Living in Matthews
Things to do in Matthews, NC
Matthews keeps a small-town downtown just outside Charlotte, and most of what makes it special sits within a few blocks of North Trade Street. Add a lakeside park and greenway access, and it’s easy to see why buyers like it.
I’m Frank Coxx, a North Carolina broker with HomeSmart. Here’s what each one is, where it sits, and a tip for your first visit.
Things to do
Downtown · local history
Matthews Historic District and Depot
Downtown Matthews, along North Trade Street and the railroad.
Matthews grew up around the railroad that came through in the 1870s. The downtown commercial district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its older brick storefronts now hold shops and restaurants.
The depot sits at the heart of downtown, a reminder of the rail line the town was built around.
Tip: Walk it on a Saturday morning, when the farmers market brings the most people downtown.
Official site: matthewsnc.gov
Saturdays, year-round
Matthews Community Farmers Market
Downtown Matthews, on North Trade Street next to Renfrow Hardware.
This is a producer-only market, so the people behind the tables grew, raised or made what they’re selling, sourced from the region. It runs every Saturday morning, rain or shine, all year.
Expect produce, meat, eggs, baked goods and plants, with the mix changing by season.
Tip: Go early. Popular vendors sell out, and winter hours are shorter.
Local landmark
Renfrow Hardware
Downtown Matthews, on North Trade Street.
Renfrow Hardware has been in Matthews since around 1900, and Mecklenburg County lists it as a historic landmark. It’s a working hardware and general store with farm-supply roots, not a museum.
Locals stop in for garden supplies, seeds and the kind of odds and ends a big-box store won’t carry.
Tip: Pair it with the farmers market next door on a Saturday.
Parks & outdoors
Town park · lake · greenway
Squirrel Lake Park
Matthews, off Pleasant Plains Road.
Squirrel Lake Park has a small lake with fishing spots, a playground, walking paths, picnic shelters and a disc golf course. Kids like the reading trail and the fairy trails.
A short paved path connects it to the Four Mile Creek Greenway, so you can walk or bike well beyond the park.
Tip: Use the park as your starting point for the Four Mile Creek Greenway.
Official site: matthewsnc.gov
Sports fields · trails
Matthews Sportsplex and trails
Matthews, off Sports Parkway near I-485.
The Mecklenburg County Sportsplex at Matthews is a large complex of soccer, football and other athletic fields, used heavily by youth and adult leagues.
It also has walking trails, picnic areas and a playground, so it works for a walk even when you’re not there for a game.
Tip: Tournament weekends bring heavy traffic around the Sportsplex. Check the schedule if you live nearby.
Official site: parkandrec.mecknc.gov
Dining & shopping
Dining · shopping
Downtown Matthews restaurants and shops
Downtown Matthews, around North Trade Street.
Downtown Matthews has a cluster of local restaurants, coffee shops and small stores in its historic storefronts, all within a few blocks.
It’s an easy place to walk to dinner, which is a big draw for buyers looking at homes near the town center.
Tip: Make an evening of it after the Saturday farmers market or a town event.