The newest holiday stops in SouthPark this year are across the street from SouthPark Mall, not inside it. A baking shop now fills a former restaurant space at Apex SouthPark, across Sharon Road from the mall. A home goods brand chose Governor Morrison Street for its first Charlotte storefront. The biggest public evening of the season is set for Phillips Place. And the green space behind the mall is having its last December before construction fences go up.
That changes how a SouthPark December fits together. The mall still runs the longest calendar. But between now and Christmas Eve, the season's best hours belong to the addresses within sight of 4400 Sharon Road.
Two new storefronts across from the mall
The first is the King Arthur Baking Co. pop-up at Apex SouthPark, 4425 Sharon Road. It opened Nov. 7 and stocks premium flours, baking mixes, fresh sourdough starters, cookbooks, professional kitchen tools and hard-to-find appliances. SouthPark Magazine reports that the shop is in the former Yardbird space near Snooze and is open seven days a week. For a pop-up, it is staying a long time. SouthPark Community Partners lists it as expected to run through early 2028. That makes it a fixture for at least two holiday baking seasons, not a one-month stunt.
The second is Anne Neilson Home at 721 Governor Morrison Street, Suite D. It is the brand's first Charlotte storefront, and its flagship grand opening was scheduled for Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with local coffee, a bouquet bar, light bites, champagne and live music. Across the street at 720 Governor Morrison, YAMA SouthPark reopened this fall after a renovation. CharlotteFive reported that the restaurant planned a soft reopening Sept. 1 with dinner-only service from 5 to 9 p.m. On one short stretch of Governor Morrison, an afternoon of gift shopping now leads straight into a dinner reservation.
Inside the mall, the newest name is SKIMS. Axios Charlotte reported that it opened July 31 across from Sephora. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. SouthPark Magazine's November roundup lists Faherty, Princess Polly and Nespresso as headed to the mall, and Jones Road Beauty as headed to Phillips Place.
Phillips Place holds the season's biggest evening
The mall offers the most hours of holiday programming. The best-planned single evening is at Phillips Place, 6800 Phillips Place Court. The annual Holiday Stroll runs Thursday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 7 p.m. It includes photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, traveling carolers, face painting and balloon art, a flower truck, s'mores and hot cocoa, seasonal treats, and shopping and dining offers.
The center's shops have their own calendars in the weeks before the stroll. Ladies of Lineage, the bridal boutique at Phillips Place, hosts a trunk show with Milan designer Peter Langner from Nov. 20 to 28. Langner will be in town Nov. 20 and 21. Sloan runs a Cinq à Sept and CADDIS trunk show from Nov. 19 to 21.
The mall's calendar, on one page
SouthPark Mall still runs the longest calendar in the district. Simon's holiday listing for SouthPark and SouthPark Community Partners' holiday guide list the dates below. Taken together, they show how the indoor and sidewalk calendars overlap.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 6 to Dec. 24 | Santa photos | SouthPark Mall |
| Nov. 20 to Dec. 2 | Salvation Army Angel Tree | Mall Dining Pavilion |
| Nov. 26 | Charlotte Turkey Trot | Thanksgiving morning |
| Nov. 29, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Santa Paws pet photos | SouthPark Mall |
| Daily from Dec. 1 | Season's Greetings mural and letters to Santa | Hyatt Centric SouthPark |
| Dec. 3, 4 to 7 p.m. | Holiday Stroll | Phillips Place |
| Dec. 5, 9 to 11 a.m. | Jingle Bell Bash | Suffolk Punch Brewing |
| Dec. 5 and Dec. 19 | Deans Duets | Mall Circle Court |
| Dec. 6 | Caring Santa | SouthPark Mall |
| Dec. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Charlotte Ballet Nutcracker performance | Mall Circle Court |
| Dec. 12 and 13 | Santa Brunch | DTR SouthPark |
Some of these dates line up well. The Phillips Place stroll on Thursday, Dec. 3 comes two days before the Jingle Bell Bash at Suffolk Punch. Dec. 5 and 6 bring both the first Deans Duets set and the Caring Santa visit. Caring Santa is a sensory-friendly visit for children with special needs and their families. The Hyatt Centric mural is by Charlotte-based artist Amber Thompson. Visitors can write a letter to Santa there, and anyone who leaves a return address gets a reply. The Charlotte Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning includes an 8K, a 5K run/walk, a one-mile fun run, a Tot Trot and a post-race party, with more than 12,000 people expected.
The holiday tables, by date
Most of SouthPark's seasonal dining runs on a schedule, so it pays to plan around the dates. These are the dated holiday menus from SouthPark Community Partners' guide:
- Steak 48 is open noon to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26. It serves a $79 turkey dinner alongside its full menu, then has an extended Christmas Eve service on Dec. 24.
- Mano Bella hosts a Taste of Italy dinner on Dec. 16 built around Emilia-Romagna, then a hands-on tiramisu class with Chef Raffaele on Dec. 21. Its cheese-wheel pasta runs every Tuesday.
- Oak Steakhouse serves tableside s'mores over a personal fire pit daily through Dec. 31.
- Chez Marie offers tea time with finger sandwiches and pastries daily through Dec. 31.
- DTR SouthPark pours seasonal cocktails in holiday tiki mugs through Dec. 31, in addition to the Santa Brunch weekend.
- Arthur's and Reid's Fine Foods both hold complimentary wine tastings on Saturdays, a useful stop before a holiday dinner party.
Weeknight live music fills the gaps. Just Serendipity plays Tuesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at 800° Lounge. IRO Bar & Lounge inside Hyatt Centric has music on Wednesdays, Laurel Park on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and The Craic on Fridays.
The last December before Symphony Park closes
The green space behind the mall will look different next holiday season. The TowneBank Symphony Park FAQ, updated in October, says construction will begin by early 2027 and the park will reopen by early 2028. The park will be closed to the public during construction. The project site says final design and permit review continue through late 2026, so the park is still open this season.
The project is a three-way partnership. The City of Charlotte is investing $8 million through neighborhood and transportation bonds. Simon Property Group is investing $8 million in anchor restaurant space and permanently committing the land for public use. SouthPark Community Partners is raising $8 million through a community capital campaign. The park also figures in the SouthPark Loop. SouthPark Community Partners lists Symphony Park among the segments in active planning. Three segments are already built: 400 feet by The Colony, 800 feet on Carnegie Boulevard by Apex SouthPark, and 642 feet on Piedmont Row Drive.
The two timelines line up. The King Arthur pop-up across Sharon Road is expected to stay through early 2028, about when the renovated park is set to reopen. Through 2027, while the park is fenced, SouthPark's December will run on Apex, Governor Morrison Street, Phillips Place and the mall's indoor courts. This year, all of those addresses are open alongside the park.
The details of a season like this one shape how a place feels to live in, and SouthPark's calendar is about to change for a year. If you're thinking about a home within reach of Phillips Place, Apex and the future Symphony Park, Charlie and Nancy Zylstra would be glad to walk the area with you. Schedule a private consultation.
