Located in Charlotte’s fast-growing NoDa Arts District, a 12-acre mixed-use community known as The Pass is attracting a mix of creative, local businesses and first-to-market concepts. Vintage sportswear retailer Locker Room CLT opened its storefront in February, a novel hair salon concept Common Thread will open this fall and popular local food truck and ghost kitchen Mariah’s Taco Spot will also open its first fast-casual restaurant this fall.
In addition, 828 Venue Management Company’s newest venue PINE opened this May, with Borderline Bar & Billiards and Soul Gastrolounge and Tattoo Liquor Lounge following later this year.Pond Engineering also recently moved into its 5,000-square-foot office space. Third & Urban has begun construction on two more office spec suites totaling 8,000 and 5,000 square feet.
Third & Urban, recognized locally for its Lower Tuck development in FreeMoreWest, is developing the multi-phased adaptive reuse project along with a new 335-unit multifamily community. The first phase Pass 41 completed construction last fall.Future phases will bring a combination of additional retail and multifamily to the development. Cliff Benson from Thrift Commercial Real Estate leads retail leasing for The Pass.
"We have an incredible mix of local concepts opening at The Pass, representing the creativity and ingenuity we hoped this project would be,” said Hank Farmer, co-founder of Third & Urban. “These retailers are community-focused and the first faces the public will see when they visit. Energy is building as we begin to welcome people to The Pass and see this former industrial hub come to life.”
Locker Room CLT
With a passion for buying and selling vintage since he was in high school, Matt Alexander founded Locker Room CLT in 2019 as an online store featuring the highest quality vintage sportswear. Alexander quickly found success and decided to expand the business with a brick-and-mortar store. After a brief stint in Chantilly, he moved in February 2024 into a 1,100-square-foot space at The Pass. The store features vintage sportswear across several categories and sports teams, including posters, jerseys, shoes and clothing from the NBA, NFL and beyond. Guests can shop or sell their own items at Locker Room. Alexander is also the founder of Locker Room’s sister brand, Charlotte Vintage Market, which hosts regular markets throughout Charlotte as a platform for small vintage businesses.
“The Pass stood out to me because of the unique industrial feel and high ceilings that allow me to display items vertically,” said Alexander. “It’s also a great opportunity to be a core tenant and cornerstone of this community. We want our customers to feel like they’re in a neighborhood sports bar when they walk into Locker Room, enjoying the games we have playing on our TVs while shopping the products of yesteryear.”
Mariah’s Taco Spot
Mariah’s Taco Spot first began out of Mariah Brown’s two-bedroom apartment when she started cooking during the pandemic. The concept quickly evolved into a ghost kitchen, food truck and now into her first fast-casual restaurant at The Pass. The 1,428-square-foot restaurant will follow the same modern aesthetic as the food truck with black and hot pink colors and neon signs. The menu will be a slightly expanded version, with crowd favorites such as oxtail and salmon birria tacos. Customers will order dine-in or carry-out from a kiosk. Mariah’s Taco Spot will also have a full bar with custom cocktails. The restaurant opens this fall and plans to host weekly events such as Taco Tuesdays with a DJ and specials.
“It's been a dream of mine to have my own restaurant since I began cooking out of my apartment four years ago,” said Brown. “The vision for The Pass is amazing and I knew it was the perfect venue for Mariah’s Taco Spot. We’re working hard to bring the same vibes and delicious tacos the Charlotte community has grown to love to our first dining environment. Fall can’t get here soon enough.”
Common Thread
Sean Foley is no stranger to the hair salon business, having been a hair stylist for more than 17 years. A Charlotte native, Foley is now expanding his business into a collective hair salon, called Common Thread, opening at The Pass this fall. The salon will include eight booths for independent stylists offering services such as haircuts, color, barbering and more, as well as an elevated environment for customers with wine and beer. Common Thread will include high-end salon line products from R+Co.
“The name Common Thread came from the idea that all of us have something in common,” said Foley. “While some salons are male- or female-focused, Common Thread will be for everyone. We felt The Pass reflected this mantra, being the young pulse of the city and an extension of NoDa’s Arts District.”
PINE, the newest venue from 828 Venue Management Company, also recently opened at The Pass. The 12,360-square-foot restored warehouse can accommodate 320 guests for seated events and many more for cocktail-style events. PINE features a fully furnished lounge located on the mezzanine level which overlooks the main event space, two client suites, a built-in bar and a catering kitchenette. The crisp white walls and timeless chandeliers create an elegant blank canvas that allow clients to bring their own unique style and design to the space while providing a backdrop that stands on its own, even with minimal decor. The venue currently has prime dates still available for holiday parties, weddings and other events.
Soul Gastrolounge, with its next door Tattoo Liquor Lounge space, and Borderline Bar and Billiards will open later this year at The Pass. In addition, the multifamily component of the project is well underway, with residents expected to move in in 2025. Last year,Charlotte Football Club’s Pitches for Progress program added a mini pitch soccer field and art mural underneath the overpass, which is regularly used by the local community.
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