Good people of Cary,

Ciao! I am currently writing this newsletter while still on my honeymoon in Italy.

We’re in the city of Verona, which is best known for being the city where Romeo and Juliet took place. We’re having a wonderful time.

By the time this issue releases, I will have just gotten back to Cary. It looks like things have really warmed up since I left, so I’m excited to spend some time in the sun and running on the greenways.

On a less happy note, Painted Tree Boutiques abruptly closed all of their locations nationwide, including the one in Cary. If you didn’t know, Painted Tree is a store where dozens of vendors can set up a stand to sell their goods (similar to the Night Market or Lazy Daze, but open daily). It was located in Crossroads, but they had multiple locations within the Triangle.

This is a pretty big deal for a lot of local artists and small business owners. Painted Tree allowed folks to set up shop without having to pay large rental fees for their own location. It is a true loss for our community.

In a later section in this newsletter, I am highlighting some vendors that were located in Painted Tree so you can go support them if you can. I know they would truly appreciate the business, and you can get some legitimately really cool stuff while supporting the community.

Thank you for continuing to support local,

James

This one stings for a lot of local small business owners.

Painted Tree Boutiques, located at 240 Crossroads Blvd in the Cary Crossroads shopping center, shut its doors on April 13th as part of a nationwide closure of all 60-plus locations.

Vendors were notified by email on Tuesday, April 14th that the company was ceasing all operations immediately. They were given until April 24th to collect their inventory, a 10-day window that left many scrambling.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Painted Tree was a marketplace model where hundreds of small business owners rented individual booth spaces under one roof. Gifts, home decor, clothing, handmade goods, vintage finds. For a lot of local makers and entrepreneurs, it was their primary retail presence. Some vendors had been there since the Cary location opened.

The company cited rising costs, shifting market conditions, and changes in consumer shopping behavior.

If you were a shopper at Painted Tree Cary and want to keep supporting the vendors who were there, we’ve put together a list below the news segment of this newsletter. These are local small businesses that lost their storefront overnight and could use your support.

Additional reading: WRAL | Spectrum Local News

USA TODAY just released its 10Best Public Playground rankings for 2026, and Cary, while not winning, did very well.

The Nest at Downtown Cary Park came in at #2 in the country, finishing just behind Gathering Place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Raleigh also made the list, with Gipson Play Plaza at Dix Park landing at #3.

The Nest won the same award outright in 2025, so holding onto the #2 spot is still very impressive. The list is voted on by the public after an expert panel nominates 20 playgrounds from across the country.

Hopefully next year, we can climb back up to #1.

Additional reading: USA TODAY 10Best

We reached out on social media to find local vendors who lost their spot at the Painted Tree in Cary due to their abrupt closure. Now is the best time to support local.

Flying Pig Candy Co (toffee)

Sweet Child & Co (hand-poured candles)

Sapphire & Leo (handmade jewelry)

Dew Drop Chocolates (award winning chocolates)

Thee Craft (magical wares)

Frederick Family Co. (handmade accessories)

Stella Cake (bakery and 3D print shop)

Sugar Moon Designs (handmade polymer clay jewelry)

Angie Wreaths (handcrafted wreaths and home decor)

Folk & Fable Co (book shop, with both indie and traditionally published authors)

Falcon Ridge Designs (laser engraved and 3D printed gifts)

Whimsical Impressions (various charms and gifts)

Divine Decor (home decor and furnishings)

Interested in partnering with us? Reach out at [email protected] and let's find something that works for you.

Surprise! Still no events this week. I am working on revamping this section to be more useful.

If you’re looking for stuff to do in the area, I recommend checking the following:

Triangle on the Cheap

Downtown Cary Park’s Calendar

Town of Cary’s Calendar

Each week, I highlight a spot in Cary that I think you should check out. This week, we're heading to Cary’s 2nd most popular greenway (that’s seemingly always under construction).

If you are looking for a greenway that has some variety to it, Black Creek is the one.

At 7.1 miles, it is one of the longest trails in Cary’s greenway network. It runs from Old Reedy Creek Road near Lake Crabtree in the north all the way south to Fred G. Bond Metro Park, where it connects to the White Oak Creek Greenway. Do both and you have over 14 miles of continuous trail running east to west across the whole town.

However, you should know that they have been doing some work on Black Creek over the past couple years. They are about to close the segment starting from Old Reedy Creek, so the natural next starting point would be North Cary Park.

You can find details about the closure and detour routes here.

From North Cary Park, the trail runs through Godbold Park where the dog park and action sports area are, and eventually works its way toward Bond Park. There are wooden bridges, some stretches with great tree cover, and enough variation that it does not feel like one long straight line.

As of the time of this writing, there is a detour (with signage to point you in the right direction) as you head south from North Cary Park. However, construction on that segment of the greenway should be done at some point this month, so it may actually be open by the time you’re reading this. Check out the official Cary Greenway Detour website for the most up-to-date info.

One thing to know: it has more elevation change than White Oak Creek Greenway. Still mostly manageable, but there are a few hillier sections throughout the trail, so keep that in mind if you are on a bike or with a stroller.

What I love the most about this greenway is the variety. You pass by Lake Crabtree, go through several heavily wooded areas, and end at Bond Park. I frequently encounter deer, rabbits, and herons while on the greenway, which is always a nice treat.

The greenway also attaches to a Starbucks (on the corner of NW Maynard and Chapel Hill Rd). The staff at this location is always so nice, and are kind enough to serve me water when I walk in completely sweaty from a run or bike ride.

If you’ve never done Black Creek, this is your sign to check it out!

Best Starting Point (while Old Reedy Creek Road Trailhead is under construction): North Cary Park - 1100 Norwell Blvd

Length: 7.1 miles full trail

Cost: Free

Additional reading: Town of Cary | Greenway Detour Info

Thanks for reading! If you liked or disliked this issue, feel free to reply and let me know! I love hearing from you.

P.S.

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