Reports surfaced last night that West End restaurant Bar-B-Q King is for sale, but majority owner Gus Karapanoa, 60, told QCity Metro that the information is inaccurate.
Karapanoa said that while surrounding land parcels are for sale, the restaurant itself is not.
Why it matters: Bar-B-Q King, a drive-in restaurant, opened in 1959 on Wilkinson Boulevard and has become a landmark in Charlotte.
Local news outlets broke the story after a listing for the 1,900-square-foot space appeared on LoopNet.com for $4.2 million.
The listing said the land is “great for new development.”
Wilkinson Boulevard, where the restaurant is located, is a “focus area” for the planned LYNX Silver line. As the Historic West End continues to see investment, Karapanoa said the land has become “too valuable.”
He said Bar-B-Q King’s lease is not up for another eight years.
After that, he says he’s unsure of what will become of the restaurant but mentioned the possibility of someone else taking over — or closing altogether.
But for now, the Historic West End staple plans to remain. “Bar-B-Q King is not for sale. I am Bar-B-Q King,” Karapanoa said.