Elmo's Diner in Carrboro Latest Local Restaurant to Permanently Close

A longtime favorite of the Carrboro community will not be reopening.

Elmo’s Diner in Carrboro shared a Facebook post with the community Friday afternoon announcing its ownership team has decided to permanently close. While the message said rumors of a sale of the restaurant were not true, the toll caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led the group to make the “deeply personal” choice to close and let its employees move on.

“We have not sold to anyone, so we do not know the future of the space,” reads the Facebook post. “We just told Carr Mill Mall today, so they do not currently have or know of a plan either. We do know that there is magic in that place and hopefully it is just hibernating for a while.”

The restaurant known for its all-day breakfast and homemade food first opened in the community in 1991. For years, it has been part of the mall off North Greensboro Street. In its community message, Elmo’s ownership thanked the mall management for its patience and support through this challenging period for its patrons.

The diner also thanked the community it has served.

“We are grateful to our customers, our employees, and the town of Carrboro for sharing this journey throughout the years,” ownership wrote. “We have met some wonderful people along the way and feel honored that you let us be a part of your lives. We wish everyone safety, good health, and a more promising future.”

When the COVID-19 outbreak first began in North Carolina, Elmo’s Diner announced it would be closing to protect the health of its staff and customers. The restaurant provided an update on its Facebook page in May saying it would continue to stay closed despite advanced stages of the state’s reopening.

Elmo’s becomes the latest of several restaurants unable to survive the pandemic. While some have changed operations to operate more on a takeout and delivery model, or shift to almost exclusively outdoor seating, others announced they will not be reopening. Also on Friday, City Kitchen in Chapel Hill announced it is permanently closed and Blue Spoon Microcreamery on Franklin Street shared a similar message on Thursday.

You can find other restaurants either open or closed in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and around Orange County amid the pandemic on Chapelboro’s What’s Open and Closed? Restaurant Page.

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Elmo’s Diner in Carrboro Latest Local Restaurant to Permanently Close

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