A decade ago, the bottom fell out in Charlotte. These restaurants opened anyway.

Charlotte has had quite the glow-up.

In 2010, the city was in the throes of the worst recession in decades, reckoning with a hemorrhaging banking industry, an unemployment rate near 13% and halted construction.

Ten years later, Charlotte now claims the title of the 16th largest city in the country, a reflection of the benefits of the new mid-size city renaissance.

As in many places around the country, the food and beverage industry has played a huge role in Charlotte’s growth since 2010.

To get a sense of the growth, CharlotteFive talked to local restaurateurs who opened spots about 10 years ago for their thoughts heading into the new year.

When life gives you bagels: A positive response to the recession

Looking at the now-vibrant skyline of Charlotte, it would be easy to simply forget the recession.

But the economic downtown was actually the beginning for the beloved Poppy’s Bagels. Ten years ago, owner Ron Rippner was thrown into making a life change after the bank where he then worked closed. With a little luck with low real estate prices, Rippner decided to import the bagel, his native New York staple, to Charlotte. In 2010, Poppy’s opened.

“Starting a new business is always a challenge,” Rippner said. “This was a completely new industry for me. But I knew, if I could make a good bagel, people would come. I was confident we would get by. … When we first opened, I baked, I worked in the front. I did everything. My mom helped out. I just knew a good deli and bagel shop would work.”

Rippner found success with the bagel shop, but it wasn’t all easy. “It wasn’t all perfect,” Rippner said. “It was definitely challenging, we definitely had some lean months at the start. But once the word got out, people came.”

Poppy’s now has two locations, the original on Providence Road and a second on South Boulevard. Rippner said Poppy’s has continued to see steady success at many levels, from reaping the benefits of daily support from regulars to providing bagels to 18 Harris Teeter stores.

“I’m just thankful for how much further we’ve come than we expected,” Rippner said. “I feel really blessed that we have become a part of the fabric of Charlotte.”

Small business power couple brings power to the people

Just over a decade ago, the recession also played a role in the 2009 opening of Crepe Cellar in NoDa. One night during the downturn when job prospects were slim, co-owner Jeff Tonidandel told his wife and co-owner Jamie Brown that he wanted to open a restaurant.

“I thought it was a crazy idea,” Brown said.

Following the bittersweet and lucky circumstances that can only come from an economic downturn — the prior owners had abandoned the space that soon became Crêpe Cellar — the couple took the plunge, renovated the space and the Cellar was born. Roughly a year later, they opened Growlers Pourhouse next door. They had started to feel the economic recovery at that point, but they still had to be scrappy with their second business — which shares a kitchen with Crepe Cellar.

“It had been a lot of work and toil and risk,” Brown said. “When you start a business, there’s a lot of risk involved at first. Not many people want to give you money when you’re trying to build a restaurant for the first time.”

Several years later, Brown was able to leave her full-time job to devote her time to the family businesses, which now also include Reigning Doughnuts and Haberdish and the upcoming Supperland.

Looking toward the future, Brown said the couple has a commitment not only to Charlotte’s growth, but to helping young Charlotteans follow a similar path.

“Jeff and I looked up to a lot of people as we’ve grown up,” Brown said. “If we can do positive things, it can only help young people emulate the behavior and step out and follow their own dreams. Charlotte needs that.”

‘We’re in for another nice ride for the next 10 years’

In the heart of Charlotte, Aria Tuscan Grill has also found success since opening in early 2010. Pierre Bader, owner of Sonoma Restaurant Group — which includes Aria, Cicchetti and Founders Hall Catering — made calculated decisions to make sure the restaurant weathered the recession’s storm.

“Opening in the recession was really scary,” Bader said. “The thought that I would have to go into my personal life to support my business life, that was something scary. … You were surrounded by people being laid off left and right. Back then, expense accounts came to a halt.”

“I had made a decision back then to not rely on the corporate customer and rely on the day-to-day customer that comes in every single day,” Bader continued. There were a lot of businesses out there that catered to the expense account. My attitude was: ‘This is not who we are.’”

An attention to the day-to-day customer extends to many aspects of the philosophy behind Aria.

“You have to have the right people, the right process, the right product,” Bader said. “Those things are important, and a lot of people take it for granted. If a customer comes in once and never comes back, you will go out of business. The repeat customer is your jewel. These are the people that keep you going, day in and day out.”

Bader said Sonoma recently signed on another 10-year lease for Aria, banking on the hope that its dogged commitment to the customer will carry the restaurant through another decade. In fact, Bader said he’s planning to pass along the restaurant to employees, as he’s certain it will outlive him.

Bader also extends this confidence to other restaurants and businesses in the Charlotte area.

“Charlotte has been on a tear. There have been so many new restaurants opening up, but on top of that, there have been so many people moving in,” Bader said. “Competition brings people. It brings talent. There’s no shortage, and that’s a good thing. And Charlotte’s going to keep growing. We’re in for another nice ride for the next 10 years.”