It was the arts that beckoned Penny Craver to Plaza Midwood in the early 2000s. For the Tremont Music Hall founder, the Charlotte neighborhood offered an affordable utopia for the creative. In 2002, Craver took that comfort to a new level when she co-founded Dish — a restaurant that reflected the neighborhood’s relationship with the arts and the unspoken ‘Everyone is welcome’ policy with a menu of Southern-style comfort food. According to Craver, the arts were ultimately what spared the neighborhood in the aftermath of House Bill 2 passing.
“People are not tolerant of bigotry in this neighborhood,” Craver explains. “Everyone is welcome in this community and in the businesses here, and we want to keep it that way.”
However, Craver worries that Plaza Midwood’s future as a safe haven for artists may be at risk: “I can tell you from personal experience, musicians tend not to make a lot of money,” she says. “You used to be able to get a decent apartment for $500. But now there’s a gentrification taking place, and everyone that was drawn to the neighborhood will eventually be pushed out.”
Craver tells us more about what makes Plaza Midwood great, why its future deserves protecting, and how she’s doing her part to keep the neighborhood’s spirit alive at Dish.
Creative Loafing: As a business owner, how have you felt the effect of HB2 at Dish or in the Plaza Midwood community?
Penny Craver: I’m just speaking for myself but I don’t think I have been affected. People come in and see the diversity we have in this restaurant and think, ‘This is not gonna be a place that upholds HB2.’ We have a sign on our door that says “Equality means business.” I say everybody is welcome. We have inclusive restrooms. I don’t care who you are, just don’t pee on the seat and I’ll be fine. It’s evident in our employees and our decor that we’re not some stuck-up place. Walk in this restaurant and you’ll see males, females, LGBTQ, old, young, entire families. It’s somewhere people can come and feel comfortable. Whether they have tattoos, whatever their sexuality is, whatever their economic status is, it doesn’t matter to us. If you like good food, you’re welcome here.
As a Charlotte native, how have you seen the city evolve to embrace diversity and acceptance, and how can we continue that evolution despite HB2?
Plaza Midwood started before other communities primarily because it was a diverse community. We’ve always been the little Bohemia of Charlotte, much more so than other places that might pretend to be that way, but we truly are. We’re a neighborhood restaurant; the restaurant is a reflection of the neighborhood. We have tons of diversity in the neighborhood. I go into other neighborhoods and it’s just weird: ‘Oh gosh, this is really cookie cutter.’ Not in Plaza Midwood. People come here to feel comfortable. I hope that people will vote in November and remember everything that Charlotte lost because of bigotry in Raleigh. We hold our future in our hands, via the vote, so I hope people will get out and vote.
Dish has a menu of Southern comfort food that goes hand-in-hand with the welcoming environment. What went into creating the menu?
We’re a Southern state and a Southern community, and this is Southern food we grew up on, back when people used to cook. We had meatloaf once a week, salmon patties once a week, Hamburger Helper once a week, chicken and dumplings once a week. I think people — even if they’re not from here — once they realize it’s comfort food, they end up making it their own. Everybody likes good food. No matter who you are, you’re gonna like it here and you should feel comfortable. If you can’t feel comfortable here, I don’t know where you can.
This article appears in Aug 17-24, 2016.
You’re bathrooms have always been single units , please don’t try to claim they’re “gender neutral” I just ate there three months ago and “men’s” was present . You’re not progressive , yes your food is good but don’t try to make more revenue in BS
And gentrification ???!!! How white are you ?? That has BEEN an issues in mecklenbirg county and NO your eatery won’t be the staple stating that . If anything in “your” area these larger useless apartment buildings make you more money than you have ever seen
I don’t know why I’m so angry but I am and You are BS just hopping in the band wagon because there’s money. Good for you why not donate to those in need instead of claiming to be anti gentrify , you’re white dumbass
Asshole comments from assholes. You don’t know Penny if you say or believe this shite.
First of all I wish the day would come when people could NOT post anything without their identity being verified. Let me start with my name which is Shakti Ganapati Subramanian. Penny Craver has been a part of numerous Charlotte scenes over the years. Drummer in a band with some legendary Charlotte musicians, managed the Tremont Music Hall and of course as the owner of The Dish. The food is wonderful as are the owner and staff. As for “gender neutral” bathrooms, let me fill you in on something. Like Penny Craver says, all are welcome so long as they don’t pee on the seat. Also there are several small venues that have had two bathrooms, each with only one toilet. When I see someone who has to go, and there have been many times when there were women who had to use the bathroom and the only available one was the men’s room, I’d tell the woman to use the men’s room and then stand guard until they exited. If some guy wanted to use the men’s room I’d just say: “Sorry but there’s a woman in there” and that is all that was needed. So layoff with your BS comments. Before you post anything further how about you show some intestinal fortitude (guts) and post your real names.
HATELIARS must be a resident of a filing cabinet. You have no clue what this woman has brought to Charlotte, let alone Plaza Midwood. She is an icon and helps more people than most likely anyone in the area. As for the restrooms, I have used either one on many occasions. So obviously you don’t know the community like you know how to be a bitch. Get out and meet the people and maybe you will be a little less angry.
Hateliars is full of it Penny is a wonderful person. I’ve known her since she managed the Milestone