Our Team

Chris has loved cooking since an early age. One of his favorite dishes to make as a 10 year old was scrambled eggs and omelettes for his family. As he watched his mother cook he tried to follow her and put his own spin on her German family recipes. Chris worked his way up through restaurants doing everything from making pizzas in an Italian restaurant and bar food at the Players Retreat in Raleigh to catering at the Cardinal Club in Raleigh and practicing French cuisine at Coquette. He has had extensive training at the Carolina Inn at Chapel Hill where he was fortunate to learn techniques from the best Executive Chefs.

Chris’s journey led him to Foxcroft Wine Co several years ago. He loves being a part of the Foxcroft family and takes pride and enjoyment in providing people with beautiful, healthy meals plated with seasonal fresh ingredients and watching them enjoy them.

Andie moved to Charlotte after living in a small town her entire life. She graduated with a Food Studies degree from UNC Chapel Hill, where an interest for cider became an interest in wine after taking a class that focused on old Southern apples. After completing her certification with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), Andie joined the Foxcroft team in February 2021 and has since worked at all three Charlotte locations. Now, she is the Assistant General Manager at Southpark. Also an alum of the UNC Bluegrass Band, Andie loves playing the guitar but secretly wishes she could play the fiddle. When not at Foxcroft, Andie enjoys exploring Charlotte, visiting Farmer's Markets, hanging with her pet bird, and pairing champagne with bad TV.

General manager of Foxcroft Wine Co SouthPark, Sharon Balas, is not only a Charlotte native but a SouthPark one as well. As she often says, “I’ve gone absolutely nowhere…” In truth Charlotte has grown as a city along with her. She has been in the hospitality business for about 40 years mostly in SouthPark. Her passions include dogs, cats, wine, triathlon and her husband, Russ Gard. She is so grateful to have found her home at our SouthPark location and is at her most delighted when selecting the perfect bottle for her guests.

After growing up in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania, Justin Solomon spent his formative years in the kitchens of the Pacific Northwest and the Low Country of South Carolina, under the tutelage of James Beard award-winning chefs. Justin’s philosophy is to leave every diner feeling as though they are fed in manner that conjures excitement, passion or a memory…connecting them with their meal. Because, as it’s been said “one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

Mary-Kate (MK) has a background as the one-woman marketing department for diverse industries from textiles to pet care but has found a home in hospitality with Foxcroft Wine Co & Dot Dot Dot Cocktail Lounge. She works diligently behind the scenes for all locations and is quick to brag about her talented, knowledgeable, and friendly co-workers. Since 2019, she has played a central role in developing the Foxcroft brand and digital presence. MK enjoys all her  fun and diverse marketing projects including all things creative, social media, graphic design, event marketing, community outreach and more - all while learning about the world of wine, cocktails, and top notch cuisine. She’s grateful for a career that feels more like a hobby and co-workers that feel more like friends. During her free time, MK can be found kayaking on Lake Norman, creating abstract gold leaf paintings, sipping wine on her front porch, and hanging out with Walter, her golden retriever and personality doppelgänger. 

Amanda got her start in the restaurant industry as a pastry chef. After graduating from Johnson and Wales University and working in a kitchen she quickly learned that that was not the place for her. She spent the next 10 years managing restaurants and retail shops. Here she found her passion for wine and enjoys teaching others about the world of wine. On her off time she enjoys photography and going to hockey and football games. 

Keely has been in the hospitality industry for her entire working life. Her experience ranges from working in local restaurants, to corporate and boutique hotels and private country clubs. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University with a B.S. Degree in Hotel Management, Keely continued on to complete her certification with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). Keely’s personal passions include activities such as hiking, biking, riding horses, and reading at eccentric coffee shops. She is originally from Washington State.

As a native of central Maine, Shawn studied Classics, Philosophy and French at Clark University as well as a year abroad in Dijon, France. Shawn has more than 15 years of experience in Food & Beverage management with 10 years in professional sommelier and beverage director positions in New York at Michelin starred restaurants. He is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as holds a certification in Advanced Blind tasting from the American Sommelier Society. As wine operations director at Foxcroft Wine Co, Shawn oversees purchasing, education and professional development.

An 8th generation Charlotte native, Conrad Hunter spent the better part of the 80s and 90s as a professional touring musician and recording studio owner. His serious love of wine began inn 1988 as a byproduct when helping a friend open Charlotte’s first open kitchen brasserie, The Artist’s Cafe. Growing disillusioned with the collapse of the music industry in the late 90s Hunter sold his studio and launched a new career in the wine business. His first Foxcroft Wine Co. opened in 2004 in the heart of Charlotte’s Foxcroft neighborhood. After 15 years, he’s still at it, leading the expansion of Foxcroft Wine Co. into multiple locations as well as it's sister business, the award-winning Dot Dot Dot, Charlotte’s classic cocktail lounge.