by Whitley Adkins
Fenwick’s owner Tommi Harris was at a career crossroads in January 2024, when she met with a friend to seek advice. After 13 years working as a bartender and manager at Primo Prime in Eastover, she was thinking about opening her own place.
“Ironically, [my friend] suggested we eat at Fenwick’s. By the end of the lunch, with all that I had going on already, he sort of talked me out of it,” says Harris, a mother of two teens whose hospitality resume includes stints at uptown’s Blue and Mickey & Mooch.
“I left thinking I was going to move on, but then when I heard about Fenwick’s closing, I contacted the landlord and asked him to set up a meeting with the owner, Don Rabb.”
Don and his wife, Catherine Rabb, opened the beloved neighborhood restaurant on Providence Road in 1984. Catherine died in December 2021, and three years later Don decided to close the 36-seat restaurant and retire.
“At that point, I had only eaten at Fenwick’s twice, but I quickly realized what a staple it was and how important it was to the community,” says Harris, a Charlotte native. “Don and I hit it off. My intention was to have my own concept. No one at the restaurant wanted to run it, so then I asked him, ‘What if I just kept it Fenwick’s?’ Don said he would love that, so that’s what I decided I would do.”
“Don’s wife, Catherine, passing away was painful for us all — she was a sweet lady,” says Alex, who has worked in the kitchen at Fenwick’s for 13 years. “When Don announced he was going to close, I was bummed, slightly sad — partly because this place is such an institution. Any old place that closes is sad for Charlotte, so then when I heard Tommi was considering purchasing Fenwick’s, I thought, ‘I hope we continue to do well,’ and I think we should.”
In July, Harris reopened Fenwick’s, with 80% of the former staff and financial backing from Rabb, who still works part time at the restaurant.
“He is here having coffee every morning,” Harris says. “It’s really, really special — I feel that all the time. I’m lucky.”
Fenwick’s regulars Bill Belk and Ken Browder, below, grew up in Charlotte and frequent the restaurant for the nostalgia and for the food. “When you live in this area, you hate to see when something like this goes out of business,” says Belk, who’s been a customer since the restaurant opened in 1984.
“My wife and I have been regulars here for the last two or three years,” says customer Matt Daniels. “My parents came in early March to see our son’s lacrosse game, and we came here to eat. Unexpectedly, my mother had outpatient surgery and passed away, but this was the last place I ever broke bread with my mother. So to hear that Tommi was coming through and opening back up, it was just so special to come back here. The soup is my favorite.”
Harris shares her take on what to expect as she takes Fenwick’s into its next chapter. Comments have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
THE MENU
“We did not change the menu at all. I polled customers to gauge what should stay and what should go, and the numbers spoke for themselves. It would have been hard to have gotten rid of anything — it’s all great like it is.”
LOOKING AHEAD
“I would like to expand the hours. The current hours are Tues.–Sat. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Everybody wants breakfast, everybody wants brunch; maybe do some private events, renting out the space. In the future, I’m looking forward to expanding evening hours and offering a late menu, bar food — eventually.”
BESTSELLERS
“For beverages: Drop of Rosemary, which is a cosmo but with lemon and rosemary-sage syrup, triple sec and vodka. The Pimm’s Cup and seasonal craft cocktails are also popular. For food, the trout, our burger, shrimp po’ boy, all the soups and the fried oysters are up there. Everything’s homemade. I love our Caesar salad.”
BIGGEST CHALLENGE
“Time management. I’ve been doing this a long time, so I know the business, but [I’m used to] longer seating times. It’s a quick lunch, and people go back to work, so it’s turn and burn.”
MOST EXCITING THING
“Meeting all of the people that have such a connection to this place. The nostalgia, the emotional connection. Everybody has a story. I feel like I am just a vessel. It’s been hard work getting here, but it was the right time. All of the things came together.” SP
