The Grounds Announces First Five Retailers, Bringing All-Day Energy to Winston-Salem’s New Mixed-Use District
Founding lineup blends deep local roots and new-to-market concepts to help create a vibrant daily destination opening Fall 2027
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
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — September 16, 2026 — 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.
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
Together, the group has been intentionally curated to create all-day energy at The Grounds, establishing reasons to visit throughout the day and throughout the year.
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. The Grounds is designed to build on that existing energy while adding something new: compelling reasons to visit on ordinary weekdays as much as major event days.
“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 renowned North Carolina restaurateur Jim Noble, will bring its combination of honest food, handcrafted cocktails and genuine hospitality to Winston-Salem. Building on its strong reputation for Mediterranean inspiration, wood-fired pizzas, rotating seasonal menus, and a thoughtfully curated bar program, The Jimmy at The Grounds will also feature a robust Italian chophouse-inspired menu with creative protein-driven dishes. The Jimmy will occupy a full two-story building with rooftop space facing into the Retail & Dining Village and toward Allegacy Financial Stadium, adding another layer of indoor-outdoor dining and social energy to the district.
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 bring an entirely new, food-forward sports bar created for The Grounds. This new concept will reimagine the traditional sports-bar experience with chef-driven food, premium audiovisual technology, and an expertly curated drink program. Its two-story space and rooftop bar will offer open-air views of The Grounds and the surrounding sports and entertainment district, creating a natural gathering place before, during, and after events – and well beyond them.
Bagels & Co. will bring its neighborhood-focused approach to breakfast and lunch to Winston-Salem, featuring handcrafted bagels baked fresh daily, a variety of homemade schmears, hearty made-to-order sandwiches, and quality coffee served in a welcoming environment. The concept is designed to become part of the community's daily routine, offering a place where students, residents, faculty, professionals, and visitors can gather, connect, and start their day. With a growth strategy centered on vibrant university communities, Bagels & Co. recognized a strong alignment between the energy of Wake Forest University and the vision behind The Grounds, making it an ideal home for the brand's continued expansion.
TREMBLE, a rapidly growing modern reformer Pilates concept, will open its second North Carolina location at The Grounds. Known for high-energy, music-driven classes and an elevated studio experience centered on both strength and community, TREMBLE will be led locally by a mother-daughter franchise team. The studio adds a wellness anchor to the district and another reason for people to make The Grounds part of their everyday routine, with a format particularly well-suited to students, young professionals, and the active community surrounding The Grounds.
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 designed to bring community members together. The concept will combine Allegacy’s financial expertise with space for meetings, events, speakers, and other programming, creating new ways to connect with the Wake Forest and broader Winston-Salem communities. Reflecting Allegacy’s belief that roots and relationships matter, the space is envisioned as a welcoming place to connect, learn, and gather within The Grounds.
“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.
The result is intended to serve a broad mix of Winston-Salem residents and visitors: young professionals meeting for dinner, families spending an afternoon together, Wake Forest students walking over from campus and Creekside, employees grabbing coffee or lunch, alumni returning for the weekend, and fans extending an event into a full day at The Grounds.
“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.”
Additional retailers are currently in development and will be announced in a second wave by Q1 2027.
The Retail & Dining Village at The Grounds is expected to open in Fall 2027.
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Rendering aerial view from above Piccolo Lane facing west shows green spaces and gathering areas around the Retail Village and the pedestrian walkway coming from Deacon Boulevard toward Allegacy Financial Stadium. Credit: Carter / Front Street Capital
Rendering shows one entry point from multi-use trail into Retail Village, with stage and seating areas in the center of frame. Building on left is The Jimmy and right is The Fieldhouse Tavern. Credit: Carter / Front Street Capital
Wide-scale aerial view facing northwest from Deacon Boulevard shows the transformation ahead for Winston-Salem’s sports and entertainment district. Credit: Carter / Front Street Capital
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.