I am actually so upset about this one.
We’ve seen lots of restaurants struggling in the past three years to stay open. Whether it be because of the pandemic, staffing issues, or inflation, it’s just not been a great time for restaurants.
One of my personal favorite restaurants in all of Charlotte just announced they are closing. When people ask me my favorite places in Charlotte, the list is usually pretty short. Yes, there are a ton of options here, but as the city grows, there are more and more chains and less and less original businesses.
According to CharlotteObserver, Soul Gastrolounge is closing, and selling their building in the heart of Plaza Midwood. I’ve taken my friends and family here when they’ve come into town to visit me, so I’m pretty upset about this one.
So many iconic places in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood specifically have closed including; The Penguin, Reggae Central, Yoga One, and more.
Soul Gastrolounge has been in their Plaza Midwood location since 2009.
According to Charlotte Business Journal, the owners were notified in June that their rent, “would increase 114% to $43 per square foot, up from $20 per square foot.”
A bit of good news…
The owners are hoping to relocate to a new location, and reopen Soul Gastrolounge in Spring of 2023. Plans have not yet been finalized for this, according to Charlotte Business Journal, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
I really hope they reopen. The food was incredible, and while I loved the location, and it being a staple in Plaza Midwood, I will still support them in their new location if it opens.
