Food

First Char-Grill in downtown Raleigh to be torn down, rebuilt alongside mixed-use 20-story building

Char-Grill, a staple of downtown Raleigh, will be torn down and rebuilt, according to owners Ryon Wilder and Mahlon Aycock.

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Historic Char-Grill in downtown Raleigh
By
Maggie Brown
, WRAL multiplatform producer
RALEIGH, N.C. — Char-Grill, a staple of downtown Raleigh, will be torn down and rebuilt, according to owners Ryon Wilder and Mahlon Aycock.

Char-Grill has eight other locations across Raleigh, but its location along Hillsborough Street at Boylan Avenue was its first. According to the restaurant's website, Char-Grill has been serving up burgers for more than five decades on the outskirts of downtown Raleigh.

"We like to remind our customers of our beginnings with our slogan 'Simpler Times, Simpler Choices.' When you visit Char-Grill it will be hard to resist the urge to let your thoughts wander to old Chevy trucks and jukeboxes," their website says. "Every visit to Char-Grill will fill you with a warm feeling of Americana nostalgia."

Commerical real estate developer Wilson | Blount Development is planning on building a "smart, efficient and high-quality space, with a focus on delivering value for our community,” said Charles Wilson, managing principal at Wilson | Blount Development.

Developers plan to rezone the land that Char-Grill is on with hopes to build a 20-story mixed-use building, according to a release.

The release said Char-Grill on Hillsborough Street will continue to serve customers until construction begins. The release did not set a date for when that would be.

“This project gives us the opportunity to upgrade our facility to better serve our customers in the future. We are excited to partner with Wilson | Blount on the next generation of Char-Grill,” said Char-Grill owners Wilder and Aycock in the release. “This isn’t ‘goodbye’ at all. It’s ‘see-you-soon.'"

In the release, developers said that they are taking "great care" of Raleigh's history in planning and construction.

While the release did not say what kind of use the building would have, typically, mixed-use buildings consistent of residential units, office space and spaces for local businesses and restaurants.

Developers told WRAL News that Char-Grill will be incorporated into the 20-story mixed-use building. It's unclear at this time how.

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