Like many readers in Chapelboro, I relocated here from NYC in the not too distant past. When visitors from the Big Apple make the effort to visit me during the summer months to escape the city, I make the effort to show them the best of food and drink in the Triangle. I don’t need to take them to the upscale restaurants with entrees over $25 and expensive imported beer. They can get that anywhere in the country. I take them to the places that will make them realize how special the local food scene is in Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Neal’s Deli for a house-cured pastrami biscuit, and until recently, Johnny’s of Carrboro

On Saturday, June 25th, on my walk through the gravel drive to that screen door in the back, I said to my husband, “I wonder what’ll be different this time?!”. We sort of loved the ever-changing face of that locavore’s grocery store. My heart broke a little bit when we saw the bare walls, were given a couple of free coffees and the sad news from Jan Halle, the building’s owner, about the temporary situation at Johnny’s. 

This morning my frown turned upside down when I saw an email from Carrboro Greenspace announcing a Community Potluck at Johnny’s on Monday, July 18th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm.  The info and details provided in the email were sparse, but enough to pique my interest and assuage my fears about the future of this beloved space. Straight from their email, here is the info: 

Community Potluck
When? Monday, July 18th from 6:30-8:30pm
Where? Johnny’s @ 901 West Main Street in Carrboro
Share some food, music, some good times with your local community, and some ideas for the direction of this awesome community space. byo-food, bicycles, plates, forks, carpool & musical instruments.

Join the Carrboro Greenspace events and workshops email list by following this link

What do you think Johnny’s should look like in its next iteration? Leave a comment below and let’s get this conversation started!