Highland - Hickory, NC Area Guide

The town of Hickory began as a trading post, which evolved into a manufacturing center for furniture, hosiery and textiles. These industries continue to thrive throughout the town, including in Highland.

While many older houses exist in Highland, some with fourth-generation residents; the neighborhood as a cohesive unit dates back only to the 1990s. A neighborhood association formed in 1995, which continues to meet every other month, cultivating a sense of community among residents and developing plans for the neighborhood’s future.

Downtown Hickory hosts many art and cultural events throughout the year, including the Art Crawl Series. Held twice a year, Art Crawl invites local artists to showcase their work in downtown businesses. Every Memorial Day brings Swinging Under the Stars, Hickory’s annual outdoor dance festival.

Highland hosts a number of local restaurants, with choices ranging from classic diners to international cuisine. Restaurants operate throughout the neighborhood, though the highest concentration exists near 15th Street and Highland Avenue.

Highland Avenue brings farm-to-table cuisine to Highland. Dishes such as oyster blackbeard, red beet terrine and Appalachian salmon reflect Highland Avenue’s commitment to high-quality foods unique to North Carolina. The restaurants houses private dining rooms with audiovisual capabilities for any event, from corporate gatherings to intimate dinner parties. For larger events, such as weddings and concerts, Highland Avenue partners with The Crossing at Hollar Mill, which accommodates up to 600 guests in a historic venue complete with high ceilings, steel sash windows and an outdoor plaza.

Geppeto’s Pizza serves a wide menu of Italian comfort foods. Beyond pizza, the restaurant serves salads, subs and pastas, including the ever-popular homemade lasagna and chicken Alfredo. Geppeto’s serves up a lunch buffet, delivery within a five-mile radius and catering. Tuesday nights from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. feature Kids’ Night. Everything on the kids’ menu sells for half-price, and kids take home a balloon animal from Geppeto’s balloon artist.

Tacos El Tio Chetos serves authentic Mexican food. The expansive menu, including dishes such as chorizo not found at other area Mexican restaurants, may seem daunting at first, but detailed menu descriptions and an attentive staff guide diners. Serving only fresh ingredients, Tacos El Tio Chetos provides consistently high-quality food.

Wizard’s Restaurant and Saloon serves home-style meals for breakfast and lunch at the restaurant, while the saloon acts as a high-energy bar and concert venue. Drawing in local and touring talent, Wizard’s hosts a variety of rock and metal shows throughout the week.

Club Cabaret presents a variety of performers alongside a large dance floor. Opened in 1980, Club Cabaret ranks a premier dance spot with VIP rooms and drink specials.

While downtown Hickory was designed to be friendly to pedestrians and cyclists, traveling beyond city center requires a car. Parking proves difficult in downtown, though drivers find spaces readily available in the Highland neighborhood and surrounding commercial areas. Hickory lies between Interstate 40 and US-321. US-321 leads to Charlotte, while Interstate 40 provides easy access to Ashville and Statesville.

Greenway Public Transportation provides bus service between Hickory, Conover and Newton. Buses operate Monday through Friday from 5:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 8:45 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. Riders can also request transit by van via the dial-a-ride service, which allows riders to specify their own time and pickup location. The Hickory Hop provides transportation to and from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Taxis come as a rare sight in Highland, and Uber has yet to expand into the area.

Stanford Park serves as Highland’s largest park, featuring three softball/baseball fields, an outdoor basketball court, a skate park, a walking trail, two playgrounds and a picnic shelter. The park also includes the Highland Recreation Center, which hosts a large variety of events for children and families, ranging from craft projects, such as making Friendship Day bracelets and Christmas ornaments, to kid-friendly sports like soccer and balloon paddle ball.

Civitan Park and Cliff Teague Park provide Highland two other options for outdoor recreation. Cliff Teague Park features a tennis court, an outdoor basketball court, horseshoe pits and a playground. Civitan Park includes more amenities, such as a lighted softball and football field, an outdoor basketball court, two tennis courts, a playground and a picnic shelter with grills.

Hickory hosts several outdoor events throughout the year, including the annual Holiday Tree Lighting. Held the week before Thanksgiving, the tree lighting marks the start of the holiday season. A few weeks later, A Hickory Holiday arrives, featuring free wagon rides, carolers, and visits from Santa and Mrs. Clause.

The cost of living in Highland remains comparable to the Hickory average, which runs 4 percent lower than the Charlotte average. A typical Highland apartment rents for $645 per month.

Local buses cost $1.25 per ride, 60 cents for seniors and free for children under 5, or frequent riders can purchase daily, weekly or monthly unlimited passes for $3, $12 and $45, respectively. Gas prices run 2 percent lower than the national average.

Local taverns routinely market $3 specials on draft beers.

This neighborhood provides a variety of local shops, alongside a few national chain stores, with most shopping found along 15th Street or 2nd Avenue. In addition to retailers, Highland houses many service providers, including mechanics and custom cabinetmakers. Leigh's Furniture Warehouse provides high-quality wood and upholstered furniture. The family-owned shop stocks everything from unique kid's room furniture to intricately carved, formal dining tables. Leigh's provides free local delivery as part of its commitment to personalized service.

Whitener Florist earned the title of Best of Catawba Valley two years running. The florist creates all sorts of arrangements, including traditional floral arrangements as well as silk flowers, balloon bouquets, fruit arrangements and customized gift baskets. Deliveries can even be accompanied by a wonderful old-fashioned singing telegram. Whitener's professional musician arrives with the gifted arrangements dressed in a suit or costume, and sings to the recipient accompanied by his guitar.

Lowes Foods, Food Lion and Save-A-Lot serve as the primary neighborhood supermarkets, while shops like The Natural Olive provide an inventory of gourmet and specialty groceries. Downtown Hickory hosts a farmers market every Saturday in April through November, featuring merchandise ranging from locally grown produce, cut flowers, potted plants and herbs to honey, preserves, fresh-baked goods and handmade soaps.