One way The Common Market can be remembered forever
The Common Market, a popular deli and convenience store, is closing its South End location on Saturday. After eight years in the neighborhood, the market is forced to close its doors in favor of an eight-story office building.
In January, Charlotte City Council cleared the way for that new office building. Cousins Properties is developing the triangular lot bounded by South Tryon Street, Camden Road and Park Avenue to serve as the East Coast headquarters for Austin-based Dimensional Fund Advisors.
Even though the plans call for retail space, the neighborhood will lose several popular businesses, including the Common Market. Apart from the deli, it serves wines, beers and urban provisions.
Local artist Jerry McQuay said he frequents the market at least three times a week. He, among others, said they are devastated by the news of the market’s closing. [Related: What South End would lose by losing The Common Market.]
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” said McQuay, 57. “And we’ve got a couple years of construction to deal with. It’s going to be horrible.”
About two months ago, he decided to paint an oil canvas, capturing the essence of the Common Market, for the Charlotte Art League’s Mortar and Brick competition.
“I want to capture a vibe,” he said. “There’s a vibe in the Common Market courtyard. … You can just be who you are, and there’s no pretense.”
McQuay spent about 100 hours painting a 2’ by 4’ canvas of the area. It will be on sale for about $1,200. He said he plans to make 20 prints, with a price of about $35.
“The real sweet spot is the courtyard,” McQuay said.
It’s challenging to get the depth of the courtyard in the painting. But McQuay painted people and a dog in the foreground to do so. He said that with each person in the painting (including he and his wife among other family), he aimed to capture the different characters who frequented the market.
So what makes Common Market so special?
McQuay said that sometimes when you’re there, you see someone you know and say hello. But other times you just sit at one of the bar stools or small tables and enjoy the environment.
“On a pretty day, when you’re out in the courtyard, there’s no vibe like it anywhere,” he said.
And he’s not the only one who thinks so. Someone put sticky notes all over the window next to the market entrance, where people could share memories and leave comments about the market.
McQuay rents a space at the Charlotte Art League building across the street.
“This was home away from home over here,” he said about Common Market. “I know it’s going to be a loss in quality of life … but we’re also probably going to lose traffic and lose sales.”
Only time will tell, but for now, McQuay and other fans of the market are enjoying its final days in South End.
“It’s very sad,” he said. “We’ve been depressed about it for months.”
With the painting, McQuay has captured the life of the market forever. But he left his mark on the sticky notes, too.
Photos: Rachel Stone
This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 1:00 AM.