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Good afternoon, Raleigh. A red and blue ship have collided in the Carribean sea.

Apparently the survivors are marooned. 🚢

In today’s Raleigh Rundown:

• 8 fun things to do in Raleigh this weekend

• Professional pickleball is coming to Raleigh

• Popular BBQ restaurant returning to North Raleigh

• Is Raleigh one of the best places to rent?

Let’s get to it. 🏃

Stories this week

Popular BBQ restaurant returning to North Raleigh 🐷

A former auto shop in Raleigh is being renovated into a new Red Hot & Blue barbecue restaurant location at 1326 E. Millbrook Road in Raleigh’s Quail Corners Shopping Center at the intersection with Falls of Neuse Road. The 2,000-square-foot space will maximize outdoor seating with patios and areas for games. The fast-casual concept will feature a "barbecue theater" design where customers watch food being smoked and prepared.

Though smaller than typical locations, it aims to capture the "romance of barbecue" through visible smokers and meat cutting. The menu will offer Texas brisket, specials like burnt ends, and potential live music. The CEO hopes to open by October as they reestablish the brand's local presence.

Professional Pickle Ball is coming to Raleigh 🏓

Major League Pickleball's Seattle Pioneers have announced a rebrand and relocation to North Carolina, now becoming the Carolina Pickleball Club owned by Tom Dundon, majority owner of the Carolina Hurricanes. The move allows synergies between the two organizations in areas like facilities and marketing.

The newly minted Carolina Pickleball Club, led by players like Ben Johns, Andrea Koop, Jessie Irvine, and Collin Johns, with Dave Fleming as GM/coach, will make their 2024 debut at the MLP Washington D.C. tournament this week. The relocation comes after Ben and Collin Johns kicked off a Hurricanes game while in town two months ago for the PPA North Carolina Cup event.

The Raleigh is one of the best cities to rent 🏬

The American dream of homeownership has become less attainable, leading to a rise in long-term renting. North Carolina stands out as renter-friendly, with Raleigh, Durham, and Winston-Salem ranking in Forbes Advisor's top 10 best cities for renters. These cities score well in affordability, availability, amenities, and lifestyle.

The Triangle area's rental market offers affordable rent-to-income ratios and below-average prices per square foot. Cooling rents in the region are due to an influx of new apartment units, suggesting the area may need to prepare for more permanent renters as homeownership becomes less feasible for many.

Office buildings in Raleigh seeing big price drop 🏢

The Raleigh commercial real estate market is experiencing a downturn, with low-occupancy office buildings being sold at significant discounts. Bridge Commercial Real Estate recently sold two class-A office buildings on Falls of Neuse Road for a combined $12.25 million, over $17 million less than their 2020 purchase price. The buildings, Somerset South and Somerset North, have occupancy rates of 47% and 55% respectively.

This sale reflects a broader trend in the Triangle area, where office properties are selling below assessed values due to high vacancy rates. The class-A office vacancy rate in the first quarter was 15.6%. Despite recent renovations and amenities, the available space in these buildings is being advertised below the average Raleigh office leasing rate. Copy

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

Moore Square Market | Friday, 3 - 6 PM | Moore Square - 200 S. Blount St, Raleigh

Get ready for a dynamic showcase of local talent, artisanal flair, and culinary delights right in the heart of downtown Raleigh. There will be vendors for food, jewelry, craft, home decor, and more.

COST: Free to attend, cost for vendors

Concert: Sean Paul | Friday, 7 PM | The Ritz - 2820 Industrial Dr, Raleigh

Come see Sean Paul perform live in Raleigh at the Ritz.

Click here for tickets.

COST: $73 and up

Concert: Dave Matthews Band | Friday, 7:30 PM | Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Come hear the Dave Matthews Band perform in concert this Friday.

Click here for tickets.

COST: $67 and up

Durham Bulls VS Charlotte Knights | Friday - Sunday | Durham Bulls Athletic Park

The Durham Bulls play at home this weekend against the Charlotte Knights.

• Friday: Friday Night Fireworks

• Saturday: Saturday Night Fireworks

• Sunday: Kids run the bases

Click here for tickets.

COST: $13 and up

Fenton Farmers Market | Saturday, 11 AM - 4 PM | 806 Cary Towne Blvd, Cary

Check out the live music and local shopping! Shop from your favorite Fenton Stores and an additional 35 local artists’ booths curated by Triangle Pop-Up, located in the square.

COST: Free to attend, cost for vendors

Sports cards, toys, Pokemon, comics, action figures, and POP Funk Show | Saturday + Sunday | Kerr Scott Building at the NC State Fairgrounds

Check out tons of sports cards, Pokemon, comic books, die-cast cars, Hot Wheels, Pop Funko’s, and more.

• Saturday: 9 AM - 4 PM

• Sunday: 10 AM - 4 PM

COST: $5 admission fee, kids 12 and under are free

Carolina Hurricanes Yard Sale | Saturday, 11 AM - 1 PM | PNC Arena

The Carolina Hurricanes Yard Sale is back. Check it out on Saturday, June 15 to to shop discounted merch, new and used equipment, autographed collectibles, and more!

Click here for more info.

COST: Free to attend, cost for items

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE FUTURE EVENTS

June 26: Red Hot Chili Peppers performing at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek. Click here for tickets.

June 28: Blockbuster Trivia Night hosted at New City Church at 7 PM (6904 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh). See how well you know your movies!

June 29: Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo in downtown Raleigh.

July 13: Raleigh’s First Summer Fest. Fun summer games, food trucks, a large selection of desserts, ice cream vendors, and games for adults and children. Beach music and line dancing. Huge selection of Beer and refreshing drinks. Hosted at the Raleigh City Plaza. 421 Fayetteville St, Raleigh.

WEEKEND WEATHER

Friday

94 🌡️ 72 | 🌤️ | 0%

Saturday

91 🌡️ 66 | 🌤️ | 0%

Sunday

90 🌡️ 67 | 🌤️ | 0%

LOCAL SPORTS

Baseball ⚾️

Both NC State and UNC have advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska which begins on Friday, June 14.

Click here for the the bracket + weekend game times.

Durham Bulls 🐂

• Friday: Charlotte Knights @ Durham Bulls | 6:35 PM

• Saturday: Charlotte Knights @ Durham Bulls | 6:35 PM

• Sunday: Charlotte Knights @ Durham Bulls | 5:05 PM

THANKS!

Thanks for reading the Raleigh Rundown today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who gets cold really easily. 🥶

Have any suggestions for what you would like to see in future editions? Reply to this email and let me know!

Let’s do this again next Thursday!