Embracing the spirit of new adventures and connections can be as easy as exploring fresh dining options, supporting small businesses, and improving yourself — all in your backyard.
With new hot pot and fusion restaurants, vintage and consignment shops, and large-scale renovations of Fayetteville favorites, you can find new adventures without leaving town.
New retail options
Shopping at small businesses helps support the backbone of our economy, preserves the local character of the community, and shows appreciation for our entrepreneurs, according to Forbes magazine.
When Michelle Clark and her fiancé Jamil Rashad opened Westdale Vintage in October, it became a homage to their love for vintage clothing and to Michelle’s father who encouraged her to take chances.
Michelle was also excited to be a part of the Haymount retail and restaurant renaissance that she sees as inspiring.
“Haymount is also going through a big revival of retail,” Michelle said, “and we wanted to be a part of it to share our love of vintage with the community.”
Originally from Fayetteville, Michelle traveled all over the country working in television production before moving back from Raleigh a couple of years ago to care for her dad after he was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy and began to develop issues with balance and speech. The rare neurodegenerative disorder damages certain areas of the brain and progresses more rapidly than Parkinson’s Disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
She said while living in Raleigh, there were avenues to find vintage clothing in local shops, but when they moved to Fayetteville, she realized there were not the same options.
“I started to source my own clothing and Jamil started to joke I was becoming a hoarder,” Michelle said. “He has retail experience so we started talking about it.”
When her father passed away, the opportunity presented itself with a vacant storefront. Two weeks later, Michelle said, they signed a lease and were owners of a new shop.
“One thing my dad said in his last days was there were a lot of things he did not do in his life because he was scared,” Michelle said. “That’s one of the reasons we opened the store. It’s a tribute to him. You’ll see my family all over this store.”
Westdale Vintage is located at 1225 Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville.
Another new Haymount retail shop is Taylor Lawrence Bridal, an upscale bridal salon with a full shopping experience.
Husband and wife team Lawrence and Taylor England said that they started with Taylor’s jewelry line. When she started collaborating with bridal shops, they realized there was a need in the area.
“Everyone drives to Raleigh or Charlotte and almost as soon as we started talking, Taylor drove by the building for sale,” Lawrence said.
The pair opened the store in November after spending almost a month doing the entire renovation themselves. They kept the hardwood floors and created a space where brides and their support systems would feel comfortable and beautiful, according to Lawrence.
“It’s more than just a dress try-on, it’s a full experience,” Lawrence said. “We have a wine and champagne bar, a giant reveal curtain with a pedestal, and high vaulted ceilings. It’s truly a catered service.”
Taylor Lawrence Bridal also offers options for groomsmen and bridesmaids with an AI-generated customization system and private event space.
Taylor Lawrence Bridal is located at 1007 Arsenal Ave. in Fayetteville.
Stoke Outfitters, a new Haymount shop, aims to provide outdoor adventurers with the gear they need to hike, climb, or paddle on their next excursion.
Jesse and Jhovanna “Jo” Therrien will offer outdoor gear and apparel — resale and consignment — with quality brands including The North Face, Patagonia, and Big Agnes.
“We are both outdoors people and this is going to be a landing spot to help facilitate their outdoor experience,” Jesse said.
He studied outdoor education before joining the U.S. Army, and his wife Jo is the founder of the Running Wild Collective, a local running group. They hope his military friends, Scouting families, and people who love to camp, come to check out their inventory.
“There is an accessibility piece to this as well,” Jesse said. “We are going to be able to put, in their hands, things that they might not be able to get elsewhere.”
Stoke Outfitters will be located at 116 Broadfoot Ave. in Fayetteville.
New restaurant flavors
If you are looking to explore fresh dining options and new culinary horizons in the new year, there are several new spots. Here are a few of them:
Two Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurants opened across the street from each other in the Cross Creek Mall area. Although their menus are similar, there are some differences.
Gangnam Korean BBQ and Hotpot at 1800 Skibo Road in Fayetteville is buffet-based, where the hot pot and sushi are included. You can fill a plate with different seafood or meats, vegetables, and noodles to cook in either a hot pot filled with a soup base of your choice or on a tableside grill.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, located at 419 Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville, is also a hands-on place, where you cook your own food at the table. You order at the table and small dishes are brought out to you. The hot pot is a separate expense so you can choose to do one or the other — or both.
Dank Burrito is a new quick-service restaurant, specializing in burritos, which hopes to open in spring 2025. The slang word “dank,” according to Cambridge Dictionary, means something is good, and in this case refers to the fresh flavors the menu serves, which are the “best of the best,” according to franchise owners Josh and Brittany Allen.
“Our burritos, tacos, salads, and bowls are made from a scratch-made kitchen,” Brittany said. “It’s fusion flavors in a burrito vessel. We make our own spice blends, slaws, salsas, and sauces. It’s all made in-house.”
Josh added that the food is curated by a chef.
“You can’t get any fresher than a kitchen making their own sauces,” Josh said. “We cut jalapeños every day, roasting meats for hours. We don’t freeze anything.”
Brittany said they hope to open at 5508 Raeford Road in Fayetteville.
New food trucks worth mentioning are Ty’s Uptown Grill with New York and New Jersey cheeseburger, hotdog, and sandwich options, and Red, White and Blue BBQ run by Army veteran ArRee Bateman with amazing brisket, pulled pork, ribs, pork chops, and even lamb. Both trucks move around, but Haymount Truck Stop is a regular stop for each of them.
Local favorites get renovated
Mi Casita, a Fayetteville favorite Mexican restaurant, is constructing a new, larger space on Raeford Road next to their current location where they have been for 35 years.
From their first restaurant in Tallywood Shopping Center at 3122 Raeford Road, Juan Macias and his family now have ten restaurants in Cumberland County and seven more in surrounding counties.
“God works in great ways,” Juan said. “We are running out of the lease where we have been since we started this location, our first, and we were blessed to have the land.”
Juan said the new restaurant space will be able to serve 280 customers along with a full bar — which will be expanded — and new menu options, although he said he will be careful to keep current favorites. The new space will also host a private room with a 100-person capacity for special events.
“We are looking forward to more years in Fayetteville,” Juan said. “This is home, where we have raised our families and we have appreciated all of the great, great support from our community.”
Down the street at 1105 Highland Country Club Drive, Highland Country Club is also debuting its own set of renovations for members, including a complete refresh of the inside space, according to Club House Manager Cami Blackwelder.
“We are also adding a covered outside patio in addition to new furniture, paint, fixtures, and carpet on the inside,” Cami said.
Highland Country Club is a private member club with events, golf, and tennis.
Headache help
If you are suffering from chronic headaches that you are trying to self-medicate with Advil or Tylenol and nothing is working, the Cardinal Headache Center is a new option in Fayetteville for personal and specialized headache care.
Peter Kalogerinis, who founded the Cardinal Headache Center after specializing in neuromuscular medicine and pain management, said migraines and headaches are statistically the second most debilitating cognitive disorder next to dementia, and there was a great need in the community for care.
“We are the only clinic in south central North Carolina that specializes in headache care,” Peter said. “With our military population, both active duty and veterans, sometimes develop headaches from their service. You no longer need to drive outside of the area.”
He said that when a person is burdened with headaches and it’s affecting work, school, social life, or even their love life, he recommends at least getting evaluated or being treated correctly.
The Cardinal Headache Center is located at 518 Beaumont Road in Fayetteville with a second location in Clayton.
Focusing attention on new places in Fayetteville allows you to have an adventure in your town, establishing a sense of pride and connection. Trying new things and visiting new local businesses gives you new ways to celebrate a new year and a new you!
Read CityView magazine’s “New Year New You” January 2025 e-edition here
