This episode was a really special one because we got to chat about one of our favorite topics with Matt Simpkins and Tom Bogan of Oaklore… Bourbon!! We also got to enjoy some while shooting and that is a first we will always remember. 

Before they were owners of a distillery making bourbon, they were two dads, walking their kids to the bus stop every day who realized they both loved bourbon. From there grew a great friendship that you can see very easily in the episode. 

They have gone through a lot to get to where they are with Oaklore but they will tell you it has all been worth it. They are proud of their bourbon, passionate about what they do, and already getting the recognition they deserve for their products! 

Their name “Oaklore” is about the stories, so check out their story in this episode and grab a bottle of their bourbon to share with someone. You never know what story you might unlock next!

For the last episode of our Voices of Camp North End series, we had a fun conversation with Mike Salzarulo, the co-owner of Tipsy Pickle, in Camp North End. Mike is also the co-owner of Protagonist Beer and owner of Antagonist, a coffee shop and cocktail bar opening in 2026.  

Mike shared his deep passion for hospitality with us, and you can see that passion when you go to one of his establishments. He also has a one of a kind love story with his wife, because they have known each other since they were 5 years old. What we loved the most was hearing why they decided to build Tipsy Pickle in Camp North End and how much they believe in what is happening there.

Check out the episode and the others in the Camp North End series, and plan your next trip to Camp North End! There are a lot of amazing things going on there and you do not want to miss out!

On the second episode of our Voices of Camp North End series, we sat down with Michelle Fernandez inside her one of a kind airstream. Michelle is the owner of La Bodeguita, a craft cafe in Camp North End, and a mental health therapist. 

Michelle has a captivating story that covers a unique childhood, early life obstacles, and incredible discovery. Art has been a consistent part of her life and as a therapist she has created something beautiful to allow people to reconnect with their youthful curiosity. She is a proud supporter of Camp North End and one of the up and coming shining stars!

We guarantee you will laugh and do some self reflecting after listening to this episode. We are lucky we get to share this incredible voice of Camp North End. 

On the first episode of our Voices of Camp North End mini series, we got a chance to kick it with former professional soccer player turned urbanist, Tesho Akindele. Tesho is the development analyst for Camp North End and the perfect person to introduce our conversation about Came North End. 

Tesho has constantly followed the fire in his heart and because of this he is already living his second dream career. From dropping out of college with a semester left to get drafted, to a 9 year professional career, to sharing his ideas on how to best develop Charlotte, Tesho has been carving his own path for a long time. 

If you do not know much about Camp North End, this is a great introduction to a special slice of Charlotte. Check out this episode as we set up at Camp North End for the next couple of episodes. 

On this episode of Queen City Unleashed we get to sit down with Monica Warren who is an amazing example of someone who has made Charlotte her home and found a way to turn her hobby into a business! She is the owner of Pretty Perfect Style and she creates beautiful jewelry that could stand alone as art pieces. 

Monica shares her story of how she got to Charlotte and the boredom that led to her taking a jewelry making class. We also spend some time talking about personal style and the truth about being a business owner. 

Check out this episode to learn more about Monica and her business!

It would be hard for anyone to find a bigger cheerleader of Charlotte than Clayton Sealey, and that is who we had the chance to talk to on this episode. Clayton is from Charlotte, left for some years while still keeping an eye on his city, and now is back making a difference in so many ways. 

Clayton is a voice for city government, urban development, walkable cities, the arts and is known to have an occasional hot take. In everything he does, you can see that he cares deeply about Charlotte and its success. We were pleasantly surprised to learn so much about the city and art during this episode, so we know you are going to enjoy it!

We got the chance to sit down with a longstanding pillar of the Charlotte restaurant industry, Chef Bruce Moffett. Chef Bruce is the owner of the Moffett Restaurant Group that includes Barrington’s, Good Food on Montford, Stagioni, and soon to open Sala. 

There are so many chefs in our city now who have spent time learning and growing in one of Bruce Moffett’s restaurants, so his impact can be seen and tasted all across our city. 

He dives into the history of the Charlotte food scene and shares his 5 pillars that he builds his business on. We also got a hilarious story of how getting hit in the face changed his perspective on life. He cares deeply about food and the way it can bring people together and personally his restaurants are truly some of our favorites. Give this episode a listen for a great conversation and some really funny stories. 

We are excited to share our episode with Makayla Binter, who is a Creative Catalyst for Charlotte is Creative, a talented artist, and a pillar in the Charlotte arts community. She is one of the most vibrant individuals you could ever be around and she consistently exudes joy. Makayla was often told she would not be able to make a living with art, but she has proven all those people wrong and has become a huge supporter of artists all across Charlotte. She is one the best connectors our city has!

This episode is full of personality and you will definitely smile listening to it. Makayla shares her journey with us, and it’s amazing to hear her go from D1 athlete who loves arts and to a full time artist, showing others how it can be done. Makayla has opened our eyes to so many amazing art centered events and we are so grateful for that. 

We are back after taking some time to celebrate our first 25 episodes of Queen City Unleashed with Emmy Award Winner Shevaun Bryan!! Shevaun is a news anchor on WBTV and has been in the industry, around the country, for a long time. She is passionate about telling important stories and we are lucky to get to chat with her, right off the Emmy win. 

Shevaun has interviewed big names like Lebron James and Dwayne Wade and even interned with DJ Khaled back in the day! She has worked in big markets and small markets but has always known that Charlotte was a place she wanted to end up. This episode is fun, vulnerable, and insightful, and by the time you are done you will be cheering for Shevaun as a multidimensional shiny mess!

For our 25th episode of Queen City Unleashed we have Kayleigh Ruller, a Food Writer who writes for national and local publications. Kayleigh loves food and writes about it in a way that gives people a better appreciation for the food around them. She has highlighted some of the biggest names in food in Charlotte but she has the same pride when it comes to the smaller names! 

Kayleigh is one of the most authentic people you will meet and it shows in how she presents herself in her work and and even in how she dresses, as she recently told us. One of our favorite things about her is that she is also a story teller! Whether it is telling the stories of Chefs or digging into the ghost Blanche Reynolds, she does a great job of taking you on a journey with her writing. 

Tune in to hear her in her element... telling great stories and and painting pictures we love to follow!!