Main Drags 

Taking its name from the late 18th century word for a wagon or buggy (so-called because the horse would drag it), the phrase "main drag" came into vogue around the 1850s, when the term was used to describe the street itself. (It's from the same source that we get the word "drag race" -- ostensibly, a race on a street.)

Charlotte -- being the "New South"/"World Class" city that it is (ahem) -- is lucky enough to have a little of both. And while our drag racing may be limited to those goofy little import cars with big spoilers as seen in The Fast and the Furious, our "main drags" stack up pretty well with other cities our size.

All the drags listed below have something in common. They've transcended neighborhood status to become something else: a town within a town. CL breaks down some of the more booming blocks of blacktop our city has to offer, highlighting a few of the places to see and be seen in each. Some encompass little more than a city block, and others stretch on for a mile or more. However, what they may lack in length is more than made up in the breadth of sights and services offered.

North Davidson at 36th Street -- A neighborhood seemingly in flux for about the past 10 years, NoDa has really taken off recently thanks to an influx of new money. Local landmark Fat City is no more, but hungry Charlotteans would do well to check out the gargantuan new Mellow Mushroom, Boudreaux's Louisiana Kitchen, Cabo Fish Taco, and the Smelly Cat Coffeehouse. For those seeking musical kicks, there's still the rejuvenated Neighborhood Theatre, the ever-inviting sit-down environs of The Evening Muse, as well as Gallery Crawls on the first and third Fridays of each month. Canvassing for canvases? You're in luck. The area is also home to the Blue Pony Gallery and Press, the Center of the Earth Gallery, The Hart-Witzen Gallery, the J'DeGart Gallery, and the Odua Gallery (among others, and with more on the way).

The Plaza-Midwood Neighborhood/ Central Avenue -- Featuring at least two tattoo parlors, a huge used book store, two home-cooking restaurants (livermush or brains and eggs, anyone?), a Mom and Pop-style restaurant serving island cuisine, a raw bar, clothing stores, an African-American hair cuttery (the lovingly titled No Grease), at least two record stores, a thrift store, a number of antique stores, a coffeeshop, a bakery, (gasping for breath) and a Dairy Queen, this area doesn't suffer for foot traffic. And for that, we love it. One can easily while away the better part of the day here and barely leave a two-block radius. On warm weekend days, you almost think you're in another city entirely. Which, again, is a good thing.

Camden Road Neighborhood -- Full of independent businesses and art galleries like Clay on Camden, the area offers plenty for your pedestrian perusing. Fer instance: the Artbar, a combination watering hole/artspace, the cutting edge Borealis salon, The Queen's Beans coffeeshop, the skate lifestyle-geared Black Sheep (apparel, shoes, skateboards), the great California-style fat burritos of (would you believe it?) Phat Burrito, and loads more. Gallery Crawls are held on the first Friday of every month, and Borealis and Black Sheep even have turntables located in their shops for you wandering DJ types.

Elizabeth -- the area of 7th Street between Pecan and Hawthorne has really grown over the last five years, becoming something like the North end of Chapel Hill's famous Franklin Street. With the new Hawthorne's Pizza and the newly-renamed Spoon's hamburgers (now Snoop's, fo shizzle) sharing space with a Starbucks, La Dee Da's coffeehouse, the Bayou Kitchen, the wonderful indie video store Visart, the comic book store Heroes Aren't Hard to Find, and quirky places like Central Sun Storehouse, this little half-mile stretch of asphalt is as hot as any in town.

East Boulevard -- As main drags go, East Boulevard is a long one. Then again, there's a good bit here, especially if you've got a little money to spend. There's nearby Freedom Park to get your stroll on, the Dilworth Coffeehouse, Caribou Coffee and a Starbucks to get your caffeine on, and plenty of salons to get your hair...off. Eateries include the local legend 300 East and new kid Giovanni's (in the former boarding house where author Carson McCullers once lived) at one end and places like Brixx, The City Tavern, Sole, the Red Star Tavern, and Vidalia and Grapes, and even a burrito shop or two down at the other. Looking for healthful/vegetarian-friendly fare? Try Berrybrook Farms Natural Foods or Talley's Green Grocery, both longtime Dilworth favorites. Picasso's has the sports bar angle covered. As an added bonus, there's all sorts of fit yuppie types jogging the sidewalks just begging to be gawked at (or made fun of, depending on how you're wired).