Why Raleigh?

Flo Lumsden and Chauncey Zalkin

A podcast about Raleigh, North Carolina — exploring what this city is and what it will become. Produced by Chorus Studios with support from Common Desk East End Market.

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Episodes

Getting Creative with Jessie Williams of Edge of Urge

For 21 years, Jessie Williams has run her independent and very stylish shop Edge of Urge in the Oakwood neighborhood of Raleigh, more recently adding the menswear store and bar, Unlikely Professionals across the street. She is also part owner of Root & Branch at the Raleigh-Durham airport. This creative entrepreneur extraordinaire has raised considerable funds for reproductive and lgbtq rights as well as efforts to get healthy foods to kids. When I ask about her aesthetic, she mentions givin...

Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 9

The Optimist Behind Optimist Coffee

Since the beginning of the Pandemic, Flo has been frequenting The Optimist Coffee to keep her spirits up. Adjacent to the historic Oakwood Cemetery, The Optimist Coffee embodies a cheerful, ironic aesthetic featuring skeletons, deep green velvet cushions and elegant floral illustrations on the windows. Its cozy and light hearted vibe welcomes you in, to spend time and relax. So how did this fabulous coffee shop come to be? In this conversation Flo sits down with owners Andrew and Robyn Ward to f...

Dec 05, 2023•37 min•Ep. 8

Crafting more than Beer, David Meeker and the Future of Raleigh

Today, we are talking to David Meeker. Axios calls David one of Raleigh's most influential real estate developers and for good reason. In his work as a commercial developer, investor, and builder, he keeps Raleigh charm and history intact while fostering creative entrepreneurship and a healthy community today. David's specialty has been adaptive reuse - repurposing historic buildings with a nod to their former life. We discuss the importance of independent, locally run food and retail in or near...

Nov 25, 2023•45 min•Ep. 7

Meet Chauncey Zalkin! Writer, Brand Strategist and Mom

Welcome to our 4th episode of Why Raleigh? where I, Raleigh native Flo Lumsden, sit down with this season's co-host Chauncey Zalkin, a NYC transplant who’s lived in mostly big international cities working in fashion, magazines, and advertising until now (stay tuned to find out where). Chauncey chose Raleigh because she thought it was “an incredible place to raise children and find community.” While I don't have kids yet, I couldn’t agree more! We discuss dinner parties, the intricacies of naviga...

Nov 07, 2023•46 min•Ep. 5

Spyglass Talent and Betting on Raleigh

Flo had the pleasure of sitting down and going deep with John Reid Sidebotham. Originally from NYC, John has a unique perspective on what makes raleigh special. What's that? The community. People care about each other. Even as Raleigh grows, John claims that people care a lot about the future growth and direction of Raleigh. And John knows people - he’s the founder and president of the talent solutions firm SpyGlass Talent. We talk public transportation, density, and urban design - all hot topic...

Oct 24, 2023•40 min•Ep. 4

Glow Fitness! From NY to Raleigh to Start a Fitness Brand

Ris (short for Marisa) moved from Buffalo, NY with some other fitness entrepreneurs to start the fitness studio of their dreams, Glow Fitness. The only problem? They had planned to open right when the pandemic struck in February 2020. They stuck to their vision and were able to open their in-person studio near Five Points in November 2022. Offering adult dance-fitness classes, Flo was thrilled when they opened and couldn't wait to find out more about these badass women running their own super fu...

Oct 13, 2023•47 min•Ep. 3

Introducing Why Raleigh?

Welcome to Why Raleigh? A podcast about Raleigh, North Carolina — exploring what this city is and what it will become. A Millennial and a Gen Xer, a local and a New York City transplant, a girl about town and a busy mom of school age twins, a producer and a marketing executive and writer - come together to flex our curiosity and commitment to the future of this fast growing city. In this brief episode, Chauncey and Flo introduce each other, tell the story of how they met and talk a bit more abou...

Oct 03, 2023•13 min•Ep. 2

Trailer. Why Raleigh?

A Millennial and a Gen Xer, a local and a New York City transplant, a girl about town and a busy mom of school age twins, a producer and a marketing executive and writer - come together to flex our curiosity and commitment to the future of this fast growing city. Welcome to Why Raleigh, launching September 2023. Produced by Chorus Studios LLC. This season is sponsored in part by Common Desk.

Sep 14, 2023•2 min•Ep. 1

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