Ending months of speculation, First National Bank has officially filed a plan to expand into west Charlotte at the site of the former iconic drive-in restaurant Bar-B-Q King.
The bank filed a land development construction plan for a bank branch at 2900 Wilkinson Blvd., a filing with the city of Charlotte this month shows. Bar-B-Q King, which was featured on Season 1 on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri in 2007, closed after 66 years on Nov. 1.
FNB officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In November, First National Bank, the largest subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based FNB Corp., purchased nearly 1.8 acres, which included the restaurant site, for $3.7 million, Mecklenburg County property records show. It had been for sale since 2023.
The property has road frontage on Wilkinson Boulevard and Weyland Avenue.
Last October, The Charlotte Observer reported that the bank was exploring expanding to the site after submitting a meeting request with the city of Charlotte. The plan also included a future drive-thru restaurant.
The bank’s property is about 3.5 miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wilkinson Boulevard and about 2.5 miles from Bank of America Stadium in uptown.
More about First National Bank
In September, F.N.B. announced expansion plans for nearly 30 branches over the next five years in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. On Oct. 30, FNB opened its East Town Market Office at 5820 East W.T. Harris Blvd.
The bank has more than a dozen branches in the Charlotte region, a small player in a banking market dominated by three players: Bank of America, Truist and Wells Fargo.
In 2021, Dominion Realty Partners and New York Life Real Estate Investors opened FNB Tower at 401 S. Graham St.
The bank’s regional headquarters occupies 40,000 square feet in the 29-story, 420,000-square-foot tower. The building also includes 156,000 square feet of office space with ground-floor retail and 196 apartments.
FNB has total assets of nearly $50 billion and about 350 branches in seven states, including 100 branches in the Carolinas. F.N.B. has about 4,200 employees companywide.
Other banks serve up branches at former Charlotte restaurants
Another out-of-state bank recently opened in an old restaurant site.
Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bank demolished the T.G.I. Fridays restaurant at 12811 S. Tryon St. that closed in 2024, to build a new branch. The 1.2-acre Steele Creek property is an outparcel of RiverGate shopping center. The bank opened Thursday, Jan. 22.
Other restaurants that have been turned into bank branch locations include Chase Bank at the former longtime Harper’s Restaurant, which closed in July 2024, on Fairview Road in South Park. The bank also plans to open in the former Burger King at 2901 South Blvd. in South End.
US Bank opened in August at 1801 South Blvd. in South End at the former Fuel Pizza site.
Catherine Muccigrosso
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