Home Care In Gastonia, NC

The business, which once touted itself “Gastonia’s first and only local brewery,” hosted a final farewell Wednesday, Jan. 7, and was officially shuttered Jan. 8, the Gaston Gazette first reported.

Sugar Creek Brewing Company is set to take it over, owner Scott Cavendish told the newspaper, though it’s unclear when the brewery will reopen under the new brand.

CharlotteFive reached out to Sugar Creek Brewing for more information but didn’t hear back.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Business Journal reported that Sugar Creek Brewing and restaurant industry veteran Martin Sprock have teamed up to purchase the 2.75-acre site in Gaston County for $2 million. Plans call for a new Sugar Creek location, along with a barbecue restaurant called Dixon’s and production facilities, brewery co-founder Eric Flanigan told the outlet.

Charlotte Prunet, a former taproom manager at Cavendish Brewing, had confirmed to CharlotteFive on Thursday that Sugar Creek Brewing had purchased the land and brewery from Cavendish.

“There had been rumors going around for months that he (Cavendish) was selling, but we didn’t know to whom or what that would look like,” Prunet said in a phone interview.

The abrupt move came a day after Cavendish shared news of his retirement and invited the community to celebrate his final farewell at the brewery.

“It’s been real. It’s been fun. It’s been real fun!” he wrote in a now-deleted message shared on the business’s Facebook page. “Come stop by and give me a high five before I head out into the sunset! I love you all. Thank you for supporting my small business these last 10 years.”

The morning after, Prunet said she and roughly a dozen other employees learned they were out of a job.

So what’s next? The shuttered brewery will undergo repairs and renovations before eventually reopening as Sugar Creek Brewing.

“We’re not sure if (Sugar Creek) is going to reach out to previous staff to be employed,” Prunet said, adding that Cavendish has encouraged the new owners to rehire the former workers. “We were hoping there would be little change ... but it ended up being an official turnover.”

News of Cavendish Brewery’s closure came as a shock to employees and local residents who often gathered at the hangout “when they needed some love and support, a hug after a bad day” or just heartfelt advice, Prunet said.

“Over the practically 8 years I worked at Cavendish, I watched that place become a second home to so many people of the community,” she told CharlotteFive.

As the transition gets underway, Prunet said she hopes the new owners will continue to build on what Cavendish had created.

“Please, if you can, bring as much of the staff back and try to keep our vibe,” Prunet said. “The community will come back, rebuild and find our second home once again.”

Cavendish Brewing Company

Location: 207 N Chester St, Gastonia, NC 28052 (permanently closed)

Cuisine: Beer + light bites

Instagram: @cavendish_brewing

Add yet another feather to the cap of Gastonia basketball icon Leonard Hamilton.

The former Division I basketball coach will take his place among other sporting legends of the “Old North State,” Hamilton selected for the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame’s 2026 induction class.

Hamilton is part of a class including former PGA Tour player Chip Beck; three-time Winter Olympian and four-time world champion Heather Bergsma; former all-NFL selection with the Cincinnati Bengals Louis Breeden; University of North Carolina basketball national champion Tyler Hansbrough; Winston-Salem State football legend and former NFL player Richard Huntley; American tennis player and 2012 Olympian John Isner; late basketball coach and NCHSAA Hall of Famer Norvell Lee; MLS Cup champion and High Point native Eddie Pope; Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson; and legendary Cary High wrestling coach Jerry Winterton.

The group will be inducted Friday, May 1, at the Sheraton Four Seasons Convention Center in Greensboro.

Hamilton retired as a college basketball coach following the 2024-25 season, leading programs at Oklahoma State, Miami (Florida) and Florida State to 660 wins over the course of his career. His footprint was particularly immense at Florida State, where the Gastonia native had a program-record 456 wins, as well as ACC regular season (2020) and tournament (2012) titles. Hamilton’s 1999-2000 Miami team earned a share of the Big East championship.

During his career, Hamilton was named UPI National Coach of the Year (1995), two-time Big East Coach of the Year (1995, 1999) and three-time ACC Coach of the Year (2009, 2012, 2020). He was also the recipient of the 2021 Ben Jobe Award, an honor annually presented to the top minority head coach in Division I basketball.

The Gastonia native also served as coach of the NBA’s Washington Wizards (2000-01).

Part of the first all-Black graduating class at Gastonia’s Highland High in 1966, Hamilton cut his teeth as a player at Gaston College, scoring 971 points during his two-year career before moving on to Tennessee-Martin to finish his college career.

A traveler may have exposed fellow diners to measles at a restaurant in Gastonia, state health officials said Saturday.

Anyone at Constantine’s Restaurant, 1825 S. New Hope Road, after 8:30 p.m. Dec. 26 may have been exposed and should monitor for symptoms until Jan. 16, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Those with symptoms should immediately contact their local health department and stay at home unless seeking medical care, officials said.

Call ahead before visiting a doctor or an emergency room so the provider can take steps to prevent exposure to others, the state said.

Officials didn’t say how many diners and workers at the restaurant may have been exposed. The restaurant is popular for its Turkish, Greek and Italian cuisines.

“To protect the individual’s privacy, no additional information about this case will be released,” the department’s news release stated.

The infected person also visited Christmas Town USA in the eastern Gaston County town of McAdenville but did not go indoors there, NC health officials said.

That means the risk of transmission of measles is low to others who attended the annual display of holiday lights and decorations, according to a news release by NCDHHS.

NC health officials also recently reported a child in Polk County contracted measles late in December, the second detected case in North Carolina during 2025 until Saturday’s announcement.

The Polk County case is believed to stem from an ongoing outbreak in upstate South Carolina, which has seen 179 measles cases since July, according to the NC Department of Health and Human Services, the News & Observer reported.

Meanwhile, the state urges measles vaccinations for all children 1 and older. Infectious disease experts around North Carolina have warned that an outbreak similar to South Carolina’s is a matter of time.

“Getting vaccinated against measles continues to be the most important step we can take to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Dr. Zack Moore, epidemiologist for DHHS said recently. “It is important to check with your health care provider to ensure you are current with all your vaccines.”

In December, DHHS reported that a person traveling through Raleigh-Durham International Airport had contracted measles, potentially exposing nearby in Terminal 2.

How to recognize measles

Symptoms for measles can show up seven to 21 days after exposure.

They include:

The Centers for Disease Control reported more than 2,000 measles cases in 44 states nationwide as of the end of December.

Health officials alert Gastonia diners at Constantine's on Dec. 26 to possible measles exposure, urging symptom monitoring and vaccination to prevent spread.

GASTONIA, N.C. — Health officials are warning that anyone who visited a Gastonia restaurant late on the evening of Dec. 26 may have been exposed to measles.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Gaston County Public Health said Friday that a person who traveled through Gaston County while infectious with measles visited Constantine's Restaurant, at 1825 S New Hope Road, after 8:30 p.m.

Anyone who was at the restaurant during that time should monitor for symptoms until Jan. 16. If symptoms develop, people should contact their local health department immediately and stay home unless seeking medical care. Health officials urge people to call ahead before visiting a doctor or emergency room so steps can be taken to prevent exposure to others.

The infected person also attended Christmas Town USA in McAdenville from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 26, but did not visit any indoor locations. Officials said the risk of transmission to others who attended at the same time is low.

No additional information about the case will be released to protect the individual's privacy.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads through the air via coughing and sneezing. The virus can live for up to two hours in the air where an infected person was present.

Symptoms usually begin seven to 14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days later. They include:

Measles can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, especially in young children.

Public health officials recommend that all people aged 1 year and older who are unvaccinated receive the measles vaccine. The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles.

The measles vaccine is also recommended for infants 6-11 months old who will be traveling internationally or to areas with active measles outbreaks.

Those unsure whether they have protection against measles can use NCDHHS's measles immunity checker tool at dph.ncdhhs.gov/measles.

North Carolina residents can contact their health care provider or visit their local health department for information on obtaining the vaccine.

GASTONIA, N.C. (WBTV) - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Gaston County Public Health confirmed a measles case in a person who traveled through Gaston County while infectious.

Anyone who was at Constantine’s Restaurant at 1825 S. New Hope Rd. in Gastonia after 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 26, 2025 may have been exposed to measles and should monitor for symptoms until Jan. 16. People who develop symptoms should contact their local health department immediately and stay at home unless seeking medical care.

Health officials said people should call ahead before visiting a doctor or emergency room so steps can be taken to prevent exposure to others.

Also read:

The individual also attended Christmas Town USA in McAdenville from 5:30-8 p.m. on Dec. 26, 2025. However, the individual did not visit any indoor locations, so the risk of transmission to others who were attending at the same time is low, health officials said.

Public health officials are recommending all unvaccinated individuals ages one year and older receive measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them. Measles vaccine is also recommended for infants 6-11 months who will be traveling internationally or to areas with active measles outbreaks.

The NCDHHS measles immunity checker tool is available for those who are unsure whether they have protection against measles.

As of Dec. 30, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 2,065 people from 44 states as confirmed measles cases this year. This is the highest number of measles cases reported in the U.S. since the second dose of MMR vaccine became widely used in the early 1990s.

One case of measles was identified in a North Carolina resident in 2025.

Health officials said no additional information about the case will be released to protect the individual’s privacy.

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