USA, NC: Suffolk Punch Brewing to open its second location in Charlotte

Charlotte’s SouthPark mall said it is planning a “transformational” multimillion dollar plaza project that will include a Charlotte brewery’s expansion, greenspace and inclusive children’s play area, the Charlotte Observer reported on December 15.

Suffolk Punch Brewing, which opened in 2017 in South End, will open its second location with a beer garden and taproom in the revamped West Plaza, near Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Container Store, SouthPark mall owner Simon said Wednesday.

The brewery will be atop a greenspace where Suffolk Punch Brewing and SouthPark will offer family-friendly performances on stage throughout the year, according to the mall’s news release.

“Charlotte-area shoppers expect first-class amenities, and that is exactly what this transformational redevelopment at SouthPark will deliver,” mall general manager Randy Thomas said in a news release on December 15.

Plaza construction will begin early next year. Construction is expected to finish by late summer with the play area and brewery expected to open simultaneously, Holly Roberson Van Cleave, mall director of marketing and business development, told the Observer.

She said there’s a trend for more green space and entertainment space at shopping centers that lends to shoppers staying longer and enjoying different types of events.

Mall officials would not say how much Simon is investing in the project.

The Suffolk Punch Brewing will include a nearly 400 seat full-service taphouse, restaurant and coffee bar, plus an all-season outdoor pavilion with two free-standing bars, according to Simon. The new taproom will serve more than 20 craft beers, cocktails, house seltzers and wine.

The interior space will be about 6,500 square feet, with the covered exterior patio at about 4,500 square feet, Van Cleave said.

Executive Chef Michael Rayfield will lead the kitchen with a menu that rotates seasonally and local products when possible.

The open-air pavilion will be next to a greenspace and stage, plus a new inclusive children’s play area on the opposite end of the West Plaza, Simon said.

The 1,850-square-foot interactive play area will incorporate multi-sensory elements designed to promote physical and mental activity, including a rolling hill with integrated slides and cubbyholes. Highlights include soft-touch floor matting, sculptural climbing features, creative hiding spaces like the crawl path or the cocoon nook and a walkway that practices balance.

The design team for the project includes LandDesign, Cluck Design, Bartlett Hartley, Mulkey Architects, and Durban Development.

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