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| - The original Common Market in Plaza-Midwood is, simply put, a landmark location in my life. When I first moved to Charlotte, I didn't have a clue what to do or where to hang out. My first visit to Plaza-Midwood (on Record Store Day 2009) involved a trip to Lunchbox and then to the old Penguin. Afterwards, I didn't have a clue what to do and I stumbled across the street into the Common Market. I didn't have a clue what it was. It went something like this.
Wow, this is really interesting. A deli? Ice cream and snacks? Oh, sweet, there's a bunch of coolers in the back. Wait - craft beers? I had a place like this back at Virginia Tech. I'll grab something for home. He just asked me if I wanted it opened? Uhm... I don't get it. Hold on. Those guys are drinking. Now I'm drinking. So it's like a self-serve bar? There's food? Snacks? What's on this patio? Oh nice, more people. There's music here tonight? Sweet. If I had an assistant, I'd tell her to cancel all my appointments. I'm going to be here a while.
Simply put, Common Market is the hangout for all the crazy hipsters and young adults that are refusing to grow up and work in a cube. But the interesting thing is, just like the (old) Penguin, those people are here too - and we all just get along. I made my first friends in Charlotte here after nine fruitless months going to Meetup events and stumbling around at Evening Muse and other NoDa hangouts. Common Market was exactly what I was looking for - great people drinking great beer in a great place.
Since then, I've been to CM (probably) dozens or hundreds of times - it's not just a store or bar to visit, it's a central part of my routine. I have formed friendships with the staff there. Brad, especially; he's my beer guide and has taken the time to remember my name and what kind of stuff I like and he's shown me a few choice bottles that I wouldn't have looked at otherwise. CM's one of the reasons I moved to Plaza-Midwood. It's also one of the reasons I stayed when offered by my work to relocate to Phoenix. It's where I go when I don't know what else to do. It's where me and my friends have probably our best memories or started our most exciting nights.
Common Market is, simply, part of our lives.
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