New retail, dining hub in Concord opens

CONCORD, N.C. — A historic building in downtown Concord has new life as the District Exchange, which is a two-level retail and dining destination that is now open.

It’s the first time the building has been open to the public since 1977.

In this last week, a lease was finalized for the final vendor, which means every spot in the District Exchange is full.

Business owner Eric Granillo was excited to show off the District Exchange in downtown Concord on Tuesday.

“There are 20 micro-retail spaces in here, all mom-and-pop shops,” Granillo told Channel 9’s Hannah Goetz. “It’s pretty cool. It’s really local.”

He and his wife own First-N-Flights and as first-time business owners, they knew the small business market was the right place for their beer and wine shop to land.

“We kind of fell in love with the small-town vibe,” Granillo said. “We saw Kannapolis and saw that how well that’s going, and then we were told about Concord.”

Upstairs, Crane Coffee, in its first week of opening, brought in a steady flow of customers.

“It’s been great,” said Kris Zouzoulas, owner of Crane Coffee. “After Union Street got fully up and running, I feel like businesses are moving in. People are starting to come out more. So, it’s been amazing. I feel like it’s only going to get better.”

There are 20 businesses that make up the District Exchange, which is a historic building that sat dormant for decades.

There will be a grand opening next year when construction is finished. The District Exhange is open to the public.

VIDEO: Concord unveils new downtown after years of construction