Raleigh’s iconic signs 👀

5 iconic Raleigh signs

Thrillist named Longleaf North Carolina’s coolest hotel in 2022 + 2024. | Photo by Tyler Northrup

Last week, we asked readers what came to mind as the most iconic Raleigh signs. Here are five signs we love to pass by.

The Longleaf Hotel

📍 300 N. Dawson St. | You know you’ve made it downtown when you see the “Long Live Longleaf” neon light. The hotel was originally built in the 1960s and was renovated in 2019, giving it a mid-century modern look. In 2022, Thrillist named it the coolest hotel in NC.

The original Char-Grill

📍 618 Hillsborough St. | This is where it all began. In 1959, restaurateur Bruce Garner opened the first Char-Grill ever. This location has been slingin’ flame-cooked burgers ever since. The eatery could be torn down to make way for a new mixed-use tower, but the developers plan to rebuild and incorporate the restaurant.

DECO

📍 207 S. Salisbury St. | This quirky gift shop got a face lift in November 2022 to celebrate its 10 year anniversary. The star of the show is the new neon sign designed by the local makers at Glas.

The Roast Grill

📍 7 S. West St. | Get ‘em while they’re fresh. This 13-seat, hole-in-the-wall restaurant has been serving hot weiners since 1940. Check out seven more spots to grab a dawg in Raleigh.

Krispy Kreme

📍 549 N. Person St. | You already know where we’ll be when the “hot now” sign lights up. This is where runners down one dozen glazed donuts during the annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, a charity race supporting UNC Children’s Hospital.

Was your favorite sign left off the list? Let us know and maybe we’ll add five more.

GIVE US A SIGN

Click here to have your event featured.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

Bands at Brookside Bodega | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 5-8 p.m. | Brookside Bodega, 1000 Brookside Dr., Raleigh | Free | See Sheila Casalett perform live while enjoying tasty bites and cold drafts.
Valentine’s Day With Pat McGann | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 7:15 p.m. | Goodnights Comedy Club, 401 Woodburn Rd., Raleigh | $25-$99 | Enjoy a night of laughter with that special someone.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

S’more Square Social Hour | Wednesday, Feb. 15 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Moore Square Park, 201 S. Blount St., Raleigh | Free | Roast s’mores over a fire pit and enjoy winter activities.
Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night | Wednesday, Feb. 15 | 8-10 p.m. | Alamo Drafthouse, 2116-D New Bern Ave., Raleigh | Free | Test your knowledge with seven rounds of trivia and complete for bar cash and other prizes.

Thursday, Feb. 16

Willard Wine Dinner: Louis Roederer Champagne | Thursday, Feb. 16 | 6:30 p.m. | The Willard, 9 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh | $155 | Enjoy a four-course menu from chef James Cundiff paired with at least five different champagnes from the French house of Louis Roederer.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes | Thursday, Feb. 16 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $30-$318 | Cheer on the Canes at home.

Friday, Feb. 17

Valentine’s Beginner Calligraphy Class | Friday, Feb. 17 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Kendra Scott North Hills, 4321 Lassiter at North Hills Ave., Raleigh | $70 | This workshop is an introduction to modern calligraphy with a pointed dip pen and ink.

Plan Ahead

Marbles Future Me Fair | Saturday, March 4 | 1-4 p.m. | Marbles Kids Museum, 201 E. Hargett St., Raleigh | $12 | Round up the family for this playful, child-sized showcase of various trades and professions to spark career dreams for kids.*

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

67º | Mostly sunny | 5% chance of rain ☀️

Biz

The News & Observer has confirmed that Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has office space in downtown Durham. The American Tobacco Campus office will eventually be home to ~100 enterprise engineers. Buzz about Meta’s move began last spring when the company posted local jobs on LinkedIn.

Drink

The Green Monkey is moving from Hillsborough Street to 215 S. Wilmington St. this spring. The new location most recently housed Raleigh Sandwich Shop, which closed in 1989. Learn more about the move. 🍻

Cause

Now’s the time to fall in love... with a new pet. The Wake County Animal Center is running a Valentine’s adoption special now through Friday, Feb. 17. Adoption fees for pets six months and older are $25 and cats are name-your-price. Browse the adoption gallery. 🐾

Learn

The NC Museum of History is screening “Unlocking the Doors of Opportunity: The Rosenwald Schools of North Carolina” this Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. After the documentary screening, there will be a panel discussion with the film’s producers and local scholars. Learn more.

Concert

Get ready to boogie. Midtown Beach Music returns to North Hills this April through June. Every Thursday from 6-9 p.m., bands like Liquid Pleasure and The Catalinas will perform on the Coastal Credit Union Midtown Park stage. 🎶

Trending

Cheerwine and Charlotte-based NoDa Brewing Company are collaborating to produce Cheerwine Ale, a wheat beer infused with the cherry soda. The brew is now available on draft at a number of Triangle bars, including NoDa’s Chapel Hill location. It will hit select NC and SC shelves over the coming weeks.

Active

Introducing your new 2023 fitness goal: Fitness for the whole family. Check out these current promos happening at the East Triangle YMCA, located in the Flowers Plantation community. Hint: It includes a seven-day free pass and last year’s prices for the YMCA Summer Day Camp when registering by March 1. 🏊*

Real Estate

Budget, quality + schedule are the most important aspects of any office, industrial, or retail upfit project. That’s why Trinity Partners’ project management team handles every minute detail — from taking urgent contractor calls to carefully selecting the perfect architect + negotiating the best vendor fees.*

Shop

What’s getting us through February: Our humidifiers. We love the Levoit Blue Cool Humidifier for its quiet design, multiple mist levels, and how easy it is to clean. Do your skin (not to mention, your houseplants) a favor and up your home hydration.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Finding love in the City of Oaks 💘

Finding love in the City of Oaks

We mapped out some local hot spots for love. | Map by RALtoday via Proxi

Happy Valentine’s Day, Raleigh. To celebrate, we asked our readers where they’ve found love in the City of Oaks.

From first dates at Umstead State Park and Death & Taxes to proposals at Reynolds Coliseum and Moore Square, love is all around us.

Tap the link below to explore our map of 20 local spots to find love. Bonus: Click the heart icons to read some of the submitted love stories for each point.

LOCAL LOVE STORIES

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Anne.

Editor’s pick: I came across the cutest Valentine’s Day card from Raleigh Parks and I just had to share. Show your love for local parks by exploring a new one. Here are some of our favorites.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out what’s opening in the old C. Grace building, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Cat George, Anne Tate, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Charis Painter | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?