Rooftop bar, cigar lounge open in uptown

CHARLOTTE — Novelty House Rooftop and Havana Smoke & Reserve Social Club have opened in uptown.

Both spots opened last week after 15 months of delays tied to the pandemic, labor shortages, construction challenges and liquor scarcity, says Ian Jones. He was originally targeting a May 2020 opening.

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Jones — a veteran in Charlotte’s hospitality industry — is behind Novelty Smoke Group, which operates both ventures. He most recently spent more than a decade as general manager at Bubble and Suite.

“We were very lucky we were able to push through. We were very smart and strategic,” Jones says.

The two venues are located in Binaco Tower at 123 E. Fifth St. That five-story, 13,000-square-foot building has announced plans for five hospitality concepts.

Read more here and check out photos of both spaces.

(WATCH: Charlotte restaurants, bars struggle with low supply due to liquor shortage)

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