These two Wilmington-area businesses are all about grazing and browsing

Call it snacking, girls’ dinner, noshing or grazing; Preparing a meal from a few simple things, such as meat, cheese and fruit, is not new. But the trend is gaining new life with viral videos on social media and as a growing segment of the restaurant industry.

The concept covers a lot, from smaller, cheaper snacks (such as filled pretzels) to charcuterie. According to the National Restaurant Association, adding meat and cheese boards is a top menu trend. There’s even the Graze Craze franchise, which now has 42 locations in 20 states, including two in North Carolina.

But creating beautiful displays of sweet and savory dishes has led to the birth of a handful of smaller businesses in the Wilmington area, such as Rebecca’s Charcuterie Board and Seaside Charcuterie.

Now at least two of them are taking bigger steps to grow. HOST & Graze opened three years ago as a retail space at 7645-5 High Market St. in Sunset Beach, and now owner Lindsay Ransom plans to open a second one in the Arboretum West area near Mayfaire and Ogden.

And Ericka Mitchell moved her business, Grateful Graze, to a storefront at 1616 Shipyard Blvd. in Wilmington in October. She uses the commercial kitchen of a former cafe, The Lunchbox, to make her grazing planks.

“But I’m slowly working on the customer area,” she says, where people can enjoy a plate with a glass of wine, beer or another drink. “I don’t really want to open a restaurant. … But I love this idea of ​​sharing food with friends and family.”

And she hopes to create a warm and cozy atmosphere and a place where people can have that experience.

But the transition to a storefront isn’t necessarily easy, Ransom said.

“There was a huge learning curve,” she said. But it made sense to open a space because it would require her to drive to deliver boards to customers throughout the area. At the new location, which she hopes will officially open in May, she will have grab-and-go items, wine and beer by the glass or bottle, and an area to sit and dine.

“There will be the ability to create your own charcuterie,” she said. “Although we will also have a number of pre-selected boards.

The Wilmington store is located in the former Port City Java location and she also plans to use the existing drive-thru for pick-up orders. There will also be space for private events.

And Mitchell said she wants her space to look a bit like your girlfriend’s living room.

“I want this to be a place where people can hang out and try things they haven’t tried before,” she said, including a variety of artisanal cheeses.

Both women say this style of dining is popular for a reason.

“It’s really just a fun way to eat,” Ransom said.

“I’m not really a fan of the term charcuterie, I prefer grazing,” Mitchell said. “But I don’t think charcuterie is going anywhere.”

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Grazing and deli storefronts open in Wilmington, NC