RALEIGH, N.C. — After two years, Mitch's Tavern is back open for business.
The N.C. State bar closed down during the pandemic in 2020 and almost never made a comeback. But thanks to new management, the classic bar that's been open since 1974 is once again welcoming back customers.
Mitch's Tavern had been open since 1974
The bar on Hillsborough Street closed down during the pandemic
After a two-year break, Mitch's is back with new ownership
Co-owner Van Alston has been going to Mitch's Tavern since 1981, when he was a student at N.C. State.
“My dad thought I had a gambling problem because I was always writing checks to Mitch, and I would conservatively say I have probably played 2,000 games of pool in here," Alston said.
All that time spent at the bar influenced his career path. He eventually started working in the restaurant and bar industry and considers Mitch Hazouri a mentor.
"Mitch has always been the guy that you can come to to ask questions. He would help you navigate the city and licensing process," Alston said."Mitch has always been the guy that you can come to to ask questions. He would help you navigate the city and licensing process," Alston said.
So when Alston found out Hazouri didn't plan on reopening after the pandemic, he wasn't ready to say goodbye. And it's why Alston, Chris Post and Hazouri now co-own the historic space together.
"The cool thing about Mitch's is all the ephemera in here. The bar has so much history. Not just with the college students," Alston said. "'Bull Durham' was filmed here. They tore the bar out, put a dance floor in to film the scenes ... [and] you can see the Mitch's bar deliveries sign that was broken in the movie.”
Alston says he loves the bar's movie memorabilia, wood-stained decor and old-school vibe. And he wants it to be even better than people remember.
“We couldn't let Mitch's go. Nobody wants the space. You want the building, you want the memories. You want the things on the wall, you want the smell of Mitch's when you walk in," Alston said. "It's something that anybody who went to college at N.C. State knows it and loves it, and we just couldn't see it leave.”
With the lease, Alston says they will also be utilizing the adjacent space below the bar, called College Grill, most likely for private events.
Mitch's Tavern had a soft opening in May so the new owners could train up staff and get used to the flow of things. Alston says they plan on hosting an official grand opening in the near future.
