I reported back in October that Therapy Marketplace & Cafe (401 N. Tryon St.) was planning to expand into an empty space next door. That expansion has grown even more ambitious with the recent closing of Lola's on the corner of Eighth and Tryon streets a little more than a month ago.
Therapy co-owner Jason Stone says the martini bar closed a couple of weeks ago to prepare to take over the block of storefronts in the Transamerica Building on Tryon Street. When the remodeled location reopens (target date: beginning of May), it will have transitioned to a full restaurant serving organic eats from Stone's farm in Lincoln County and traditional American fare ($10-$18 entrees).
But don't worry, Stone says: The popular martini menu (and half-price Wednesdays) will be intact. The restaurant will be equipped with a full kitchen, (using the kitchen left by Lola's departure), a main dining room, a large main bar and a private room available for business meetings, private parties or rehearsal dinners.
When the renovation is complete, Therapy will have grown from 1,000 square feet to 5,000 with a capacity of 250 people and an additional patio. Stone says the restaurant-bar will be open until midnight Monday-Thursday, and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday with live music and a late-night food menu available.
Stone says he and his partner Tim Low – native Charlotteans – hope uptown regulars won't forget some of the Charlotte-owned businesses as more national chains (Hooters, Wild Wing, PJ's) move in.
“It's hard to get a lease these days if you're local,” he says. “These national chains come in and pay their yearlong leases upfront, which the landlords really like.
“We've been in this location for six years. We've got a great following, and we hope they come back when we reopen.”
32 comments:
I LOVE Therapy! Cannot wait to see the new place...I hope it doesn't take too long.
Therapy is not a bad place to hang, but if anyone from ownership is watching, do us a favor and get a few domestics for us non-metro guys.
Just because someone actually has taste buds that appreciate a good import or micro brew doesn't mean they are "Metro". Take your Domestic tongue back to Gastonia where I am sure you will be quite happy. Maybe there will be a monster truck fest in town soon, that should keep you happy.
Tim, keep up the good micro beer selection and add some Belgium's to the list. Organic menu in Uptown ? Well it's about time Charlotte got with it ! Way to go guys !
Your old mixologist Ken
Hey, 2:18, me and 2:37 will slam a handful of Belgian exotic ales with ya and we'll see who can SPELL metro after that.
And, no, that Stella swill does not count or any InBev either.
JAT
You're excited about mirco beers and organic food???? Maybe "metro" isn't the best term to use for you tool!!!!
Hey Ken, Are you that much of a snob? What a loser???
who refers to them selves as a mixologist, your a bartender you tool.
Is Lola's going to reopen? I LOVE that place. I was told it was going to combine with the new space at Therapy.
Charlotte blogs are so pathetic but funny as hell at the same time.
The second poster makes a comment slamming "metros" which of course is fine under the Redneck Book of Etiquette. Then as usual someone stands up to the Neanderthal and what follows is an all out reenactment of the Civil War. Now the so called "Metro" is the snob, the loser..........
Funny how the ignorant just don't see this at all.
Anyway JAT, Chimay beer is made in BelgIUM. There is no such country as BelgIAN. I have visited Belgium and the term for beer is pronounced both ways. So neither of you are right or wrong.
Here's the map if you are interested:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=chimay+belgium&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=OjCwSZSmA9iY-gbaqbz2Ag&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image
Anon 3:14:
Lola's second location is still open (300 S. Brevard St.) and Therapy plans on incorporating some Lola's lunchtime specials into its menu.
Well 3:18 since we already have one tool you can be the douche!!!
Anonymous March 5, 2009 2:51 PM said...
You're excited about mirco beers and organic food???? Maybe "metro" isn't the best term to use for you tool!!!!
Better than chewin' tobacco, suckin' Bud and drivin' 'der pick up truck Bubba. Hate to see what your girlfriend looks like.
Sarah,
I just moved to Charlotte from NYC and although your blog is great for keeping up with parties and such the types of people that post here are disgraceful.
Belittling someone over something as popular on the entire rest of the planet as organic food and good beer simply amazes me. I did not expect such ignorance from a city the size of Charlotte. Surely these posters are from outside the immediate area.
That's all I have to say. So let the "go home Yankee" B.S. begin.
Anon March 5, 2009 3:37 PM
Not in Charlotte you can't. Locals are the biggest F'in losers on the planet.
That is a good comeback tool, very original. I'm sure you wouldn't be too interested in my girlfriend's looks or any for that matter!
No need for the Yankees to go home, you folks are pretty cool in my opinion.
Anonymous March 5, 2009 3:26 PM said...
Well 3:18 since we already have one tool you can be the douche!!!
I'm a douche for making you understand your errors ? Funny, I thought that was called teaching.
What does he mean when he says “It's hard to get a lease these days if you're local. These national chains come in and pay their year long leases upfront, which the landlords really like."
I'm in commercial RE and let me tell you, the regional and national retail & restaurant chains are, for the most part, in a holding pattern on Charlotte right now b/c of the potential bank layoffs and perceived health (or lack thereof) of BofA.
Most won't even sniff a new deal in town right now, so the LLs are all over local deals with experienced operators. In my opinion, it's a waste of time to even cold call national/regional chains right now - they're almost entirely stagnant.
Not to mention, when dealing with many of the national chains, you darned sure aren't getting them to pay a year's rent up front. Heck, most won't even give you a security deposit, much less do that.
Just found the comment really off the mark.
"Temporarily closed" Remember when Dockside Dolls in Mebane temporarily closed for remodeling and never reopened? That put a lot of girls off the pole and out on the street. I don't believe they'll reopen.
I personally could care less about Therapy's overpriced menu... just what we need another 10 dollar sandwich. It's a shame that all the people on this side of town no longer have a good inexpensive place to grab breakfast and lunch... Lola's will be sorely missed.
The $10 price is for dinner entrees. Lunch is around $8.
I think Lolas is done...
http://www.loopnet.com/property/15792404/401-N-Tryon-Suite-106/
This is the place that used to serve powdered OOPS I mean "homemade" soup and cold premade sandwiches.
Not to mention the bartender (probably "mixologist" Ken) couldn't find any vermouth to put in my martini. Vodka, fruit juice, and chocolate do not a martini make.
I'm all for local businesses so I hope they have improved.
Of all the bizarre things to have to explore on a blog about drinking and eating....
Anon 3:18, this is what you missed getting your GED:
Irony -- Literary device which deploys an incongruity between what one say and what one means to convey a deeper meaning.
Hence "slam Belgian ales" is ironic as everyone -- or those with a pulse -- should understand that one does not slam, ie drink quickly, complex and potent fermented beverages.
But more puzzling, the evident confusion at using the adj. "Belgian" at all -- as in Belgian draft horse, or Belgian shepherd.
Yet 3:18 supposed world traveled and visitor to BelgIUM has never, ever heard of the common English construction.
Should I have said Flemish or Walloon? I really do not understand.
If I should say BelgIUM ales and not BelgIAN should I also say EnglAND ales vs. EnglISH or GermANY ales instead of GerMAN?
More to the point, is English not your native tongue?
Mi español no es bueno, pero yo no ando alrededor corrigiendo otras personas cuando ellos lo utilizan.
Out.
Anon 6:15 What????????????
Great news! Can't wait until it opens back up. I'm glad there are different places uptown for people to go to, as there are many different types of people in this city. If this doesn't sound like your type of place, don't go there, but is there really any reason for such negative comments and complaining?? What might not be your kind of place, might sound great to someone else. I personally want to live in a city that gives me different options when I go out. Going out to the same thing over and over is totally boring.
Anon 6:15,
Yes, I will admit English was never a great treat for me.
GED, wrong.
Net worth $875,000 at 37 years old, correct.
Now get back to your cubicle you Putz.
Net worth doesn't mean anything if its not all cash in hand. What a stupid way to qualify yourself.
Besides selling my car and house in Dilworth it is $450,000 cash in hand "safe FDIC bank c.d.'s".
Don't talk to me about qualifying myself either "DOCTOR" Bill.
Therapy had good drinks but lousy service. Lola's in both locations had lousy food.What does this tell you?
If you feel the need to blindly hate yankees just because of where they come from, get out of Charlotte. If you have to make yourself feel better by constantly making pretentious but unoriginal quips about locals, get out of Charlotte. If you feel the need to get in an argument about net worth over a message board, get out of Charlotte. Once all you douches are gone, the rest of us will enjoy it a hell of a lot more.
^
Anger issues Douche ?
Good luck Therapy! Sounds like some of you people need therapy after reading these blogs. Thanks "Yankees" for coming to my hometown and motivating a resurgence of uptown. Without culture, from the West, Orient, North, Cajun, or any others, Charlotte wouldn't be the same. Some of you need to just shut the hell up about prices. Funny thing is, you have a CHOICE to not visit and pay!
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