Main Street Carolinas: Why downtown Waxhaw is thriving

WAXHAW, N.C. — Waxhaw’s population is growing, and its main street has become a tourist destination for many outside of the city limits -- Channel 9 is taking a look into Waxhaw’s history and how it plans to navigate a growing future.

It starts with the train, which is as much a part of Waxhaw as the historic buildings lining the tracks. Trainspotter David Carriker told Channel 9’s Scott Wickersham that it came through the area in 1888.

Joyce Blythe sometimes gives historical tours of Waxhaw’s main street. She’s lived here since 1947 and is a former town commissioner; she helped make sure that the bridge over the tracks was never replaced and that the iconic water tank that rises above town was restored and preserved.

“Why is it important to give that to people who might not know the history?” Wickersham asked.

“It gives people a history of where they live because a lot of people don’t know,” Blythe said.

That history tells the tale of America’s birth. Waxhaw’s roots go back to the 1700s and the indigenous Waxhaw people. It was chartered in 1889 as the third-oldest town in Union County; it boomed with the railroad and cotton and textile trades.

But all booms come to an end, and for decades, it languished.

“I think we were looking for something that felt a little more like home, a slower pace,” said Lee McShane.

When Mary O’Neill’s Irish Pub opened up nine years ago, the owners were taking a chance. McShane says many nearby storefronts were vacant.

“People are moving from all areas to here, it’s helping growth, the family vibe, and sense of community we have got here,” McShane said.

Downtown Waxhaw is now thriving. It’s a walkable destination for families where old meets new, and some old businesses are seeing many new customers.

The Broome Barbershop is the oldest continuously operating business in Waxhaw. It first opened in 1948, and it’s currently owned by Jonathan Kendall.

“I think they like the old traditional feel, small town, everybody kinda still knows everybody,” Kendall said. “A lot of the businesses down here have been here for many years.”

That includes Tangles Knitting on Main, which is right next door.

“Did you think a yarn business would survive in Waxhaw?” Wickersham asked store owner Elizabeth Climer.

“I had no clue, it was a total leap of faith,” Climer said.

Seventeen years later, Climer has been proven right. You can buy your yarn in her shop, or new knitters can get a lesson -- she’s been knitting for 28 years.

There’s a lot to do, and see, and eat here; but with the popularity of this Main Street comes problems.

“So traffic is one thing you regret about changes in Waxhaw?” Wickerhsam asked.

“It’s terrible; traffic is terrible,” Blythe said.

Traffic backs up daily on Providence Road, and on South Main Street. Diesel trucks rattle historic storefronts. People complain about a lack of parking on busy weekends and holidays.

City planners have improved traffic patterns to make downtown safer for pedestrians, and a parking garage is under consideration.

Blythe says she isn’t happy about some of the changes, but others suit her just fine.

“When we grew up, if you told people you lived in Waxhaw, they laughed. Of course, now they all want to live here,” Blythe said.

Waxhaw’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan is its guide for dealing with future growth while trying to keep that small-town charm. It includes answers to frequently asked questions about town development, including a map of what’s new in the area.

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