We all know Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are beginning to sprawl with population growth, but all the way to Wilmington? There are still distant pipe dreams of express railways that could zip Triangle passengers to the coast, but until then, expanding businesses to Wilmington seems the next likely step. This past year we saw more than three companies plant new locations here from the triangle.
It will be interesting to see what companies expand to Wilmington from nearby cities next. Here are three that added locations here in 2022 and 2023.
Dram and Draught
This Raleigh neighborhood bar expanded its footprint across the Triangle and now beyond. Dram and Draught has locations in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Greensboro and now Wilmington. Explore a full menu of craft cocktails at 109 Market St. downtown, located right next to the Market St parking garage entrance.
Kippos Hellenic Cuisine
Giorgio Bakatsias is the mastermind behind more than a dozen Triangle restaurant staples, including Chapel Hill’s Kipos Hellenic Cuisine. In the restaurant group’s first expansion past the Triangle, Kipos opened in Wrightsville Beach’s Lumina Station this summer in the former 1900 Lounge space. Kipos celebrates the food and culture of Giorgio’s homeland, but in Wrightsville Beach, the menu focuses even more on the sea. Check out Kipos for a taste of local, fresh catches all prepared the Hellenic way.
Ponysaurus Brewing Co.
Durham-based Ponysaurus Brewing Co. has plans to expand to Wilmington’s Market Street. The brewery belongs to the parent company The Cast Iron Group, which announced the location is expected to open in early 2023. Plans for the space include a pizzeria and a terraced restaurant garden along with American, Belgian and European-style beers.
