Losing history: 8 iconic places that changed forever in Raleigh last year
As the city grows and changes, long-time locals have had to say goodbye to several iconic and memorable places - many within the past decade, but quite a few even within the past year.
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As the city grows and changes, long-time locals have had to say goodbye to several iconic and memorable places – many within the past decade, but quite a few even within the past year.
Some of these places have already been torn down; others are standing on shaky ground after decisions were made to tear them down.
As we enter the new year, let's look back at a few ways Raleigh changed forever in 2022.
1. Raleigh's first ever Char-Grill to become a high rise
Serving Raleigh for over 60 years, the first Char-Grill location on Hillsborough Street has fed generations of local families and college students. The classic burgers and milkshakes have remained the same, making it a staple of downtown Raleigh.
Soon, this vintage reminder of simpler days will be torn down and rebuilt, according to owners Ryon Wilder and Mahlon Aycock.
Raleigh's first ever Char-Grill will then be incorporated into a 20-story, mixed-use building.
The historic Char-Grill sign, also a feature of the Hillsborough Street skyline for years, will be removed due to regulations from the city of Raleigh. Owners plan to incorporate the sign into the new restaurant when it's built.
The business will continue serving customers until construction begins.
2. The Rialto Theater and Rocky Horror Picture Show
For more than three decades, The Rialto has brought a sense of community to Glenwood South. By day, it served up popcorn and independent films. By night, it brought interactive chaos in the form of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Generations of youth have memories of staying up past midnight, singing along with the crowd, throwing rice and toilet paper inside the walls of The Rialto.
When the theater held its final Rocky Horror Picture Show, parents brought their own teens to experience this piece of their own youth.
Owner Bill Peebles plans to sell The Rialto. He says he hopes whoever becomes the new owners will continue using the theater as a platform for independent film – and maybe even several more generations of Rocky Horror. However, the days of The Rialto are gone.
3. The Arby's Sign: Another piece of the Hillsborough Street skyline
The Hillsborough Street skyline has changed dramatically over the years. Photos from across the decades – which include sights like the old Darryl's, Brothers Pizza, Hillsborough Square, The Brewery, Free Advice and the Big Bad Wolf – look almost completely unrecognizable from today.
Another change happened in 2022: The giant glowing cowboy hat outside Arby's restaurant was dismantled and removed.
4. The 'spinning' Holiday Inn: Raleigh's last cylindrical building
Yet another prominent feature on the Hillsborough Street skyline is slated to be demolished: The Holiday Inn.
The Holiday Inn was built in 1969, and has since been a defining piece of local architecture and culture.
The cylindrical building was Raleigh's second 'round building,' alongside the iconic Harrelson Hall on North Carolina State University campus, which was also built in the 1960s and torn down in 2016.
The Holiday Inn gained a reputation, not only for its unique shape, but for the incredible 360-degree view of the Raleigh skyline, visible from the restaurant on the top floor.
For now, the Holiday Inn is still standing. However, it was announced in 2022 that it would be demolished to make way for a 20-story, mixed-use development that will resemble a glass tower. Expected to be completed in late 2025 or early 2026, it is slated to include hotel rooms, apartments and retail and restaurant spaces.
5. Charlie Goodnights Comedy Club: A haunted art deco hotspot from the 1930s
The popular comedy landmark attracted famous comedians as well as new talent, allowing newcomers a chance to mingle and learn from legends like Robin Williams, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfield and more. It was described as "the center of our comedic community."
The quirky old building dated back to the era of 1930s art deco, when it served as Whites Ice Cream. Nearly a century old, the building held its own haunted urban legends – and an immense amount of local history.
The building will be replaced by a new mixed use development on West Morgan Street.
6. The Fallout Shelter and Flex: A basement full of memories
This past August, hundreds gathered – donned in fishnet stockings, leather boots and black lace – to say goodbye to the basement-level club space that played a major role in Raleigh's 1980s and 90s industrial and goth scene.
In more recent years, the space has held FLEX nightclub, playing an immense role in providing safety and recreation for Raleigh's LGBTQIA+ community and friends.
According to those who spent the 90s at the Fallout Shelter, many of the patrons went on to patronize Legends Nightclub, which continued hosting industrial and goth nights through the 1990s and 2000s.
7. Cary Towne Center: Decades of memories
While Cary Towne Center is not quite in Raleigh, the popular mall no doubt held memories for many locals.
News of the mall's closure and demolition created a wave of nostalgia for those who remember hanging out in the food court at lunch or working their first job as a teenager.
The site will soon become the headquarters for Epic Games. The project's plans also include an outdoor recreational area, 200-room hotel, retail spaces and another 1.7 million square feet of office space.
8. Seaboard Station: Raleigh fights to save a piece of history
- Re-locate the train station.
- Preserve a minimum of 50% of the building's iconic front, or relocate more than half of the front somewhere else.
- Remove the building, but at least document the history. However, if this option is chosen, the development will only be allowed to reach 7 stories, instead of the desired 20 stories.
The fate of Seaboard Station is still not set in stone – but many locals familiar with the site's important history are watching with vested interest. Regardless of what happens to the train station, the site is slated for an immense amount of change.
From the 1940s through the 1980s, the train station served as an important site for travel and commerce in Raleigh. Men and women traveled to World War II from the station, and it was the scene of thousands of happy greetings and emotional farewells during that era.
After it closed in the 1980s, the Logan family restored the train station, saving many historic features. The small building became a quiet garden shop and diner, which has become a beloved part of Raleigh's culture. Logan's Garden Shop is still serving customers for now.
Future plans include a jump to 20-story high rises, indicating a significant change for the site and skyline regardless of what happens to Seaboard Station.
Listen to memories from these lost places
WRAL's Hidden Historian Heather Leah is a fifth-generation Raleighite with a passion for preserving the city's culture and history. Listen as WRAL's Amanda Lamb and Heather Leah share memories from these lost places on our latest podcast.
Did we miss any?
Some of these sites were demolished in the past years. Others are still standing, but it was in 2022 that their days became numbered.
Did we miss any important pieces of Raleigh culture or history that we lost in 2022? Let us know by reaching out to WRAL's Hidden Historian, a fifth-generation Raleighite, at hleah@wral.com.
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