“It’s not the color, it’s the experience.”

Not only is this phrase etched onto the front door of Red@28th, it serves as the slogan that the store lives and breathes by.

Recently opened on N. Davidson Street about a few months ago, Red@28th has become another of NoDa’s many hidden gems and has been making quite a splash among locals.

The technical way to describe Red@28th is as a bookstore, but co-owner Nakisa Glover said it’s much more than that.

“We market ourselves as Charlotte’s first multicultural literary lounge,” Glover said. “At our foundation we’re a bookstore, but we’re more than that. We go beyond the norm.”

The store specializes in new and used books that are cultural studies based, but they also feature a Hub Hookah Lounge and a bar that serves beer by the bottle and wine by the glass.

As if that weren’t enough, Red@28th hosts several community events, with their most popular event being Late Movie Fridays, co-hosted by Grown Headz and Charlotte Black Film Festival.

On the last Friday of every month this summer, the store shows independent black films, forgotten favorites and cult classics starting at 11 p.m., with games and cocktails offered beforehand at 10 p.m. with no cover.

For those who aren’t sure about the late night activities, Red@28th also hosts Wine-Down Wednesdays with wine by the glass and live entertainment to help bring on the weekend in the middle of a stressful workweek.

Book lovers everywhere can even come out to meet their favorite authors at one of Red@28th’s free book signings with local and celebrity authors. The next scheduled signing is with Sister Souljah on June 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

With activities for all interests and an energy and presence as soon as you walk in the door, Red@28th is sure to only keep going up from here.

“It’s about partnership and bringing together like-minded individuals and building something great with those who have a vision of seeing Charlotte grow culturally,” Glover said.