You’d think that 401 Main had been open for several years when you watch general manager Wayne Jordan stop to interact with customers getting up from their lunch – but in fact, the quirky dog-friendly bar and restaurant is a rather new addition to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community.

“The people that have come in have loved it,” Jordan said, returning to the table. “The people that just left, they’ve been here at least 20 times in two months.”

Jordan is one of two general managers at 401 Main. Located on the corner of West Rosemary and East Main streets – the “Time Square of Carrboro” as Wayne calls it – 401 Main is a local bar serving coastal Carolina cuisine to the Chapelboro community since September 2019.

Chris Baldwin and Al Bowers, of Al’s Burger Shack fame, founded the restaurant after developing the concept almost two years ago, envisioning a bar where they, “could they hang out with friends, have a cold beer, some great seafood and bring the dog,” according to 401 Main’s website. 

And that’s exactly what they’ve built with 401 Main.

“We just give people the service and the experience that they want,” Jordan said.

The menu, a collaboration between Bowers and 401 Main’s chef Cedric Suckie, reflects that mantra as it has continuously adapted to customer feedback, Wayne said.

Currently, 401 Main offers primarily coastal inspired fare, serving everything with a “southern flair,” according to Suckie.

“Slaw, dirty rice, things of that nature,” Suckie said. “We’re just trying to keep it as local as we can.”

For Jordan, some of their stand-out sandwiches are The 401 – featuring fried grouper, Suckie’s special spices, bacon, jalapeno, ranch and dirty slaw – and a chicken sandwich called the “Blonde Mutha Clucka.” That last one’s already garnered some comparisons to the Popeye’s famous chicken sandwich, Jordan said.      

But 401 Main isn’t just about good food – being dog-friendly has been central to their vision since the beginning.

“All of us are dog owners,” Jordan said. “We wanted to be clear that all dogs are welcome.”

401 Main’s dog-friendly policy takes full advantage of the location’s exceptional outdoor space. While dogs are not allowed inside the building for sanitation reasons, 401 Main has an outdoor patio with room for more than 100 seats where dogs are free to visit on leashes, and heaters keep the space warm in the colder months. The long-term goal, Jordan said, is to turn the front parking lot into an enclosed dog park.

“We want to make this all a courtyard,” Jordan said. “We want that for the look and for the convenience of the dogs being able to just go wherever they want.”

Wayne and the rest of the 401 Main team have big plans for the bar’s future, continuing to pursue their goal of making it an integral part of the Chapelboro community.

“We want to be completely part of everything going on here,” Jordan said.

401 Main hosted five bands over five days during the Carrboro Music Festival. They have also begun serving local restaurant workers every Monday for “Service Industry Night.” And when you visit you can contribute to their ongoing charity initiative supporting local families because, dogs notwithstanding, everything that is 401 Main comes back to community.

“We’re just a neighborhood bar,” Jordan said. “Try to remember people’s names. Try to give them a homely experience.”

Visit 401 Main in Carrboro, and check out the menu at www.401main.com.

Reporting by Jack O’Grady

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