The old Joe's Crab Shack on 15-501 in Durham

[DurhamDivaInRaleigh]

Is it still empty/unocccupied? I wish they'd just open it back up. I swear, a hepatitis outbreak is just death for a restaurant.

[danclever]

Is it still empty/unocccupied? I wish they'd just open it back up. I swear, a hepatitis outbreak is just death for a restaurant.

I didn't realize it was hepatitis. I'd heard the whole chain was in trouble, and closed underperforming branches.

[DurhamDivaInRaleigh]

Yeah, I think there was a hepatitis outbreak. That restaurant was only a few years old, and the novelty and "newness" hadn't even worn off. There would be SO many cars there, that they'd be parked in the median out on 15-501.

The day after the outbreak, there was plenty of parking for everybody. Finally it closed.

Maybe it started "underperforming" after the outbreak, and that's why they closed it. There's still one in Charlotte.

[Durhamite]

I didn't realize it was hepatitis. I'd heard the whole chain was in trouble, and closed underperforming branches.

Nah, I see 'em all over the place when I'm traveling. Usually in mid to major metros. It's surprising they haven't opened one in the Briar Creek area. I went to one last month in Schaumburg,IL.

[Tayfromcarolina]

Fayetteville has one I believe in the Cross Creek Mall Mega Shopping Area.

[ncwebguy]

Joe's corporate parent, Landry's restaurants, has several dining concepts and locations but none in the Triangle. With the way Durham treated Joe's, why should they come back?

Two other restaurants in Durham have had hep scares in the past -- the Pizza Hut on Erwin Road and Big Bowl at Southpoint. Pizza Hut did not close that location right away, but nothing significant has moved in. A location right across the street from Duke hasn't helped. Big Bowl was open a few months after its problems, but eventually closed earlier this year. Cheesecake Factory took its place.

Most of the new things that come to the 15-501 corridor are close to 40, since that is where the traffic is. It is a traffic nightmare, but people would rather deal with that than drive to the old South Square area. The Ale House is the only restaurant to open near there since the Super Target opened.

[Tayfromcarolina]

But wait Red Robin opens just a short drive down 15-501 at Mt. Moriah in a couple months.

And speaking of the Cheesecake factory at Southpointe. Anyone know of any plans to put a Factory at Triangle Towne Center. As the Bamboo Club recently shut it's doors there and left that prime dining location open. (The Bamboo Clubis a struggling chain from what I've heard.)

[ncwebguy]

It might seem close, but it is not. The Mt. Moriah intersection is where everything is going in, less than half a mile from 40. Durham/Chapel Hill Blvd. starts to drop off going east of Garrett Road (the Darryl's there was razed a year or so ago), and drops off more east of where 15-501 splits off to the north and business 15-501 continues east. This is where South Square and Joes Crab Shack were.

If the crowds are any indication, the area could support a third Cheesecake factory, and they have the bakery in Rocky Mount. The Bamboo Club was bad. I don't know why TTC didn't try to get a better tenant to anchor that corner to begin with. A Maggianos would be nice, but there already is a Macaroni Grill in the same parking lot. One of the other retailers near moes/mitchells/pier 1 kids just closed too.

[DurhamDivaInRaleigh]

As the Bamboo Club recently shut it's doors there and left that prime dining location open.

What? That's news to me. They sent a coupon once for like $10 off your meal, which was nice. I didn't know they had closed.

[Tayfromcarolina]

What? That's news to me. They sent a coupon once for like $10 off your meal, which was nice. I didn't know they had closed.

Yes it is true I lie to you not. Oh well!!! U just wait till Plantation Pointe opens across Capital Blvd. There are at least 3 brand new to the Area and some to the state Eateries coming including Mimi's, and FlatRock Grille, ooh and Hibachi Express. Yummy.