In 2017 small cargo containers cropped up around the 16th/17th street corridor downtown, replacing some brown spaces and empty lots. A year later The Cargo District started to grow from a few rogue containers into a cargo community. There were cowering spaces, small business venues and living spaces.

Today, just six years in, the district has become just that — a true “district.”

The flourishing business hub spans across several different streets and is home to more than 70 business — shopping, drinking and dining included. Oh, and lets not forget one of the original big draws for Cargo — Coworx cowering space. This co-working space and networking community are host to 120 members who bring foot traffic and buy plenty of pre-work coffees and post-work beers each day. 

Beyond being the trendy spot to gather, here are some reasons we at Arth Group believe Cargo is making a big impact in Wilmington and reshaping our community:

Bringing down the barrier

One thing I believe Cargo gets right is its lower-entry barrier for entrepreneurs to enter the marketplace. With small container-sized business spaces (some are much larger) someone could get just the start they need. Of course with smaller spaces comes smaller rent. But with the nature of Cargo being a place with growing foot traffic, co-working members trekking around daily and a built in network of entrepreneurs, the place is rallying for entrepreneurs to win.

Cargo district manager Noah Smith who is developing the district with his father, said there is no shortage of network support. 

“This is a very tight-knit community and everyone helps everyone out,” he said. 

Smith also said he and his father before developing the area said they traveled to similar districts from Raleigh to Portland. They asked business owners questions and found many business owners weren’t happy — they didn’t have opportunities to grow and expand their spaces if they found success. Some reported it got too expensive. 

Smith and his father aimed to make something different in Wilmington where business owners had much more of a say. 

Hang out from dawn to dusk in an eclectic mix

Cargo, Smith says, is its own ecosystem. 

“What we found was that we could chose people who do everything a little differently,” he said. “You’ve got Alcove Beer Garden, but then Azalea Station has fine cocktails, Starling Bar has more of an eclectic contemporary feel, Oleo has a back patio for beer and wine with a different vibe.”

It seems having a multitude of watering holes, restaurants and shops encourages more commerce instead of forcing people to choose. Instead of going to one bar and leaving, Smith says people are leaving one bar and then going to another.

The current Cargo retention rate is 80 percent, he said. 

That is only helped by the idea you can hang in Cargo all day. Start at the co-working space in the early morning, grab a coffee, grab breakfast. Then fill the afternoon with shopping, a barbering experience, maybe a tattoo? Grab lunch at Beat Street and wrap up some emails at Coworx co-working space. 

Finishing the night there are no shortage of options. From food to drinks and live entertainment — just wander around. 

A blank canvas into an unexpected district

We love that this space before hand was underutilized and is now something the community didn’t even know it needed. Few trees were harmed in the building of this project. Smith said he and developers were originally going to offer to help former residents in the developed space find new places to go. But it never came to that.

“It was mostly just property owners holding onto vacant spaces and they didn’t know what to do with them — even the Girls and Boys Club left after Hurricane Florence and were just holding the property,” Smith said. “Now its a vibrant co-working space generating commerce.”

There is more exciting growth ahead

Of course when you are moving and shaking, there is more moving and shaking on the horizon. Smith said the Cargo District team has big plans ahead for more development. Eventually the several chunks of property that make up Cargo will come to be known as “Cargo West” and “Cargo East.” Up next is a food hall in Cargo West with 6 restaurants and 12 office spaces, part of the Coworx system. Expect Korean BBQ, a second Blue Cup Coffee Roasters and more. 

Learn more about the Wilmington area here.