Struggling former Epicentre site in uptown Charlotte is going up for sale again
The struggling, once popular uptown destination Queen City Quarter is being put up for sale. Again.
Property management group CBRE will list the uptown entertainment complex at 201 E. Trade St., formerly known as the Epicentre, in a few weeks, according to Patrick Gildea, the firm’s vice chairman.
The Quarter’s website map lists 14 of its 50 tenant spaces currently occupied. Two of those businesses — CVS and Tailored Smoke Cigar Lounge — have also closed, the Observer confirmed Wednesday. That’s six fewer businesses than half a year ago, when CBRE declined to provide center’s vacancy rate.
With 12 of 50 tenant spaces occupied, that’s a vacancy rate of 76%.
While it’s too early to say what the sale would mean for uptown’s entertainment options and overall vibe, Gildea said Wednesday anyone who purchases the site will need to do so with a plan to improve the property. And that’s a positive sign for the surrounding area, he said.
The news of the sale comes several years after Queen City Quarter was renovated, rebranded and purchased by Deutsche Bank for $95 million at a foreclosure auction in 2022. The lender was the lone bidder. The Charlotte Business Journal first reported the upcoming listing.
Pending sale surprises Queen City Quarter tenants
Tenants at the Quarter expressed surprise about the complex’s pending sale. Some view the possible ownership change as positive toward revitalization, as businesses still struggle with dwindling foot traffic and sales.
Samantha Francis, general manager of Mortimer’s Cafe & Pub, stressed that there’s a critical need for more events to attract visitors as the bar remains heavily “event based.”
Mortimer’s is the last sports bar from the Epicentre days and will celebrate its 16th anniversary on St. Patrick’s Day.
“A new owner, if anything, would bring a source of hope,” Francis said. “Instead of a rebrand, we needed a reinvention.” Next door, RedEye Diner is another staple. Despite plunging sales at the 10-year-old retro diner, owner Brian Dominick said: “We’re going to continue on.”
Dominick suggested the issues run deeper than the Quarter itself. “The people didn’t come back to uptown” after the pandemic, Dominick said.
About Queen City Quarter in Charlotte
Epicentre opened in 2008, during the height of the recession. The 302,324-square-foot, mixed-use center was Charlotte’s hot spot for nightlife in uptown.
During its height of popularity, the one-block complex drew crowds for CIAA parties, the NBA All-Star Game and the Democratic National Convention, among other high-profile events.
In 2014, California real estate group CIM Group bought Epicentre for $130.5 million. At the time, it was 94% leased, with 70% of its rental revenue from 16 restaurants.
But an increase in crime and the COVID pandemic led to decreased interest in the complex.
In June 2021, the three-story complex fell into receivership after defaulting on an $85 million loan. The center was 70% vacant that year. In 2022, it sold at auction with only one bid from its creditor Deutsche Bank for $95 million.
In 2023, CBRE announced the complex would be rebranded as an entertainment destination instead of a nightclub venue.
The name changed to Queen City Quarter. And the vibe was set to shift from nightlife and after-hours parties to a corporate and family-friendly hub.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 12:48 PM.
