Market on Main expands to Charlotte with new location
Market on Main is expanding to Charlotte, opening a new venue in December 2025 with a gourmet menu, a large jumbotron, and stages for live music.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A popular Columbia restaurant is expanding its footprint into Charlotte, bringing a new dining and entertainment experience to the Queen City.
Market on Main, a well-known staple in South Carolina’s capital since 2019, will open a new location— Market on Morehead —along the Rail Trail at Carson Station. The space, currently vacant, is set to undergo major renovations before its planned opening in December 2025.
“One of the big challenges with this space was the ceiling heights we’re a little bit lower than we initially thought,” said Josh Willoughby, co-owner and CEO of Market on Main. “One of the big things with this particular space, is that we’re going to actually take out some of the concrete and sink it.”
The Charlotte location will feature a gourmet American menu with various ethnic influences, an outdoor patio, indoor and outdoor stages for live music, and deck views overlooking Uptown. One of its standout attractions will be a 25-foot jumbotron for sports fans.
“It’s gonna look like a TV is pretty much floating kinda in that area,” Willoughby said.
With the restaurant’s prime location near the light rail and ongoing development projects, Willoughby believes Market on Morehead will attract both locals and visitors.
“We just think that bringing a world-class facility to this area will be very attractive to a lot of our hospitality workers and staff,” he said.
Residents are already excited about the addition.
“Being right here on the Rail Trail, everyone’s gonna want to come,” said Scott Kobos, a Charlotte resident.
“It sounds like such a good culture fit,” added AJ Persinger. “This is a sports city, so anywhere that has a place that has a large jumbotron to sit people and watch sports and content games is a great place, I feel like.”
While construction challenges remain, Willoughby is confident about the timeline.
“We’re definitely trying to open this year, that’s what we want to do,” he said.
Market on Morehead is expected to welcome guests by December 2025.
Contact Walker Lawson at wlawson@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.