Wes Choplin, owner of Choplin’s in Cornelius
Nov. 4. By Dave Yochum. Choplin’s Restaurant in Cornelius is one of only 20 restaurants nationwide to win Chase Sapphire’s $50,000 grant.
Back in July, Chase Sapphire—a premier travel rewards credit card—invited people across the country to nominate their favorite local eatery for a chance to win $50,000.
Out of thousands of entries nationwide, Wes Choplin’s operation at 19700 One Norman Blvd. was a stand-out.
“The pandemic has been hard but we pivoted. and focused on our community. I’m just happy to help and do what we’re supposed to do,” Choplin said, explaining that he is grateful for the opportunity to serve others.
Chase’s goal was to showcase small business owners and provide economic relief during the hardships brought on by the pandemic.
Local favorite
Choplin’s Restaurant was identified by Chase as a regional favorite and a must-visit for locals and visitors alike.
Focus on community
When the pandemic hit, Choplin’s stayed open and focused on the community.
Wes dug deep and “recognized it wasn’t just about their business surviving but they saw what the pandemic was doing to individuals in our community,” according to a Chase press release.
“They fed the community freely, pleading for anyone that could not afford a hot meal to stop in and no questions would be asked. By doing this, they helped restore integrity and made one less barrier that may have kept someone in need from requesting a meal.”
Winners of the Sapphire Supports Restaurant:
Casa Indigo (Chicago, IL) – Mer Mansuria
Saucy Porka (Chicago, IL) – John Keebler and Amy Le
TaKorea Cocina (Chicago, IL) – Robert Magiet
Magic City Hoagies (Minot, ND) – Christine Staley
Munch (Solon, OH) – Scott and Jamie Hersch
Atoboy (New York, NY) – Junghyun and Ellia Park
Kindred (New York, NY) – Moshe Schulman
Caracas Arepa Bar (Brooklyn, NY) – Maribel Araujo and Gato Barrios
Montclair Diner (Montclair, NJ) – Eliot Mosby
Verilli’s Bakery (Morristown, NJ) – Kristi Dimogerodakis
Choplins (Cornelius, NC) – Wes Choplin
Lilo’s Streetfood and Bar (Lake Worth, FL) – Joseph Lipovich
Hugs Café (McKinney, TX) – Ruth Thompson
The Coffee Barrel and Uncommon Table (Beeville, TX) – Dhaval Shantilal Patel
El Pipila (San Francisco, CA) – Guadalupe Guerreo
Maison Café & Market (Dana Point, CA) – Danielle Kuhn
South LA Café (Los Angeles, CA) – Joseph and Celia Ward-Wallace
All Day Baby (Los Angeles, CA) – Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener
Beau Thai (Washington, DC) – Ralph Brabham
Feast (Tucson, AZ) – Douglas Levy
