Students can expect the new Red Hot and Blue restaurant to open on Hillsborough Street some time next week according to North Carolina franchise owner James Hill.
Hill said there have been some problems with the restoration process of the building, which was formally the site of a Darrell’s restaurant.
“We will definitely be opening some time next week. Right now we are running over a month behind schedule,” Hill said. “This building has been here since 1906, and it has been vacant for the last five years, so there is a lot of structural damage.”
He said Red Hot and Blue has done a lot to support the University, including charitable fundraisers such as the Hoops for Hope program.
“We back the Pack,” Hill said. “I’ve done a lot of fundraising with Kay Yow in the past; she is a great friend of mine.”
Hill said, in addition to structural repairs, he has also had to replace a large portion of the internal plumbing and electrical systems, but despite these renovations the building will still retain his historical integrity.
“It’s definitely going to be the same feeling as before, you can’t really replace these old bricks,” Hill said. “The building has the feeling of a classic smokehouse and that is what Red Hot and Blue is all about.”
He said, once the restaurant is up and running, he will start catering the campus community with special deals and meal plans.
“Once we get set up in here, I’m going to start running some specials for drinks and food,” Hill said. “We are going to be on the campus meal plan, and we are also going to be sending out coupons in the University coupon book.”
President of the Fine Swine Society Sarah Lafferty, a junior in business management, said her club has been anticipating the opening of this Red Hot and Blue and will be holding a meeting at the Hillsborough location when it opens.
“It’s a great addition to Hillsborough Street, and it should really help revitalize that area,” Lafferty said. “It should be really good. I would probably rate Red Hot and Blue about a seven or seven-and-a-half out of ten.”
Justin Buckland, a junior in chemistry, said he is not a fan of barbecue food and would rather see a different restaurant come to Hillsborough Street.
“It would be nice to have a decent burrito place on Hillsborough Street,” Buckland said. “It’s annoying having to drive to Moe’s or Qdoba, and I don’t really like Baja Burrito at Mission Valley.”
Camden Carver, a senior in sociology, said Red Hot and Blue is a welcome addition to Hillsborough Street, and as a barbecue fan, he is happy to see a restaurant like this come to the downtown scene.
“I’m defintely pumped because I loved Q Shack when it was there and hated to see it go,” Carver said. “I definitely know more people who like barbecue than who dislike it, so a Red Hot and Blue is a great idea.”
