It’s that time of year. As a new one rolls around we look forward at the trends and events that will likely impact our lives in Raleigh. In no particular order, here is a glimpse into the crystal ball:

1. 2014 was a banner year for electronic security breaches, and 2015 will continue the pattern. Banks and retailers, now facing higher than ever write-offs due to security breaches, will fully embrace cardless payments, and ApplePay will be huge. ApplePay is so secure and so easy, we will see iOS gain back some noticeable American marketshare from Android. A related technology we will see will be a payment by car; an ApplePay and Google Wallet extension in new cars allowing quick payment in drive-thru windows and turnpike tolling gates.
2. As a result of new, secure payments and the end of predictable market corrections, we will see a solid year for brick and mortar retail.
3. In food trends 2015 will be the Year of Cauliflower, and we will see it everywhere.
4. Wake County will see sizable increases in property taxes and sales tax rates.
5. Some Hibernian property will have a fire (they always do).
6. After recently releasing their worst album, U2 will scale back their existing tour plans, and will not perform in North Carolina this time around.
7. Raleigh will extend the route of its ever-popular Christmas parade.
8. Raleigh will join in on the donut craze that has hit both Durham and Cary, with a donut shop opening in downtown or Hillsborough St.
9. After much success with a seasonal store, A Southern Season will open a permanent store in Cameron Village.
10. As with each year, we will say goodbye so some restaurants, but probably fewer old favorites than in 2014. Unless they are able to make changes to generate a serious amount of buzz, we are most likely to lose Zoe’s Kitchen, some Moe’s locations, Flying Biscuit (it will be a terrible year for Raving Brands), Crowley’s, Mia Francesca, Taj Mahal, and a few Subway locations.
11. 2015 will be a huge year for straight-to-internet movies, and will be a difficult year for movie theater houses. Large movie complexes have less marginal overhead per screen-showing, so we will only see a slight reduction in their showtimes offered. However it will be very difficult for The Varsity in Chapel Hill to make it. Raleigh’s Ambassidor Cinemas, with 12 total screens over 4 locations, will likely scale back operations, too, especially at the Six Forks location.
12. Publix will announce an alternate North Raleigh location.
13. 2015 will see a surge of bluegrass-inspired local bands forming in Raleigh.
14. 2015 will bring national exposure to Vivian Howard and her show “A Chef’s Life”.
15. 2015 will be an off year, but nonetheless a strong one, for James Beard nominations in North Carolina.
16. The Velvet Cloak property will be sold and plans to raze it and replace it with a mixed-use project will surface.
17. Once again, Raleigh will continue its oppressive assault on drivers in neighborhoods by reducing speed limits on more wide, neighborhood streets to 25mph. They will also erect more of those contrived islands meant to annoy and slow drivers.
18. UNC and NCSU will field bubble teams in football, once again, that will get absolutely no national attention.
19. The entire KMart chain will close and RadioShack will close many stores in 2015. JCPenney will close many stores nationally, but the North Hill store will unfortunately remain open. (can you at least keep the lightbulbs replaced?)
20. A new mall will be announced for the I-40/42/70/540 area between Clayton and Fuquay. It will focus on serving the Johnston County market.
21. The Carolina Hurricanes will finish their worst season on record amid rumors of the franchise moving to Las Vegas.
22. In downtown Raleigh we will see the closing of a Mexican restaurant and opening of a South American sit-down restaurant.
23. In Men’s Basketball Duke will make the Final Four, UNC will lose in the Final Eight, and NCSU will not make the tournament.
24. Due to legal pressures, hostile behavior by executives, a backlash against surge pricing, and taxi and lobbying powers, Uber will fail nationally (much like Aereo did).
25. And in the world of dentistry: electric toothbrushes that log activity, much like a FitBit, will hit shelves and be quite popular, especially models designed for children and teens.