Charlotte, NC Has Gone BANANAS!!
In the past week Chiquita Brands International decided that it will move its headquarters to my hometown of Charlotte, NC, Chiquita announced that it will invest $14.1 million and bring more than 400 jobs to the Queen City. The jobs will pay an average annual salary of $106,000( that’s a lot of bananas.)
I can’t tell you how excited I am to say Charlotte has a lot, great things are happening and more things are headed our way.
As a Charlotte native, I have to brag about my hometown, I remember in the 70’s working at one of the larger banks in downtown and recalling how desolate the Center City became after business hours. Most of the restaurants closed after lunch, the retail business closed after normal business hours. We did not have the Blumenthal, Spirit Square, Bechtler Museum of Art, Harvey B Gant Center, Time Warner Arena, Panthers Stadium, numerous restaurants and high rises. It is hard to fathom that people actually live in downtown/uptown Charlotte. It depends on who you are talking to, whether it is uptown or downtown. Most people whisked off to suburbia until it was time to return to work.
But Charlotte has become a vibrant city, exploding with so many great opportunities, and it is a magnet to those that are seeking business opportunities, higher education choices, a better quality of life afforded with a lower cost of living; Charlotte is 9.3% lower than the US average. The City offers many of the benefits associated with living in a major metropolitan city.We have the mildest climate; Charlotte averages 214 days of sunshine, our annual average temperature is 62 F. We actually had snow last year, it is so rare, we welcome the opportunity to hibernate for a day or 2, but then we are ready to get back to life as usual.
I was in the waiting room of my doctor’s office last week reading the lastest issue of Good Housekeeping and I came across this fascinating article written about Angie Harmon (the actress) and her move from LA to Charlotte, NC she said the state’s special allure: “There’s a church on every corner as opposed to just a Starbucks.....and the people are just a little nicer, more real” aaaah! She also talked about her daughter growing up to fast and being exposed to things in LA that she was not ready for her to know yet. I love calling Charlotte, NC home.
Another local success story! I must tell you about is about Amelie’s French Bakery located in heart of NoDa the Arts District. This bakery is experiencing booming success, the owners were invited to the White House small business conference to discuss why they have been so successful. If you have spent anytime in Charlotte, hopefully you have had an opportunity to visit this delightful, delectible social hot spot.
Finally, we are preparing for one of the largest event this City will experience! Charlotte, NC will host the 2012 Democratic National Convention,I am so proud! We know our City, home of the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Bobcats, Nascar Hall of Fame and many more will never be the same. 35,000 delegates and visitors will set foot in our town. We will have people that will visit for the very first time and fall in love!
Who knew back in 1760 when this little crossroads of town was incorporated as Charlotte's Town in honor of Queen Charlotte, the bride of England's King George III, that we would be able to look some 200 years later and say" WOW" look at our Queen City!
So now you can understand why I say "We Are Going Bananas" In Charlotte, NC!!
Charlotte, NC Homes and Communities
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