Last round for Spanky's in Chapel Hill, new restaurant weeks away

CHAPEL HILL, NC (WTVD) -- Reports of Spanky's retirement Saturday brought many nostalgic fans of the Chapel Hill landmark back for one more round, one more meal and a stroll down memory lane.

Generations of Carolina students and alumni passed through the restaurant's doors during its 40-year tenure at the corner of Franklin and Columbia Streets.

"And I had my last meal there," said Michelle Brown as she showed our cameras her carry out chow while walking back to her car. "I had the burger with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar white cheese. That was something different, And had the fries"

Those burgers were the main draw for many Spanky's patrons like the Harding family.

Holmes Harding smiled while reminiscing about his first meal there during his law school days, 39 years ago.

"Hamburger. Just like today," he said. harding's daughter Bellamy, a junior at UNC, said the restaurant helped her pick Carolina over other universities she visited with her parents.

"So we came here right when I was applying for college. We sat in front of the window, I was like wow, I can really see myself going here," she said.

The owner calls the end of Spanky's a retirement of the current concept.

The restaurant will remain under the same management with familiar faces in key roles, but Greg Overbeck's not ready to divulge all plans for the building.

"We're still ironing out some details, and I want it to be kind of a big bang when we open that," he said. "But I think people are really gonna like the new concept. It's gonna be very affordable and great food, so it's a good combination to have on Franklin Street."

"The caricatures of famous faces like Dean Smith, James Taylor, James Worthy and other UNC icons will probably relocate," said Overbeck.

A group that promotes the university approached him about using those drawings as a fundraiser, and he wants them to remain in Chapel Hill.

The rebranded restaurant's set to open within a few weeks, and we'll update you when the doors open again.