NoDa, short for North Davidson, is a great neighborhood, arts, and entertainment district just North of Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. It is home to many galleries, music venues, and hip dive bars. There is plenty of window shopping to be done at gift shops, jewelry stores, and tattoo parlors. And don’t forget to stop for a great bite to eat while you are there.
There are however some changes coming to NoDa. This area has been built up in recent years with many more residential and commercial projects. This week it was announced that a beloved retail building in the heart of NoDa has been sold to a Nashville based investment firm called AJ Capital Partners. This building is the home to the Neighborhood Theatre, which has assured patrons to “Stay calm!” as they have nothing to worry about the future of the venue. There may be new owners, but the theater’s lease conveyed with the purchase so they are secure in their business and will continue to provide a great venue to see live shows. The shops and restaurants that round out the block will also continue to be the heart of NoDa and will not face any immediate changes.
This is a great thing as this block at North Davidson and E. 36th has been a hub of the neighborhood since the 1940’s. The Neighborhood Theatre was originally a movie theater which became a live music venue after restoration in 1997. Now it also hosts a brewpub called Salud Cerveceria which was nominated for a James Beard award. Restaurant Boudreaux’s and Sanctuary Bar also call this location home.
Another change in NoDa, this time a totally welcome one is the reopening of progressive bookstore “I’ve Read It In Books”. This quirky bookshop is set to reopen March 1st with double the space, extra seating, and so eventually up to 1,500 titles at a time. Located at 2902 North Davidson, the bookshop shares a converted home with Milk Money Vintage and Stash Pad. The original location will be used as a venue to trade good quality used books with proceeds helping out the local homeless and food insecure population.
Owner Rob Banker hand selects all of the titles the bookshop carries with special emphasis on books by minorities and LGBTQ authors. The new location for I’ve Read It In Books allows for more space to stretch out as well as additional sections that they didn’t have room for at the old site. There will be a children’s section now with a carefully curated selection of books. There will also be new seating areas for relaxing and enjoying the books before you take them home. Keep an eye out at their Instagram @ireaditinbooks for additional information about future special events.
NoDa is home to many bungalow style homes in addition to apartment complexes, converted warehouses, and luxury condominiums. The area is popular due to light rail access and proximity to Uptown Charlotte. This is a great spot to land if you are new to the area as you are connected to everything and are in a walkable spot for food, shopping, and nightlife.
