Street vendors sound off
After the end of a city pilot program in NoDa this week, vendors face an unclear path forward
The following article appeared in the Feb. 18, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Charlotte’s street vending debate intensifies after NoDa pilot expires
by Lindsey Banks
At a public input meeting on street vending in uptown Tuesday night, Emily described what it was like getting a permit to legally sell her handcrafted waist beads in the NoDa Street Market pilot program. It took four months, she said — and multiple unanswered emails to the city — before she was finally approved.
Now, just months later, the program that allowed her to vend legally has been sunset as of Monday, with no clear path forward. If she chooses to continue to sell her art in NoDa, she could be fined $500.