A Chapel Hill restaurant and its companion café are set to close their doors for good at the end of this week, with ownership citing new opportunities in the Research Triangle Park.

The Dogwood, a restaurant and bar in the East 54 development, and the neighboring Poplar Café shared on its Facebook page on Tuesday that the businesses’ final day will be Saturday, September 30. Co-owners Lew Hendricks and Julie Paddison wrote a message to patrons saying they have enjoyed the journey of running a restaurant in the shopping center since 2017, but are now turning their focus elsewhere.

“The restaurant business builds character and is not for the faint of heart,” the duo wrote. “Despite the obstacles we faced related to COVID, significant equipment failures, and the usual array of restaurant challenges, we have tried our best to create positive experiences for and with you over the years. While we have enjoyed it so much, have hundreds of memories, and have learned a lot about a lot, it is with mixed emotions that we have made the decision to expand our wine offering at RTP Uncorked and are pursuing another opportunity at Boxyard.”

The closure comes after The Dogwood restaurant underwent a rebranding in August — transitioning to more of a traditional restaurant with an expanded menu at the end of its partnership with a Charlotte-based brewery. At the time, NoDa Brewing Tapas was the latest iteration of a business at 1118 Environ Way. Hendricks and Paddison previously moved their bottle shop called Bottle Rev into the unit after the Tobacco Road Sports Café closed in 2020. After making the move from a different space in East 54, the business duo rebranded Bottle Rev to Old East Tavern in 2021 before rebranding to NoDa Brewing Tapas in 2022.

Meanwhile, the Poplar Café opened with a soft launch in January 2022 next door at 1114 Environ Way. The business is known for its private working space and for serving coffee, tea, and Deli Edison bagels to patrons.

Photo via the Poplar Café.

“We hope you will visit this week for what will be the last time,” said Paddison and Hendricks to their Chapel Hill customers.

The Dogwood’s hours are listed as 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and then 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., while The Poplar Café will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

Featured image via The Dogwood.

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