Business

Popular local restaurant relocates after nearly a decade, facing strain from COVID-19

With the economic strain caused by COVID-19, many small businesses and restaurants are struggling. Even larger, well-established restaurant groups are feeling the strain.

Posted Updated

By
Sarah Kreuger
, WRAL reporter
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Many local businesses are hurting due to financial impact of COVID-19. Even large restaurant groups are not immune to the strain.
Without regular business, even the popular spot Kipos on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill is being forced to relocate. Kipos has been on Franklin Street for nearly a decade--but now those days are over.

Giorgios Bakatsias opened his first restaurant 40 years ago, and is behind so many of our area's most popular restaurants--including Kipos, Vin Rouge in Durham, Local 22 and Parizade.

But even with his impressive portfolio of nearly a dozen restaurants, he's taken a hit during COVID-19.

"If it was normal times, we would not have these conversations of course, and we would not be out of the space," he said.

With the sales plummet from COVID-19, the rent was too high.

He's looking for a new location in Chapel Hill.

"They will come back, probably going to be closer to August or September, but it’ll come back in a strong way," he said.

He has a whole team devoted to developing plans for re-opening at all of his restaurants.

He said they will reopen as soon as the state says they can.

The outdoor garden space at Vin Rouge will be a huge help, he said.

"We can serve the community because we have two outdoor gardens, and two rooms in there, so everyone can spread out and feel comfortable," he said.

With his expertise and years of experience in the industry, he said reduced-capacity seating won't be possible, economically, long-term.

But still he is excited to get back to doing what he loves - serving guests.

"Empty dining rooms is like a human without a soul," he said.

Bakatsias hopes that his restaurants will be able to reopen on June 1--but it's hard to know for sure.

Vin Rouge will begin offering takeout starting this Thursday. So they are trying to gear back up for re-opening, hoping that'll come very soon. ​

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