Eatery celebrates its opening

Even though its first day of business was April 13, Uncle Charlie's Fish Fry and Wings in Carrboro held its grand opening Tuesday.

The restaurant, located at 104 N.C. 54, specializes in a variety of fresh fried seafood and chicken wings and claims to provide local seafood lovers with inexpensive options for lunch and dinner.

On hand for a free meal and a piece of cake were Carolyn Hutchison, Carrboro chief of police, and James Harris, Carrboro's director of community and economic development.

"We've been open for more than six months, but we've never had a grand opening ceremony," explained General Manager Greg Williams.

"Over the past three months, we've made some big improvements," he said, explaining that they have added three picnic tables covered with umbrellas to the patio, established a Web site and increased their business by more than $1,300 a week.

Williams said the restaurant also is trying to expand its business to entice more student customers by offering free delivery service to anyone with a Chapel Hill or Carrboro address.

"Greg is a great person to represent this business," Harris said. "We're always looking for good businesses to come to the area who will be good corporate citizens."

The restaurant offers specials for both UNC and Duke employees and free drinks for law enforcement officials and Chapel Hill Transit bus drivers. Uncle Charlie's also participates in drawings, sponsored by the Rams Club, for free tickets to UNC home football and basketball games.

"I'm very happy that they're here. It's a good addition to Carrboro," Hutchison said.

Both Williams and Harris said they were optimistic about the future success of Uncle Charlie's because of its easily accessible location for customers in the area.

"For people that live out towards the country, people in town and students at the University, this is a great place," Williams said of the Carrboro Plaza location.

Williams said he would even issue a challenge to anyone cooking wings in Chapel Hill or Carrboro that his were better.

"It's a little bit out of the way, but the price was good," said Faera Byerly and Ian Buchanan, both of Chapel Hill, who were trying the restaurant for the first time Tuesday.

The restaurant plays classic soul and beach music because of the association many people make with seafood and the beach, Williams said.

But Buchanan said it was not the music that brought them to the restaurant. "We came for the shrimp, not the atmosphere," he said.

Uncle Charlie's is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m daily.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.