Retail: 518 West in Glenwood South to close April 5
On the corner of West Jones Street and Glenwood Avenue, there once sat a decrepit old building that was home to a florist and a bunch of empty offices.
Over the next 20 years, that building would become a place for first dates, office dinners, wedding rehearsals and the evolution of what is now Raleigh’s vibrant Glenwood South.
In 1994, the owners of Chapel Hill Restaurant Group bought the place for $380,000, and two years later transformed it into 518 West, a spinoff of the group’s popular Chapel Hill Italian restaurant 411 West.
In the meantime, Glenwood South has blossomed. The once almost empty area is now lined with restaurants, bars, apartments and people. Property values are high, meaning the owners of 518 know it’s time to sell.
“We like to own our property,” said Chapel Hill Restaurant Group’s co-owner and marketing director Greg Overbeck. “We had some out-of-the-blue inquiries. There have been some big purchases in the Glenwood South area. ... We (thought we) should talk to a broker and see.”
The Italian restaurant, which is well known for its brunch, lunch and dinner of pasta, pizza and salads, will close after dinner April 5.
Through the years, 518 has kept the same menu with dishes such as crab dip, mussels, lemon linguine, eggplant Parmesan and bread served with crushed black pepper, olive oil and vinegar.
They’ve made a few changes along the way, however, including adding smaller plates and trending foods.
“The menus stayed pretty darn consistent,” Overbeck said. “We added a kale salad because everyone’s eating kale.”
Overbeck says the restaurant group doesn’t have plans to reopen 518 or a replacement at a different location, and they aren’t closing 518 because business was bad.
“All of us have been in the business for a long time and we’ve had a wonderful run,” he said. “We’re all in our 60s. We bought these properties as an investment. If this is the right time to do something as an investment, now is the right time. (It’s not about) how many restaurants we own.”
Some of 518’s staff will be shifted to the group’s five other restaurants, which include Spanky’s, Mez, 411 West, Squids and Page Road Grill.
The restaurant group is keeping all of its other spots open; 518 will be the only one to close.
“It’s kind of a sad thing but kind of exciting too,” Overbeck said “It’s not something we’ve even been considering, but when the opportunity arises, you have to look at it with clear eyes.”
518 West is at 518 W. Jones St.
Something You, an online gift company with two Etsy stores and its own retail site that started in 2005, has opened a shop in Fuquay-Varina.
The store offers upscale products that can be embroidered and monogrammed in more than 150 colors. According to Eric Edwards, who co-owns the store with his wife, Carol, the “always changing” selection of gifts includes handbags, diaper bags, wedding party and bridesmaids gifts, aprons, jewelry, clothing, home goods, hair accessories, jackets, backpacks, beach items and shoes in brands such as OKab.
Prices range from about $20 to about $45 and includes embroidery or monogramming services. Some larger items and jewelry cost more, Edwards said in an email, and the store only personalizes the items that it sells.
The company also works with other businesses to create personalized and unique products.
The about 2,500-square-foot space, has pressed copper ceilings, exposed brick walls and an open concept, and sits in a 100-year-old building, Edward wrote.
Something You is at 511 Broad St.
Vert & Vogue’s sister store, Vert & Vogue Femme, has opened in downtown Durham.
The boutique offers products and goods that are American-made and created by independent designers using natural fibers.
The new 2,100-square-foot space, which is about a half-mile from the flagship Vert & Vogue, carries women’s clothes, shoes and accessories.
Femme is at 353 W. Main St., at Five Points.
As N&O food writer Andrea Weigl reported earlier this week, The Black House at Straw Valley Food & Drink has closed.
The Durham restaurant, which opened last year, was at 5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
Stone fabrication and installation company Rockin’teriors is opening a new design showroom and fabrication shop that’s eco-friendly.
The grand opening will be from 4 until 8 p.m. on Earth Day, April 22.
Rockin’teriors is at 230 Hampton Woods Lane in Raleigh.
And in grocery news, Earth Fare, a specialty store that offers organic and natural foods, has opened in Morrisville. The 24,000-square-foot spot is at 951 Morrisville Parkway in the Park West Village shopping center. ... Save-A-Lot, a discount grocery chain owned by Variety Wholesalers, is opening April 1 in the Southeast Raleigh spot that was once home to Kroger. The store’s grand opening will begin at 9 a.m. at 1610 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, next to Roses.
This story was originally published March 26, 2015 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Retail: 518 West in Glenwood South to close April 5."