"Hey Markey Mark, before you bring those weak-sauce Wahlburgers to Raleigh, let me show you what a real North Carolina burger tastes like. @mark_wahlberg @donniewahlberg @wahlburgers

I challenge you to come to the Sir Walter Smoke-Off and put your burgers against mine. We can raise money for the Raleigh Wake Partnership to End Homelessness, and prove, once and for all, who has the best burger in the Oak City." - Zack Medford, Raleigh small business owner

http://www.sirwaltersmokeoff.com
http://www.isaachunters.com

On Saturday, October 7th, we're calling together the best barbecue chefs in North Carolina and beyond for the Sir Walter Smoke-Off.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE OAK CITY OUTREACH CENTER AND GREAT CRAWL EVENTS
GET YOUR TICKETS

Do you like barbecue? How would you like to try the best barbecue that North Carolina has to offer? Great Crawl Events is teaming up with the Oak City Outreach Center to host the 1st Annual Sir Walter Smoke-Off this fall, and you're invited.

We've invited over two dozen BBQ teams to join us at Dix Park for a day of barbecue, music and cold beverages. Teams are competing for the coveted Sir Walter Smoke-Off Golden Pig Medallion as well as $500 in prize money. Best of all, we're raising money for the Oak City Outreach Center and the Partnership to End Homelessness.

Buy your tickets, then bring your picnic blankets and camping chairs, and we'll take care of the rest. Your Pork Passport will let you sample pork from each of our competitors while supplies last, and then cast your vote for the People's Choice. We'll have the best barbecue in North Carolina. We'll have live music from some of Raleigh's favorite local bands. We'll have plenty of cold beer and a few specialty cocktails from our good friends at Jim Beam. This is a family friendly event, and we'll have the KidZone set up for the little ones.

http://www.sirwaltersmokeoff.com

For press inquires, please contact smokeoff at isaachunters.com

WRAL: The Great Gatsby Ball and Casino night at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences helps raise money to fight homelessness. Reporter: Gina Benitez. Web editor: Evan Matsumoto

Zack Medford addresses the crowd at the Raleigh Tax March, and calls upon Donald Trump to release his tax returns. 

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Firefighters at Raleigh’s Station One got a surprise visit Tuesday.

A local businessman, his wife and his son came by with hundreds of special deliveries.

Zack Medford lives downtown and owns several restaurants there. He and his patrons wanted firefighters to know how everybody feels about them after last week’s downtown inferno.

So they gathered hundreds of thank-you cards for the firefighters.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” Medford said of the fire.

“Everyone wanted to find a way to say thank you and making cards was a great way to hunters creativity in the message in their hearts,” he said.

Over the last few days, hundreds of people have made cards at Medford’s business, which include Paddy O’Beers and Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern.

“It means a lot. It really does hit hard and we have a lot of cards to go through, I’m sure, but we look at all of them. We’re like Santa Claus. We look at all the cards that come in,” said Raleigh Fire Capt. Kevin Radford.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) --

Businesses in downtown Raleigh are coming together to say "thank you" to the Raleigh firefighters who worked tirelessly to extinguish a massive downtown fire Thursday night.

Several businesses have set up Thank You Card stations; the cards are set to be delivered Monday.

WANT TO HELP? HERE'S HOW.

People have been stopping by businesses like Isaac Hunter's Tavern Saturday to show their appreciation.

Zack Medford with Isaac Hunters Hospitality hosted an impromptu barbecue fundraiser at Isaac Hunters Tavern Friday night from 6 p m. to 8 p.m. (March 17, 2017)

They plan to take donations of $12 a plate and a cocktail. Medford said Clyde Coopers Barbecue and The Big Easy are donating food for the event.

"Proceeds are going to go toward the Raleigh Firefighter's Association, the Fallen Heroes Fund, and the Red Cross," Medford said.

They even had a thank-you-card station. Medford said they plan to deliver those cards throughout the weekend.

Like to dance? Enjoy ‘90s nostalgia? Want to help Raleigh families struggling with homelessness? Then the Great Neon 90s Ball is the event for you. The dance party is being held from 8-11 p.m. Feb. 17, 2017 at downtown Raleigh’s Market Hall in Moore Square. Courtesy of Zack Medford

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article131219694.html#storylink=cpy

So, Harrison filed House Bill 82 to repeal House Bill 2 and to expand "protected status" in terms of nondiscrimination to include sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veterans' status, marital status and age. The state already includes race, gender, national origin, religion, disability and family status as protected classes.

"It will provide enhanced statewide protections in a number of areas," Harrison said. "These added protections will apply to housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, insurance and education. This bill reflects North Carolina values, unlike House Bill 2. It’s long overdue."

Supporters said the proposal would send a strong message to businesses and groups like the NCAA.

"The NCAA is watching us closely to see what North Carolina stands for. So is the nation. The clock is ticking," said Zack Medford, who owns three downtown Raleigh bars.

"When tourists from out of state stop coming to North Carolina because of HB2, that is real money out of my pocket. That’s income that I count on to pay my mortgage and to feed my family," Medford said.

"Friday morning, I felt compelled to write something on my personal Facebook page," explained Shana Overdorf.

Overdorf is the Executive Director of the Raleigh Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness. Her Facebook post started a chain of giving she could have never imagined.

"I'm overwhelmed. I thought my post would be seen as preachy," she said. "People that know me know I'm going to talk about things near and dear to my heart and keeping in mind people outside that don't have the option of coming in and getting warm and having dry socks or the ability to sleep in a safe warm place," she said.

After her post, a friend started a Crowdrise campaign raising $5,022 from Friday to Monday morning, and it didn't end there.

Raleigh restaurant owner Zack Medford who owns Paddy O' Beers saw the post and used his business accounts to encourage giving in the storm.

"We put a post on Facebook and asked people to bring coats to Paddy O' Beers," he said. "We thought we might get a few coats and help out the shelter-we wound up getting over 100 coats and they're still coming in," he said.

Zack Medford, owner of Isaac Hunter's Tavern, and Amy Cox, partner/manager of Deep South Entertainment, talk about how Raleigh, N.C., is a loving community where the free and open exchange of ideas is cherished. Zack and Amy also share their views on the importance of events and artists continuing to visit the Raleigh area, despite recent perceptions of N.C. sparked by the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, also known as House Bill 2 (HB2).

Learn more at Raleighwelcomes.com

Leadership Raleigh Welcomes New Classes

9/26/2016

Leadership Raleigh participants get a behind-the-scenes view into all aspects of our community—from the education system and the role of the media to law enforcement and economic development.

Last week, the two newest Leadership Raleigh classes got their years started at retreats at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem. 

Leadership Raleigh is a nine-month program consisting of eight one-day sessions held in the greater Raleigh area with an opening weekend retreat. The program emphasizes three overall components: team projects, community orientation, and enhancing leadership skills/styles.

Due to overwhelming interest in the program from business leaders across the community, the Chamber launched two classes of the program in 2015. This format will remain going forward.

Interested in learning more about the program? VIist www.leadershipraleigh.org or email leadershipraleigh@raleighchamber.org!

Leadership Raleigh 33

“Small business is what created this unique downtown that we have, and we owe a lot to our small business culture downtown,” said Zack Medford, president of Isaac Hunter’s Hospitality, which includes Paddy O’Beers, Coglin’s Raleigh and Isaac Hunter’s Tavern. “I think bringing in national chains is a threat to what we have built here and what makes Raleigh so great.”

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article103164752.html

Jannik says he has been looking to vacate the spot since late 2015 and will consolidate the business with the other Crema, open since 2010 in the Bank of America building. During the past year, other local businesses have attempted to work out a deal for the space or the business itself. Brewerks, which finally opened in Oakwood last week, tried to buy the business last year, as did Paddy O’Beers.

“I was in talks with Crema to purchase their business last year,” says Zack Medford, co-owner of the bottle shop next door. “We spent a lot of time on it, worked out a purchase contract and everything. But [CBRE] wasn’t willing to make a move.”

Medford says he’s worried the leasing company already has a certain kind of tenant in mind: “If we’re not careful and start turning over downtown properties to the highest bidder, we’re going to turn into Charlotte,” he says. “No one wants Raleigh to turn into Charlotte. I’d much rather eat dinner at ORO than at Applebee’s.”

Jannik shares this view.

“Downtown was built by small local businesses. It needs to stay small local businesses,” he says. “It’s clearly thriving. There’s something authentic about a seeing a friend’s hard work paying off.”

One good example of this is Medford, who owns three bars on Fayetteville Street.

“I think it’s a great time to be in downtown Raleigh to watch the exciting new changes that come every single year,” said bar owner Zack Medford. “We’re seeing stores open their doors that we never would have expected before.”

“When we first opened there was pretty much nobody else on Fayetteville Street,” Medford said. “There were only a couple other bars and restaurants nearby. Most people were down on Glenwood South or North Raleigh. But we decided that we really wanted to see what downtown would become.”

Medford and other millennials are the pulse of downtown, creating a more urban and vibrant environment.

Zack T. Medford, Senior Partner of Isaac Hunter's Hospitality, spoke out about their group of restaurants in Raleigh.

“When we first opened the doors of our business seven years ago, we found success thanks to the support of our community...Raleigh’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive city brought an influx of new residents that helped make our business a success. With those residents came national conferences, major events, and most importantly, dollars into our economy,” he said. “Mr. McCrory, I’ve got to tell you, this law has me pretty upset. Discrimination is bad for business. As a small business owner, I’m feeling the direct effects...When HB2 writes discrimination into law, it is not only putting our economy at risk, but it is targeting people who are customers and employees all across the state.  It’s time to repeal HB2.”

Christer Berg Photography
The portrait of Zack Medford was made inside the Isaac Hunter’s Tavern in downtown Raleigh for my The Fabric of Raleigh series. Zack is a great force and passionate advocate for a vibrant downtown Raleigh and part owner of Isaac Hunter’s, Paddy O’Beers

Follow The Fabric of Raleigh on Facebook right here!

Responding to House Bill 2

On March 23, 2016, the N.C. General Assembly passed and Governor Pat McCrory signed into law the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, also known as House Bill 2 (HB2), now Session Law 2016-3. The bill was introduced, debated and signed into law in a 12-hour period.

Zack Medford, owner of Isaac Hunter's Tavern, and Amy Cox, partner/manager of Deep South Entertainment, talk about how Raleigh is a thinking person's destination where the free and open exchange of ideas is cherished. It's where people from all walks of life, backgrounds and futures come together to share enriching experiences.

Most of the business owners bringing movement to the downtown area are Millennials. Bar owner Zack Medford opened the doors to his business before the boom. “When we first opened there was pretty much nobody else on Fayetteville Street,” he said in an interview with WNCN. “There were only a couple other bars and restaurants nearby… But we decided that we really wanted to see what downtown would become.”

Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern is returning to downtown Raleigh.

Zack Medford said Monday that Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern will open at 5 p.m. Friday in the former Common 414 bar at 414 Fayetteville St. Common 414, a craft cocktail bar, has been closed for two weeks and undergoing renovations.

Medford and his business partners opened Isaac Hunter’s Tavern at 112 Fayetteville St. in 2009 but closed it in 2014. They moved on to other projects, including Paddy O’Beers, Coglin’s and Common 414.

After Tir na nOg closed last year, Medford said he and his partners felt they should bring Issac Hunter’s Tavern back. (The bar is named for the original Isaac Hunter’s Tavern, where the state legislature is said to have selected Raleigh as the site of North Carolina’s capital in 1787.) “Downtown needs a good neighborhood bar,” Medford said.

Fans of Medford’s previous Isaac Hunter’s Tavern will recognize the new 3,000-square-foot space, outfitted with old wood timbers from a barn outside Waynesboro and filled with games, like shuffleboard, darts and table games. The bar will have a extensive bourbon selection as well as other liquors, craft beer and wine.

The bar will host a grand opening on April 1 — two years from when the former tavern closed — and the space will be in transition as renovations continue. But Medford said they wanted to open sooner rather than later. “Over the next few weeks, it will get better and better,” Medford said.

Weigl: 919-829-4848;

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article64541087.html#storylink=cpy

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Capital City Clauses is to enrich children’s lives with hope, cheer and joy through giving programs that effectively engage community, individual and corporate partners with dynamic community events. Capital City Clauses, Inc. is a federally registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation comprised entirely of volunteers. 

OUR HISTORY 

The Jingle Ball started in 1993 and was originally hosted at the N.C. Museum of History. After moving to Raleigh from Charlotte, Stephen Bryant was inspired to start a charity event to help families in need during the holiday season. He used the event model from Second String Santa based in Charlotte, but instead of Social Services, he approached the Salvation Army as the charity partner because the organization had a delivery mechanism for toy distribution and financial assistance already in place.

Bryant pitched the event idea to the Wake County Salvation Army and they agreed to partner with him for one year to see how the event went.

After recruiting several friends who worked and lived around downtown Raleigh to join him, Bryant and his team starting planning the event for early December and did the legal work to get the Capital City Clauses set-up as a non-profit.

The original Capital City Clauses solicited financial sponsors, as well as food and beverage sponsors, to host the first Jingle Ball. Their goal was to ensure that as many donations as possible generated at the event could go directly to the families in need.

The response from the community was overwhelming at the first Jingle Ball- not only did the event generate significant donations for the Salvation Army through toy and cash donations, but it also generated enough seed money for the Capital City Clauses to continue operations between the annual events.

“The day after the first Jingle Ball, the Museum of History and the Salvation Army called me asking if they could partner with the Capital City Clauses again the following year,” said Bryant.

Since then, the Capital City Clauses have donated tens of thousands of new toys and provided financial support for the Wake County Salvation Army’s Christmas Cheer program. The event is currently hosted in Downtown Raleigh at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences