Frequent customers, mayor surprised by closure of popular Clayton restaurant

People found an empty parking lot at McCall’s Barbecue and Seafood Sunday. The “closed” sign on the door stated the owners are shutting down the restaurant after 28 years of business.

The owners said operating two locations has become too much to handle. McCall’s flagship location in Goldsboro will remain open.

“After careful consideration and 14 years in business in Clayton, we have decided to reign in our business and focus solely on the Goldsboro location, which has always been our flagship,” the sign said.

Several people on Sunday were surprised to see the restaurant permanently closed.

“It’s an abomination,” said Contonna Peterson, who drove from Durham to visit McCall’s. “The food was great and the service was amazing. That’s just wrong. It should not be closed.”

Clayton Mayor Jody McLeod said town leaders had no idea the closing was coming. He called the shutdown of the restaurant, which employed about 100 people, a great loss for the town.

“We are really sad about it, but with the huge economic expansion the town is seeing now, there are a lot of possibilities for the property,” McLeod said. “We are going to miss McCall’s, but the Town of Clayton is eager to see new restaurants and we are confident that another business will quickly make a go of it there.”