‘It’s simply not the same without her ...’ Charlotte restaurant will close after 41 years
Fenwick’s, a staple Myers Park restaurant which opened in 1984, will close at the end of March. Its closure is unlike the rest.
Covering restaurants, I’m used to the familiar tale of small independent eateries being somewhat forced into closure. Selling out to big chains, being doomed from profit loss or overhead costs, facing pandemic-induced staffing shortages. It’s a familiar story in this industry.
But, Fenwick’s closure wasn’t a forced one.
From a financial standpoint, Fenwick’s is “actually doing pretty well … we’re supported tremendously by the local community,” Bill Parker, of Fenwick’s operating team, told me.
It was instead a very deliberate — nonetheless difficult — choice made by the longtime owner, Don Rabb, who is ready to retire and enter a new chapter.
“I want to be free to do something,” he said. “I don’t know how many years I have left.” Rabb is 84 and just entering retirement. He mentioned traveling, going to the US Open, and hey, even grabbing a drink at a future iteration of Fenwick’s as a diner, not a boss.
But Rabb is sorry to let go of this family restaurant where regulars soon became family. “None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our community … thank you for choosing us,” Rabb wrote in an official statement.
Leaving these loyal patrons will be really tough, Parker told me.
But, despite that reality, Rabb trusted that after a long 40 years owning this business, that the time to pivot had come.
Why will Fenwick’s close now?
The closure didn’t come as a sudden surprise to the staff. It’s something the team had been toying with since last June. But Rabb kept pushing the date back — let’s get to October, let’s make it through the holidays, let’s go to March, he said.
Over the past four years, Fenwick’s has been dealing with the loss of their leader, who Parker called the “brains of the operation” and who Rabb called “the heart of the operation.” Her name was Catherine Rabb, and she was Don Rabb’s wife.
In 1984, the two dove into the endeavor that was purchasing Fenwick’s early into their marriage. From then on, Catherine was a driving, centralizing force at Fenwick’s and in the Charlotte food community. She was a chef, a sommelier who wrote an “On Wine” column for the Observer, and a hospitality educator who taught at Johnson & Wales.
Since her passing in 2021, things have been candidly different at the restaurant. According to Rabb’s official statement, “while we have carried on, it’s simply not the same without her guiding spirit.”
The difference isn’t something you could quite put your finger on, Parker explained, but it is just a changed “vibe”. “It’s just not the same feel,” Parker said. “Not the same feel,” he repeated.
It’s only natural that her death would’ve altered Fenwick’s, and of course, her husband.
While the community showed their support over the past four years, and well, 40+ years, the operations became increasingly challenging in her absence. The menu became smaller and the kitchen staff slimmed down to two — Catherine and Rabb’s son and Catherine’s brother.
What’s next for Fenwick’s
Fenwick’s is undoubtedly a prized property, in the heart of Eastover on Providence Road. What will it become?
In terms of next steps, Rabb plans to sell the property. But in Rabb’s dream, Fenwick’s would remain quite the same — same decor, same staff.
“I hope somebody takes it over … and will take it as is. I would love to sit here and have a drink,” Rabb told me.
Whether the Fenwick’s stays or goes as we know it, this institution will be remembered fondly — a refuge for tomato soup and unchanged decor and a sense of neighborliness.
Come March 2025, Rabb said: “God knows what I’ll do, but I’ve got tons of stuff I want to do.”
Fenwick’s
Location: 511 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207
Instagram: @fenwicksonprovidence
Neighborhood: Myers Park
Cuisine: American
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
To order: dine in or call (704) 333-2750 for takeout.
