10 things to know about Max and Lola Bodega before it opens Saturday in South End. Hint: Dogs are allowed 

Dog lovers, rejoice! When Max and Lola Bodega opens in South End’s Gold District by 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, your fur baby can hang out with you on the front patio and in the backyard area while you hang out with food and beverages.

Here are 10 things to know about the new bodega before it opens with its soft-opening hours:

(1) It’s named for two dogs.

Yep, Max and Lola are the sweet rescues of owner Holly Rodriguez and her partner. Six-year-old Lola and 7-year-old Max are mixes, and best friends. The current home of the bodega has been along their walking path for a long time, so it was a natural choice for opening a shop. Rodriguez said she wanted a walkable place close to her home where people can hang out with their friends and their dogs — and sip wine.

(2) The location.

Find the bodega at 1501 South Mint St. It’s easy to pick out once you spy the large yellow and orange mural with wings, or the patio packed with tables and chairs, plus bright and flourishing raised flower beds. Fun fact: The building was once a gas station and a mechanic shop.

(3) Who’s the owner?

Make sure to say “hey” to Holly Rodriguez, a 33-year-old who is from the Bronx in New York City. She just left her accounting job in the health care industry in Chalrotte a month ago to pursue this dream of opening a business with a wine shop element. She wanted to create something “super chill” for her neighborhood, she said.

(4) The beverage options.

Since Rodriguez is a wine lover, there is an expansive nook carrying room-temperature wine bottles and coolers with chilled bottles just begging to be popped on the spot. The prices are affordable, with bottles ranging from $13-$50 and by-the-glass-pours ranging from $8-$10. While there are three wines on draft — prosecco, sauvignon blanc and rosé — the other taps behind the bar are pouring beers that are regional. Four Charlotte beers on tap are from breweries including Sugar Creek Brewing Co. and Triple C Brewing Co., and there will be a Red Clay Cider on tap. Beers are $6-$10 on draft. Expect to explore a walk-in cooler for single beers and four- and six-packs as well.

(5) There will be ample snacks and non-alcoholic options.

I tried a sweet and spicy pineapple-jalapeno kombucha by Queen B Booch while I checked out the space. There will also be kombucha by Updog, hot and iced coffee by Enderly Coffee Co., and more. Snacks range from pre-made Boar’s Head cheese-and-charcuterie boards, crackers, chips, dips like hummus and local Yah’s Best dips (think buffalo dip), and more.

(6) There’s a street-style taco truck onsite.

The bodega’s food truck is already parked next to the building, and will be rolling out breakfast tacos with chorizo, bacon and beyond, plus regular tacos like carne asada and carnitas. The menu is reminiscent of Rodriguez’s childhood in the Bronx, where she grew up going to bodegas around the corner, plus her Dominican heritage.

(7) The vibe.

It’s a mix of bright, hip and quirky. Expect to see chandeliers of all shapes and sizes (including a little crystal one in the women’s bathroom) from Sleepy Poet and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a robin’s-egg-blue ceiling indoors, stickers covering the tables from vendors and friends, and walls bursting with bright art everywhere. Catch art by Tony Peralta, Rosalia Torres-Weiner (she’s a mural queen), and more. There will be plenty of rotating art for sale.

“Everywhere you look there’s something interesting… little details,” Rodriguez said.

(8) The best spot for dogs.

The shaded backyard is beckoning with soon-to-be-placed community tables, a big swath of grass and a wishing well — change thrown into it will be donated to an animal-focused charity.

(9) Events to get excited about.

Rodriguez aims to host an event weekly, from yoga classes, to pop-up shops, to a seasonal farmers market, to live music, to beer and wine tastings. There’s so much potential here.

(10) There’s free wifi.

Could this become your new favorite place to post up with a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine)? OR: Ditch the expectations and crack open a book.

Get there

Max and Lola Bodega: 1501 South Mint St.

Soft opening hours are expected to be:

Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

This story was originally published August 17, 2018 at 2:00 AM.