How Tandem became the home of Carrboro’s most energetic women’s gathering
There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from performing at traditional networking events. The practiced elevator pitches, the carefully guarded sentences, the subtle pressure to appear entirely polished. You leave feeling more depleted than connected — and wondering whether any of it was real.
We wanted to build something different. So we did.
Uncorked. Unapologetic. is a women’s event series anchored at Tandem. It was co-founded by Emma Dunbar, owner of Tandem, and Stacey Martin, owner of Content Matters. What brought us together was a shared conviction. The most strategic investment a woman can make — is in herself.
What We’ve Built So Far
The inaugural season launched just after International Women’s Day with STRUT, a high-energy runway experience that transformed our dining room into a packed fashion arena for more than 200 guests. No professional models. Rather local women owning the runway in self-selected looks from neighborhood boutiques like Sofia’s, Love and Peace, Glassbox, and Uniquities. The energy was electric.
STRUT was followed by STORY — an intimate evening of live jazz, Southern bites, and a literary celebration featuring Anita Spring Council, daughter of the legendary Mildred “Mama Dip” Council, alongside Erin McMullen of Durham Distillery. Women shared raw truths about reinvention, survival, and the identity shifts that never make it into a professional bio. It was the kind of conversation that usually only happens after the third glass of wine with someone you’ve known for years.
Eighty percent of ticket proceeds from STRUT went directly to Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s Women Build program. And from STORY, ticket proceeds went to the Mama Dip’s Share the Love Fund. Every Uncorked. Unapologetic. event is designed to give-back to the local community.
What’s Coming This Fall
The series continues with two events that go even deeper.
VISION, with the help of the ArtsCenter Carrboro, is the evening where we turn inward. We believe that you can’t build what you can’t first picture. Proceeds from VISION benefit the ArtsCenter Carrboro and the vital creative programming they sustain for our community. And for the first time, Emma and Stacey will share their own founding story — the real, unpolished truth of what it took to say yes to a room that didn’t exist yet.
The fall season closes with BUILD — a night of self-nurturing anchored by an energetic round of, yes, spicy adult trivia. It’s joyful, a little rowdy, and completely intentional. Women deserve permission to laugh loudly and to remember that self-care includes the parts of life that never come up in professional workshops.
Why We Keep Showing Up
We didn’t create U.U. because we had extra time. We created it because we were tired of leaving rooms feeling disconnected, and we suspected we weren’t alone.
Turns out, we were right.
Buy tickets now – https://UncorkedUnapologetic.com
Emma Dunbar, Owner, can be reached at Tandem Restaurant & Catering, 919-641-4441, www.tandemcarrboro.com, emma@tandemcarrboro.com
Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements, and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media LLC (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses, or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability, or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party.
