Places we miss: an ode to pandemic casualties in Charlotte

• Last month, we asked our newsletter readers to tell us which Charlotte businesses they miss, many replied with their favorite memories of local spots lost in the last two years. Grab a tissue as we walk down memory lane.

Mr. K’s

Dwane and Tracie miss Mr. K’s, the Charlotte institution in South End, which closed in March 2021 after more than 50 years.

•  “I am still thinking about their fried zucchini and soft serve,” Tracie told me. 
• Go deeper: Iconic Mr. K’s will close at 5pm today

The Summit Room

Mackenzie misses The Summit Room in Dilworth, which closed for good in May 2020. But Mackenzie doesn’t just miss the truffle fries and the drinks, she misses the people.

• “There was a really sweet man who worked there named Fidel Angulo. Anyone who went there would know this sweet man,” she told me. “He refilled your water glass constantly with a huge smile on his face. He was from Bolivia and was a well-known cyclist. Even in his 60s, he told us he would bike 30+ miles each Sunday. I used to go almost every Thursday for drink specials with friends. Truly a big loss!” 

• Go deeper: Restaurants can reopen, but will the diners return?

Yoga One

Mackenzie was also sad to see Yoga One go. Both their Plaza Midwood and Dilworth locations closed in June 2020. The yoga studio said farewell after 14 years due to what owner Sally Gambrell Bridgford described as “the uncertain future of in-person group yoga at brick-and-mortar studios due to COVID 19,” Axios reported at the time. 

• “They had the best hot yoga classes and I miss them all the time,” Mackenzie told me.  

Rosemont

Brandi would love another Adult Capri-Sun and fries from the former South End spot, which closed in April 2021.

• “I have memories of hanging with my girls enjoying several adult Capri Suns while pre-gaming to hanging with my teenage daughter who loved being able just to hang out on a Saturday afternoon and share a tray of fries,” Brandi told me.
• A 24-story tower will replace the former Rosemont spot, as Axios’ Katie Peralta Soloff reported.
• Brandi said she drove by the construction, and it made her sad, but she would love it if the people behind Rosemont could share their Adult Capri Sun recipe to make the change less painful.

Vida Cantina

Lauren and her family and friends celebrated many birthdays and girls’ nights at Vida Cantina, which closed in 2020. She described them as staples of the Epicentre.

• “It’ll always hold a special place in my memories,” she told me.

• Go deeper: Changes are underway at the EpiCentre 

Luciano’s

Susan longs for Luciano’s. The South End Italian restaurant closed at the start of the pandemic after seven years, Axios’ Emma Way reported, and it was replaced by La Capital, an upscale Mexican restaurant.

• “Hated to see the Luciano’s close,” she told me. “It was our favorite Italian restaurant – always great food and service!”

Bill Spoon’s BBQ

Bill Spoon’s BBQ was a staple for Tracie and her family. It closed in September 2020 after 57 years.

• “I purchased it in bulk anytime we had a family event or a trip to the beach,” Tracie told me. “It was loved by my entire family – even those that don’t reside in Charlotte.”
• Go deeper: A farewell to Bill Spoon’s Barbecue, which closes for good Wednesday after 57 years
  

Honorable mention: Owen’s Bagels

Owen’s Bagels closed in March 2019, a year before the world came crashing down, but as Megan told me, “the pandemic squashed any hope of it coming back.”

•  “I miss the Mary’s grubby bubby,” she said. “Owen’s was the first restaurant I ever ate at in Charlotte and we went there so often we knew some of the people by name (I miss you, Pam!) I miss the crazy graffiti on the walls and the awesome music they played.”
• Go deeper: Owen’s Bagel & Deli closing South End shop, posts “stay tuned on our new location”