CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Over the past year and half, some of Charlotte’s most iconic restaurants have closed because of the pandemic.

Zack’s Hamburgers, Price’s Chicken Coop and Mr. K’s are just some of the businesses that have shut their doors. 

What You Need to Know 

During the pandemic, several iconic Charlotte restaurants have shut their doors for good

Most businesses cite rising product cost, a labor shortage and slower business as primary reasons behind the closures 

David Brooks, the owner of Brooks’ Sandwich House, says despite the pandemic, he’s hopeful his loyal customers can help keep the doors open

Customers feel the city is losing some of its charm, while owners said it was too much to keep up with. 

Zack’s Hamburgers is one of the most recent classic restaurants that shuttered for good. 

Alex and Adam Goodman, brothers and Charlotte natives, said they’ve been going to Zack’s since they were kids. Now, 20 years later, they’re ordering their favorites for the last time. 

“It’s pretty sad, and I mean, Charlotte’s changed so much, a lot of it for the better. But at the same time, I think one of [Adam’s] friends made a great joke the other day, they’re going to have to take down the historic South End signs,” Alex Goodman said. 

The Goodmans said it’s hard watching places like Zack’s, Price’s Chicken Coop and Mr. K’s disappear.

“They’re being replaced with office buildings or apartments. It’s tough to see them go for sure,” Adam Goodman said. 

Jimmy Demopoulos, one of the owner’s of Zack’s Hamburgers, said small family businesses are getting harder to run. Citing COVID-19 and the desire to spend more time with family, Jimmy’s parents George and Elaine decided to close Zack’s.

“I can’t really speak for Price’s or other family-owned businesses and their experiences, but I want to say it’s kind of similar,” he said. 

Some mom-and-pop stores are trying to hang on and keep history alive. 

David Brooks, the owner of Brook’s Sandwich House, has been running the restaurant for 48 years. His father, Calvin Brooks Jr., started the family business, and David Brooks and his twin brother, Scott, took over. 

David Brooks said after Scott Brooks was murdered during an armed robbery in December 2019, he thought about closing down permanently. 

“That left a mark on me that I didn’t think would ever disappear,” he said. “I just made the decision and said no, I’m not going to give up.”

After the murder, Brooks closed for two months and re-opened in February 2020. Then the pandemic hit. 

“It was just another slap in the back. And I said 'how much more can we take?'” David Brooks said. 

He said his loyal customers helped keep the business going. 

“The customer base kept building, kept building, kept building, and they started coming back.”

He said sustaining a family-owned restaurant in a growing city comes with its own set of challenges. 

“We as mom-and-pop small businesses, we know that we operate on a real, real small edge of profit all the time,” he said. 

David Brooks said developers are eyeing his property, and things like rising food cost and labor shortages have forced other family-owned businesses to close. 

He said despite the hurdles, he’s refusing to give up. He and his family still plan on serving burgers, hot dogs and chili as long as they can. 

“I’m not ready to retire. And [my employees] gotta have something to do," he said. “You know, their heart and soul is into it.”

Brooks’ daughter, Lauren, said she plans to take over the business once her dad decides to retire.