our community has worked hard to try to be a great family place to belong to, and they spit on our efforts in their quest for a quick dollar and their dump and run slums.

Gandy Communities, Inc needs to sit down and try to bring some pride to their trade before they exploit our neighborhoods so they can afford to move to fancier ones themselves. I personally feel Gandy Communities actions are fueled by greed that developers are motivated by as they overdevelop our area.

Poor business practice, negatative for the community, insulting to our community efforts, harmful to our familes financially. I have written the mayor repeatedly and have received no response about how he feels best to deal with this situation in our school district and where we call home. Read More at the website of Spring Park resident Kurt Brust Read More at the Davis lake Homeowners Website Write to Gandy and let them know how you feel, Idoubt they will care unless you are a shareholder. http://www.gandycommunities.com

Opposing respectful opinion are encouraged, communication in matter so personal to a community is always a constructive thing.