Christopher's 1776 will close after New Year's Eve, a victim of the economy and consumer traffic patterns in downtown Winston-Salem, the owners said.
The restaurant, which opened in 2005, is at 712 Brookstown Ave.
Christopher and Robin Fulk had changed their dining concept — from "new global cuisine" to "an American tavern" — this summer. They added a wine list made up of American selections, and micro-brewery beers were selected from the original 13 colonies.
Christopher Fulk, a Winston-Salem native, is an Elon University graduate with a culinary degree from Johnson and Wales. He has been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years.
Christopher Fulk said Thursday that the restaurant had struggled because fewer people were eating out during the tough economic times. He said other circumstances were involved in the decision, some of which he declined to discuss.
"It just made sense to close before entering 2012 for tax reasons and because January is traditionally a slow month," Fulk said.
"It's always been my dream to run a restaurant, so it is disappointing that we've come to this decision. We will miss our customers who became our friends."
Fulk said that as more restaurants opened downtown, particularly around Fourth Street and the West End area, the walking traffic tended to gravitate to those areas and away from Brookstown Avenue.
Fulk said the restaurant also was affected by the state's smoking ban in bars and restaurants, which took effect on Jan. 2, 2010.
"Christopher's always has been nonsmoking, and being that way represented good business for us at that time," Fulk said. "When the ban went into effect, and every restaurant went nonsmoking, it didn't represent a dramatic factor, but it didn't help us."
Fulk said he has looked at potential restaurant sites on Fourth Street and West End, but couldn't make the cost work out.
"I would like to give a restaurant another try in Winston-Salem, preferably in downtown, and help to contribute to the vibrancy of downtown," Fulk said.
The Fulks' decision comes at a time when seven new restaurants have recently opened or plan to open in the downtown area.
Recently opened are Buena Pinta, Camino Bakery & Café, District Rooftop Bar and Grille, King's Crab Shack & Oyster Bar and Lucky Blue.
Restaurants that plan to open are Xia Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar and Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar. Finnigan's Wake Irish Pub & Kitchen on North Trade Street recently expanded, as well.
Jason Thiel, president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, said while he regrets the loss of Christopher's, he stresses that "downtown is firmly established as a dining destination."
"Downtown restaurant locations that have built-in kitchen infrastructure are difficult to find and are desirable," Thiel said. "The restaurant business is competitive, and turnover of restaurants is unfortunately a reality.
"What we're trying to do is make sure that we round out the restaurant opportunities with entertainment and other options so that when people come downtown, they get out of their car, they go to eat, and then they go to a movie or they go to a play or to a gallery or something like that."
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