Kitchen Cabinets in Leland, NC

New details have emerged and another defendant has been added in a lawsuit initiated by Brunswick County residents against the town of Leland and a property owner behind a new development.

The legal battle involving the Seaward Pointe project took a turn after parties agreed to submit disputes over access rights and roadway improvements to private discussions, putting major portions of the lawsuit against the town on hold.

Separating U.S. 74/76 and the Compass Pointe community is roughly 150 acres owned by Dominion Land Group Owner Nathan Sanders, under two companies, "WGTRACT6 LLC" and "WGTRACT10B LLC." Defendants listed in the initial lawsuit include the town of Leland, Leland Town Council, and WGTRACT6, LLC and WGTRACT10B, LLC, abbreviated as "WG parties."

The town of Leland earlier this year annexed and zoned the property, and approved a 25-year development agreement between the town and Seaward Development Company, LLC, to make way for the multi-family and shopping center project named "Seaward Pointe." Prior to the agreement, Compass Pointe community members requested the agreement be postponed until the developer demonstrates legal authority to construct all required roadway and infrastructure improvements.

In June 2026, the Compass Pointe Masters Association filed a lawsuit to Brunswick County Superior Court stemming from a private easement dispute. The suit claims the town unlawfully and unfairly approved the rezoning and development agreement.

According to the filed complaint, Compass Pointe property owners legally possess property rights, including easement rights, and "appurtenant rights" benefiting the property. The complaint states the residents will be negatively impacted by the rezoning and project - putting properties, property interests, roadway access and traffic conditions at risk. In addition, the complaint notes the "intense development" allowed by the rezoning fails to address the environmental impacts to existing wildlife, consider areas prone to flooding and more.

A central issue throughout the litigation has been whether developers possess sufficient rights under a longstanding easement agreement to use, widen, improve and modify Compass Pointe East Wynd, the roadway serving as an access point to the area.

The association requested the court determine that the property owners possess vested easement and property rights for Compass Pointe East Wynd and that the rezoning and development approvals be invalidated. They argued the applicants lack "sufficient legal rights" to modify the easement without their consent.

The WG parties filed a third-party complaint and motion in July asking the court to force arbitration between themselves and CP Brunswick, LLC, as the owner of Compass Pointe East Wynd who signed an easement agreement in 2009.

The agreement included a mandatory arbitration clause.

Though CP Brunswick signed the agreement, they allegedly transferred ownership of Compass Pointe East Wynd from U.S. 74/76 to the community gate to the association and filed a motion to dismiss their involvement, claiming Compass Pointe as the successor under the easement agreement.

On Aug. 25, Compass Point followed the motions with an amended complaint. The amended complaint still places the access road at the center of the dispute, claiming Seaward Pointe cannot lawfully be built as approved because required transportation improvements exceed rights granted under the easement agreement.

After parties agreed, a consent order was signed on Sept. 11 requiring Compass Pointe Master Association and the WG parties submit disputes under the easement agreement to binding arbitration in Wilmington. However, the order pauses the claims against Leland and motions filed by CP Brunswick, further action pending resolution of arbitration.

The order requires the parties participate in mediation within 30 days before arbitration. Arbitration must conclude within 60 days unless the parties agree otherwise, according to the order.

Arbitration could decide whether Seaward Pointe can use Compass Pointe East Wynd the way developers planned, as discussions are to include: interpretation and scope of easement rights, rights involving Compass Pointe East Wynd, whether roadway widening and improvements are permitted, and whether the developers' proposed infrastructure is allowed under the easement agreement.

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Since Leland Brewing Co. opened at 2115 Ale Ave. in 2023, the owners have been working on adding a kitchen. And really, even longer. Original plans for the brewery included a taco stand.

In recent months, they've been working with Chef Patrick Quinn. He started as a teenaged dishwasher and has since worked in restaurants all over the country -- Colorado, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia.

Now based in Wilmington, he connected with the owners of Leland Brewing for their shipping container kitchen, the All Good Kitchen. He also took what was a loose idea for the menu and is making it his own.

What's on the menu?

One of the first priorities was a good smash burger.

"And I just wanted to make it a little more interesting," Quinn said.

In this case, it was the sauce. Instead of a typical burger sauce and Quinn uses spicy mustard and a little red pepper relish. He also got creative with condiments for the fish tacos, which are served with a pineapple-pico coleslaw and a Chamoy remoulade that adds a pink zing to the dish.

"It's similar to a tartar, but it's got that kind of little spice, little sweet, little tang and it's a little bit fruity," he said. "And it looks kind of cool."

Of course, beer-and-food fusions were also a must. His take on classic beer cheese is a pimento beer cheese, which uses the brewery's Yonder New Zealand Pale Ale. Look for it as a side with grilled sourdough, or on loaded fries with grilled onions and bacon.

There are also beer brats with the Brunswick Brown ale and a spicy ground mustard. The opening menu is a simple one that includes four handhelds and four appetizers.

What's ahead?

As the kitchen gets established, he's hoping to add new options, like crab fritters with roasted corn and Fresno chilies. Quinn also wants to add salad bowls and rice bowls to appeal to the nearby lunch crowd.

"As we release new beers, I'm going to try some different specials with those releases," he said. "And I've done beer tasting dinners, and that's something that we plan to do in the future."

Look for that to begin, possibly, in the winter months.

"Right now, we're figuring out what we can do in this space and what people want," Quinn said. "It'll evolve."

Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Leland brewery adds long-awaited kitchen with burgers, tacos

Reporting by Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews / Wilmington StarNews

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

Eleven new tenants recently signed leases at Leland Village, a Publix-anchored shopping center under construction in Leland.

The new tenants include Handel’s Ice Cream – a first for the Wilmington area, restaurant chain First Watch, fast-food and takeout chains Domino’s Pizza and Wingstop, along with fast-casual Mexican eatery Qdoba. Other tenants include Chase Bank, pet specialty retailer Hollywood Feed, boutique fitness studio FS8 Pilates and Glo MedSpa, along with national retailer Mattress Firm and men’s hair salon Sport Clips.

With the recent leases, the nearly 132,000-square-foot shopping center is now 93% leased, according to a news release from project developer Branch Properties. The Atlanta-based real estate investment and development firm closed on the 25-acre project site at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Kingsbridge Road last spring.

Previously announced tenants for Leland Village include junior anchors Marshalls and Ulta Beauty, along with Heartland Dental, EmergeOrtho and a nail salon, according to the release. The center’s Publix Super Market is slated to open in early 2027.

Branch Properties partner Brett Horowitz wrote in the release, “This diverse mix of national and regional retail, dining and service concepts will give the growing Leland community a true one-stop shopping destination, and we look forward to Publix opening its doors early next year.”

The 3-mile trade area surrounding the shopping center includes over 23,000 residents with an average household income of nearly $107,000, according to the release.

Branch Properties is developing several other Publix-anchored centers across the Southeastern U.S., including the Commons at Carolina Shores in Calabash and Rockfish Village in Fayetteville. Recently delivered projects include Flemington Village in Hinesville, Georgia; Braselton Village in Braselton, Georgia; Triple Crown Shopping Center in Richwood, Kentucky; and One Nexton in Summerville, South Carolina, according to the release.

Developers behind the Publix supermarket-anchored shopping center in Leland have announced several new businesses to the project with some making their Brunswick County debut.

With more than 10 newly signed tenants, the shopping center is officially 93% leased, according to a Branch Properties news release.

Branch Properties is the Atlanta-based real estate investment and development firm building the Leland Village shopping center, formerly called Savannah Branch Town Center. The property is located off U.S. 17 in front of Brunswick Forest on a nearly 17-acre property.

The retail center will house a Publix, Marshalls, Ulta Beauty, Heartland Dental, EmergeOrtho and a nail salon, with additional inline shops, restaurant space and outparcels. A new traffic signal is also being constructed along U.S. 17, according to previous reporting.

Branch Properties recently announced who else will be filling the empty spaces.

New tenants joining Leland Village include Chase Bank, Mattress Firm, Sport Clips, Domino's Pizza, First Watch, Wingstop, Qdoba, Handel's Ice Cream and Glo MedSpa, according to the news release. Pet specialty retailer Hollywood Feed and boutique fitness studio FS8 Pilates will also be part of the shopping center.

"With these signings, the 131,795-square-foot development is now 93% leased, with only a handful of small shop spaces still available," the release states.

Publix is slated to open at the center in early 2027, according to the news release.

“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding group of new tenants to Leland Village,” said Branch Partner Brett Horowitz. “This diverse mix of national and regional retail, dining and service concepts will give the growing Leland community a true one-stop shopping destination, and we look forward to Publix opening its doors early next year.”

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LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - Leland is on track to surpass 74,000 residents by 2045, more than double its current population, according to town projections.

The forecast comes as the Brunswick County town has already seen its population nearly double since 2010. Officials say the town has exceeded its own growth benchmark of 1,700 new residents per year.

Barnes Sutton, Leland’s economic and community development director, said growth that had been building for decades accelerated sharply in recent years.

“We saw it really speed up through the pandemic,” Sutton said. “We saw a lot of people from the Northeast moving out of those states — New York, New Jersey and Virginia.”

Sutton said the pace has slowed somewhat since 2020, but the upward trend remains.

Brunswick County is among the fastest-growing counties in the country and the fastest-growing in North Carolina, according to town officials.

The population surge has brought commercial development alongside it. Jordan Pelliciotta, whose family operates Mimi and Papa’s Gourmet Popcorn and Sweet Shop in Leland, said the transformation is both obvious and good for business.

“It’s vastly different than it was whenever I would visit my grandparents growing up,” Pelliciotta said. “What used to be practically farmland is now big shopping centers.”

Pelliciotta said more residents have been good for business.

“The more people in Leland, the better for us,” she said. “I say bring ‘em on.”

Sutton, who said he and his wife relocated to the area for more space, said the draw is consistent across new arrivals.

“The growth means that people like this area,” he said. “They like this community. They see something that is appealing to them for their families.”