1. Carmel Christian School
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Education
Telephone: (704) 849-9723
Address: 1145 Pineville-Matthews Rd.
Description: Carmel Baptist Church founded Carmel Christian in 1992 to aid Christian families seeking a traditional academic approach to education. More than 300 students attend the K–8 Southern Baptist–affiliated school, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Christian Schools International. Carmel Christian aims to develop all aspects of a child—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Its curriculum integrates academic growth, character development, and biblical truths. The school has an arrangement with Covenant Day School whereby Carmel Christian students continue their high school education at Covenant Day.
2. Covenant Day School
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Education
Telephone: (704) 847-2385
Address: 800 Fullwood Lane
Description: Covenant Day School, a ministry of Christ Covenant Church, is a coeducational Christian day school for kindergarten through grade 9. The school serves over 640 students and offers academic excellence in a nurturing Christian environment. Beginning with kindergarten, the school offers a superior reading program. Instruction in French and Latin is combined with modern computer technology to provide a comprehensive academic program. At selected grade levels, students receive laptops for around-the-clock computer access, with the ability to e-mail work to teachers, participate in online learning projects, and to obtain Internet-related research. Extracurricular programs include art, music, journalism, yearbook, and band. A varied sports program is also offered. Covenant Day has built another campus on Christ Covenant Lane and partnered with Carmel Christian School to start a high school.
3. Wingate University Graduate Center
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Education
Telephone: (704) 233-8148
Address: 110 Matthews Station St., Ste. 2A
4. The Divide
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Golf
Telephone: (704) 882-8088
Address: 6803 Stevens Mill Rd.
5. Emerald Lake Golf Club
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Golf
Telephone: (704) 882-7888
Address: 9750 Tournament Dr.
6. Phil & Tony’S Italian Cuisine & Sports Bar
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (704) 541-3111
Address: 2225 Matthews Township Parkway
Description: After many years in the Arboretum shopping center, Phil & Tony’s recently moved to Sycamore Commons in Matthews. The restaurant also dropped “pizza” from its name to emphasize Italian fare. The menu offers a wide range of items, including pizzas, pastas, strombolis, salads, and soups. There are also Italian classics like chicken parmesan and chicken marsala. Live music in the bar area also makes this a popular choice when you want a go-as-you-are neighborhood place. Lunch and dinner daily. Kids eat free on Wed, with the purchase of adult entrée.
7. Plantation Estates
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Retirement
Telephone: (704) 847-4800
Address: 733 Plantation Estates
Description: If you enjoy fine dining and super recreational facilities, check out the spacious Colonial Williamsburg–style apartment homes here. Plantation Estates offers its residents all levels of care from independent living to nursing care, with a special unit for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Residents enjoy an indoor pool, arts and crafts, cards, fishing, gardening, and guest apartments.
8. Finders’ Keepers
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (704) 847-1672
Address: 10416 East Independent Blvd.
Description: Here you will find top-quality designer labels for ladies, including jeans, sportswear, career dresses, and suits, as well as manufacturers’ samples and below-wholesale jewelry. You can also find a good selection of cocktail/evening wear and maternity clothes.
9. Barbara Morgan’S Rhythm Dance Studio, Ltd.
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (704) 845-5260
Address: 120 West Matthews St.
10. Weir Dancin’
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (704) 841-7762
Address: 855 Sam Newell Rd.
Description: Music is everywhere in Charlotte—in church sanctuary concerts, formal orchestra performances, summer symphony Pops in the Park shows, dramatic opera presentations, and outdoor concerts at a variety of locations.If it’s musical instruction you want, check out Community School of the Arts, Central Piedmont Community College, UNC Charlotte, Queen’s University of Charlotte, and other music clubs. A diverse collection of the city’s musical groups is noted below.
11. Matthews Playhouse
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (704) 846-8343
Address: 100 McDowell St.
Description: Started in 1995, the Matthews Playhouse has two divisions: Theatre Matthews, with two adult productions a season, and Theatre for Young People, with two children’s shows per season. All are presented at the Matthews Community Center, which features a refurbished 362-seat theater. Shows in both segments of the Playhouse lean to the traditional, with musicals such as Oklahoma! and Grease for adults, and Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Heidi, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe for kids. Matthews Playhouse also offers creative classes for children and summer camps in drama, music, art, and dance.
12. Charlotte Eagles & Lady Eagles
City: Matthews, NC
Category: Spectator Sports
Telephone: (704) 841-8644
Address: 1020 Crews Rd., Ste. N
Description: As soccer participation grows in the surrounding area, so has support of the Charlotte Eagles and Lady Eagles, professional soccer teams with rising stars who could go on to play in the MLS or abroad.The Charlotte Eagles are a men’s professional soccer franchise that competes in the Second Division of the United Soccer Leagues. The USL Second Division consists of 10 teams across the East Coast and the Caribbean. The Charlotte Eagles are a member of the USL Hall of Fame for their history of success on and off the field. They have made the playoffs 15 of the last 17 seasons, with seven trips to the national championship resulting in two USL-2 National Championships in 2000 and 2005. The team has also had three MVP performances over the years—Jacob Coggins (2004 and 2005) and Dustin Swinehart (2008).The Charlotte Lady Eagles are a women’s elite soccer team that competes in the W-League of the United Soccer League. The W-League is a national pro-am women’s league with teams across the United States and Canada. The Lady Eagles were formed in 2000 and made the playoffs nine times in the first 10 seasons.The Eagles and Lady Eagles play all home games in south Charlotte at Charlotte Christian School. Fans have the opportunity to see professional soccer in a family-friendly environment at affordable prices. Advance tickets start at $8 for adults and $5 for students.