Martha Stewart is the woman of the moment. Not of the late 1990s or of the early 2000s, but here and now in fall 2024.
Her Netflix documentary “Martha” has been consistently trending on top since it dropped on Oct. 30. Stewart also just published her 100th book, “Martha: The Cookbook.”
In the late ’90s, Stewart — and her brand of the same name — reigned as the hallmark homemaker. She and her home (and her “Martha Stewart Living” magazine, her Martha Stewart Everyday Kmart line, and her “Martha Stewart Living” TV show) were pristine, put-together icons that shared indispensable lifestyle tips and tricks.
As the years tumbled forward, Stewart’s readers and viewers have seen beneath the domestic veil, following her somewhat rise-fall-rise story arc.
Nevertheless, her guiding values and core interests are clear across her long career: self-made success, entertaining, gardening, a stubborn insistence for fresh, made-from-scratch food and an adamant demand for beauty.
Despite this female powerhouse’s shortcomings and surprise story arcs, Stewart has undeniable taste. As asked by the documentary, was she the original influencer?
Below, you’ll find a list of spots that match up with Stewart’s tastes. These Martha-evoking spots in Charlotte demonstrate the above values and the decades-long lore of this 83-year-old woman, who once again is the woman of the moment…
CUSTOMSHOP
Location: 1601 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Stewart has built a living and identity off of beauty, elegance and a demand for quality from all culinary and design angles. Customshop could say the same about itself, a little candlelit wonder in Elizabeth. It sources locally from farm partners with seasonal dishes to follow.
Even if it weren’t for the food, Stewart may stop in for the handcrafted cocktails and sit at the marble bar. Something tells me Ms. Stewart would order an espresso martini, which at Customshop features vanilla syrup that starts with scraping whole vanilla beans and chile salt that begins with grinding morita chillies. All from scratch, as Stewart would have it.
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