Plaza-Midwood’s hidden history: 5 firsts that changed Charlotte forever

Like many of Charlotte’s old neighborhoods, Plaza-Midwood has experienced a revival in recent years. Hidden beneath the funky exteriors of its dive bars, boutiques and upscale restaurants lies important milestones in the birth of a city. Here are 5 Charlotte firsts found in Plaza-Midwood.

First Charlotte Radio Broadcast

In 1920, Fred Laxton, Sr., Earle Gluck, and Frank L. Bunker pooled their amatuer radio equipment and lauched the first radio station from Laxton’s home near the entrance of Charlotte Country Club. In a few years, the station evolved into WBT, the first radio station in Charlotte, and the third licensed station in the country. Photo of where Laxton lived before the home was razed to make way for a new entrance to Charlotte Country Club (corner of Mecklenburg and Belvedere avenues): 

First Golf Course

Laxton was somewhat of a Renaissance man. A founding member of Charlotte Country Club, he designed the club’s first 9 golf holes in 1910. Five years later, renowned golf course architect Donald Ross reshaped the nine holes and added another nine. It’s the oldest recorded golf course in Charlotte. (Bonus first: According to “History of Charlotte Country Club,” Laxton showed visiting legendary golfer Gene Sarazen the interlocking grip which would later be known as the “Sarazen Grip.”) Photo of Fred Laxton, Sr. with sons Erwin and Fred Jr., in 1925:

First Harris Teeter

W.T. Harris was an employee of A&P at the corner of Pecan and Central when he borrowed $500 and opened his own market at 1504 Central Avenue. A few years later, he would merge with W.L. Teeter to form the current Harris Teeter we all know and love. (Bonus first: The A&P at Pecan and Central was Charlotte’s first supermarket.) Photo of Harris Super Market next door to the Crown gas station (now the Pizza Peel):

First Family Dollar

Across the street at 1509 Central Ave, the Levine Family bought a failed variety store in 1959. The business would soon become Family Dollar where nothing cost  more than $2. In just a few decades, Family Dollar would become a billion dollar regional retail powerhouse.

First Strip Club

In the late 60s, a maverick lawyer named Michael Plumides, Sr. went to great lengths to challenge Charlotte’s vague and flimsy obscenity laws. His C’est Bon Club at 2316 Central Ave broke the boobie barrier and would be the center of a legal tussle that would last several years before the club mysteriously burned to the ground. (Bonus first: Plumides produced the film “The Night of the Cat,” a film shot in Charlotte, and sometimes called the worst film ever made.) An advertisement for the C’est Bon Club on Central Avenue:

Photo: Google Maps

This story was originally published February 24, 2015 at 12:56 AM with the headline "Plaza-Midwood’s hidden history: 5 firsts that changed Charlotte forever."