Good morning! Today is Monday, December 15, 2025. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Over IPAs in South End bars, a group of Catholic friars is reinventing evangelism aimed at Gen Z and millennials
by Maggie Fipps
It’s a typical Friday night at Pins Mechanical in South End. An overwhelming bass beat keeps the dancing and the volume steady.
An older woman in her 50s enjoys her drink with a date, but out of the corner of her eye, a flash of simple brown fabric and a rope cord belt catches her eye.
Surprised, she turns to see Fathers Tito Serrano, Casey Cole and Jason Damon — three Franciscan friars in their early 30s — enrobed in their traditional dress.
“Is this a joke?” the woman said.
No, it’s not an elaborate prank. No, they’re not cosplaying as Assassin’s Creed characters. And yes, they can have alcohol — their drink of choice is an IPA.
“We’re Catholics, not Baptists,” Cole said with a laugh. “We basically invented beer.”
The three friars moved to Charlotte six months ago with a specific goal: to reach the thriving young population with the Gospel and to help people find a relationship with God. The jump was also made easier by an invite from the new diocese bishop, Father Michael Martin, a fellow Franciscan.
According to religion research organization Barna, millennials and Gen Z are now attending church more than their older counterparts — bucking the norm. In a city where over a third of the population is in their 20s and 30s, the fathers see an opportunity to win back a generation that’s increasingly interested in church.
“Far more people are outside of the church than in it, and they are not coming back on their own,” Cole said in his YouTube video announcing the move.
Hence their creative evangelism strategy. You can find the friars in all of the most unexpected places — Goldies, Pins Mechanical, Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. They don’t have to do much for people to approach them. Their robes are a walking billboard.
“Ultimately, the goal is to spread the Gospel, let them know that they are loved and meet them where they are, wherever that is,” Damon said.
Their ministry is called “SEARCH,” which stands for “Seek, Encounter, Accompany, Renew, Convert and Heal.” Cole said their goal is to move each individual they meet to the next step of that acronym, whether they are curious about the spiritual world or want to take a step toward joining the church.
In their first six months, they spent many hours and steps just exploring where young people congregate. They have their own bar ratings — not based on the cocktails, but on how many spiritual conversations they spark. They say Goldies is a good spot for engaging with people, while Pins Mechanical can be hit or miss.
Cole, who grew up in North Carolina, said that a few well-meaning Southern street preachers got under his skin. That’s why the friars usually sit back and let people come to them. Mostly, they want to provide a ministry of presence — not pushy, just patiently listening to people in need.
Like the man who walked out of his uptown office building during the lunch rush. In the midst of people crossing to get to Amelie’s French Bakery & Cafe or Chex Grill and Wings, he spotted the friars at a table with a simple sign: “Ask us anything.” He approached and let the friars into his pain.
“My best friend just died this week,” he said. “I’m Jewish, and he’s Christian. How do I know he’s OK?”
Or the 35-year-old veteran who approached them at the bar, ribbing them good-naturedly.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
The friars shared their mission, and a look of realization washed over his face.
“Are you here for me?” he asked, this time his tone different. The man immediately crumpled in tears, and the friars listened to his story and prayed over him.
“There’s a healing aspect of that as well,” Cole said. “He’s not an instant conversion. But for us, evangelization is a process, not an event.”
They’re also on a mission to unite young Catholics in Charlotte, many of whom left the church for one reason or another, only to realize they had a deep longing to return to God.
Through events like Brews and Good News, a Bible study over beer, the fathers said they hope to send more young evangelists into places they can’t go, like offices at Bank of America or Truist.
Ultimately, in a world where people are searching for meaning and purpose, the fathers say they want to present the beauty of truth and tradition found in the Catholic church.
Let’s go back to that woman at the bar. She brushed the friars off, and sensing her discomfort, they walked away. But on a closer look, she had tears in her eyes. Maybe that unexpected interaction in an unexpected place prompted her to think deeper — unearthing the memories of a faith long lost.
“They are searching,” Serrano said. “They’re looking for something, and we don’t pretend to have all the answers. We just want to walk with them while they’re asking.”
Maggie Fipps is a freelance writer. Reach her at [email protected].
Today’s supporting sponsor is Carnegie Private Wealth. At Carnegie Private Wealth, we bring clarity to complexity. Through thoughtful planning and personal attention, we transform your financial aspirations into actionable strategies. Providing you with less stress and greater confidence in your future.
Small business profile: From trash to treasure (and sometimes to creepy dolls), meet Upcycle Arts
Not every craft store can say it’s received a bag of tiny figurines “mooning, like pulling their pants down” or a preprinted fabric panel of Henry Cavill from “The Witcher” shaped like a body pillow. But for Upcycle Arts, donations like these are part of the daily rhythm.
The nonprofit creative reuse shop in Eastway Crossing shopping center has quickly become a distinctive creative hub in Charlotte — part craft-supply store, part sustainability initiative and part gathering space for local artists and crafters, especially when big-box craft store Jo-Ann Fabrics went out of business earlier this year.
Though the second-hand art supply shop has been in its current location for only about a year and a half, Upcycle Arts’ roots stretch back to 2020, when founder and director Angela Kollmer began experimenting with ways to bring creative reuse to Charlotte.
“We first started doing pop-up markets,” Kollmer said, “but people hated it; it didn’t go well. People want finished products at a market; they don’t want the supplies to make something.”
From there, the organization shifted to craft events and small art installations, with a 170 s.f. basement space at the VAPA Center to store donations, “the size of our bathroom now,” Kollmer joked. “Because of that space, we were able to afford this one.”
At its storefront off Eastway Drive, Upcycle Arts receives anywhere between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds of donations a month on an appointment basis, all sorted by a small staff of six and volunteers. This year, the store has received over 39,000 pounds of donations.
What comes in the doors ranges from brand-new craft kits to gently used and leftover craft project items like knitting needles, yarn, fabric and scrapbooking paper, to oddities that don’t always make it to the shelves, like a bag of cough drop wrappers, Kollmer said. Most items are priced at roughly half of retail value, or less if the packaging has been opened, making it a go-to stop for teachers, families with small children and artists.
Upcycle Arts also hosts workshops and programming each month, taught by staff or paid guest artists, covering everything from sewing basics to cardboard gingerbread houses. One of Kollmer’s favorites is the annual creepy doll workshop around Halloween, where participants use donated doll parts to create their own doll.
Workshops are intentionally multigenerational — “8-year-olds next to 60-year-olds creating,” Kollmer said — and most beginner sessions cost just $10.
Local artist Asher Shepherd, who works at Gear Goat Xchg a few doors down, shops with Upcycle Arts and sells his creations at pop-up markets.
“I really like the whole concept of getting things that would potentially otherwise go to a landfill and putting it to use,” Shepherd told The Ledger. He uses donated yarn and paper to make fiber art, like crochet stuffed animals, and papercrafts, like shadow boxes, bookmarks and cards.
As Upcycle Arts grows, Kollmer hopes to expand its reach and bring more people in from all over the county. For now, the store continues to prove that inspiration can come from even the oddest materials — whether it’s a bag of foot-shaped stress balls donated by a podiatrist’s office, or dozens of embroidered quilt squares featuring state flowers. —Lindsey Banks
Sycamore empty after co-owner charged with sex crimes
Sycamore Brewing in South End was unusually lowkey midafternoon Saturday, with fewer than 25 people inside the two-level taproom and its outdoor tables empty while other patios in the neighborhood were buzzing on the mild, late fall day.
Justin Tawse Brigham, a co-owner of Sycamore, was arrested Thursday and charged with statutory rape of a child, indecent liberties with a child and first-degree burglary. The backlash against Sycamore has since grown, with many restaurants, bars and grocery stores that sell Sycamore saying they are no longer carrying or serving the brewery’s products.
The brewery posted a statement on Instagram on Thursday saying that Brigham “is divesting all of his interest and will have no further involvement” with the company. In another social media post on Saturday, the brewery said the charges against Brigham are “horrifying and Justin’s acts are despicable.”
“We are heartbroken for the victim. No person should have to endure what she did. We realize that words cannot fix what has been done, but want everyone to know that our hearts are completely broken for her. These are unforgivable actions,” the statement says.
It also goes on to say that “trust has been violated” with the Sycamore community, friends, customers and neighbors, and that Sycamore will not be assisting in Brigham’s defense.
The Ledger briefly spoke to a manager at the taproom on Saturday, who reiterated that Brigham is no longer involved in the company and that he doesn’t represent anything Sycamore stands for as a company. He declined to answer further questions.
Multiple grocers with local stores — including Lowe’s Foods, Publix, Food Lion and Whole Foods Market — told The Ledger they planned to pull Sycamore products from their shelves. An inquiry to Matthews-based Harris Teeter was not immediately returned, but a visit to the Harris Teeter store in Plaza Midwood on Saturday morning found Sycamore beer cans missing in the spot where they had been on Friday afternoon.
Adams Beverages, Sycamore’s distributor, did not get back to The Ledger by deadline. As of Sunday afternoon, Sycamore was still listed on the distributor’s website as one of its products.
Sycamore is the largest brewery in Charlotte and one of the most recognizable craft beer brands across North Carolina and the Southeast.
The brewery produces the second-highest number of beer barrels annually across North Carolina, at 30,285, according to the Charlotte Business Journal’s latest craft brewery list. The ranking was based on 2024 barrel production figures. —Ashley Fahey
🎙️ New on the pod: Taking control of your money
Most people don’t learn about money in school — yet nearly every adult is expected to juggle budgets, debt, savings, taxes and investing. For many, that gap creates stress, shame or a sense that finance is “for other people.” But what if understanding your money wasn’t about getting rich — but about gaining freedom?
In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, host Steve Dunn explores the real meaning of financial literacy with Brian Li, a longtime Providence Day School teacher and finance coach. Li explains how financial literacy—built on simple habits like budgeting, tackling high-interest debt and investing early in low-cost, tax-advantaged accounts—can give people of all incomes more freedom, confidence and control over their lives.
It’s worth a listen! Find this episode below, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
This episode is sponsored by AC Creative Collective. This Charlotte based business specializes in marketing services, strategy, and learning & development services that help businesses thrive. Check them out at www.accreativecollective.com for innovative solutions tailored to your needs.
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
TOMORROW: “Holiday Coffee and Treats,” 8:30-9:30 a.m., at FSIoffice, 6410 Orr Road. Join the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce for a morning of holiday fun hosted by FSIoffice and Hilltop Coffee! Enjoy a festive spread of delicious coffee and bites as you explore FSI’s beautifully decorated Christmas office showrooms and celebrate the season with the Charlotte Area business community. Reconnect with fellow members, swap stories from the year and cheers with a warm cup of coffee to another season of growth, connection and community. Registration required. Free.
THURSDAY: “Social Series: Holiday Ornaments,” 6-8 p.m., at Twenty Two West, 2338 The Plaza. Could your holidays use a bit more glitz and glam? In a workshop presented by Arts+, participants will design and add gems to wooden ornament forms while enjoying the wonderful curated art and home goods at Twenty Two West. Need last minute gifts? These handmade ornaments will make winter shiny and bright and be loved by even the grumpiest scrooge. $25.
In brief:
UNC Charlotte tuition hike approved by trustees: UNC Charlotte’s trustees approved their first tuition hike in nine years, raising costs starting in 2026–27 — including about $114 more a year for in-state undergrads and up to $2,000 more for out-of-state and graduate students, pending system approval. (Niner Times)
ICE arrests double in 2025: Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in North Carolina nearly doubled compared with all of 2024 — even before the November Charlotte-area operation — according to data analyzed by WUNC.
UNC System to publish every class syllabus: The UNC System plans to make every class syllabus at its public universities a public record, giving students and the public a clearer look at what’s being taught in classrooms. The draft policy, aimed at boosting transparency and trust, could take effect as early as the 2026–27 school year. (WRAL)
Filing for office: Candidate filing for the 2026 elections continues this week, with a deadline of Friday at noon. Races on the ballot include the state legislature, county commission, sheriff and clerk of court. You can view the latest filings here.
False social media health rumors at Davidson: Rumors of an outbreak of a bacterial infection at Davidson College, fueled by anonymous and misleading posts on social media app Yik Yak, spread panic among students even though health officials later confirmed only one isolated case and no broader risk to campus. (The Davidsonian)
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