Remember when? Growing up as a Charlotte native
Lately, I’ve gone down a sentimental, maybe slightly elitist, born-and-raised Charlottean road. I’m straight outta Charlotte and proud of it.
Any of you other native Charlotteans/unicorns out there remember when Eastland Mall still existed? Bonus points if your parents took you there to see the singing mechanical bears at Christmastime or to go ice skating on the rink. I, for one, definitely got yelled at by one of those creepy bears for eating synthetic snow.
The vast majority of non-backyard fiestas were most likely at Celebration Station or Zones, both now long gone. It was basically anarchy when you crossed the threshold with kids literally bouncing off and throwing themselves against the walls. Try those fancy moves now and you’re sore for at least 2 days.
Summers were for freaking yourself right the heck out at Carowinds or getting that itchy grass feeling from rolling down the big hill in Freedom Park. I was one of the scaredy cats that had to very slowly work my way from Scooby Doo’s Ghoster Coaster in Hanna-Barbera Land up to Thunder Road (R.I.P.) to the “big kid” rides like Top Gun and Carolina Cyclone.
Every year, teachers treated me to a Discovery Place field trip. Remember that maze/jungle gym thing that was a ton of fun to climb up, then utterly terrifying to descend? The structure has since been taken down.
Then, as a preteen, I had basically reached adulthood in my own eyes and required more sophisticated ways to spend my time. We’ll excuse the fact that Mom was still driving me around and paying for me to sneak into R-rated movies. I made every effort to look super phat in my Adidas shell-toe tennis shoes and the latest Abercrombie/Hollister duds.
Jammin’ at the J or Middle School Madness at the Harris YMCA were the pinnacle of weekend social events. Looking back, all I really remember from those nights is that it was hot AF and the dancing was dirty. Filthy.
Ah, then high school came around. I got a car! It was a pre-owned 1998 Honda Civic, but it had a CD PLAYER. Rejoyce, young one!
Now, where to in the new wheels? Tremont Music Hall and the brand-spanking new Concord Mills were at the top of my list. I even worked at Finish Line at Concord Mills.
My friends and I also frequented the movie theater at Stonecrest for a very specific movie-Qdoba-Marble Slab ritual. With the metabolism of a 16-year-old, I could calorically afford the big-as-your-head burrito AND double scoop of your favorite mashed-up frozen concoction then.
Though my activities and haunts have changed drastically, Charlotte is still my favorite place to call home.
Photos by Diedra Laird/Charlotte Observer, Davie Hinshaw/Charlotte Observer, Yalonda James/Charlotte Observer, Giphy.com
This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Remember when? Growing up as a Charlotte native."