Aunt Anne’s Place Coming to Downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District

Assignment: Write a social media press release.

Note: For the purposes of this exercise, I co-opted some photos and other images from the Web to lend a more realistic look to the interactive press release for my fictional restaurant opening.

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Aunt Anne’s Place Coming to Downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District

After Several Delays, the Long-Awaited Neighborhood Joint Will Open Its Doors on October 16.

For release: Oct. 12, 2011

The long wait will finally come to an end this week and Aunt Anne’s Place will finally open its doors for dinner in the Downtown Raleigh Warehouse District on Tuesday, October 16.

315 Hargett Street, new home of Aunt Anne's Place. (photo from newraleigh.com)

Aunt Anne’s Place is a fabulous American restaurant fueled by locally grown ingredients and owned by Anne Sutton, former marketing executive turned chef/owner. AAP is open for dinner, 6 days a week and hopes to take advantage of the burgeoning growth of Raleigh’s Warehouse District and the surrounding neighborhoods by hiring “neighborhoodies,” talented locals who love to cook but aren’t necessarily licensed chefs.

The menu at Aunt Anne’s Place changes monthly; consists of only 10-12 items made primarily from local seasonal items. This neighborhood joint is furnished with tables and chairs bought at auction, yard sales and/or estate sales. AAP has an open kitchen and a waiting area that feels like home complete with a sofa, stuffed armchairs, and coffee table with magazines.

According to the owner/chef, Anne Sutton, “The idea behind Aunt Anne’s Place is to truly become a part of the neighborhood by providing locals with delicious food at reasonable prices served in a comfortable setting. The Warehouse District is the perfect backdrop for this restaurant, given the tremendous growth of the area and its proximity to local government, employers and universities.”

Giving Back

Hiring “neighborhoodies” isn’t the only novel approach taken by Aunt Anne’s Place, though. Rather than get a liquor license, AAP has opted instead to secure a Brown Bagging Permit and will encourage all patrons to bring their own wine and beer, which the restaurant will happily keep chilled in their cooler. In line with her mission to support the Warehouse District neighborhood, Sutton plans to run a “Submit your Best Seasonal Recipe” promotion giving aspiring cooks a chance to have that recipe added to AAP’s menu. Sutton also hopes to encourage budding designers by offering them the opportunity to exhibit their work on the walls of the restaurant and plans to run promotions with chances to paint a mural on the outside of the restaurant or to redesign the AAP website or menu in the offing. Ideally the restaurant will continually find ways to further integrate into the neighborhood and community by giving back and lending a helping hand to its patrons. Sutton even has plans to create an annual scholarship that helps send a local kid to cooking school.

Raleigh’s Warehouse District: Neighborhood on the Rise

Aunt Anne’s Place is just one of many new establishments to open in the Warehouse District in the last three months, along with Tasty Beverage, Boylan Bridge Brewpub, and Jibarra’s new location in The Depot. With Citrix new headquarters and the new Saturday Market, things are really looking up for one of the neighborhoods in downtown Raleigh with great potential.

Raleigh Warehouse District, Aunt Anne's Place marked with blue triangle  

Go here to view AAP’s menu.

DINNER: 

Monday: closed
Tues – Thurs 5:00 – 10:00
Fri & Sat 5:00 – 11:00
Sun 5:00 – 9:00 

Related Links

State of the Warehouse District, the Raleigh Connoisseur

Downtown Raleigh Events Calendar

About Aunt Anne’s Place

Aunt Anne’s Place is the brainchild of Anne Sutton, formerly Director of Sales and Marketing Strategy for CBS Interactive. A 1998 graduate of the Art Institute’s Culinary Institute in Fort Lauderdale, she developed her love of cooking in her mother’s kitchen in North Carolina.

Aunt Anne’s Place on Facebook

Aunt Anne’s Place on Twitter

Aunt Anne’s Place media contact: For more information on Aunt Anne's Place, contact Anne Sutton, chef/owner (919) 321-5224, annersutton@gmail.com.

Tagged: Downtown Raleigh, Raleigh’s Warehouse District, American restaurants, locally sourced restaurants, BYOB restaurants, neighborhoodies