Why an ice cream shop owner was behind the push for Pineville’s social district

PINEVILLE, NC ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — People in Pineville raised a glass to launch the town’s new social district Tuesday . The town is one of a growing number of neighborhoods to allow people to drink alcohol and stroll around outside of participating bars and restaurants within the social district.

Pineville’s social district is starting out with five businesses participating, but they’re all benefiting, according to the business owner who helped start the social district.

She doesn’t even sell alcohol, but she worked for a whole year just to get to Tuesday’s launch.

No cans are popping and no beer is flowing inside Carolina Scoops, but there’s still something sweet and new in Pineville.

“It will be an added benefit for everybody down here, to drive more people downtown, more business,” said Sara Longstreet.

She was determined to bring a social district to downtown Pineville.

“I thought it would be pretty easy to do, it was not so easy,” said Longstreet, laughing.

Longstreet had to stand in front of the town planning board and town council multiple times and convince them why they should create the social district, which allows people to drink alcohol and stroll around outside of participating bars and restaurants.

“The whole reason that the social district was developed was to revitalize downtowns like ours post-COVID and to bring people back together,” said Longstreet.

Businesses supply special cups, and the town provides the stickers, which allow customers to take their drinks outside, walk around, and enjoy.

Participating businesses have stickers on their doors.

One wine bar owner had already planned to extend her hours for summer, but she says the timing of the launch of the social district will hopefully drive more people to her door.

“I think it’s a great growth opportunity for us, it will bring in more foot traffic,” said Emily Anderson, owner of The Brass Bird, a mercantile shop with a wine bar.

Even though Longstreet isn’t serving alcohol, she’s still celebrating the success of her business and others.

“It’s a win-win for everybody.”

The social district is in effect every day from noon to 10 p.m. except Sundays when the hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

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