Downtown Carthage's Holiday Season Runs Around the Courthouse Circle This Year

"Construction is temporary, but small businesses cannot survive indefinitely without customers." Second Chapter Books posted that line this fall, according to the Sandhills Sentinel. The post went on to promote a long list of its downtown neighbors along with the bookshop.

The two key dates of this holiday season in Carthage fall at the same address. The construction contract for the Courthouse Circle work requires it to be finished by Nov. 30, 2026. Twelve days later, on Saturday, Dec. 12, the Annual Carthage Christmas Parade travels down Monroe Street and ends at Courthouse Square. That makes the parade the first big downtown night planned after the contract deadline. It also gives the shops around the circle their best chance to make up for a fall spent behind barricades.

A Contract Date That Lands Before the Parade

The circle work is Phase 1 of the Town's Downtown Revitalization Project. It's funded by $912,499 in grants and built by SQ Civil Contractors. Phase 1 adds pedestrian refuge islands and clearly marked crosswalks around the Courthouse Circle. The Town's bid notice describes a larger aim: reshaping the circle so traffic moves better and drains better, plus new hardscape, landscaping and pedestrian areas.

The schedule has been tight from the start. In early October, Town Manager Emily Yopp told the Sandhills Sentinel that she expected the first phase to be complete "between late October and early November." The Town's bid terms require completion by Nov. 30. The Pilot reported that the state funding behind the project expires at the end of the year. In the same report, Yopp said the town "did not pick the timing" and had to complete the required steps before the grant-funded work could begin.

That deadline is why the timing landed where it did. The fourth quarter is when downtown retail usually gets its holiday traffic, and that's exactly when the work had to happen.

What the Fall Cost the Shops on the Circle

The Pilot reported that downtown businesses that depend on foot traffic were seeing their fourth-quarter revenue fall, and some cut hours and staff. Wishflower Lane Bakery and the Kitten Around Cat Lounge sit next to each other with the construction right at their doors. The Pilot reported that both adjusted their hours around the construction, and Wishflower Lane Bakery now opens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Visit Pinehurst's directory lists the bakery at 26 Courthouse Square.

The businesses answered with directions. Karen Lewis, owner of Second Chapter Books at 101 Monroe Street, set up a Facebook event called "The Great Downtown Carthage Detour Challenge," with routes to each downtown shop affected by the work. Moore Coffee Company asked customers on Facebook to keep coming even though roads and parking were inconvenient. Second Chapter Books, Kitten Around and Wishflower posted similar messages. According to the Sentinel, downtown businesses say they are counting on customers to keep making the trip.

Keith Hardware is at 207 Monroe Street, on the same street as Second Chapter Books, and Wishflower Lane Bakery faces Courthouse Square. Holiday errands at these shops are where the new crosswalks will get the most use.

Getting Downtown While the Work Wraps Up

The Pilot laid out how the work runs. The circle is being rebuilt one half at a time. During the first half, eastbound N.C. 24-27 traffic runs through the circle in the opposite of its normal direction, and westbound traffic is detoured down Barrett Street. The second half returns eastbound traffic to the normal direction through the circle.

On Sept. 21, the Town also closed North McNeill Street where it meets Barrett Street. The barricade is on the McNeill side, so northbound McNeill traffic can't continue through that intersection. The Town said it made the change after staff saw drivers on Barrett, which has stop signs, either not stopping or assuming McNeill traffic would stop. For drivers heading west on McReynolds Street, N.C. 24-27, toward Robbins, the Town's posted route is:

1. Turn left onto Saunders Street.
2. Turn right onto South Ray Street.
3. Turn left onto McReynolds Street.

Following that route keeps drivers from reaching the barricade on North McNeill and having to turn around. The Town has also cautioned commercial drivers against using roads that aren't marked detours, because Carthage's tight turns and utility poles make large-vehicle maneuvers difficult. The project page carries the Town's current detour notices and route maps. The Town has also said that downtown businesses stay open and that pedestrian access is maintained as work moves block by block.

Three Stops Worth a Holiday List

Two of these shops opened just before the barricades went up or soon after. The third is the coffee shop right next door to one of them.

Miss Kelly's Cupboard matters most in December. The Pilot reported that it's Kelly Patterson's first brick-and-mortar shop after about 12 years of selling mostly at the Moore County Farmers Market and a few retail stores. Her all-time bestseller is the Christmas Jam. "I can't keep it in stock. For six weeks it's all I make," she told the paper. The shop also carries her snack mixes, Miss Kelly's Cookin' grab-and-heat meals and The Hubs Rubs barbecue rubs. It stocks small-batch goods from other local makers too: The Mindful Mug coffee, Dees Bees honey and Moore Popcorn. That's enough for a whole gift basket of small-batch goods, all in one shop right next door to Buggy Town Coffee.

Mulligans Creamery is a golf-themed ice cream shop owned by Dawn Spring and Greg Michas. It serves 32 flavors, including vegan, sugar-free and dairy-free options. You can order a scoop, a shake or a sundae, or pick up a pint to go. It's open until 10 p.m. on Saturdays, later than anything else on this list, so it works well after an evening event downtown.

A December Calendar That Ends at Courthouse Square

The Annual Carthage Christmas Parade starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. It runs along Monroe Street to Courthouse Square, admission is free, and Kim Andrews is the Town's contact for the event. Monroe Street is also where Second Chapter Books and Keith Hardware are, and the parade ends at the square where Phase 1 is putting in the new crosswalks and refuge islands.

Before the parade, here's what else is on the calendar nearby:

• Vass Christmas tree lighting, Nov. 27: The Pines Times lists it from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with Santa, live music and free family activities. Event listings like this one can change, so check with the organizers before you go.
• Second Chapter Books' 2026 Angel Tree: a Christmas book and donation drive run with Moore County Public Schools, advertised on the store's site this season.

Once the circle work is done, the Town's plan moves on to later phases covering parking, access, lighting, seating and landscaping across downtown. Phase 1, the part around the courthouse, is the piece scheduled to be finished before parade night.

One More Town Notice Running Through Dec. 6

Carthage households also have a water notice in effect for most of the holiday stretch. The Town's water restrictions run from Oct. 12 through Dec. 6, 2026, while the water treatment plant is offline for scheduled maintenance and upgrades. The Town says the restrictions are not because of drought or a water-quality concern. The notice asks customers to cut water use by at least 20 percent from the previous month and prohibits all nonessential uses of drinking water. It also limits garden and landscape watering to the minimum plants need to survive. In the meantime, the Town is buying temporary water supply from Moore County and Southern Pines. It notes that the schedule could shift depending on how the maintenance and plant operations go. Holiday guests and big December cooking days come before the Dec. 6 end date, so the full notice is worth reading before you host.

At BHGRE Lifestyle Property Partners, we follow how projects like the Courthouse Circle change daily life in Moore County's towns, from the route you take to the shops you walk to. If you'd like a local take on what Carthage's downtown plans mean for your street, we're glad to talk it through. Find Your Lifestyle.