Hickory

The neighborhood of Claremont is situated on the northeast corner of Downtown Hickory between Frye Regional Medical Center and Lenoir-Rhyne University. Not to be confused with the small city of the same name 12 miles to the east, Claremont keeps locals within walking distance of some of Hickory’s most beloved restaurants, boutiques and special events such as the Sails on the Square concert series and the biweekly Hickory Farmers Market. Approximately one-fifth of the neighborhood is part of the Claremont High School Historic District which, along with the historic district of nearby Oakwood-Hillcrest, represents some of the best-preserved late 19th and early 20th-century housing of Hickory. Claremont scores a 9 out of 10 for sexual assault on the CAP Index, though other crime scores are lower, giving the neighborhood an overall CAP Index crime score of 6 out of 10. The national average for both statistics stands at 4 out of 10. For a little outdoor respite, locals visit McComb Park, a green triangle with a gazebo and memorial garden popular for weddings and special events. The Hickory Foundation YMCA hosts a summer camp for kids and offers swimming lessons, among other recreational opportunities. Visitors are welcome to swim a few laps in the pool, exercise in the fitness center and play a game of tennis outside. The Ivey Arboretum at Sally M. Fox Park invites visitors to admire sculptures created by local artists, check out 250 different species of trees and plants and sit on public art benches. A few streets over, the SALT Block Foundation oversees the operations of a cluster of museums and organizations all located within the same space including the Catawba Science Center, the Hickory Choral Society and the Hickory Museum of Art. Downtown Hickory abounds with quaint restaurants and local boutiques, such as the Hickory Wine Shoppe, a wine bar that serves up charcuterie and flatbread pizza. Taste Full Beans provides residents with coffee, tea and vegan-friendly dishes to start off the day right. “In that cute little coffee shop, you’ll see a lot of local art hanging on the walls. It’s such a supported space, and there’s so much talent here,” says Hope Rogers, Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and long-time resident of Hickory. Hatch Sandwich Bar serves up particularly unique dishes such as the Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, topped with cranberries and sweet potatoes. Hatch also offers daily specials, which in the past have included items like the black and blue burger, topped with blackberries, peaches and bleu cheese. A Lowes Foods is up 2nd Street Northeast for grocery runs, while two stories of department stores can be explored at Valley Hills Mall. Vendors set up shop for the Hickory Farmers Market in Downtown Hickory each Wednesday and Saturday of the year. Downtown is also the location of the Sails on the Square concert series, where locals pull up lawn chairs and listen to regional and internationally acclaimed performers. Every year, the Hickory Landmarks Society organizes a home and garden tour, where attendees can visit historically significant houses. Many homes are registered under the Claremont High School Historic District, which is primarily anchored by 2nd Street Northeast. The name “Claremont” comes from Claremont Female College, which served students around the turn of the nineteenth century. The campus was converted into a high school in 1925 before becoming the SALT Block, an arts and science center. Historic homes normally date to between the 1870s and 1930s, most following Colonial Revival and bungalow style designs, though there are a few Queen Anne and Tudor Revival builds as well. Many were owned by prominent Hickory businessmen and educators. “The historic homes, in my opinion, are timeless, unique and appeal to most everyone,” Rogers says. “They’re very long-standing homes: a lot of them are brick and stucco and different styles that you don’t see anymore.” More recent homes include midcentury Minimal Traditional and ranch-style builds. Residents who live the historic district will have to obtain permits for any exterior work done to their house. “The advantage of this is it help keeps the character of the neighborhood. And most locals are in favor of Claremont keeping its historic look,” says Leslie Keller, executive director of the Hickory Landmarks Society and lifelong resident of North Carolina’s Piedmont region. Detached homes typically range from $200,000 to $700,000. A few townhouses and condos are peppered throughout the neighborhood, going for between $200,000 and $400,000. Claremont’s closeness to the retail and restaurants of downtown allows for residents to easily get around on foot. “People love the sidewalks, especially when we have seasonal events. Instead of having to find parking downtown, they can just walk over,” Rogers says. Lines 2 and 7 of the Greenway Public Transportation bus run along 2nd Street Northeast and join up with the remainder at the Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority Transit Center in Downtown Hickory. Commuters are about a 2-mile drive from both US Highway 321 and Interstate 40. The Frye Regional Medical Center, a hospital, is located on the west side of Claremont. Oakwood Elementary and Hickory High are within a 1.5-mile drive of most homes, and Northview Middle is only about 3.5 miles away. Oakwood Elementary and Northview Middle both receive B-plus ratings from Niche, while Hickory High earns a B. Hickory High boasts the only high school orchestra in Catawba County, on top of offering other arts programs such as ceramics and chorus. Lenoir-Rhyne University, a private Lutheran school, is within walking distance of many homes, just across from 7th Avenue Northeast.

Downtown Hickory is the beating heart of a small city in North Carolina’s Piedmont region that’s attracted attention from across the country, first as a manufacturer of furniture and now as a highly livable community. In 2023, Travel + Leisure named Hickory the “most beautiful and affordable place to live in the U.S.,” a distinction residents are not only proud to hold, but now accustomed to. Hickory is indeed a familiar name on these lists, also named the “World’s Greatest City” by How 2 Media. “Hickory’s a cute little town that’s grown so much in the past five years – a lot more than in the past 10,” says Hope Rogers, Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. “Hickory’s not a slow town, but it’s not a fast paced one either. You feel a sweetness in this town, and I think that’s drawn a lot of people in.” Between the walkable downtown stocked with local businesses and events, from farmer’s markets to live concerts, Hickory might fulfil some home buyers' visions of an exemplary small town. Downtown Hickory does score a 9 out of 10 on the CAP Index crime score for burglary, higher than the national average of 4. But other CAP Index stats such as robbery are lower, making for an overall crime score of 7 compared to the national average of 4. Oktoberfest is arguably the town’s premier event, according to Mike Kelly Jr., broker at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Foothills and two-decade resident of Hickory. This weekend-long festival celebrates the community’s German heritage with musical performances, vendors and beer gardens. The Sails on the Square music series takes place over the summer nearly every week, with residents bringing lawn chairs and blankets to Union Square to listen to live music from country singers to cover bands. Vendors set up shop at Union Square each Wednesday and Saturday for the Downtown Hickory Farmer’s Market. New businesses have been flooding into Hickory, and many of them are keeping close to downtown. “Over the past five years, they’ve transformed a lot of abandoned buildings into the coolest restaurants and little shops. If you’re taking the City Walk path, it will lead you to ones that have been renovated into gyms, ice cream parlors and more,” Rogers says. A former railroad depot, the Olde Hickory Station serves up beer, wine and American dishes, offering a dog-friendly patio and a market with cheeses, desserts and other locally made delicacies. “Every time you see a train come by, you close your eyes and make a wish,” Rogers says. “I don’t know if I heard that from someone or made it up myself!” Stores such as Aldi and Home Depot can be found by US Highway 321, as well as at Valley Hills Mall. “There’s a high concentration of retail by the interstate. Traffic can get busy on weekends and during the holiday season,” Kelly says. One of the more intriguing marketplaces is the Hickory Furniture Mart, a four-story “mall” comprised of dozens of furniture stores. Kelly says that shoppers will come to Hickory specifically to look for home fixtures, just as they did when Hickory became famous for manufacturing them in the early 1900s. Bungalows, Colonial Revivals and other detached residential homes can be found primarily on the northwest corner of downtown by 2nd Avenue Northwest, though several have been converted into businesses. They enter the market very rarely and typically sell between $350,000 and $600,000. Apartment complexes include Center Crossing, for 55+ residents, and One North Center, which is in development and will offer 95 units, and ground-level commercial space. “A lot of people are drawn to Hickory because it’s more affordable than the aggressive market in Charlotte,” Rogers says. Oakwood Elementary is less than a mile’s walk from most residences, while Northview Middle and Hickory High are further up 2nd Street Northeast/North Center Street. Oakwood Elementary and Northview Middle both receive overall B-plus ratings from Niche, scoring an A and A-plus for diversity, respectively. B-rated Hickory High has recently seen a surge in athletic success, the football and boys’ tennis teams both winning the 3A state championships in 2023. Lenoir-Rhyne University, a private Lutheran university with undergraduate and graduate programs, and Appalachian State University at Hickory, which recently opened in Fall 2023, are both within a mile of Downtown Hickory. Catawba Valley Community College is known for its manufacturing and furniture academies, partnering with local and regional businesses to give students hands-on training. Just a few miles north is Lake Hickory, a manmade body of water popular for outdoor recreation. “Different sections of the Catawba River were dammed for power generation, and Lake Hickory is the closest one to us,” says Kelly. “People like to have fun on the lake, and they’ll ride jet skis and pontoon boats and tie up their boats by the shallow sandbar. When you’re out there, you feel disconnected from everything.” Lakeside Marina is about a 6-mile drive north, offering boat rentals and boat storage. Lowes Foods City Park was developed by the Friends of Hickory, located just across from Union Square. The enclosed playground lets children play musical instruments, explore modern play equipment and cool off on the splash pad. Glenn C. Hilton Jr. Memorial Park spans roughly 70 acres, and is a popular spot for exercise and outdoor gatherings. “They have a walkway over the marsh where people can fish, kayak and feed the ducks. Every time I go there, I see families doing cookouts,” Rogers says. “It’s a safe space. They close it at 9 p.m. every day, and it’s closely monitored.” The Greenway Public Transportation transit center is located a quarter mile south of Union Square. The seven lines of the bus go as north as the Food Lion in Viewmont and as southeast as Conover and Newton. “The bus is very low cost and has stops all over town. It’s under-utilized, but it serves a niche for people who don’t have a car,” Kelly says. Most lines run hourly. Interstate 40, a major east-west highway, is a 4-mile drive away, and Frye Regional Medical Center is a half mile north of Union Square.

In the summer of 1944, a polio outbreak swept through North Carolina’s Piedmont region, particularly the Catawba Valley area. When hospitals in larger population centers such as Charlotte became flooded with patients, the decision was made to open one in Hickory, the center of the epidemic. The response from residents was unprecedented, and thanks to the community-wide effort, the facility was completed in only 54 hours. This accomplishment became known as “The Miracle of Hickory,” and although the hospital has since been torn down, plaques commemorating locals’ efforts remain at Forest Hills’ Jaycee Park, the site of the facility. But Hickory residents haven’t run out of projects to work on, and many of these continue to benefit Forest Hills and Hickory as a whole. “We did a $40 million bond referendum to build pedestrian trails like the Riverwalk which passes by the neighborhood,” says Teresa Hensley, real estate broker with Realty Executives of Hickory. “It’s really bringing a lot of people to Forest Hills.” Thanks to US Highway 321 and Old Lenoir Road, Forest Hills residents can also easily enjoy the many new restaurants and shops downtown which have come, in no small part, because of the City Walk, another trail funded by the bond. “Forest Hills is very convenient to everything,” Hensley says. “It’s an older neighborhood, but there are some beautiful homes there, and they’re near the airport, parks and other attractions.” Forest Hills’ residential streets branch off 12th Street Drive Northwest, rolling over gentle slopes and through mature forests. Sidewalks are uncommon, except along this main thoroughfare. Most homes follow ranch-style designs, but there are some Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals and split-levels. Many date to the 1940s when the neighborhood was first platted, and 21st century constructions are hard to come by. Detached homes range from $200,000 to $400,000. Townhouses at Forest Hills Townhomes go between $150,000 and $200,000. On average, houses sell after 13 days on the market, which is much lower than the national average of 44 days. Viewmont Elementary is about a 3-mile drive to the east. The school, along with Grandview Middle, receives an overall B-minus rating from Niche. Hickory High is B-rated and ranked by Niche as among the top 10% “best high schools for athletes in North Carolina.” Appalachian State University’s newly opened Hickory campus is within a mile of Forest Hills. Other higher education institutions within the town include Lenoir-Rhyne University, a private Lutheran school, and Catawba Valley Community College. Overall, Forest Hills is a car-dependent community, with limited sidewalks. US Route 321 runs just west of Forest Hills, linking up to US Route 70 and Interstate 40. Charlotte is about 60 miles south, though drivers can expect heavy traffic during the last several miles of the commute. Many residents don’t need to go far for work, though. Hickory was known as “The Furniture Capital of the World” in the early 20th century and still retains a lot of manufacturers. “Furniture places are still some of the biggest employers in the area,” says Josh Ritchie, real estate agent with Re/Max who has 7 years of experience selling in the area. Other employers include Corning and Frye Regional Medical Center, a hospital 2 miles east of Forest Hills. The non-commercial Hickory Regional Airport is right across US 321. “I was born and raised in nearby Long View, and the airport isn’t noisy,” Hensley says. Forest Hills residents are between four local parks such as Glenn C. Hilton Jr. Memorial Park. “You can rent the covered pavilions for events and parties,” Hensley says. “They’ve also got trails that go out to where the ducks are where people can feed them, and they’ve got a canoe and kayak launch.” There’s also Geitner Park, which offers mountain bike trails and a hiking path which links up to the Riverwalk, a 2.3-mile waterfront trail. Residents can take advantage of Geitner Park’s boat ramp and access Lake Hickory. Whether they’re looking for a quick bite or a formal dining experience, many residents love heading downtown for an evening out. “Downtown Hickory’s booming on the weekends and just about every day of the week,” Hensley says. “They’ve brought in a lot of new restaurants and breweries, and they’re all packed.” One such establishment is the Olde Hickory Station, a renovated trained depot which offers national, international and craft beers, baked goods and American fare. Ritchie is particularly fond of the restaurant’s shrimp and grits. “A lot of times with shrimp and grits, you’ll get a bowl of grits, but theirs is different. Their grits are somehow thick enough to be made into a patty with a buttery, crispy edge. And they’re served with a skewer of shrimp,” he says. Other local favorites include Backstreets, known for their homemade, stone-fired pizzas, and Cowa-Saké, a brunch spot. For shopping, there is a Food Lion in Longview and a Lowes Foods and Lowe’s Home Improvement in Viewmont. L. P. Frans Stadium, known locally as Crawdads Stadium in honor of the Minor League Baseball team which places there, is only about a mile away from most Forest Hills Home. “They have fireworks after every game they play,” Ritchie says. The stadium also puts on a fireworks show for the Fourth of July. Hickory Motor Speedway has earned the nickname “The Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars,” and not without cause. “It’s got a lot of history to it. Back in the day, before all the big tracks came, Ralph Earnhardt, Richard Petty and all those guys started on these tracks in places like Hickory,” Ritchie says. Although “America’s Most Famous Short Track,” as the third-of-a-mile loop is also known, no longer hosts major auto races, the venue is still used by NASCAR’s club racing division.

Green Park may have flown under the radar for a while, but as the town of Hickory continues to expand, buyers turn their eyes to the small, midcentury neighborhoods just up the road from downtown. “Hickory is growing, and these neighborhoods like Green Park are close to downtown, so it’s worth fixing these homes up,” says Crystal Rogers, Realtor with Elite Properties who has 17 years of experience selling houses in the area. “You have everything you need here,” she continues. “There’s a lake not too far, and they put all these walking paths by Geitner Park. You have a nearby downtown, and you head over to US Highway 70, you have all these superstores and a mall.” Andi Jack, Realtor with Re/Max Traditions, similarly points to location and convenience as driving Green Park forward. “Green Park has access to everything, including Interstate 40 and several parks,” she says. “It’s a growing neighborhood because of all it offers, and the nearby highway makes it easy for commuters going to Charlotte. I think in time it’s going to bring even more people in.” And as home prices are well below Hickory’s average, for the right buyer, Green Park spells investment opportunity. Green Park receives a CAP Index crime score of 9 out of 10 compared to the national average of 4, with a 10 out of 10 in sexual assault, assault with weapon and burglary. Many homes on the northeast corner of Green Park are between a half-mile and a 1-mile walk from Downtown Hickory. A few Greenway Public Transportation buses make stops on 4th Street Northwest and 7th Avenue Southwest, though they only operate once every hour or every two hours during daytime. US Route 70, the neighborhood’s busiest thoroughfare, runs east and west, roughly parallel to Interstate 40 just to the south. Most homes are within a 1-mile drive of US Route 321, which heads south to Charlotte. Uptown, the local term for Charlotte’s downtown, is approximately 60 miles away. Green Park is bounded by 9th Street Southwest on the west and 4th Street Southwest on the east, the northeast corner of the neighborhood brushing up against Downtown Hickory. Houses are shaded by mature trees, with many residents furnishing and decorating their porches to enjoy time outside. Some streets are accompanied by sidewalks. Many homes follow ranch-style and Minimal Traditional designs, with bungalows and the occasional Tudor Revival cottage interspersed between. New builds are uncommon, and construction dates typically range from the 1920s to the 1970s. Detached homes start at $70,000 and get up to around $250,000. Numerous stores can be found along US Highway 70 such as Walmart Neighborhood Market and Big Lots. Farther down the road is Valley Hills Mall, which boasts two stories of department stores, along with a food court and a carousel. Durty Thumbs Jamaican Cuisine on the south side of the neighborhood serves up oxtail, sweet plantains and other West Caribbean favorites. More dining options can be found by Union Square. “I like everything downtown by the Square,” Rogers says. “There’s also the Olde Hickory Station by the tracks. It’s historic – it’s a restaurant with a little store that used to be the old train station. My kids love to go there and get macaroons and deserts and specialty items.” Hickory Optimist Park attracts athletes and fitness enthusiasts, offering pickleball courts, a basketball court and an outdoor gym, and Putt-Putt Fun Center boasts four different 18-hole miniature golf courses. There’s also Kiwanis Park a few miles to the east, a favorite of children for its splash pad, giant slide and playgrounds, including the Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground which welcomes children of all abilities for safe play. Southwest Primary School earns a C-plus from Niche and serves prekindergarten through second grade students, while B-minus-rated Longview Elementary serves third through fifth graders. Grandview Middle and Hickory High receive B-minus and B ratings, respectively. Colleges in the area include Lenoir-Rhyne University, Appalachian State University and Catawba Valley Community College. Lenoir-Rhyne undergraduate students tutor aspiring Southwest Primary School readers at the elementary’s literary center. Residents bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to listen to live music at downtown’s Union Square as part of the Sails on the Square concert series. Residents can also watch stock car races at the Hickory Motor Speedway, dubbed “The Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars” for seeing the likes of Ralph Earnhardt and other early NASCAR icons.

Highland was originally developed as a separate town in the early 1900s, taking its name from Highland Academy, the one-room school that would become Lenoir-Rhyne University. The community was incorporated into the City of Hickory in 1931. According to Crystal Gragg, Realtor with Coldwell Banker, the neighborhood has continued to change and grow. “Ten years ago, Highland was just abandoned factories and run-down housing. But then they started beautifying the neighborhood, and now many homes have been renovated and those factory buildings are not sitting empty,” she says, noting it was a conscious decision to restore vintage buildings rather than tear them down. “Not only was it cheaper to rehab those buildings, but they have a certain look to them with their big industrial windows and older floors. I live in an area where everything is cookie-cutter, but these older buildings have a lot of charm.” Crystal Rogers, Realtor with Elite Properties, attributes much of the neighborhood’s growth to city-sponsored revitalization initiatives. “An investor couldn’t afford to remodel some of these buildings, so they’re offering revitalization grants,” she says. “It’s beneficial to keep these old buildings alive, and it makes me happy to see people restoring old houses.” Highland scores an 8 out of 10 for burglary on the CAP Index compared to the national average of 4. All other scores are 7 or lower, and Highland’s overall CAP Index crime score is 6, compared to the national average of 4. Most residences are clustered on the west side of the neighborhood, streets branching off 8th Street Drive Northeast. Busier thoroughfares often have sidewalks. Driveways tend to be on the narrower side but are long enough that street parking is uncommon. Homes are on the smaller side, usually spanning under 1,500 square feet and following single-story ranch-style and National-style designs, with intermixed American Craftsman bungalows and Cape Cod homes. Many homes feature porches, homeowners furnishing them with chairs, tables and plants. Most homes date to between the 1930s and ‘60s, with prices ranging from $125,000 to $300,000. On the west side of the neighborhood, there are 21st century townhouses which go between $125,000 and $250,000. Old factory buildings have been repurposed into modern shops and restaurants, such as Carolina Pedal Works, a bike shop/coffee and beer bar, and Mas Amor Cantina, known for their homemade tortillas, Tex-Mex cuisine and occasional movie nights for kids. Hickory’s downtown is the location of numerous locally owned stores and restaurants, like the Hickory Wine Shoppe, a wine bar. “It’s kind of the hangout for a lot of professionals after work. It’s one of the best places in Hickory, and it sometimes offers wine pairings with food and things to snack on,” Gragg says. She also highlights Café Rule up towards Viewmont. “It’s the atmosphere that’s a big part of the appeal. They have covered outdoor seating with a fireplace and also great wine selection and wonderful brunches,” she says. A Lowe’s Home Improvement and Lowes Foods are located on 2nd Street Northeast, but for fresh, locally grown produce, shoppers can visit the Downtown Hickory Farmers Market at Union Square each Wednesday and Saturday. The Autolawn Euro Classic Car Show celebrates vintage European cars, with attendees voting on their favorite. The event also features food vendors, children’s activities and live music. Most Highland students are zoned to start off school at Viewmont Elementary, which earns a B-minus from Niche. They can then move up to B-plus-rated Northview Middle and B-rated Hickory High. Hickory High students can take specialized career and technical courses such as Automotive Technology and Construction. Lenoir-Rhyne University, a private Lutheran school, is within walking distance of most homes, offering 55 undergraduate majors and 26 graduate programs, which include three seminary degrees. “The college brings a lot to Hickory because the football team is phenomenal. They do homecoming events and events with speakers and comedians, and a lot of non-students attend them,” Gragg says. Highland Recreation Center is a mecca of recreational opportunities, featuring a fitness center, an aerobics studio, a full gymnasium, a skatepark and more. Cliff Teague Park invites children to run and play with its playground and short trail which meanders through the woods. Alternatively, residents can stroll the grounds of Lenoir-Rhyne University or visit Hickory’s larger parks on the northwest side of town, such as Geitner Park, which offers a mountain bike trail and a boat ramp for getting into Lake Hickory. Bus route 2 of Greenway Public Transportation passes west through the neighborhood toward Downtown Hickory, which is about 1.5 miles away by car. The bus operates hourly. Otherwise, unless they are walking to Lenoir-Rhyne University, residents prefer to travel by car, and ramps to Interstate 40 are 3 miles down 8th Street Northeast. Several doctors’ offices can be found along Tate Boulevard Southeast, and Frye Regional Medical Center is about a mile west of the neighborhood.

The neighborhood of Kenworth sits in the southeast quadrant of Hickory, within walking distance of the town’s bustling Union Square. As with Claremont and Oakwood-Hillcrest, Kenworth offers vintage homes, many of which are starting to get spruced up just like their neighbors to the north. But for now, it’s still much more affordable to purchase a house here than Claremont. “Kenworth is a very beautiful community. It’s an older neighborhood, but a lot of the houses have been renovated and brought back to their old glory,” says Crystal Gragg, Realtor with Coldwell Banker. And for Crystal Rogers, Realtor with Elite Properties, things are still moving in the right direction. Rogers: “For years, I’ve advocated for people to come to these neighborhoods like Kenworth, which I always knew would come around. I’m glad to see it’s finally happening.” Kenworth has a CAP Index crime score of 9 out of 10, with a 9 in categories such as homicide and sexual assault. The national average of these crime scores is 4. The Greenway Public Transportation bus stops at the Salvation Army on Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard Southeast, running hourly each direction. The bus takes commuters to Downtown Hickory, Valley Hills Mall, the Catawba Valley Medical Center, and other destinations in the southeast of Hickory. Drivers are about 2 miles from US Highway 321 and Interstate 40. Charlotte is about 60 miles south, but commuters might face heavy traffic nearer to The Queen City during peak hours. Many of Kenworth’s houses date back from the 1920s through the 1960s, and about 50, mostly bungalows, are a part of the Kenworth Historic District. “There might be one or two new constructions in there, but for the most part, it’s an older section with historic homes,” Gragg says. Guidelines regulate how homes in the historic district can be remodeled, but for many homeowners, this is precisely the appeal. “My clients were looking for a house that had a little bit of charm and character. They bought a house that needed some work, but they didn’t mind. A lot of people are fixing up homes to make them more beautiful,” Gragg says. Most historic homes tend to follow American Craftsman bungalow designs, while midcentury homes might be ranch-style or Minimal Traditional. Detached home prices typically range from $130,000 to $200,000, with 21st century builds fetching no higher than $250,000. Familiar chains and a few regional options sit along Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard Southeast such as Rancho Viejo Mexican Grill and Kickback Jack’s, a sports pub known for their American fare and music bingo events. Downtown Hickory is brimming with local restaurants, breweries and cafes including Taste Full Beans, an artsy coffee shop. “If you go there, you won’t want to go back to Starbucks. It’s locally owned, quaint and decorated with local art. It’s refreshing to not go to a chain coffee shop where everything is the same,” Gragg says. Supermarkets and big box stores such as Aldi and Big Lots line US Highway 70. Hickory made its name for being the capital of American furniture manufacturing, and chairs, sofas and other wares can still be purchased at the Hickory Furniture Mart, which boasts four stories of galleries. In terms of fun and recreation, Kiwanis Park is the centerpiece of Kenworth. The park’s amenities include inclusive playgrounds, baseball diamonds, a splash pad and a long slide. Past the interstate, there’s also Sky Zone Trampoline Park, an amusement center with obstacle courses, dodgeball and lots of trampolines for bouncing. Residents can also stop by Downtown Hickory’s cinema and catch a flick. “The Carolina Movie Theater has been there forever. I think my parents went there when they were young, and I’m 50 years old!” Gragg says. “They have hands down the best popcorn of any movie theater. I don’t know if they put more butter on it or what, but it’s so good. And prices are much more reasonable there than at other movie theaters.” W. M. Jenkins Elementary and Northview Middle both receive overall B-plus ratings from Niche, while Hickory High earns a B. Hickory High has seen some athletic success recently, the football and boys tennis teams both winning the 3A state championships in 2023. Lenoir-Rhyne University, a private Lutheran undergraduate and graduate institution, is less than a 2-mile drive north. Other nearby schools of higher learning include Catawba Valley Community College and Appalachian State University’s recently unveiled Hickory campus. Residents can meet in Downtown Hickory at The Hum to enjoy live outdoor concerts. The Premier hosts concerts indoors, as well as offering jukebox bingo and Sunday rounds of pickleball, cornhole and other yard games.