Southern Season to close in Chapel Hill next year

Three years after filing for bankruptcy, gourmet food retailer Southern Season will close its doors in Chapel Hill, its parent company announced Monday.

Posted 3:52 p.m. Nov 11, 2019 — Updated 4:09 p.m. Nov 11, 2019

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Three years after filing for bankruptcy, gourmet food retailer Southern Season will close its doors in Chapel Hill, its parent company announced Monday.

Calvert Retail officials said via a press release that the Chapel Hill retailer will close early next year.

Weathervane restaurant at Southern Season has already closed.

"Southern Season is an incredible business, and I firmly believe that the concept is part of the future of retail; However, it requires a more robust organization and more capital than I can provide as a small business owner," Calvert Retail owner Eric Brinsfield said.

Brinsfield said the focus will shift from the retail store to Southern Season's online business from Calvert's facility in Graham.

Calvert's other entities, including Kitchen & Company stores in Asheville and Mt. Pleasant, S.C., will remain open.

Delaware company buys Southern Season; three locations to close

In June 2016, Southern Season filed for bankruptcy protection. A few months later, Delaware-based Calvert Retail purchased Southern Season for $3.5 million at auction.

Southern Season was founded in 1975 by Michael Barefoot.

"For 44 years, the business has played an outsized role in the Triangle's food community. This is no doubt because of the incredible people of Southern Season who continue to amaze me every day," Brinsfield said.

Southern Season is located at University Place, which is currently under redevelopment.

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