A 1960s-era Raleigh Shopping Center Revitalizes and Future Proofs

A 1960s-era Raleigh Shopping Center Revitalizes and Future Proofs

Cacao beans have more than tripled in price since 2020. Commercial equipment costs are surging under new tariffs. And when Escazú’s lease came up for renewal last December, the Raleigh chocolate shop’s landlord proposed a 35 percent rent hike. But rising expenses aren’t the only challenge facing owner duo Tiana Young and Danielle Centeno, who opened Escazú in 2008. Since the pandemic, they’ve noticed a fundamental shift in how customers shop.“Be…