Thirsty Beaver

The owners of the Thirsty Beaver are brothers Brian and Mark Wilson,^[1] who lease the bar from the property owner, George Salem. The Salem family owns the building and the strip of land where the bar sits.^[2] Salem has said that the land has been in his family for many years and he did not want to sell it.^[3] The bar was opened in 2008 and it was meant to be a neighborhood bar.^[4] The bar was surrounded by vacant lots at the time.^[5]

The Thirsty Beaver is located in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina.^[6] It is one story tall and occupies 1,200 sq ft (110 m²).^[7] The bar garnered attention when developers Crosland Southeast and Nuveen Real Estate began construction of an apartment complex in the immediate area and tried – but failed – to purchase the bar's property.^[6] The Washington Post stated that "this small dive bar is a middle finger to the development surrounding it".^[8] The bar's survival became what owner Mark Wilson referred to as "a protest".^[4]

In 2013, the owners of the vacant land around the building erected a fence which surrounded the building. Patrons of the Thirsty Beaver began attaching signs of support to the fence and some attached brassieres.^[3] The fire inspector assisted the bar owners in getting the fence removed and the bar remained open.^[7] In 2015, CW Development purchased all of the land around the Thirsty Beaver for US$8.5 million (equivalent to $11.3 million in 2024^[9]).^[3] The land was sold to develop a 323-unit apartment complex.^[7]

The developer twice offered to purchase the Thirsty Beaver property, but both offers were rejected.^[7] The developer stated, "We've made several attempts through the entire development process to acquire that property, very unsuccessfully."^[3]

When the owners of the land would not sell, an apartment building was constructed and wrapped around the Thirsty Beaver in the shape of a horseshoe.^[1] The Associated Press said the bar had become "Charlotte's own version of the house from Up, the Pixar movie".^[10]

The bar has been described as "quirky". On an orange side of the building is a large beaver with bloodshot eyes wearing a cowboy hat and boots.^[10] The Charlotte Observer noted that there are "dozens of bras nailed to the entrances".^[11] On the walls of the bar are a picture of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, a poster for Bartles & Jaymes, and lunchboxes depicting the shows Hee Haw and Gunsmoke.^[12] In 2015, a church was holding services at the bar on one Sunday afternoon of every month.^[12]

In 2021, the establishment received national attention when Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones posted an image on social media of himself drinking there.^[13]

• 
  The bar in 2022
• 
  Image of the beaver mural
• 
  Sign on the front of the building

• Edith Macefield, owner of a similar home in Seattle, Washington
• List of dive bars