There was lots of news on the hospitality front last week, with reports of acclaimed Durham restaurant Saint James and acclaimed Raleigh restaurant Garland planning to close. Saint James will be lost to redevelopment, and Garland’s owners, Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler, announced a collaboration with Raleigh’s Anisette Sweet Shop.

“My heart goes out to them. Just terrible luck,” wrote Facebook commenter D Ryan Anderson about Saint James. “They open then that gas leak blows up most of the block. They reopen then COVID hits. They reopen again and face an even more destructive force than explosions or pandemics: venture capital. Props to the owners for fighting so hard to make this happen. Sorry it didn’t work.”

“Another day, another teardown, if you can call the razing of an entire block a ‘teardown,’” wrote @HasConcerns on Twitter.

“Sad to see Garland close and looking forward to new Cheetie ventures,” wrote commenter @snoopdave on Instagram. “Can’t wait to see the Anisette concept in full.”

In happier food and beverage news, we also wrote about 321 Coffee, a coffee shop that employs workers with disabilities, opening in Raleigh last week.

“Cant wait to support this and get some great coffee,” wrote Amy Miller on Twitter.

“read this as ‘321 new coffee shops open in downtown raleigh’ and barely even flinched,” wrote commenter Calvin Spookman.

“You forgot to mention that there’s one opening at Durham ID too,” wrote commenter rock n old rach on Twitter.

Rach is right—321 Coffee will open a location at Durham ID later this year (after opening a downtown Raleigh shop last weekend). So, while we’re sad to lose Garland and Saint James, we’re taking the good with the bad and we’re excited to support 321 Coffee in all its Triangle locations.

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