Clyde Cooper’s space is up for sale. Here’s what that means for the Raleigh BBQ spot

The home of one of North Carolina’s oldest barbecue restaurants is for sale.

The owners of Raleigh’s famed Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue have put the restaurant space at 327 S. Wilmington St. up for sale. The move comes months after co-owner Debbie Holt said she would move the restaurant out of Downtown Raleigh, criticizing the current foot traffic of the city’s blocks.

Clyde Cooper’s is nearly 90 years old, making it one of Raleigh’s oldest restaurants and one of the longest-running barbecue joints in North Carolina. The historic restaurant has only been in its current space for around a decade, having moved from the original space in 2014.

Co-owner Ashley Holt said the restaurant space went on the market Thursday, with an asking price of $2.9 million, listed by real estate agent Crash Gregg.

The listing of Clyde Cooper’s was first reported by WRAL.

Is Clyde Cooper’s closing?

While the restaurant is looking for a new owner, Ashley Holt said operations won’t be affected or paused. Cooper’s, as the restaurant is mostly known, is in the process of finalizing a new home, Holt said.

When the restaurant moves, its new building will need to be built from the ground up, Holt said, which should take around 18 months. Holt said that Cooper’s would remain serving and catering while the new restaurant is built, though she declined to name the location until the deal is completed.

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