Popular Lake Norman pub set to reopen after a major face lift. What we know.
The popular Kilted Buffalo pub is days from reopening in the Birkdale Village mixed-use community off I-77 Huntersville Exit 25, after a more than month-long facelift, its owner said.
“Our Birkdale makeover is coming along great with all new paint, new bar stools and several other cosmetic upgrades,” owner-operator Shawn Shrader said on Facebook Thursday, Feb. 23.
Shrader said he was waiting for final unrelated construction by North American Properties, the owner of Birkdale Village, before he can reopen his neighborhood pub.
“We are being told that they are a little behind schedule but hope to catch up,” he said.
A Charlotte Observer reporter on Friday afternoon saw a backhoe operator dig into the red clay along closed-off Townley Road near the pub to install large underground pipes.
Shrader said he still aims for an early March opening, in time for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 and the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament.
“We are ready to go from our end and can’t wait to see all of your smiling faces soon,” Shrader posted on Facebook.
On Feb. 1, Birkdale Village announced that part of Townley Road, where The Kilted Buffalo is located, would close for about a month for utility work.
Also Feb. 1, The Kilted Buffalo said on Facebook that it would reopen in early March ”with a 5-year lease extension and a fresh clean new look with all the same great staff.”
“Make plans to join us for (NCAA basketball) March Madness & St. Patrick”s Day,” the pub posted.
The Kilted Buffalo has other locations at LangTree at the Lake, I-77 Exit 31 in southern Iredell County; and Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood.
Birkdale Village tenants renew leases
On Thursday, Feb. 23, Birkdale Village management confirmed The Kilted Buffalo and these other long-term tenants have renewed their leases:
▪ Dressler’s, owned by local restaurateur Jon Dressler, 10-year lease extension.
▪ Francesca’s, multi-year lease extension.
▪ Poppies, local owner Kate Kazmer, multi-year lease extension and renovation, with the landlord contributing financially.
▪ Pure Barre, local franchisees Nanda and Kathryn Moscovitch, multi-year lease extension.
▪ Sport Clips, local franchisee Patrick Hardy, multi-year lease extension.
▪ Uniquities, local owner Julie Jennings, multi-year lease extension.
Huntersville OKs Georgia developer’s two-brand hotel
The Huntersville Board of Commissioners on Feb. 20 approved a rezoning for Hitesh Patel of Augusta, Georgia-based Hotel Ventures Inc. to build a two-brand hotel on vacant land at 16221 Northcross Drive.
The “Northcross Hotel” project will include a Fairfield Inn and a TownePlace Suites extended-stay hotel, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
To ease neighbors’ concerns about light pollution, hotel representatives said they plan 124 feet of vegetative buffer, where town rules require 80 feet. They’ll provide evergreens up to 30 feet tall between the hotel parking lot and homes and businesses, they said Tuesday night, and lighting will be visible only within the hotel boundary.
Patel also developed the SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel in The Park in Huntersville.
This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 6:00 AM.