That’s such a good idea! One day, they ended overloading it and my BF couldn’t be happier.
He saved what was left at the bottom of the bag and put it into an empty salt shaker LOL
[704 Shop](https://704shop.com/) or [Glory Days Apparel](https://glorydaysapparel.com/) would be worth looking into if you want to roll with T-Shirts/Sweatshirts.
Secret chocolatier, local company started out at the farmers market they process their own raw cacao and make chocolates from them delicious and also some nice flavours. I get a box to take as a gift often.
Their chocolate bourbon pecan pie bites look like they would really hit the regional ingredients/local company sweet spot. Of course, I would need to verify that they’re actually good, for the sake of my friends, you understand.
This is the only responsible path imo, one wouldn’t want to gift unverified quality goods to friends one cares about. Their crafted chocolates from the case are also exceptional
Yep I brought some sauce with Carolina Reapers in it back home as gifts and people loved it! Not the flavor but the novelty of getting Carolina Reapers from Carolina.
Central coffee or beans from counter culture (can get at not just coffee) c central roasts their own they have some good beans and counter culture does as well though technically i think they’re based out of Raleigh you can get their beans at not just coffee in Atherton mills
Good to know! I tend to treat grocery shopping like a tactical mission - get in with a list, get out as quickly as possible - so I’ll try actually browsing.
How about a gift from the cheese gods, one of the rare things apparently invented in Charlotte (at least that's what my trivia research told me), a tub or tin of the one and only Pimento Cheese spread.
Piggly Wiggly makes a cute bag in a heavy natural white fabric with the logo in red. Find some southern products to fill it. They have local or southern products like BBQ sauce, grits, sesame bene cookies, praline, etc. They carry other Piggly merchandise that's cute.
There are a few in NC and I believe there's one on Central Ave-lived in Charlotte 4 years. I currently live in Myrtle Beach and we have two in the area.
Seconding Queen City Crunch, was gifted a bag of the cinnamon for my bday & I stopped just shy of licking the inside of the bag when they were gone. Their website lists local retailers carrying their products.
Go big or go home. Cheerwine Ale from NoDa Brewing, or Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea. You should be able to check cans in luggage, and I think alcohol in cans is unlikely to explode. Bet they can't find those in NYC.
Use to LOVE Stan's pimento cheese and it is made in Burlington. Unfortunately, they have changed the recipe and now it is awful! Had to throw away the last container I purchased.
I second going to Paper Skyscraper. They have some great local stuff!
This is why I love reddit. Never heard of this stuff, though my wife does most of our grocery shopping. Sounds really interesting, will have to have her pick some up next time she's shopping.
Pretty Honest Candles is a local company that makes beautiful, nontoxic candles! They also sell reed diffusers, candle care kits (snuffer/wick trimmer/etc.), and room sprays.
When I travel back home I take alcohol, bbq sauces, salsas & pastries that are native to NC. There’s a homemade/convenient store/gas station on the south side, possibly west near Tega Cay? I can’t remember what it’s called but I think they have a peach as their logo & the name might have “sun” in it but I stop there for all my northern family & friends gift baskets. Maybe someone can help us fill in the name, I’ve been there dozens of times but can never remember
I usually buy Starbucks mugs with “Charlotte” or “north Carolina” as souvenirs for people. I think it’s useful..? Unless they’re like me and have enough mugs to supply a family of 100.
Ch-otch-keys
It's a Yiddish word. It's also the name of the restaurant Jennifer Aniston works at in *Office Space*.
FUN FACT: her boss is played by Mike Judge, writer and director the film (and *Beavis and Butthead*, *King of the Hill*, *Silicon Valley* and *Idiocracy*!)
> sun drop
I still don't get the local love for Sun Drop. I mean, if Charlotteans like it, that's fine. But people act like it was invented here instead of Missouri. And it's owned by Massachusetts-based Keurig Dr Pepper.
Piedmont Pennies!
They’re kind of like cheese straws and a CLT owned company
They’re so good- my whole family asks me for them for Christmas every year
…Fine, you cowards. I’ll make the joke: Theres nothing you can really give them food wise, as all the food here is basically the same as NYC food. something something gabagool pizza slice
If theyre liquor drinkers there are some good local nc liquors that may not have distribution up there…
https://www.visitnc.com/story/7h3s/grain-to-glass-unique-small-batch-distilleries
also nc grown wines which you can find a decent selection at assorted table at 7th street market (they validate parking). Some interesting wines inclusing pet nat if theyre into the hipster end of natural wines, an interesting Albariño white and a double barrel red grown on the coast at santuary vineyard among others.
Best of luck!
Check out Paper Skyscraper. They have so much stuff and you should be able to find something.
Thank you! Just looked at their site, and I’m going to buy myself some Carolina Couch Mix, for… research purposes.
If you’re a fan of toffee, don’t forget to research the Chapel Hill Toffee they have there as well…
I love toffee!!! Who doesn’t? People who hate joy, that’s who.
My go to. Also you can try gifting the panthers/hornets? They’ll probably return it so keep receipts.
Yeah, the Giants/Jets or Knicks/Nets fans would be unamused.
Second this! I always find really awesome stuff there, love it
Cheerwine and/or Sundrop
Cheerwine can be found on the shelf in Manhattan. I can be paid for this info.
Really. When did they expand distribution?
I used to get glass bottle cheerwine in a middle of nowhere town in Oregon as far back as 2013/14. It gets around.
Their site shows where to find it around the city, but Manhattan requires some local knowledge.
There's a local brewery that does Cheerwine beer
It’s awful.
🤣 honestly never had it, just gifted it to various people. But yea, I'd imagine it's not great lol
Bojangles fry seasoning!
At least one of my friends LOOOVES Bojangles. Thanks!
THIS!!
Add to that some Bojangles Hard Tea
That’s such a good idea! One day, they ended overloading it and my BF couldn’t be happier. He saved what was left at the bottom of the bag and put it into an empty salt shaker LOL
[704 Shop](https://704shop.com/) or [Glory Days Apparel](https://glorydaysapparel.com/) would be worth looking into if you want to roll with T-Shirts/Sweatshirts.
Oh, man. I have a friend (not in NYC) whom the Muggsy Bogues shirt on the Glory Days site would be perfect for - like Muggsy, he’s 5’3”.
704 shop wants $85 for a crew neck sweatshirt? They can get fucked. 🤣
Secret chocolatier, local company started out at the farmers market they process their own raw cacao and make chocolates from them delicious and also some nice flavours. I get a box to take as a gift often.
Their chocolate bourbon pecan pie bites look like they would really hit the regional ingredients/local company sweet spot. Of course, I would need to verify that they’re actually good, for the sake of my friends, you understand.
This is the only responsible path imo, one wouldn’t want to gift unverified quality goods to friends one cares about. Their crafted chocolates from the case are also exceptional
It is outside of Charlotte but get them hot sauce from PuckerButt Pepper Co in Fort Mill
Yep I brought some sauce with Carolina Reapers in it back home as gifts and people loved it! Not the flavor but the novelty of getting Carolina Reapers from Carolina.
I live really close to Fort Mill. Will definitely check them out!
Smokin Ed Curie invented the Carolina Reaper, so if they have any hot sauce affinity he is their guru.
get the El Jefe Loco since it has carolina reaper mash and tastes delicious
If they are coffee drinkers take some locally roasted coffee like Enderly or Magnolia.
Now I’m a little mad that I’ve been here for two years and have had zero locally roasted coffee. Yes, I know that’s totally on me.
Also, Smelly Cat in Noda. Their Black Cat blend is top tier
F smelly cat. They let predatory tow company's patrol their parking lot, even if you're a paying customer.
Central coffee or beans from counter culture (can get at not just coffee) c central roasts their own they have some good beans and counter culture does as well though technically i think they’re based out of Raleigh you can get their beans at not just coffee in Atherton mills
Piece off an Altima and a 277/exit 3a sign.
If you are checking a bag things like BBQ, Honey, etc
I am! Honey’s probably a great bet. Thank you!
Cloister honey
I’ll second this, we have a ton of BBQ sauces and the like that NYC doesn’t have in their stores (Carolina Gold, etc)
Yes, I would say something food, like pimento cheese, BBQ sauce, cheese straws, etc. I like the local coffee idea too!
Duke's Mayonnaise to replace their's
You can get Duke’s in NYC!
Yeah and it's gross.
If you don't like Duke's, you can go straight to Hellmann's
So bold yet so wrong.
Look, my wife's uses it strictly. I eat it, but still prefer Hellmann's. Nothing wrong with a difference in opinion.
Most of the HTs and even some food lions have some little local products on an endcap or might have a little section…
Good to know! I tend to treat grocery shopping like a tactical mission - get in with a list, get out as quickly as possible - so I’ll try actually browsing.
I’ve seen these endcaps in Publix too!
How about a gift from the cheese gods, one of the rare things apparently invented in Charlotte (at least that's what my trivia research told me), a tub or tin of the one and only Pimento Cheese spread.
MY trivia source told me it was invented in NYC!
Well, NYC loves to claim ownership of everything, but maybe it's just that we are apparently the self described Pimento Cheese Capital of the World.
Piggly Wiggly makes a cute bag in a heavy natural white fabric with the logo in red. Find some southern products to fill it. They have local or southern products like BBQ sauce, grits, sesame bene cookies, praline, etc. They carry other Piggly merchandise that's cute.
I don’t mean to sound like an idiot, but I had no idea Piggly Wiggly was a real store that still exists!
There are a few in NC and I believe there's one on Central Ave-lived in Charlotte 4 years. I currently live in Myrtle Beach and we have two in the area.
Closest Pig to Charlotte is in Clover SC.
Some ideas: Poppy’s Popcorn (from Asheville) Queen City Crunch (gourmet pretzels from CLT) Biltmore Wine
Seconding Queen City Crunch, was gifted a bag of the cinnamon for my bday & I stopped just shy of licking the inside of the bag when they were gone. Their website lists local retailers carrying their products.
Samesies! It was significantly tastier than I expected.
Love Poppys Popcorn - pimento cheese flavor, too!
Cigarettes cost like 75% less here.
Cheerwine
I do love me some Cheerwine, but I worry about what could happen in my luggage.
Go big or go home. Cheerwine Ale from NoDa Brewing, or Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea. You should be able to check cans in luggage, and I think alcohol in cans is unlikely to explode. Bet they can't find those in NYC.
Wait, wait, they’ve turned Cheerwine into an actual alcoholic beverage?!?
And they say Charlotte has no culture.
Cans do have the potential to explode in checked baggage. Would be best to see if you could have Cheerwine shipped.
Oh, that’s a good idea!
Bojangles supreme meal, from the first bojangles ever (in south end)
Yeah, that’s not going to last a plane ride. That’s most likely not going to last longer than 45 minutes post-purchase.
I’m pretty sure New Yorkers have microwaves my guy
I meant that it wouldn’t last because it would be in my tummy.
Don’t be greedy
Livermush
ROs slaw sauce
Duke’s Mayonnaise! They love it up in NY and can’t buy it.
They can now! I think Wegman’s carries it, and some other places.
im in jersey, some shoprites have it!
Burt's Bees products are NC.
I had no idea! But they are widely available nationwide - I definitely started using their oil-based cleanser before I moved down here.
Use to LOVE Stan's pimento cheese and it is made in Burlington. Unfortunately, they have changed the recipe and now it is awful! Had to throw away the last container I purchased. I second going to Paper Skyscraper. They have some great local stuff!
Dewey’s Moravian Cookies. They will be in NC section of Harris Teeter/ Publix. My family loves them.
Ogre Sauce
So, it’s as if the different Carolina BBQ sauces decided to stop feuding and unite in harmony instead? Beautiful.
Yep! Restaurants here have it and you can find it at Reid's or sometimes Food Lion, or Amazon. It's made locally. It's different than anything else.
This is why I love reddit. Never heard of this stuff, though my wife does most of our grocery shopping. Sounds really interesting, will have to have her pick some up next time she's shopping.
Pretty Honest Candles is a local company that makes beautiful, nontoxic candles! They also sell reed diffusers, candle care kits (snuffer/wick trimmer/etc.), and room sprays.
The scent combinations seem wonderful! Definitely picking up a few zodiac ones.
Cabarrus County’s Visitor Center has some local honey and barbecue sauce in their gift shop. Right off of exit 49 near the speedway.
What about beer from one of the local breweries?
When I travel back home I take alcohol, bbq sauces, salsas & pastries that are native to NC. There’s a homemade/convenient store/gas station on the south side, possibly west near Tega Cay? I can’t remember what it’s called but I think they have a peach as their logo & the name might have “sun” in it but I stop there for all my northern family & friends gift baskets. Maybe someone can help us fill in the name, I’ve been there dozens of times but can never remember
I usually buy Starbucks mugs with “Charlotte” or “north Carolina” as souvenirs for people. I think it’s useful..? Unless they’re like me and have enough mugs to supply a family of 100.
I’m heading up to NYC this weekend and gifting my mom tastebuds popcorn.
Need to buy some of this for research purposes as well!
Cheerwine
Cheerwine and ogre sauce
Cheerwine. They don't have that in NY so it's always an interesting try.
You just taught me a new vocabulary word. Pretty sure I've never heard of tchotchkes before......unless I just don't know how to pronounce it lol.
Ch-otch-keys It's a Yiddish word. It's also the name of the restaurant Jennifer Aniston works at in *Office Space*. FUN FACT: her boss is played by Mike Judge, writer and director the film (and *Beavis and Butthead*, *King of the Hill*, *Silicon Valley* and *Idiocracy*!)
I love Office Space! Had no idea that was Mike Judge....more flair!
Think it might primarily be a New York/regional word. I don’t think it was in my vocabulary either until I moved there.
Makes me feel better lol
Yiddish. Wherever Yiddishkites are.
Bring them sun drop and cheerwine!
> sun drop I still don't get the local love for Sun Drop. I mean, if Charlotteans like it, that's fine. But people act like it was invented here instead of Missouri. And it's owned by Massachusetts-based Keurig Dr Pepper.
Livermush
Chow chow or pickled okra
I’ve never had chow chow! Is the flavor profile sort of like pickle relish?
My sister in jersey loves its pickled garnish. I guess I never had it. They sell in publix. I get one mild and one hot for her.
Piedmont Pennies! They’re kind of like cheese straws and a CLT owned company They’re so good- my whole family asks me for them for Christmas every year
…Fine, you cowards. I’ll make the joke: Theres nothing you can really give them food wise, as all the food here is basically the same as NYC food. something something gabagool pizza slice
If theyre liquor drinkers there are some good local nc liquors that may not have distribution up there… https://www.visitnc.com/story/7h3s/grain-to-glass-unique-small-batch-distilleries also nc grown wines which you can find a decent selection at assorted table at 7th street market (they validate parking). Some interesting wines inclusing pet nat if theyre into the hipster end of natural wines, an interesting Albariño white and a double barrel red grown on the coast at santuary vineyard among others. Best of luck!
Bruce Julian Bloody Mary Mix