From morning pick-me-ups and high-energy fitness to dinner dates, rooftop drinks and game-day gatherings, the first retailers coming to The Grounds are beginning to define the everyday experience of Winston-Salem’s emerging mixed-use district.

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Updated rendering model of The Grounds shows the five distinct buildings of its Phase I Retail Village at center, with student apartments on left and office building in background on right. Credit: Carter / Front Street Capital

Updated rendering model of The Grounds shows the five distinct buildings of its Phase I Retail Village at center, with student apartments on left and office building in background on right. Credit: Carter / Front Street Capital

The Grounds today announced its first five founding retailers:

  • The Jimmy, an expanded Mediterranean- and Italian-inspired restaurant and bar from renowned NC-based restaurateur Jim Noble

  • The Fieldhouse Tavern, a new, food-forward sports bar from Winston-Salem restaurateurs Tom and Brandon Brock

  • Bagels & Co., a flavor-driven breakfast and lunch concept with a strong presence in university communities

  • TREMBLE, the second NC location of a fast-growing, high-intensity reformer Pilates franchise

  • Allegacy Financial, creating a new multipurpose location combining financial expertise, community connection, and its longstanding Wake Forest University partnership

Opening in Fall 2027, the Retail & Dining Village will bring approximately 42,000 square feet of experiential retail, dining, wellness, and community-focused uses to the heart of The Grounds, surrounded by patios, lawns, rooftops, trails, and public gathering spaces. These five founding retailers represent the first wave of a larger lineup within Phase I of The Grounds, with additional tenants expected to be announced by Q1 2027. The Village comprises five distinct buildings with varied architecture and elevations, including two featuring for-sale residences above ground-floor retail.

More than 1.1 million people already visit the surrounding district annually across more than 260 event days, spanning college and professional sports, concerts, the Carolina Classic Fair, tennis, shows, and other events.

“For a long time, people have understood the potential of this area on a game day. This first group of retailers shows what The Grounds will do for those event days and beyond, on every other day of the year,” said Coleman Team, President and Managing Partner of Front Street Capital, joint venture developer of The Grounds alongside Carter. “We set the bar high in terms of retail strategy and tenant mix, finding concepts that complement one another and give different people meaningful reasons to be here. The caliber of these tenants – and those that will follow – is exceeding our expectations as they make the experience of The Grounds truly tangible.”

From First Meal to Last Call

The first wave combines established North Carolina operators and deep Winston-Salem and Wake Forest connections with concepts bringing something entirely new to the market.

The Jimmy, the Charlotte-born restaurant and bar from North Carolina restaurateur Jim Noble, will bring its combination of honest food, handcrafted cocktails and genuine hospitality to Winston-Salem, with a menu spanning Mediterranean-inspired dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and a robust Italian chophouse-inspired lineup. The Jimmy will occupy a full two-story building with rooftop space facing into the Retail & Dining Village and toward Allegacy Financial Stadium.

The Fieldhouse Tavern, by Winston-Salem restaurateurs Tom and Brandon Brock, the team behind local concepts Sage & Salt, Tuscani, and the recently opened Spicy Pickle, will reimagine the traditional sports-bar experience with chef-driven food, premium audiovisual technology, and a curated drink program. Its two-story space and rooftop bar will offer open-air views of the surrounding sports and entertainment district — a natural gathering place before, during, and after events.

Bagels & Co. will bring its neighborhood-focused approach to breakfast and lunch to Winston-Salem, featuring handcrafted bagels baked fresh daily, homemade schmears, made-to-order sandwiches, and quality coffee. With a growth strategy centered on vibrant university communities, the brand saw a natural fit between the energy of Wake Forest University and the vision behind The Grounds.

TREMBLE, a fast-growing modern reformer Pilates concept known for high-energy, music-driven classes, will open its second North Carolina location at The Grounds, led locally by a mother-daughter franchise team. The studio adds a wellness anchor to the district and another reason to make The Grounds part of an everyday routine.

Rounding out the first group, Allegacy Financial will build on its longstanding relationship with Wake Forest and deep roots in Winston-Salem with a multipurpose space combining Allegacy’s financial expertise with room for meetings, events, speakers, and community programming.

“Winston-Salem and Wake Forest have always meant a great deal to me, and after 34 years in this community, the opportunity to be part of what’s taking shape at The Grounds feels especially meaningful,” said Jim Noble, founder of Noble Food & Pursuits and operator of The Jimmy and current local favorites Rooster’s, Bossy Beulah’s, and Copain. “The best restaurants become part of the rhythm of a community. We see The Jimmy as a place where people can gather over great food, whether they’re here for a game, visiting Wake Forest, or simply meeting friends for dinner or drinks on the rooftop. We’re excited to help establish that sense of place at The Grounds.”

Building an Everyday Destination for Winston-Salem

The Retail & Dining Village is one component of approximately $250 million in Phase I investment underway at The Grounds, a 100-acre redevelopment in Winston-Salem’s sports and entertainment district adjacent to Wake Forest University. Phase I also includes Creekside at The Grounds, a 229-unit, 521-bed purpose-built student apartment community; a 130,000-square-foot Wake Forest-anchored office building; 22 luxury residences; and approximately $40 million in state- and city-funded infrastructure improvements.

Those investments are transforming an area already drawing significant activity into a more connected, walkable district. Infrastructure improvements include the transformation of Upper Silas Creek, restored natural areas, trails and greenways, new pedestrian connections, and redesigned roadways and utilities. In conjunction with those improvements, the Retail & Dining Village itself is physically designed to encourage gathering and longer visits through patios, rooftops, lawns, and public spaces.

“A great mixed-use district is ultimately defined by the experiences it offers,” said Adam Parker, Senior Vice President at Carter. “This lineup starts to answer that question for The Grounds. You can grab breakfast, take a workout class, meet someone during the day, have dinner in the evening, catch a game, and stay for a drink afterward. That kind of everyday energy is what turns a development into a destination. We are thrilled about our first wave of tenants, the momentum at The Grounds, and what’s still to come.”

The Retail & Dining Village at The Grounds is expected to open in Fall 2027.

Additional renderings and progress images are available at visitthegrounds.com/progress-images.

About The Grounds

The Grounds is a transformative 100-acre mixed-use district in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, situated in the heart of the city’s sports and entertainment district and adjacent to Wake Forest University. Developed by Carter and Front Street Capital in partnership with Wake Forest University and the City of Winston-Salem, The Grounds is envisioned as a year-round gathering place connecting retail, dining, living, working, entertainment, natural spaces, and community. Phase I represents more than $250 million in active investment and includes an experiential Retail & Dining Village, purpose-built student housing, a Wake Forest-anchored office building, luxury residences, and significant public infrastructure and connectivity improvements. Over its first ten years of operations, The Grounds is expected to generate $1.3 billion in total business sales in the local economy, representing a new form of entertainment-driven economic development in Winston-Salem and the surrounding area.

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