Wilmington Magazine Jan-Feb 2023

The perfect evening spot, Fermental, hosts live music and
food trucks throughout the weekend. Their ample beer garden is
outfitted with fire pits and picnic tables, or patrons can cozy up
at the inside bar while attempting to envision how this decidedly
modern, yet eclectic space was once an auto service and gas station.
The luxe Starling Whiskey and Wine Bar makes for a cozy nightcap
where whiskey enthusiasts can get their hands on rare selections
like the 1979 Jim Beam “Owl.”
What’s Next for the
Cargo District?
Long-term Wilmington locals remember the early days of the
Cargo District. Mess Hall was the perfect spot to grab a burger
while washing it down with a beer from Alcove. The first
businesses here, including The Plant Outpost, facilitated the
blueprint for what was possible.
Creativity had no limits besides the walls of a shipping container.
Business owners were able to leave a relatively low-cost mark
imprinting their subjective vision through the scale, shape and
ambiance of their container. Alcove showed what was possible
when calling on a bit of imagination, stacking containers as stairs
and seating, and structuring separate containers to provide small
spaces for other businesses within the larger whole. For Gibbs, the
Cargo District’s growth was a key selling point.
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