Hubee D’s last location closing after more than decade of serving chicken in Charlotte

Charlotte is saying goodbye to another beloved restaurant Thursday, May 30, as another one is soon taking its place.

After more than a decade in business, Hubee D’s is officially closing its doors in Charlotte — the chicken chain’s last standing location. In a few months, the space will become home to Salted Melon Market & Eatery’s second location in the city.

“To our valued customers, We regret to inform you all that Hubee D’s will be closing our doors as of May 30th,” the team announced on Facebook. “We would like to thank you all for your patronage and value the friendships made along the way.”

Co-owner Mark DeFeo told CharlotteFive on Wednesday, “It’s been a struggle to recapture where we were before the pandemic started.”

Staffing was among the biggest challenges, and the restaurant’s food truck was sold because shoring up workers for the restaurant was a priority, he said. Catering orders for its chicken tenders, nuggets, sandwiches and more had not recovered to previous levels, either.

“I will definitely miss my staff that stuck with me this whole time,” DeFeo said. “They were loyal and worked hard every single day. I’m proud of them, and i know they’ll go on to do bigger and better things.”

He continued: “Obviously I’m going to miss our customers, and and I’m definitely going to miss our food. I’d put our chicken up against anyone in Charlotte … I just wanted to say thank you to my staff, all our customers and all our loyal fans.”

Hubee D’s originally opened in Charleston back in 2010, serving its classic chicken tenders and wings, and Southern sides, before expanding with several other locations, including the Providence Road location in Charlotte in 2013.

Since then, all of the other locations in South Carolina and Georgia have also closed. With the news of the Charlotte closure, many are saddened to see its last location go.

“Please don’t do this to us. Hubee D’s is the spot for our friend group. We will miss it so much,” McKenzie Eason commented on the restaurant’s Facebook post.

Among many others, Chris Nowak agreed, saying: “I’m gutted. You guys can’t just relocate or something?”

Hubee D’s

Location: 815 Providence Road, Charlotte NC, 28207

Menu

Cuisine: American, chicken

Instagram: @hubeedsclt

Chyna Blackmon is a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA.
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Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits.
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