Things are getting pretty exciting around our house. Our daughter Lily is getting married September 4th, so we're officially in the home stretch.

We're having the rehearsal dinner at Link & Pin in Huntersville, but there's a little more to that choice than just liking the restaurant.

Some of you who have been around Lake Norman for a while may remember what used to be there: Mickey & Mooch.

Stacey and I got engaged at Mickey & Mooch more than 20 years ago.

I have a lot of great memories of that restaurant, and I suspect quite a few of you do too. It was one of those places around Lake Norman that seemed to be where you went for birthdays, anniversaries, date nights and special occasions.

I certainly couldn't have imagined when Stacey and I were sitting there celebrating our engagement that more than two decades later we'd be back in the same building celebrating the night before our daughter's wedding.

But that's exactly what we're doing.

On September 3rd, we'll be back at what is now Link & Pin for Lily and Gunnar's rehearsal dinner, before watching the two of them get married the following day.

Funny how life occasionally brings you right back around to where you started.

The next couple of weeks around our house will probably be a little chaotic, but in the best possible way. I'll share some wedding pictures afterward, assuming Lily and Stacey approve them first.

And I'm curious: Who else remembers Mickey & Mooch? Hit reply and tell me what you remember about it. I'd love to hear some of your stories.

I've also been thinking quite a bit about where this newsletter goes from here.

We started LKN Insider about six months ago with a pretty simple idea: create a local email I'd actually want to open myself. Something personal that helps you discover interesting people, businesses, restaurants and things happening around our community.

More than 5,000 people now subscribe, and close to 60% open it each week, which has frankly exceeded my expectations.

Now I need to figure out how to make it sustainable.

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to start opening LKN Insider to a small number of local sponsors. I don't want to fill this thing with random ads. I'm looking for local businesses that would genuinely be useful or interesting to the people reading it.

I've already met with a couple of local business owners you'll be meeting in upcoming editions of Meet Your Neighbor.

If you own a business around Lake Norman and would like to get in front of more than 5,000 local readers each week, just reply to this email and tell me a little about what you do.

Maybe you're a good fit. Maybe you're not. Either way, I'd be happy to talk.

And thanks for continuing to open this thing every Wednesday. The fact that so many of you do is what makes me think we might actually be onto something.

— Scott

The Gist: When the Cornelius School of Rock closed this summer after its out-of-town owners pulled the plug, longtime general manager Christian Pearson decided to keep the music going himself. He has opened Pearson House of Rock in the same Catawba Avenue building where he spent a decade teaching, bringing five investors on board, including a former student, to renovate the century-old space.

Why It Matters: A beloved local program that could have vanished instead stays open under local ownership, keeping its student bands and instructors together. The school offers private lessons in guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals, plus group bands for every age and an invite-only Travel Team for students 12 to 18.

The Gist: Your Mom’s Donuts is officially serving its iconic square pastries at its brand-new storefront in the Shops at the Fresh Market on Torrence Chapel Road. After original owner Courtney Ahern closed the business in 2023, local customers Dustin and Colleen Wanemacher stepped up to give the bakery a second life.

Why It Matters: This comeback has a fun local twist: the new owners were customers before they ever thought about running the place themselves. Now a Cornelius favorite is back, with the same square donuts people missed and a new neighborhood storefront.

In a town most people blow past on I-77, Pellegrino’s Trattoria is worth the detour. The Jersey-born chef brings serious Italian heritage, tossing handcrafted sourdough pasta with wild oyster mushrooms and rich, slow-simmered sauces.

From Calabria-style lasagna to an eggplant parmesan that rivals New York's finest, it is rich, honest cooking. Book ahead, order a glass of wine, and let the attentive servers guide your night.

Ask around for bike gear or quick repairs, and Lake Norman OGs point straight to The Cycle Path. Mark swapped a career as an auto mechanic to open up shop back in 2006, bringing years of trail-building experience at Fisher Farm to the repair bench.

Expect honest recommendations, true quality parts, and patient service, whether you need a quick tube replacement, dead brakes revived, or a custom build.

🎸 LangTree LIVE feat. Black Glass | LangTree LKN | Mooresville | 08/27 | More
A free outdoor series serving up hard rock all evening long.

🏈 Football Home Opener | Davidson College Stadium | Davidson | 08/27 | More
Kick off Wildcats season under the lights with the whole crew.

🎬 Wheels & Reels: GOAT | Liberty Park | Mooresville | 08/28 | More
Outdoor roller skating, local food trucks, and a family movie under the stars.

🏃 Run, Jump, Climb — Open Gym Is On! | Carolina Ninja Academy | Huntersville | 08/29 | More
Supervised obstacle courses for kids to build strength, confidence, and agility.

🎉 Quick Kicks | Charlotte Running Company LKN | Mooresville | 08/29 | More
A retro, 80s-flavored running block party with demos and giveaways. Free.

🎤 Stand-Up for Good | Cain Center For The Arts | Cornelius | 08/29 | More
Family-friendly clean comedy benefiting local child abuse prevention programs.

🚗 Cruise-In Night | Trackhouse Motorplex | Mooresville | 09/01 | More
Classics to exotics roll in for a family-friendly Race City night.

🐴 Horses & Hope River Party | Splendor Pond | Mooresville | 08/27 | More
A lakeside dinner benefiting local heroes, with live entertainment. Ticketed.

🎨 Watercolor Paint Your Pet | Primal Brewery | Huntersville | 08/27 | More
Capture your furry best friend on canvas, craft beer in hand.

🤠 Legends of New Country: Wallen & Wilson | BoatYard Lake Norman | Cornelius | 08/28 | More
A tribute to today's biggest country hitmakers. 21+

🕺 Live Music: Hey L’80s | Bin 110 | Cornelius | 08/28 | More
Charlotte's best 80s throwback band takes over the room.

🎸 Sweet Leaf Live | Miciah's Bar & Live Music | Mooresville | 08/29 | More
Southern rock grooves and energetic jams.

🧘 Free Community Yoga | Fred & June's Books | Mooresville | 08/31 | More
All-levels morning yoga session promoting wellness in a cozy setting.

Thanks for reading our newsletter! We’ll have more updates for you next week!

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