Brightleaf Square is a quaint retail development located in the center of the Brightleaf…read moreneighborhood in downtown Durham. I'd call it a "shopping center," but it's not like a typical suburban shopping center. The development consists of two repurposed brick warehouses, originally built in 1904, that used to store bright leaf tobacco (that's where the name comes from). So, Brightleaf Square looks and feels historic, and that's what makes it charming. That said, the development is kind of small and there's not that much here. If you want to walk across the street to, say, Rose's or Jeni's, then yes, the neighborhood (also known as the Brightleaf District) has more to offer. I highly recommend Rose's, by the way, for their ramen and ice cream sandwiches. Strictly speaking, within the square, Emmy Squared Pizza is terrific for their Detroit-style pizza. It's among the best deep-dish pizza anywhere, in my opinion. There's also Clouds Brewing, which is a craft brewery and restaurant. Other businesses are local/boutique shops, such as Bull City Art & Frame Company and Mill & Meadow Stationery Shop, and private offices. The brick/stone walkway, old-fashioned lamp posts, string lights, trees, benches, and early-1900s buildings can make for a fun, whimsical stroll with friends and family before or after lunch or dinner. It's also a good date spot, especially if you incorporate the larger neighborhood (e.g., pizza at Emmy Squared followed by ice cream sandwiches at Rose's). For parking, I suggest parking in the surface lot at the corner of W Main St and S Gregson St. You can enter the lot from either of those streets. Pay attention to signs as you may have to pay during certain days and times. Fun fact: Durham's infamous "Can Opener Bridge" is located on the south end of Brightleaf Square. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the bridge's Wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_Southern%E2%80%93Gregson_Street_Overpass Also, watch some of the videos on this YouTube channel to see the Can Opener in action: https://www.youtube.com/@11foot8plus8 The camera that captures those videos is mounted on one of the buildings at Brightleaf Square.

Brightleaf Square looks like it'd be cute and fun to walk around in, but that's really all it is…read more Pretty market lights and small shops but nothing actually to do..? Hopefully they add better restaurants and more variety of boutiques here because the square is not living up to its potential. Basically, I'd skip this and head over to ATC.

Meadowmont Village is the place my wife and I have visited the most during our time in Chapel Hill…read more(2020-2024), mainly because of the Harris Teeter here, but also because of the property's restaurants and other businesses. This is a nice mixed-use development on the east side of Chapel Hill, close to the Durham border. It's just a short drive down highway 54 from I-40 exit 273 and it's not far from 15-501 either. Meadowmont Village sets itself apart from competition in the area by simply being nicer with a cleaner and more elevated atmosphere. The architectural design, layout, and landscaping make it a quaint, relaxing place to walk around. The tenant mix is a good combination of chain and local. This isn't a bigger, destination-type development like Fenton in Cary. Instead, it's smaller and quieter, and that's part of the appeal. It's never felt crowded or uncomfortable all the times I've been here. It's easy to get in and out and there always seems to be just the right amount of people, even when it's busy (e.g., active patios at Brixx, Bluebird, and Kahlovera). There's a pond and trails nearby and overall, the entire neighborhood is well-kept. When we first moved to the area, my wife and I frequented the Harris Teeter up 54 at Hope Valley Commons in Durham. We then switched to the Harris Teeter at Meadowmont Village because it's more secluded and has a calmer, more peaceful environment (inside and out). While I think the Harris Teeter at Hope Valley Commons is a little bigger with a slightly wider variety of inventory, that difference hasn't been big enough for us to switch back to the Hope Valley Commons Harris Teeter as our primary Harris Teeter. Below is a list of businesses at Meadowmont Village that we've been to so far. I've left Yelp reviews for most of them. Restaurants and Cafes * Bluebird - French bistro, one of our favorite restaurants in Chapel Hill. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bluebird-chapel-hill * Brixx Wood Fired Pizza + Craft Bar https://www.yelp.com/biz/brixx-wood-fired-pizza-craft-bar-chapel-hill * Fusion Fish - sushi restaurant, now closed (replaced by Lime & Lemon). https://www.yelp.com/biz/fusion-fish-chapel-hill-2 * Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill - great for tacos and margaritas (replaced Chronic Tacos). https://www.yelp.com/biz/kahlovera-mexican-bar-and-grill-chapel-hill-3 * Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar - one of our favorite Indian restaurants in the Triangle and the restaurant we go to the most at Meadowmont Village. https://www.yelp.com/biz/lime-and-lemon-indian-grill-and-bar-chapel-hill * Meet Fresh - yummy Taiwanese desserts, the first and so far only Meet Fresh in the entire state. https://www.yelp.com/biz/meet-fresh-chapel-hill * Quickly - bubble tea and Taiwanese snacks. https://www.yelp.com/biz/quickly-chapel-hill-chapel-hill * Starbucks https://www.yelp.com/biz/starbucks-chapel-hill-4 Other * ABC Store - I got my groomsmen bottles of Jack Daniels from this store, part of the Orange County ABC Store network. https://www.yelp.com/biz/abc-store-chapel-hill-3 * Bell Meadowmont - my wife and I toured the apartments and considered living here. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bell-meadowmont-apartments-chapel-hill * Harris Teeter https://www.yelp.com/biz/harris-teeter-chapel-hill-5 * Meadowmont Dentistry https://www.yelp.com/biz/meadowmont-dentistry-chapel-hill * Monkee's of Chapel Hill - my wife bought a sundress here. https://www.yelp.com/biz/monkees-of-chapel-hill-chapel-hill * The UPS Store - I've swung by this location several times to ship things. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-ups-store-chapel-hill Not far from Meadowmont Village is the Rizzo Center. It contains a conference center and hotel and is home to the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School's Executive Development programs and the historic DuBose Home: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rizzo-center-chapel-hill

If you got laid last night and the person who got on top of you was not particularly good in bed,…read morethen that was a Mediocremount, and you should go to Mediocremount Village instead. But if that doesn't apply to you then this fancy shopping area will work out fine. They're trying to be European and stuff, and it's cute. Reminds me of some of the fancier parts of Northern Virginia or Maryland, but it's not cheap here. It's a cute brand-new shiny shopping center with some boba tea and some desserts and some food and a lot of high-end shops. They tried to make it like a little shopping Village and while it does seem fake it and contrived, it also is a really nice place to hang out and get some stuff - and it's peaceful and safe and quiet and reminds me of Virginia in some ways.

A little farther away from us than other shopping centers but the Kohl's and the Bed, Bath and…read moreBeyond are the nearest to us. Kohl's is definitely one of our preferred stores for clothing. There is also a wine store, pet store, shoe store, etc. but too bad they closed down the Kroger. There are also a few dining options like Panera, a Mexican restaurant, Asian restaurant, etc. There is usually plenty of parking and the center is easily accessible via 15-501 or Southwest Durham Parkway (which oddly enough is nowhere near Southwest Durham).

When I lived at Lenox at Patterson Place apartments, I couldn't help but feel a little like an…read moreurban-chic city gal, walking my miniature dog from my studio flat through the "backyard" and onto the sidewalks of this shopping center. We were especially fans of the uber-convenient Petsmart and the patios at Coldstone Creamery and Panera -- where I could grab some grub and sit outside with Rex and people-watch. As you may have already surmised, this is a haven of chains (DSW, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohls, AC Moore, Home Depot, among others), with a handful of local joints (the nail salon and the Mediterranean deli for instance).

good restaurants all in one village square (Merlion has wonderful variety of Asian/Singapore,…read morenoodles, seafood, - I'm really picky about Asian food & don't like regular Chinese restaurants)- & I wish I could eat here every week. Pazzo's is actually quiet enough to have a conversation even when the restaurant is full! I'm hooked on their Rainbow Trout stuffed with olives and artichokes...we take company here & have never had a disappointing meal. Very nice bar, too Lumina Theatre is so nice and this Village has music on lawn all summer (Sundays) & movies outside on Fri & Sat. Some nice stores (Bloom & Cottage Shop) so you can skip the shopping center.

This is just another dime-a-dozen preplanned village in the Triangle. Now, I love a lot of the…read moreshops in here--don't get me wrong. But the village itself lacks personality based on my few visits. It's out in the country--far away from downtown Chapel Hill. There are some office spaces, but mostly the village has restaurants and other businesses. Behind it is a neighborhood. Parking is plentiful, and it's decently designed so that it doesn't feel like the handful of shops/restaurants are swallowed up by the giant parking lot. However, the whole area seems to lack personality or anything to give it character.

Interesting review left by Mr. H. (Mr. Haberdasher) here on Yelp for the Glen-Lennox Shopping…read moreCenter in 2012. It's written from a local's perspective whereas for me, I'm just one of hundreds of thousands (millions?) who've passed (or are currently passing) through Chapel Hill over the years. During our time in Chapel Hill, Glen-Lennox Shopping Center has been the small L-shaped strip mall we pass to get to and from UNC's main campus, downtown Chapel Hill, and Carrboro. To date, we've visited for two restaurants: 1. Jujube - Asian food, opened in 2005. Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jujube-chapel-hill 2. Bin 54 Steak & Cellar - upscale steakhouse, opened in 2006. Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bin-54-steak-and-cellar-chapel-hill-2 The fact that both Jujube and Bin 54 have managed to stick around for 17, 18-plus years should tell you something. You can read my reviews for each of those restaurants on their respective Yelp pages, but in a nutshell, I thought Bin 54 was phenomenal and Jujube was fine. During our visits, Glen-Lennox's parking lot has been mostly full. Aside from the restaurants, we've had no other reason to visit Glen-Lennox - for example, for the dry cleaner, eye doctor, beauty salon, Sherwin-Williams paint store, kitchen and bath store - since we already go to other places for that stuff or haven't needed those types of things/services. There's a Bank of America ATM here plus two drop boxes, one for USPS and the other FedEx. No UPS drop box though. We go to another shopping center down the road for the drop boxes. This shopping center has been around since 1950. For the history of this place, I refer you to the aforementioned Mr. H's review plus https://glenlennoxvision.com/, the current official website for this property. The banner at the top of the site says, "Established 1950, re-established 2020." I don't know what they mean by that, but apparently plans have been under way for years to redevelop this property into something much bigger. It looks to be a modern mixed-use development, like many that have sprung up across the country over the past couple decades. As it stands today though, Glen-Lennox to me is the small strip mall with two (successful) restaurants. From highway 54 (Raleigh Rd), the property does go farther back into the woods (north) with a combination of old and new homes and apartments plus a fairly new, five-story, glass office building at the corner of 15-501 (Fordham Blvd) and Glen Lennox Dr: the Industrious at The Gwendolyn coworking space. There are new trails around here too. The shopping center is located on 54 at 15-501 on the east side of Chapel Hill, close to the Durham border. The closest interstate exit is I-40 exit 273: NC 54 - Chapel Hill, Durham.

Those who drive along Raleigh Road (HWY-54) are greeted by the eye-catching '50s Glen Lennox…read moreShopping Center sign. The Glen Lennox Shopping Center in Chapel Hill, NC has the honor of being the first suburban shopping center in Chapel Hill, NC and one of the first in the state after Cameron Village in Raleigh, NC. After WWII, the Glen Lennox Cottages were built for the returning GI's who were attending UNC. Due to the Glen Lennox Cottages being on the edge of town in the '50s there was a need for nearby retail and the captive audience made it very popular as well as its novelty, ushering in a new era of shopping. What was once the shopping destination in Chapel Hill in the '50s and '60s has now been eclipsed by the Glenwood Square Shopping Center, its younger sibling across the street, and all of the nearby shopping centers in the area. Despite the shortcomings, there is still a heartbeat in this shopping center. Currently all businesses in the center are in the service sector, which fills a niche in the area. There are restaurants, a kitchen and bath renovation shop, an optometry practice, a tanning salon, a beauty salon, Time Warner Cable center, and an investment practice. While the optical store may appear to be retail, in reality it is the feeder store to the optometry practice housed within. One of the differentiating features of this strip mall is that it was built with a second-story to house offices. In the center of the strip is the walk-up to the offices called the Lennox Building Offices; over time, a handicap-accessible entrance was added on the side of the building. Among the nondescript offices are medical practices as well as Amy's Alterations. Near Amy's office suite there is a small seating area that looks like it came out of a Mad Men set. This shopping complex, unlike other shopping centers built around the same time, has been capable of adapting to the changes over the decades and still draws people in. One of the factors that helped this property not decay was its affiliation with the ever popular Glen Lennox Cottages, plus the charm of this place lays mostly with its '50s Americana appeal.

Good selection of stores, restaurants and businesses, central location and adequate parking. Very…read morehappy to see new small businesses opening.

Finally, an indoor mall that hasn't gone to the birds. This mall was full of great stores and was…read morefull of people enjoying it. The main stores are Macys and Belk and there were plenty of smaller stores that would be familiar to you like Bath and Body Works, American Eagle, Banana Republic, Gap to name a few. The food court had plenty of options to choose from too. I would say since I was not familiar with this mall it was frustrating to not be able to find the maps at enough locations. So, I definitely would recommend checking this mall out You can't find to many indoor clean malls these days.

Crabtree is probably the best mall we have in the triangle, though, parking can be a nightmare…read more I mainly go to Crabtree for Minerology, my all time favorite shop in NC. I have been to Lush, Lego, Yankee Candle, and Bath and Body Works here. Every shop we've been in had great employees and the stores were always clean. The mall in general is clean and bright and there's a ton of stores to shop around in. Minerology used to have two other locations but they closed down and stayed with one main location at Crabtree, so I'll make the long drive for my favorite place. The staff there are super knowledgeable about the fossils and minerals. They are very friendly and kind people and will help you find something special to bring home. They also do live sales occasionally on their Instagram. Many of the rocks in my collection came from here. Though Crabtree is far and I'm not a fan of their parking, I will always come back as long as my favorite stores remains!

Fenton is a excellent place to do it all. There is retail, restaurants, rooftops, a movie theatre,…read moregyms. This is where the beautifully orchestrated fit + flow @ Fenton event today was centered. Included wellness and healthy food as well as fitness vendors that were all spread out around its open grass space.

Fenton in Cary, NC is absolutely beautiful and has become one of my favorite spots to walk around,…read moregrab a bite to eat, or just enjoy the atmosphere. The variety of restaurants, shops, and events really makes it feel like its own little community...you can easily spend hours here without realizing it. The layout is walkable, modern, and clean, and there's always something happening, whether it's live music, families gathering, or people just out enjoying the space. The only thing I'd love to see is a more consistent police presence, not in a way that feels overbearing, but more low-key and observant. There are times when people drive through the area revving their motorcycles or blasting music so loud that it ruins the calm, relaxed vibe. It's such a great place for families, couples, and visitors, and keeping it peaceful and safe would make it even better. Fenton really has all the makings of a perfect hangout spot in Cary. A little more attention to keeping the noise level under control would make it a 10 out of 10 experience every single time.