The Town of Chapel Hill’s downtown tenant dataset, last updated in 2020, gives a nostalgic look at some of the now-shuttered restaurants and bars on Franklin Street: The Standard, Hell, The Rathskeller.
There has always been some amount of turnover on Franklin Street – The Daily Tar Heel runs a piece looking at openings and closures every so often – but the pace seems to have increased in recent years as rents have soared and landlords look to long-term chains who can bear the brunt of summer slow season and lock into decade-long contracts. That means more CVS’s and Zaxby’s and fewer Linda’s, which we lost earlier this year.
We have long lamented this and suggested ideas for revitalizing the street, which would help keep local businesses in business. But so the story goes.
In the last few weeks, a number of restaurants that have long been staples have announced that they are in trouble. (This doesn’t include Ay Por Dios, which raised eyebrows with its $20 guac and also announced its closure last week.) But it does include Vimala’s and 401 Main, both of which announced GoFundMe’s to try to keep their doors open.
401 Main (GoFundMe) is one of my favorite haunts around town and what I consider to be a gateway to Carrboro. Their GoFundMe states:
On behalf of the staff, management, and owner at 401 Main, who all have worked tirelessly to ensure this local community bar has kept its doors open, we ask for your help! Like many other local businesses, we struggled to stay open during the pandemic and survived. We were so fortunate to have the support of our community and our regular customers (mainstays).
Your support is crucial in helping us keep the doors of our community bar open. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a big difference. An extra visit to 401 Main with friends and family or a donation will be incredibly helpful. Let’s work together to ensure this beloved local spot remains a place for everyone to enjoy and so that we can continue to try to provide liveable-wage jobs to our loyal locals in the community.
401 Main has been the destination for countless Wednesday evening bike cruiser rides, both in the summer and in the winter.
I have gotten to know the staff, and when we’d wander in after a bike ride, they would know exactly what were looking for: an ice cold kolsch beer. The menu changes with the seasons, and right now, there are some enticing offerings. So whether you want to pitch in to the gofundme, or pay an extra visit (or both!) , know that you are helping a truly great local community minded spot that is what Carrboro is all about.
Other community GoFundMe’s that are open right now include: