Checking in on Red@28th

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Checking in on Red@28th

By Carlton Hargro – December 15, 2011

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The "homey" view inside Red@28th.

For local entrepreneur Darren Vincent, 2011 was a big year — punctuated by some major moves.

The long-running owner of the NoDa-based Realeyes Bookstore, Vincent made the choice eight months ago to shut down his shop and start a brand-new venture. His new business, Red@28th, is located just a few blocks from his old location and combines the bookstore concept with a lounge atmosphere.

Vincent, who is also the creator of events like the Charlotte Literary Festival and Eclec-Fest, has spent the better part of the year working and tweaking Red (which is billed as “Charlotte’s 1st Multicultural Literary Lounge”); the spot has been the location for a number of periodic events and it’s frequented by patrons interested in checking out the books and the refreshments (like coffee, sodas and wine) — or even puff on the resident hookah pipe.

Still, starting a new endeavor (especially in the middle of a recession) is a risky thing. And that begs the question: How’s business?

To find out more about how things have been going at Red, we checked in with Vincent and got a behind-the-curtains look at the new shop.

Qcitymetro: So how have things been going since opening Red?

Darren Vincent: It’s been great. It’s been a great ride. A lot of work because it’s still less than a year old, but I’m happy that people come out to support it.

Darren Vincent, owner of Red@28th.

What was your initial concept behind Red? And how is it different from what you were doing at Realeyes?

To be honest with you, man, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do — going back seven or eight years ago. Basically, I wanted somewhere people could go and relax in a comfortable environment — that wasn’t a bar or a restaurant. It wasn’t like a Starbucks where they push coffee. It was just something different. It had homey furniture; like being at home. And it promoted literacy. On top of that, I wanted to be able to host a lot of my book signings and speaking engagements on site … versus always having to rent a venue. And the reason for the hookah element is because I always wanted to bring different cultures together in Charlotte, and that’s one of those rare elements that bring all kinds of people together to socialize.

So, what is working business-wise at Red so far?

The hookah thing is working. People love coming in smoking it … even [Middle Eastern people] come in and utilize it.

OK, so what’s not working so well?

Well, I’ve always been a person who promoted literacy, so it’s disappointing that the book market is not doing as great, but that’s in general. What I need to do personally — and I am going to do walking into the New Year — is offer more literary-based seminars and workshops again, things that are going to encourage people to read and explore options and help people when it comes to relationships and things like that.

You didn’t host a Literary Festival this year, opting to instead put on Eclec-Fest — which isn’t necessarily a book-oriented event. What was your thinking behind this decision?

Because of this so-called recession, it’s been hard to get as many sponsors as I used to get for the Literary Festival. And plus, I think I needed a break, so that I could revisit why I started the Charlotte Literary Festival in the first place. Then, I’ll bring it back like it’s supposed to be. I’m just having to get back to my roots.

What are your plans for Red in 2012?

Oh man, I’m going to make Red one of those icons in Charlotte that stands for arts and culture; it will symbolize that here in Charlotte. It will be like the Busboys & Poets of Washington, D.C. You can come here and get a drink — like some wine and beer and all that — but it still encourages you to pick up a book and come to speaking engagements and get to know yourself a little bit better. [In addition] we’re going to make our movie nights, game nights and salsa nights consistent, and bring the Charlotte Literary Festival back.

For more information, visit Red@28th in person at 2424 N Davidson St., Suite 112A or online at www.redat28th.com.