While many see the reopening of Fayetteville Street Mall in downtown Raleigh as good, the construction wasn't good for Dakota Grill. The two-year-old eatery at 10 E. Hargett St. closed on the day before Thanksgiving.

Co-owner Mike Lucas said that business initially dropped 30 percent, and only got worse as construction intensified.

While that spot has seen a host of restaurants come and go, Lucas said the location isn't the problem.

"The last couple of weeks, it was really, really bad, and they were getting ready to tear the sidewalks up," he said. "Financially, it was the only decision we could make."

The construction's effect on downtown businesses varies. At Carolina Cafe, business has remained steady. Floye Dombalis of the Mecca said her regular customers still come, but they have said it's more difficult to get to the restaurant.

Dakota Grill's original location at 9549 Chapel Hill Road in Morrisville remains open. Lucas said a return to downtown Raleigh after the construction is finished isn't out of the question.

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It took a little longer than expected, but Blinco's has found a new home. The North Raleigh sports bar and restaurant will reopen early next year at 6711 Glenwood Ave., just down the street from Pleasant Valley Promenade, in a space that has been Sam Snead's Tavern and a Houlihan's. The new restaurant is twice the size of the old one in Quail Corners, which closed back in June after nine years.

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The Johnny Carino's Italian restaurant north of Triangle Town Center is moving ahead. The deal closed for a 1.85-acre tract in front of Super Target. Construction could start by early April. The restaurant is set to open in August.

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In Durham, Kainan Filipino Restaurant is open at 3438 Hillsborough Road, near the intersection with Lasalle Street, across from Kroger. Kainan, which means "place to eat," will be open Tuesday through Sunday.

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Items of note: Firehouse Subs is open in Brier Creek, off U.S. 70 near Lowes Foods. It's Firehouse's third area store, after one in Apex's Beaver Creek and Harrison Pointe in Cary. ... In downtown Clayton, Dan Lytle's Music Studio opened at 333 E. Main St., above the Pink Teacup. Lytle offers guitar and bass-guitar lessons and has been a music teacher for 17 years. ... O'Charley's on U.S. 15-501 in Durham closed as part of a six-store company scale-back. Company spokeswoman Meg Bayless said a new O'Charley's in Durham is a possibility, but no plans have been made. ... Bennigan's will open a new location Monday at 2108 S. Main St. in Wake Forest. ... Tasse & Teller, an upscale tableware merchant, closed last week at Cameron Village, but is open in its other location at 6675 Falls of the Neuse Road in Raleigh. Bazaar of Style, which sells South American and African clothing and gifts, opened in Tasse & Teller's Cameron Village spot.

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