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Love Durham Challenge: Four Ways to Support Small Business
Four challenges. Four ways to show up for your city. Show your Durham love your way: as a foodie, a family, a style icon or a creative, with the 2026 Love Durham Challenge on the Discover Durham app.
Durhamites are fiercely proud of the city they love. That pride shows up through warm smiles, eager recommendations, welcoming invitations. Durham locals are the first to show off their city – the coolest hidden gems, the secret menu items, the friendliest bartenders, the most serene trails, the most thought-provoking art. Love Durham is here to help share that love out loud for all to see.
This winter, we're asking you to connect with Durham in the way that sparks your passion. Whether you're drawn to galleries and live performances, fashion and personal style, culinary adventures or family-friendly discoveries, there's a challenge designed for how you love Durham best. And they'll all get you out, experiencing more of the city and supporting the small businesses that are the city’s heartbeat.
Learn more about Love Durham.
What is the Love Durham Challenge?
The Love Durham Challenge is a hands-on component of the Love Durham campaign which encourages people in Durham to get out and support small businesses during the winter months. It is an app-based adventure where you earn prizes for visiting businesses and events across Durham. Here's the deal: Pick your challenge: Creative, Style Icon, Foodie, or Family. (Overachievers, feel free to tackle all four.) Check in at ten businesses or events in your chosen category by February 28, 2026. Share your Durham love along the way – post your visits on social media, bring a friend to try something new, tell us what you discovered.
Once you've hit all ten check-ins in your chosen category, head over to the Visitor Info Center at 212 W. Main Street to claim your prizes (beginning January 23): one branded tote, plus a themed patch for each challenge you complete. Collect all four patches, and you've got yourself a full set to show off on your tote. Wear your Durham love proudly.
Keep an eye out for Love Durham branding at other participating businesses supporting the campaign throughout the city.
Prizes available from January 23 through March 31, 2026, while supplies last.
Love Durham as a Creative
If you find inspiration in art, music and making, Durham's creative heartbeat is waiting. Support the local artists, galleries and inspiring spaces that make Durham a cultural destination. Every check-in backs the makers and performers who chose Durham as their canvas – from independent galleries to art supply shops, live performance venues to hands-on studios where you can create alongside them.
Check in at ten spots and events to show us how art moves you.
Small Business Check-Ins
| Vessel Coffee House & Art Cafe | 506 N. Mangum St. #102 |
| Cecy's Gallery | 417 Foster St. |
| Hayti Heritage Center | 804 Old Fayetteville St. Pay a visit to this historic pillar of the Durham community, now in its 50th year. Plus, earn additional check-ins by attending events from Hayti's 2026 season of programming taking place during the campaign. |
| 21c Museum Hotel | 111 Corcoran St. |
| Golden Belt Campus | 800 Taylor St. Check in using the QR codes placed throughout campus. Don't miss beer, pizza, ice cream and a sports bar around the courtyard and artists' studios, an improv theater and more on the campus. Earn bragging rights for selfies in front of the Love Durham neon sign. |
| Nasher Museum of Art and Parker & Otis Museum Gift Shop | 2001 Campus Dr. |
| The Scrap Exchange | 2050 Chapel Hill Rd. |
| Zeitgeist Gallery and Bar | 725 N. Mangum St. |
| Durham Arts Council | 120 Morris St. Check out the window decals and head inside to check in and see local art in the four galleries. |
| 5 Points Gallery | 109 E. Chapel Hill St. |
| Crafts & Drafts | 3117 Guess Rd., Ste B |
| ArtPost Supplies and Studios | 718 Iredell St. |
| Wine & Design | 4711 Hope Valley Rd., #5E |
| Life is Service Photography Exhibition by Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof | Visitor Info Center 212 W. Main St. |
| Notasium | 3750 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. |
| Hyperlocal Zine | Get your zine from the Hyperlocal vending machine in the Durham Food Hall at 530 Foster St. and scan the QR code on the back to check in. |
Event Check-Ins
Scan the QR codes at these events to earn more check-ins.
Mettlesome Theater: Best of Mettlesketch
Golden Belt Campus, 800 Taylor St. Ste 9-156
January 8-10 and 15-17 7:30 p.m.
Hayti Heritage Center 2026 Season
804 Old Fayetteville St.
The following events are a part of Hayti's 50th anniversary season of programming. Attend to connect and get inspired and be sure to check in for the challenge.
- Brandee Younger, Jan.21, 7 p.m.
- Keith Knight, Feb.3, 7 p.m.
- Branford Marsalis Quartet, Feb. 24, 7 p.m.
Third Friday Art Walks at Golden Belt
800 Taylor St.
Jan. 16 and Feb. 20, 6-9 p.m.
The Carolina Theatre 100th Birthday Party
309 W. Morgan St.
Sat., Jan. 31, 6 p.m.
Love Durham as a Style Icon
Support local boutique owners, vintage curators, jewelry designers and independent shops that give Durham its style. Discover one-of-a-kind pieces you won't find anywhere else: curated vintage treasures, handcrafted jewelry and locally designed apparel that help you express exactly who you are. These small businesses thrive on personal service and unique finds, making every shopping trip an opportunity to discover something that's distinctly you while supporting the entrepreneurs who make Durham's retail scene so compelling.
Check in at ten of the following businesses and events using the Discover Durham app.
Small Business Check-Ins
| Main Street Shopping at Dolly's Vintage, Rose & Lee Collective, Ascend Collection, Exotique and Mad Kicks | Check in using the QR code in one of the participating businesses. |
| Rumors | 2501 University Dr., Suite 3 |
| Durham Vintage Collective | 109 W. Parrish St. |
| Gibson Girl Vintage | 1001 W. Chapel Hill St. |
| Bull City Apparel | 3023 Fayetteville St. |
| Brightleaf District Shopping at Bull City Art & Frame Company, Hamilton Hill Jewelry, Indio, Mill & Meadow, Paddywax Candle Bar, The Borough Gifts & Home, FlowCorps, The Retreat, Mode Consignment, Yonderlust and Sol House Wines | Check in at the a-frame sign in the courtyard at 905 W. Main St. and explore the area's shopping, exercise boutiques, dining and more. |
| Chet Miller | 2631 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. |
| Casa Bella Market | 3604 Witherspoon Blvd., Suite 105 |
| Jada's Men's Accessories | 2699 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. |
| Tigress | 2302 Chapel Hill Rd. |
| Bull City Fair Trade | 811 9th St., Suite 100 |
| Jewelsmith | 2200 W. Main St., Suite A-170 |
| Smitten Boutique | 2702 Hillsborough Rd. |
| Design Bank | 318 S. Driver St. |
| Market on Market Street | 121 Market St. |
Event Check-Ins
Scan the QR codes at these events to earn more check-ins.
Bright Black. Drop-In Design Your Own Body Fragrance
2020 Chapel Hill Rd., Suite 24
Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Welcome Tattoo Walk-In Saturdays
316 W Geer St., Suite B.
Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Make sure you document your outings, and strike a Love Durham pose. Photo: Discover Durham
Love Durham as a Foodie
Support the chefs, roasters, brewers and culinary entrepreneurs who've built Durham's award-winning food scene, recognized by the MICHELIN Guide and celebrated nationally. These locally owned businesses range from legacy spots that have fed Durham for generations to new restaurants where chefs share their cultures through Ethiopian spices, Indian flavors and cuisines from around the world. Every meal, every drink, every pastry supports someone's dream while honoring Durham's past and shaping its future as a food destination.
Check in at ten of the following businesses and events using the Discover Durham app to earn prizes.
Small Business Check-Ins
| Abol Ethiopian | 2945 S. Miami Blvd., Suite 102 |
| Conniption Bar & Lounge | 715 Washington St., Suite B |
| Alley Twenty Six | 320 E. Chapel Hill St., Suite 200 |
| Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood | 2013 Chapel Hill Rd., Suite A |
| The Refectory Cafe | 2726 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. |
| Moon Dog Meadery | 1104 Broad St., Suite C |
| Saltbox Seafood Joint | 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. |
| Picnic | 1647 Cole Mill Rd. |
| The Lenny | 555 S. Mangum St., Floor 11 |
| Lakewood Social | 1920 Chapel Hill Rd. |
| Redstart Foods Takeaway | 2827 N. Roxboro St. |
| The Common Market | 1821 Green St. |
| The Chicken Hut | 3019 Fayetteville St. |
| La Superior | 3325 N. Roxboro St. |
| La Recette Patisserie | 4823 Meadow Dr., Suite 115 (in the back of the building) |
| Fizzwerks | 618 Ramseur St., Suite 103 |
| Sofia's Pizza | 2201 Angier Ave. |
| Durham Food Hall | 530 Foster St., Suite 1. Look for QR codes to check in at the bar and with participating vendors and be sure to check out the vending machine from Hyperlocal Durham |
| The Bean Flower | 4015 University Dr., Suite J |
| Barsa New Indian | 105 W. Morgan St., Suite 100 |
Event Check-Ins
Scan the QR codes at these events to earn more check-ins.
Downtown Durham Food Tour with Taste Carolina
Meet at the Visitor Info Center, 212 W. Main St.
Offered Saturdays, 1:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Counter Culture Coffee Tastings at Ten
812 Mallard Ave.
Fridays, 10 a.m.
Lula & Sadie's Jazz Brunch
2022 Chapel Hill Rd.
Sundays, Brunch: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Live Jazz: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Revisit familiar favorites and try out new spots like Fizzwerks during the Love Durham Challenge. Be sure to say hi to the owners! Photo: Discover Durham
Love Durham as a Family
You know the struggle: finding places where the kids are entertained, the adults aren't bored and nobody's asking "are we done yet?" five minutes in. Support the local businesses and attractions that get it – places where grandparents, parents and kids all find something to love. Independent toy shops that spark imagination, family-owned restaurants where everyone at the table finds something they'll actually eat, hands-on museums that engage curious minds, neighborhood sweet shops that make the perfect ending to any outing. These businesses built spaces with your whole crew in mind.
Check in at ten of the following businesses and events using the Discover Durham app to earn prizes.
Small Business Check-Ins
| Boxcar Bar & Arcade | 621 Foster St. |
| Bricks & Minifigs | 3823 Guess Rd., Suite R |
| Durham County Main Library | 300 N. Roxboro St. Look for the QR codes on Love Durham a-frames near the entrance. |
| UHILL | 3806 University Dr. Check in at the a-frame in the courtyard area while you check out the 40+ murals and dine and shop at local businesses. |
| Boxyard RTP | 900 Park Offices Dr. |
| Omie's Coffee Shop and Roastery | 2300 N. Roxboro St. |
| Dame's Chicken & Waffles | 455 S. Driver St. |
| 7072 NC-751, Suite 102 | |
| 433 W. Murray Ave. | |
| 1002 Ninth St. | |
| 117 W. Parrish St. | |
| 770 Ninth St. | |
| 2022 Angier Ave. | |
| 3709 University Dr., Suite A | |
| 300 Blackwell St. Check in at the a-frame under the Lucky Strike Tower while you enjoy American Tobacco Campus's beautiful setting, shops, restaurants, bars, entertainment and more. |
Event Check-Ins
Scan the QR codes at these events to earn more check-ins.
Princess Day at the Durham Convention Center
301 W. Morgan St.
Sat., Jan. 10, 2026, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Carolina Theatre's Sensory Friendly Film Series
309 W. Morgan St.
Sat., Jan. 10 & Feb. 21, 11 a.m.
The Carolina Theatre's Family Saturday: Big Love with Stormie Daie
309 W. Morgan St.
Sat., Feb. 14, 11 a.m.
Duke Women's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech in partnership with Special Olympics
Cameron Indoor Stadium, 115 Whitford Dr.
Sun. Jan. 18, 6 p.m.
Experience the Museum of Life and Science as a family during the Love Durham Challenge. Photo: Eric Waters
How to Complete the Challenge
Explore the city you love, share your pride for the Bull City, support small businesses, win prizes!
Follow these instructions to use the Discover Durham app to complete challenge check-ins. Photo: Discover Durham
How to Complete the Challenge
Explore the city you love, share your pride for the Bull City, support small businesses, win prizes!
- Download the Discover Durham app on iOS or Android.
- On the app’s homepage, click the Challenges icon. There, you’ll find a list of the four themed challenges. Open your chosen challenge to find a list of businesses and events. The app will help you map your journey so you can enjoy a few different spots within proximity of each other.
- Once you arrive at a check-in, find challenge signage including a QR code nearby. Open the check-in’s objective within the app challenge and click “scan QR code” to check in.
- If you’re not able to scan the QR code, you can instead type into the app a passcode listed on the same sign as the QR code. These codes are not case-sensitive and are unique to each of the stops.
- The check-in radius is limited to 150 meters from each address, so make sure you scan the QR code or enter the passcode while you’re still there! You won’t be able to check in remotely.
- You should receive confirmation of your check-in instantly.
- Once you’ve completed at least ten stops, you’ll be eligible for a Love Durham tote, and a themed patch for each challenge completed.
- The app will prompt you to fill out a submission form (name, home zip code and email address) and then will provide you with a completion badge.
- To claim your prizes, visit the Visitor Info Center at 212 W. Main St. downtown and show your completion badge in the app to one of our friendly staff or volunteers to receive your prizes. Visitor Info Center hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Participants may pick up their prizes from January 23 through March 31, 2026, while supplies last.
- Have any questions or difficulty with the mobile app challenge? Please email Mobileapp@discoverdurham.com.
The Love Durham Challenge is a hands-on component of the Love Durham campaign, designed to inspire you to get out and explore more of Durham. There are 100+ small businesses participating in the campaign in addition to the stops included on the challenges. Check them out at LoveDurham.com and be sure to support them and discover something new this winter.
