LUMBERTON — The Tar Heel Traveler Scott Mason can stick a drop pin on his North Carolina map at 605 N. Elm St. in Lumberton, which is where he stopped earlier this week.

Situated at the spot is Happenings On Elm — the quaint wine bar, restaurant and art shop — that has been in operation for about a year now and has created a buzz among the locals, and not just from the wine.

During his stop, Mason toured the restaurant meeting the patrons, viewing the art but mostly learning the story of how the spot transformed from a funeral home to the swanky wine bar that is today. The story will be told on the WRAL-TV series the “Tar Heel Traveler” which runs at 5:55 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

His series takes viewers along the back roads of North Carolina where he meets memorable characters, finds out-of-the-way places, and unearths fascinating historical footnotes, according to his website. The series has become so popular it has led to “Tar Heel Traveler” half-hour specials, which Mason produces each quarter.

In addition to being a multi-award-winning journalist, Mason has written five books that chronicle his television adventures including his latest “Tar Heel Traveler’s Good Eats: 101 Down-Home North Carolina Classics.”

”It’s exciting,” said Annette Wallwork, the owner of Happenings.” We’re just honored that our story was the story that he would want to share on the Tar Heel Traveler.”

Wallwork came up with the concept in June 2019 to open the wine and art shop after the closing of Lowes Food store, which she said had a “great selection of wine.” She later found the space that would house her concept, a historic building that once held a funeral home.

The 3,000-square-foot building, first built in 1937, was in “awful shape” when she first bought the place that summer. The space had rotted wood, cracked floors and plaster falling from the walls. Wallwork described the process of getting it to where it is now as being “long, hard and expensive.”

Serious renovations on the space began early in December of 2019, with help from Annette’s brother, Ed Bruce. But, COVID-19 caused the process to move slower.

“There was a point when we couldn’t even imagine it being like this,” Wallwork reflecting while standing in the bustling restaurant this week during the lunch shift. “During the pandemic, there were times when we couldn’t have worker in here.”

Today, the interior of the space on Elm Street now features Tuscan-style walls with concrete floors painted by local artist Nila Chamberlain. The space includes a wine bar, pocket rooms that will serve as places for small clubs to meet, a kitchen, event space and a studio. Each room will have a name inspired by different types of wine, like the Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Sommelier rooms.

“What has really has helped us during COVID is that people could really have their own separate rooms and not have to be around other people,” Wallwork said.

Art works, pottery and jewelry decorate the walls to be seen, and potentially bought, by customers, an option Wallwork felt was key to the new business.

Several paint parties are held regularly at the wine bar for kids and adults.

“We have some customers here that are very loyal. Those people — once they come and experience the surroundings and the ambiance of the place and eat our food — they come back, but we got to get them here first,” Wallwork said.

Her hope is that the exposure from Mason’s series draw those new and potentially regular customers.

Episode of the “Tar Heel Traveler” can be viewed on the https://www.thetarheeltraveler.com/.