The first thing that guests at Opal & West House see when they walk into the historic inn is a golden dogwood flower on a blue wall. The bloom was painted by Heather Stevens, who owns the inn with her husband, Seth, and their daughter, Lynsie, and is one of many personal touches that the family has added to the 1860 property in the Central Shelby Historic District.
When the Stevenses bought the former residence in 2022, it had been empty for a decade. The family spent 16 months renovating the house to restore its original charm. They pulled up carpeting and refinished the original pine floors, replaced damaged wainscoting, removed wallpaper from the plaster walls, and added modern comforts, too.
Today, guests can choose from seven guestrooms that incorporate the home’s historic character, colorful decor, and personal touches. “The thing that’s become clear to us is that where we’re really gifted, and the things we really love, are [centered] around hospitality,” Seth says. “At its core, it’s making strangers feel like friends.”
409 West Marion Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(980) 336-0527
opalandwest.com
Shelby City Park will host its 27th annual Foothills Merry-Go-Round Festival on April 26-27, 2025. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
As kids hold on tight and giggle in delight, a carousel begins to turn, slowly at first, then picking up speed, as a 1923 Artizan A-2 military band organ begins to play. The carousel was manufactured in 1919 by the Herschell-Spillman Company and in 1952 began operation in Shelby City Park, where it ran until the 1980s. It was then restored and reopened in 1998.
Since then, more than one million riders have climbed onto its 32 wooden horses — 29 of which are original — as their families and friends waved and admired the hand-painted rounding boards and scenery panels.
850 West Sumter Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 484-6821
In addition to vintage treasures (right), owners Wren Westbrook and Kellie Ledford (center, from left) also host DIY classes, like this painting class. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
The 1937 building that housed Kester-Groome Furniture Co. for 63 years became the home of WorkShop Vintage Market when owners Kellie Ledford and Wren Westbrook moved their business there in 2018. In the roughly 6,000-square-foot space, vendors sell vintage finds like farm tables, tobacco baskets, and antique bottles alongside locally made candles, greeting cards, Shelby Spice hot sauce, and pottery.
108 North Lafayette Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 481-7987
facebook.com/workshopvintagemarket
In 2009, when the venue was renovated and reopened as a concert hall and occasional movie theater, its original sign was restored to its former glory — with the addition of “Don Gibson.” photograph by Charles Harris
Bobbi Gibson, wife of the late Don Gibson, sits in the front row at every musical performance held in the restored 1939 theater named for the Shelby-born country music star. The Art Deco building features the original neon marquee out front and curved walls in the lobby, where moviegoers could once buy popcorn and a drink for a nickel.
Backstage, two walls are covered with the signatures of artists who have performed or spoken at the theater, including Whitney Houston and Lisa Marie Presley.
318 South Washington Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 487-8114
dongibsontheatre.com
Try a Fiddler’s Dream unfiltered IPA at Newgrass Brewing Co. photograph by Charles Harris
Located in the former Hudson Department Store, built in 1909, Cleveland County’s first craft brewery features reclaimed wood from the Dover Mill, once the county’s largest employer.
213 South Lafayette Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 406-9959
newgrassbrewing.com
Tucked into a historic neighborhood, a backyard in Forsyth County holds hundreds of Southern wildflowers collected by one wild flower woman.
John Champlin has traveled across the state — and the nation — in search of hard-to-find spots that serve an unforgettable hot dog. After 11 years, what he’s discovered goes way beyond the bun.
In the early 20th century, textile mill owners sponsored baseball teams, providing entertainment for their employees and nurturing a passion for the game that’s been handed down through generations of North Carolinians.
Our writer reflects on where his love of vinyl began, and how the snap, crackle, and pop of a needle sliding across a turntable will always satisfy his soul.
