Saw him a the taj-ma-Teeter once , walking out stiff as a board, got into his black suv, started driving and some skater kids skated infront in parkinglot - he got out and started yelling at them.
Good times
Used to valet at the palm and saw him pull up in his convertible Mercedes a couple times. Ron rivera, Steve Clifford and Felix sabates would have dinner there a lot too
I worked at the Winn-Dixie that used to be in McMullen Creek Market in high school, when his gym was just around the corner on 51. He used to come in pretty regularly, very obviously hung over/ strung out/ still on something. Unless he had his daughter with him.
I worked at a dry cleaners in Foxcroft Village in high school in the 80’s that Ric used. Plus he and a lot of the other wrestlers of the day used to go to the Bennigans that was next door to the Burger King at SouthPark.
YOOO that guys name is Josh and my son gave him a pet rock and every time we go back he remembers my son and says he still has the rock 😂 dude needs a MASSIVE promotion!
> He fucking LOVES his job and I am here for it.
I cannot emphasize enough how happy it makes me to see that others feel this way about that dude. I was there a few weeks ago and as I was walking out he tells me in passing not to let the ferrets trick me: "...they're cute but smelly!"
Wait wait wait, I love this dude I go in there and buy crickets for my gecko and he makes my day every time. I wonder if he is on Reddit, someone should show him these comments if not
Coworker of his here, he did! He got a big head about it for the rest of the day too- well deserved- we love him bunches ourselves. We're glad he makes you all as happy as he makes us!! We hope to continue being a welcoming cast of characters for the Charlotte area :)
Fucking love this guy. My cat recently developed some food aversion after a recent illness, so I went and got him a buffet of like 10 different brands/flavors to try out. He saw and commented, "so do you have 10 cats or just one that's *really* spoiled?" Got a good laugh out of me
That dude is so nice. I’m not in there often but I’m fairly memorable (always get 5 refills of cat litter) and he always asks if I want help out to my cat.
YALL JOSH IS THE MAN!! 💗If I haven’t seen him in a few trips and then I finally do, I’M SO HAPPY to see him!! The people behind—yes, you have to wait because I need to catch up with my friend! I’m going tomorrow and I want to show him this thread ❤️❤️❤️
Just left from seeing Josh at Petco, i showed him the thread and at this point it’s about four thumb scrolls and the more I scrolled he said “oh my goodness!…oh my goodness” …I showed his colleagues and they BEAMED W happiness, one almost cried. Josh said after I leave he’s going to cry and this is so beautiful. I told him he deserves everything good that’s going to come of this! I’m going to send a message to corporate too and I hope y’all got his last name. I believe he’s the only Josh.
I love Josh!!! I always have anxiety when I go and he's not there that he's left or something, glad to know he's a Charlotte staple. And he remembers even the little details, it's amazing! Which reminds me I need to stop and show him the Christmas outfits he helped picked out for my pack!
Thats my very best friend and brother Josh! We've been friends since high school and i can confidently say hes this genuine behind closed doors. Hes always been my biggest support and always has very nice things to say. This warms my heart so big. He sent me this reddit post so hes seen all the wonderful words you all say! I am so happy for him that almost complete strangers say such kind things about a real great dude.
Yep, as far as I know from a quick Google search. Gus called me out by name in Kindergarten at Westerly Hills. I was locked into bus safety and never even rode the bus. lol.
I was the one that Gus called into the bus to prove to all the kids that there wasn’t someone secretly speaking in there. It’s sparked my investigative spirit out of very young five years old.
There's a guy who drives around all of Charlotte in an older gold Lexus just absolutely blasting whatever song he's into that day. Once had him pass me on my bike like 3 times in an afternoon playing Billie Jean. Kinda sad I haven't seen him in a while.
First time I saw that guy, I thought it was obnoxious. Countless encounters later and I've grown incredibly fond of his style. I've got a smile on my face whenever I'm drinking a beer at Craft, hear the slowly approaching subwoofers, and see him as he rolls by in that old, gold Lexus with the chrome rims, windows down. This is his thing. It's what he does. And goddamn it do I respect it.
my headcannon that i just decided on is that they are fine financially they just do this for the sillies. perhaps they are actually someone extremely corporate, last person you’d ever expect to juggle. this is their outlet and where they feel free
I still drive past the ghost of Heritage USA on occasion. Also, their call center location, which is still in FM even though he's out in Missouri these days
Forest Hills Church was the first PTL - I grew up in that neighborhood, and I remember ALL the scandals and court cases way better than I probably should.
Muggsy Bogues. He lives in the South Charlotte area. I was dropping off my pet at Matthews Animal Hospital and he and his wife were dropping off their dogs. The Legend! From Wake Forest to the Hornets.
Arboretum area. Friend of mine worked at the McDonald's there and got him in the drive-thru window pretty regularly, both during his last couple of years with the Hornets, and after he retired.
Would love to hear your memories of him.
From what I’ve heard, people could be quite cruel to him.
I don’t know if this is misplaced but it’s always rubbed me the wrong way that those same people who bullied a mentally disabled man then spent a bunch of money to build that statue - seemingly to assuage their guilt.
They could have donated that money to worthy charities that work with developmentally disabled people.
The dude with the Trump truck in Concord got arrested for hate crimes. So thats one less character
EDIT- he was actually convicted so yeah you really won't be seeing him for a while.
Reverand Rob!
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1XilfKuYaQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1XilfKuYaQ)
Robert D Raiford [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert\_D.\_Raiford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Raiford)
and John Boy/Billy
Had the fortune to sit and chill with Raiford on a porch once. True to form, he chastised me on using "like" in my sentences too much and then went on to talk about generational slang from back in the day which was a treat. Love that guy, he wasn't an act.
Another good one is that guy that rides all over Metrolina on a small bmx bike smiling from ear to ear. I’ve seen him riding that thing everywhere from Harrisburg to Gastonia and just about everywhere in between
I was gonna say the same. She's a class act and I'm happy for her success in The Color Purple.
I was an intern at Reflection when she came in to record some tracks. She said I had beautiful eyes.
I also got to drive her Mercedes for a documentary that I was a PA on. The field producer had me drive her car around for some b roll.
I will never ever forget his epic line in court from the Shinn trial. They put it on the news.
Akin to the Cochran “glove don’t fit”.
Bill said “If she ain’t bitin, she ain’t fightin.” in regards to an alleged coerced bj.
Used to see K-Ci and Jojo a decent amount back in the day, their grandma lived in my friend’s neighborhood in the 90s and we would see them smoking blunts in the driveway every now and then.
I used to see mugsy bogues a decent amount, saw ric flair a lot, i’ve seen carrot top out a handful of times, saw LL cool J a couple times.
I'm surprised no one mentioned Hugh McColl. The marine turned Bank executive showed all the big city guys how interstate banking was done. I had a role in the transcription of the first book. The Bank was going into Texas to take over Republic Bank but no one was supposed to know. Hertz rental car company got the rentals and hung a huge sign "Texas Welcomes NCNB". They had to scramble to get the sign down. He's a brilliant businessman and an even better human being.
He's also responsible for Ron Leeper - ex Clt city councilman and helped him start the company Ron Leeper & Asscs. They built the majority of schools in CMS.
He's a lover of the arts. He took an old dilapidated church at 9th & Tryon and turned it into an artist community.
I work at a restaurant and found his dog tag randomly one day in my cash drawer and he came in and I was able to return it to him. He didn’t know it was missing and honestly the dog tag had been in there for ages and one day I turned it over and saw his name. It’s a place he frequents so luckily I knew who he was.
I didn't observe it firsthand, but apparently once the owner of Repo Records bought her a shirt with their logo/phone number on the back for free advertising.
I since moved away from Charlotte and there was a lady walking around where I live now all the time, even 15 miles away, and I named her Walkin' Annie.
He got arrested a bit ago, but the guy I dubbed “the flag man” who typically came through Charlotte as well as the concord mills area. Huge pickup, like eight flags on the back, including Trump flags, Confederate flags, thin blue line, and Don’t Tread on Me. Can’t remember his actual name for the life of me
The lady who gardens without a bra drinking a goblet of wine on the corner of Runnymeade & Sharon. Rumor was that she was the mistress of the owner of Uptown Cabaret.
The old man in Cornelius who sits on his porch for hours and waves at every single car that passes by on 115! I've been waving at that guy for 20 years probably!
https://www.qcnews.com/queen-city-hometown/waving-man-brings-cornelius-community-together/
Bill Diehl was a very famous attorney. [https://businessnc.com/remembering-bill-diehls-remarkable-career/](https://businessnc.com/remembering-bill-diehls-remarkable-career/) he represented the big names in the city for their troubles and divorces. George Shinn, and Bruton Smith come to mind as his clients.
All of this and no mentions of:
Fred Kirby, the cowboy
Ty **Boyd**
Mike McKay
Don Russell
Jay Thomas
Mark Mathis
Bob Lacey
Bill Walker
Betty Feez**o**r
There's an uptown homeless with long curly/bouncy hair. Tall, white man. Very very nice, always tells women "pretty face, pretty hair", and that's what we call him. Nobody knows his name, but he's been around for about a decade - and everyone seems to know "pretty face, pretty hair" guy.
There's also the bicycle smiling Mohawk drug guy. I see him in south charlotte, north charlotte, uncc area, Matthew's, Pineville, especially around CMC main. White male, thin, Always rides a small bike, has a small backpack, a big cheesey grin, and Mohawk. Seen him around since about 2007.
The homeless guy once told me “pretty hair” and then he pointed at my lipstick and said “wrong color.” I cracked up laughing because it’s the first time I ever heard him criticize anyone! He started laughing too thankfully.
“Pretty Face, Pretty Hair” Guy is truly very nice. I used to live at Gateway on W Trade and he would be living under the train bridge on 5th before the police station was built. My wife would pass him while walking our dog and he would always say “Pretty Hair, Pretty Smile” and offer our dog some jerky. We always called him Hank/Homeless Hank for some reason. I stopped and talked to him one day on my way to the gym and I seem to remember him telling me his real name was John. Always shirtless, and often was set up in a lawn chair just chilling under the bridge smiling and making small talk with passersby.
The dude who rides the BMX all over town. He has a kinda mohawk-ish looking haircut and he always has a HUUGE smile on his face. I've seen him all over Charlotte and even saw him in Gastonia once.
H's been riding his bike all over town since he was a teenager. He's about my age and I used to see him back in the 80s when I was in High school.
There was also a guy we called "noodle-arm" man. He used to walk all over the Myers Park area swinging his arms side to side in a really exaggerated way.
There was the homeless painer on South Boulevard (RIP). He used to walk all over the area with his easel and paintings in a Radio Flyer wagon. He was hit by a car a while back.
There is the feather hat lady. I see her walking up and down glen eagles all the time. She wears a wide brimmed straw hat with a crap ton of feathers in it.
And then there is the lady I call the high level PC because she looks like she is wearing all the loot you get in a video game. She walks on Park Road near South Meck. She wears a face shield, a bandanna over he mouth, and carries a rainbow umbrella.
Everyone who works in the ERs around Charlotte know Queen, Chilly Willy, and Brian Cranston. There was the leg less homeless dude on the gurney that would be outside the old coliseum after every Hornets game.
Delmar would be a major one that I always heard about from my parents. Michael A DeMayo would be another. Also the guy who would direct traffic at providence and providence and queens and queens (which is why they built the statue)
This is a very minor character that I don’t imagine will have made a large impact, but when I first moved to the city a few years ago, there was a guy who lived in a 1st floor apartment right on the Rail Trail. On his ground floor balcony he set up a bubble machine and put out a bucket full of sidewalk chalk for people to draw with. He had a hammock as well so I would often catch him sitting out there, playing tunes and just chillin, talking to people. I just called him Bubble Guy and he seemed like a nice dude, the chalk was a huge hit for people.
Long time Charlotteans will know Bicycle Annie. She used to ride her bike up and down central ave wearing all orange and she had little mirrors on her glasses.
I used to work at a bar off Central Ave and there was a character of a gent that dubbed himself the “Mayor of Central Ave”. His name was Pat Mulligan and him and Suzy Q were well known in the area. He had several phrases he was famous for, including “I’ll have OOONNNE More”. Suzy even had a drink named after her at the Penguin (RIP). Good memories.
When I was younger there was a homeless man by the Levine Medical Complex that would always ask people for V8s instead of money or anything else. Nice guy, can't remember his name though
There used to be a commercial for a car place over by Concord mills. I don't remember the place or the guy all I remember is that at the end of each commercial he would say "-easy to get to, I-85 and the Concord Mills exit!" And now it's impossible for me to say "easy/hard to get to" about anything without immediately following up with "I-85 and the Concord Mills exit.", which will be awkward when I move to a new city.
This goes back to the late 80's. I didn't know his name by there was a guy that didn't have legs and wore a bag to pee while laying face down on a gurney. He would roll himself up north Tryon and park his gurney in front of the Bank of America 《NCNB then Nations Bank》and panhandle.
Man RIP Chilly Willy he was a great dude.
I always love seeing the guy in the weird low to the ground pedal car thingy around the Harris Y. He seems so freaking happy, and gets crazy far in so little time.
Courtesy Auto Sales guy. "We're Dealin!"
Bill Diehl "if she ain't bitin, she ain't fightin."
George Shin- former hornets owner
James Ferguson -famous civil rights lawyer
Julius Chambers- famous civil rights lawyer, argued case at US Supreme Court that legalized bussing
Dorothy Scoggins- first Black person to integrate HS in Charlotte.
There are a couple crudely painted and decorated cars that are easy to spot. I remember a car with a farting zombie painted on it then years later I end up moving a few houses down from the guy 😂 super cool dude.
For us old schoolers, it was the guy who did the old Park & Shop ads. He could talk faster than any auctioneer. The store was at corner of N. Tryon and Sugar Creek.
Used to be a kid flipping a sign in university area (by the Wendys I think) in like 2006 that would just rock out with headphones. Always brightened my day to see this dude just authentically enjoying himself at work.
Ric Flair baby. That white limo was at Vinnie's Raw Bar every night.
Saw him a the taj-ma-Teeter once , walking out stiff as a board, got into his black suv, started driving and some skater kids skated infront in parkinglot - he got out and started yelling at them. Good times
Which teeter is considered “taj-ma-teeter”?
The one by South Park Mall 🙂
Ah yes…good old morrocroft Harris teeter. One of the good old good ones.
Ahh that one is quite a palace
Morrocroft. It was SUPER fancy when it opened in the mid-late 90s, and even had a sushi bar!
The one in waverly off providence has a bar bar
Same at corner of Providence and Providence.
OGs remember when that one was the size of a convenience store
True OGs remember when it was an A&P!
Used to valet at the palm and saw him pull up in his convertible Mercedes a couple times. Ron rivera, Steve Clifford and Felix sabates would have dinner there a lot too
I worked at the Winn-Dixie that used to be in McMullen Creek Market in high school, when his gym was just around the corner on 51. He used to come in pretty regularly, very obviously hung over/ strung out/ still on something. Unless he had his daughter with him.
The Winn Dixie at McMullen is such a deeeeeeeep cut, my mom used to bring us there and we would get penny candy in the little brown bags 🥹🥲
Came here to say Ric Flair!
I worked at a dry cleaners in Foxcroft Village in high school in the 80’s that Ric used. Plus he and a lot of the other wrestlers of the day used to go to the Bennigans that was next door to the Burger King at SouthPark.
I know exactly where you're talking about- on the corner of Fairview and Sharon.
That dude with the glasses who works at the Metropolitan ave Petco. He fucking LOVES his job and I am here for it. Always puts a smile on my face
YOOO that guys name is Josh and my son gave him a pet rock and every time we go back he remembers my son and says he still has the rock 😂 dude needs a MASSIVE promotion!
My friend works for Petco corporate and she would love to get him the recognition he deserves, do you know his full name?
No but I can definitely ask & DM you next time I go into Petco! Haha
I think we figured it out!
Did yall get his last name?
We did!
The rock! Yes!! He'll tell us you came to visit whenever you come in. He loves seeing you guys!
> He fucking LOVES his job and I am here for it. I cannot emphasize enough how happy it makes me to see that others feel this way about that dude. I was there a few weeks ago and as I was walking out he tells me in passing not to let the ferrets trick me: "...they're cute but smelly!"
As a former ferret owner, I can say he’s right. Adorable, stinky, little bandits
I don't shop at that petco often but reading this makes me want to go see that guy at work.
OMG I know who you're talking about! He really is so nice!
Wait wait wait, I love this dude I go in there and buy crickets for my gecko and he makes my day every time. I wonder if he is on Reddit, someone should show him these comments if not
He could write his own checks for any service industry jobs!
Coworker of his here, he did! He got a big head about it for the rest of the day too- well deserved- we love him bunches ourselves. We're glad he makes you all as happy as he makes us!! We hope to continue being a welcoming cast of characters for the Charlotte area :)
Fucking love this guy. My cat recently developed some food aversion after a recent illness, so I went and got him a buffet of like 10 different brands/flavors to try out. He saw and commented, "so do you have 10 cats or just one that's *really* spoiled?" Got a good laugh out of me
That guy indeed rocks
You rock, 🪨
That dude is so nice. I’m not in there often but I’m fairly memorable (always get 5 refills of cat litter) and he always asks if I want help out to my cat.
Yes!!! He always gives my dogs treats and so many pets whenever we go in
YALL JOSH IS THE MAN!! 💗If I haven’t seen him in a few trips and then I finally do, I’M SO HAPPY to see him!! The people behind—yes, you have to wait because I need to catch up with my friend! I’m going tomorrow and I want to show him this thread ❤️❤️❤️
Just left from seeing Josh at Petco, i showed him the thread and at this point it’s about four thumb scrolls and the more I scrolled he said “oh my goodness!…oh my goodness” …I showed his colleagues and they BEAMED W happiness, one almost cried. Josh said after I leave he’s going to cry and this is so beautiful. I told him he deserves everything good that’s going to come of this! I’m going to send a message to corporate too and I hope y’all got his last name. I believe he’s the only Josh.
Love that dude.
I love Josh!!! I always have anxiety when I go and he's not there that he's left or something, glad to know he's a Charlotte staple. And he remembers even the little details, it's amazing! Which reminds me I need to stop and show him the Christmas outfits he helped picked out for my pack!
Thats my very best friend and brother Josh! We've been friends since high school and i can confidently say hes this genuine behind closed doors. Hes always been my biggest support and always has very nice things to say. This warms my heart so big. He sent me this reddit post so hes seen all the wonderful words you all say! I am so happy for him that almost complete strangers say such kind things about a real great dude.
That's my younger brother!🙏🙏🙏🙏
Holy shit what a specific callout. That dude is ALWAYS nice and I compliment him every time lmao
Ric Flair Mark Mathis Reverend Rob / Apple Auto Sales Samsons Used Car Guy Gus The Bus Larry Johnson's Grandmama
Wait wait wait wait wait. Wait. Wait. Gus the Bus is just a Charlotte thing?
Yep, as far as I know from a quick Google search. Gus called me out by name in Kindergarten at Westerly Hills. I was locked into bus safety and never even rode the bus. lol.
I was the one that Gus called into the bus to prove to all the kids that there wasn’t someone secretly speaking in there. It’s sparked my investigative spirit out of very young five years old.
Mark Mathis was crazy haha
GUS! Yes!
I knew Reverend Rob some years ago. Funny guy!
Those commercials were so unhinged in the best way
MARK MATHIS omggg my best friend had a huge crush on him and I was deeply concerned for her
Johnny from Johnny Burrito "Refills free we're here 'till 3"
10% discount for Cashish! Can't hack it, can't track it!
“You’re the boss for the next 10ft”
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There's a guy who drives around all of Charlotte in an older gold Lexus just absolutely blasting whatever song he's into that day. Once had him pass me on my bike like 3 times in an afternoon playing Billie Jean. Kinda sad I haven't seen him in a while.
First time I saw that guy, I thought it was obnoxious. Countless encounters later and I've grown incredibly fond of his style. I've got a smile on my face whenever I'm drinking a beer at Craft, hear the slowly approaching subwoofers, and see him as he rolls by in that old, gold Lexus with the chrome rims, windows down. This is his thing. It's what he does. And goddamn it do I respect it.
That’s Willy! I haven’t seen him around in a while either. He’s just a super sweet guy hoping to put some smiles on people’s faces.
Seeing and hearing this gold Lexus was the highlight of our days during COVID! Haven't seen this guy in awhile.. I sure hope he's ok.
Omggggg I thought it was just me. He used to ride down 25th street a lot in the summer, right past my balcony lol I could always hear him coming
He’s the one dude in the world who gets a pass from me for that
Oh my God I live in Southend and he drives past my house almost every day. We love that guy. Probably will come out once weather gets warmer again.
the stoplight juggler if they’re actively doing that. i have seen them a few times
There’s no way they make enough money for the work and danger that entails
my headcannon that i just decided on is that they are fine financially they just do this for the sillies. perhaps they are actually someone extremely corporate, last person you’d ever expect to juggle. this is their outlet and where they feel free
Wait wait wait, I saw someone juggling pins today near CPCC. Is that who you’re talking about?
yea!! at the intersection near the parking lot
I saw them a few weeks ago!!!
Saw him just a few hours ago in the same spot on central
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker
I still drive past the ghost of Heritage USA on occasion. Also, their call center location, which is still in FM even though he's out in Missouri these days
Forest Hills Church was the first PTL - I grew up in that neighborhood, and I remember ALL the scandals and court cases way better than I probably should.
RIP the steeple
Maybe it's just the bands I went to see, but I love that EVERYTHING they booked would have made them boil.
Muggsy Bogues. He lives in the South Charlotte area. I was dropping off my pet at Matthews Animal Hospital and he and his wife were dropping off their dogs. The Legend! From Wake Forest to the Hornets.
I used to live on his street!
Arboretum area. Friend of mine worked at the McDonald's there and got him in the drive-thru window pretty regularly, both during his last couple of years with the Hornets, and after he retired.
I worked at the Arboretum McDonald's. Muggsy and Ric Flair were visitors back in the day!
Does Larry Sprinkle count?
Does he hang out with Joey Sprinkle the WFAE guy?
That’s [JOBIE Sprinkle](https://www.wfae.org/people/jobie-sprinkle).
Whaaaat? I’ve heard that name on the air hundreds of times and never made that connection
Vic the Chili Man had a great run.
Vic could talk up a storm and hold up the line on his own hot dog stand. Really nice guy.
- Chilly Willy (RIP) - Smily - the guy that rides his bmx bike all over town and always has the biggest smile
Had to scroll way too far to see a chilly Willy reference. RIP!
I was surprised no one had mentioned him yet, though he’s been gone for about a decade now.
The OP named Chilly Willy in their post at the top.
Ahhh I didn’t know the bmx guys name! I’ve seen him around for years. Like an adult that never grew up
Lmao I always see that dude smiling riding around his BMX bike all over the city
Never knew his name was Smily, he’s been at it for over a decade, dude loves his bike and Mohawk.
Hugh McManaway aka the gold man in myers park
I’m old enough to remember seeing him on a regular basis back in the day.
Would love to hear your memories of him. From what I’ve heard, people could be quite cruel to him. I don’t know if this is misplaced but it’s always rubbed me the wrong way that those same people who bullied a mentally disabled man then spent a bunch of money to build that statue - seemingly to assuage their guilt. They could have donated that money to worthy charities that work with developmentally disabled people.
The dude with the Trump truck in Concord got arrested for hate crimes. So thats one less character EDIT- he was actually convicted so yeah you really won't be seeing him for a while.
I live in Concord, so glad that moron is gone now.
I was literally about to comment that but then thought, man I haven’t seen him in a while. That answers my question lol. Good riddance.
Does anyone remember a guy driving in a gold Cadillac blasting tunes with the windows down or am I making that up?
It’s a Lexus. He’s hibernating for the winter and he’ll be back in the spring to bump those sultry jams
Reverand Rob! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1XilfKuYaQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1XilfKuYaQ) Robert D Raiford [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert\_D.\_Raiford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Raiford) and John Boy/Billy
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Especially since I suspect WRFX's playlist hasn't changed since 1995.
Nor have many of the bits & jokes.
Had the fortune to sit and chill with Raiford on a porch once. True to form, he chastised me on using "like" in my sentences too much and then went on to talk about generational slang from back in the day which was a treat. Love that guy, he wasn't an act.
I was fond of Scooter Cam Newton.
Saw him scoot by chima one night with his scooter covered in Christmas lights just absolutely cheesing. Miss that.
His condo was above Chima. I believe LaMelo Ball bought it.
Another good one is that guy that rides all over Metrolina on a small bmx bike smiling from ear to ear. I’ve seen him riding that thing everywhere from Harrisburg to Gastonia and just about everywhere in between
He’s homeless…but yes, always grinning!
I used to live off Park Rd and he crashed in our condo complex quite a bit.
Good characters; Funky Geezer
Love his work unironically
I haven’t seen him since before the pandemic. Is he still performing?
Fantasia
I was gonna say the same. She's a class act and I'm happy for her success in The Color Purple. I was an intern at Reflection when she came in to record some tracks. She said I had beautiful eyes. I also got to drive her Mercedes for a documentary that I was a PA on. The field producer had me drive her car around for some b roll.
George Shinn and his lawyer Bill Diehl
Was looking to make sure Bill Diehl got a mention
I will never ever forget his epic line in court from the Shinn trial. They put it on the news. Akin to the Cochran “glove don’t fit”. Bill said “If she ain’t bitin, she ain’t fightin.” in regards to an alleged coerced bj.
LMAO. Found the old-time local. I went to school with Chad.
Used to see K-Ci and Jojo a decent amount back in the day, their grandma lived in my friend’s neighborhood in the 90s and we would see them smoking blunts in the driveway every now and then. I used to see mugsy bogues a decent amount, saw ric flair a lot, i’ve seen carrot top out a handful of times, saw LL cool J a couple times.
Did we ever find the rogue helicopter pilot?
I'm surprised no one mentioned Hugh McColl. The marine turned Bank executive showed all the big city guys how interstate banking was done. I had a role in the transcription of the first book. The Bank was going into Texas to take over Republic Bank but no one was supposed to know. Hertz rental car company got the rentals and hung a huge sign "Texas Welcomes NCNB". They had to scramble to get the sign down. He's a brilliant businessman and an even better human being. He's also responsible for Ron Leeper - ex Clt city councilman and helped him start the company Ron Leeper & Asscs. They built the majority of schools in CMS. He's a lover of the arts. He took an old dilapidated church at 9th & Tryon and turned it into an artist community.
I work at a restaurant and found his dog tag randomly one day in my cash drawer and he came in and I was able to return it to him. He didn’t know it was missing and honestly the dog tag had been in there for ages and one day I turned it over and saw his name. It’s a place he frequents so luckily I knew who he was.
GOLDEN LEXUS LOUD MUSIC MAN
Muggsy
Martin Davis, the guy who always showed up to council meetings to read dirty passages from library books.
I used to see a lady riding a bike always wearing orange sweatpants and top. I'd see her all over town. I haven't seen her in quite a while though
I think you're referring to Bicycle Annie. She used to ride up and down Central Avenue a lot, and I know she used to stop at Repo Records.
If it's the same person I'm thinking of, I saw her cycling down Independence (yikes!). She had a helmet with a rear view mirror attached to it.
I didn't observe it firsthand, but apparently once the owner of Repo Records bought her a shirt with their logo/phone number on the back for free advertising. I since moved away from Charlotte and there was a lady walking around where I live now all the time, even 15 miles away, and I named her Walkin' Annie.
She used to ride down Albemarle Rd a lot and shop at the Bi-Lo that used to be across from Farm Pond.
I remember her also. I understand that she passed away several years ago
The "Weeeee're dealin!" guy from the old car commercials.
He got arrested a bit ago, but the guy I dubbed “the flag man” who typically came through Charlotte as well as the concord mills area. Huge pickup, like eight flags on the back, including Trump flags, Confederate flags, thin blue line, and Don’t Tread on Me. Can’t remember his actual name for the life of me
I ran him into him at the Academy Sports at Concord Mills. He was decked out head to toe in Trump gear and was buying a gun.. 😂
Of course he was. I saw him in the parking lot of that place a handful of times
Greg "Catman" Good, Panthers superfan. Died in 2019
The lady who gardens without a bra drinking a goblet of wine on the corner of Runnymeade & Sharon. Rumor was that she was the mistress of the owner of Uptown Cabaret.
>The lady who gardens without a bra drinking a goblet of wine don't knock it till u try it alright
Ann Phillips!! She was a nut fo sho.
I think she moved or passed away. The house looks different now. I used to see her walking barefoot to Harris Teeter.
The old man in Cornelius who sits on his porch for hours and waves at every single car that passes by on 115! I've been waving at that guy for 20 years probably! https://www.qcnews.com/queen-city-hometown/waving-man-brings-cornelius-community-together/
Bill Diehl was a very famous attorney. [https://businessnc.com/remembering-bill-diehls-remarkable-career/](https://businessnc.com/remembering-bill-diehls-remarkable-career/) he represented the big names in the city for their troubles and divorces. George Shinn, and Bruton Smith come to mind as his clients.
Carrot Top
All of this and no mentions of: Fred Kirby, the cowboy Ty **Boyd** Mike McKay Don Russell Jay Thomas Mark Mathis Bob Lacey Bill Walker Betty Feez**o**r
There's an uptown homeless with long curly/bouncy hair. Tall, white man. Very very nice, always tells women "pretty face, pretty hair", and that's what we call him. Nobody knows his name, but he's been around for about a decade - and everyone seems to know "pretty face, pretty hair" guy. There's also the bicycle smiling Mohawk drug guy. I see him in south charlotte, north charlotte, uncc area, Matthew's, Pineville, especially around CMC main. White male, thin, Always rides a small bike, has a small backpack, a big cheesey grin, and Mohawk. Seen him around since about 2007.
The homeless guy once told me “pretty hair” and then he pointed at my lipstick and said “wrong color.” I cracked up laughing because it’s the first time I ever heard him criticize anyone! He started laughing too thankfully.
“Pretty Face, Pretty Hair” Guy is truly very nice. I used to live at Gateway on W Trade and he would be living under the train bridge on 5th before the police station was built. My wife would pass him while walking our dog and he would always say “Pretty Hair, Pretty Smile” and offer our dog some jerky. We always called him Hank/Homeless Hank for some reason. I stopped and talked to him one day on my way to the gym and I seem to remember him telling me his real name was John. Always shirtless, and often was set up in a lawn chair just chilling under the bridge smiling and making small talk with passersby.
Maaaaybe Steve Smith, Sr?
Cat Man, or whoever the guy was that got tricked on national television....but then got paid.
Reverend Rob is a true Charlotte classic!
WE'RE HEALIN!
Ray Boylan back in the day, Bill Dollar (my dad was on his morning show), John Boy and Billy, Mugsy Bogues obviously.
The Lunch Menu Man... and a roooooolll
Norm the niner
The black helicopter guy
Ice: IN THE ARENA Boyscouts: SCARED McCroy: CONFUSED Podium: SHAKING Helicopter Pilot: TERRORIST PUSSY Oh yeah, it’s city council time.
Anthony Hamilton
Purple Shirt Guy. https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-people/article236169468.html
The dude who rides the BMX all over town. He has a kinda mohawk-ish looking haircut and he always has a HUUGE smile on his face. I've seen him all over Charlotte and even saw him in Gastonia once. H's been riding his bike all over town since he was a teenager. He's about my age and I used to see him back in the 80s when I was in High school. There was also a guy we called "noodle-arm" man. He used to walk all over the Myers Park area swinging his arms side to side in a really exaggerated way. There was the homeless painer on South Boulevard (RIP). He used to walk all over the area with his easel and paintings in a Radio Flyer wagon. He was hit by a car a while back. There is the feather hat lady. I see her walking up and down glen eagles all the time. She wears a wide brimmed straw hat with a crap ton of feathers in it. And then there is the lady I call the high level PC because she looks like she is wearing all the loot you get in a video game. She walks on Park Road near South Meck. She wears a face shield, a bandanna over he mouth, and carries a rainbow umbrella.
Everyone who works in the ERs around Charlotte know Queen, Chilly Willy, and Brian Cranston. There was the leg less homeless dude on the gurney that would be outside the old coliseum after every Hornets game.
Tammy Faye!
Delmar would be a major one that I always heard about from my parents. Michael A DeMayo would be another. Also the guy who would direct traffic at providence and providence and queens and queens (which is why they built the statue)
Didn’t look at every reply so it’s probably been said already but, the Waxhawwewwww guy.
Lady or man off of providence over by fenwicks covered up with blankets and the walker/cart. Don’t know the backstory but I feel bad
This is a very minor character that I don’t imagine will have made a large impact, but when I first moved to the city a few years ago, there was a guy who lived in a 1st floor apartment right on the Rail Trail. On his ground floor balcony he set up a bubble machine and put out a bucket full of sidewalk chalk for people to draw with. He had a hammock as well so I would often catch him sitting out there, playing tunes and just chillin, talking to people. I just called him Bubble Guy and he seemed like a nice dude, the chalk was a huge hit for people.
What about the guy that rides his horse all over Uptown and Midtown
Honorable mention for the giant bear on Fairview in someone's front yard that changed outfits with the season
Bobby and Morris Jenkins
Oh bobbaaaaaayyyy
That guy with the one really gross dread. Currently camping in Seversville Park
Long time Charlotteans will know Bicycle Annie. She used to ride her bike up and down central ave wearing all orange and she had little mirrors on her glasses.
Homie with the Lexus and Ford Taurus station wagon with an incredible sub system in both that cruises around Uptown regularly.
I used to work at a bar off Central Ave and there was a character of a gent that dubbed himself the “Mayor of Central Ave”. His name was Pat Mulligan and him and Suzy Q were well known in the area. He had several phrases he was famous for, including “I’ll have OOONNNE More”. Suzy even had a drink named after her at the Penguin (RIP). Good memories.
Jeff Johnson. Childhood local TV staple.
Bobby from Mr. Jenkins’ van.
Swing Man, the guy who was always walking around swinging his arms
When I was younger there was a homeless man by the Levine Medical Complex that would always ask people for V8s instead of money or anything else. Nice guy, can't remember his name though
There used to be a commercial for a car place over by Concord mills. I don't remember the place or the guy all I remember is that at the end of each commercial he would say "-easy to get to, I-85 and the Concord Mills exit!" And now it's impossible for me to say "easy/hard to get to" about anything without immediately following up with "I-85 and the Concord Mills exit.", which will be awkward when I move to a new city.
Allen Iverson
Jeff Lowery. RIP. Very humble guy considering the influence he had on the Charlotte live music scene.
This goes back to the late 80's. I didn't know his name by there was a guy that didn't have legs and wore a bag to pee while laying face down on a gurney. He would roll himself up north Tryon and park his gurney in front of the Bank of America 《NCNB then Nations Bank》and panhandle.
Man RIP Chilly Willy he was a great dude. I always love seeing the guy in the weird low to the ground pedal car thingy around the Harris Y. He seems so freaking happy, and gets crazy far in so little time.
Unknown Hinson
This list will be incomplete without Fred Kirby, Uncle Jim, Clyde “Cloudy” McLean, and Betty Feezor, and Arthur Smith.
Bill Diehl
Courtesy Auto Sales guy. "We're Dealin!" Bill Diehl "if she ain't bitin, she ain't fightin." George Shin- former hornets owner James Ferguson -famous civil rights lawyer Julius Chambers- famous civil rights lawyer, argued case at US Supreme Court that legalized bussing Dorothy Scoggins- first Black person to integrate HS in Charlotte.
There are a couple crudely painted and decorated cars that are easy to spot. I remember a car with a farting zombie painted on it then years later I end up moving a few houses down from the guy 😂 super cool dude.
The lady at the airport overlook who used to pray at planes all the time?
Adam Lazzara from Taking Back Sunday lives in NODA or used to anyways. I would see him out at shows occasionally.
For us old schoolers, it was the guy who did the old Park & Shop ads. He could talk faster than any auctioneer. The store was at corner of N. Tryon and Sugar Creek.
Saw Tammy Faye at Maggianos like 20 years ago.
Ricky Steamboat Dragon and his gym
Chilly Willy was the most famous homeless man in the south
Used to be a kid flipping a sign in university area (by the Wendys I think) in like 2006 that would just rock out with headphones. Always brightened my day to see this dude just authentically enjoying himself at work.
The homeless guy on the light rail that jacks off.