East End closes, but Country Night stays

East End Oyster & Martini Bar will officially close its doors on Saturday, but Country Nights will live on downstairs at Deep End.

Owner Howard McDonald said he has separate leases for East End, which is on the ground level at 201 E. Franklin St., and Deep End, which is in the basement — making it easy to keep Deep End and Country Night alive.

“It’s going to be really easy for us to continue to operate downstairs and really focus our energy in the Deep End,” McDonald said.

A press release from East End cited financial difficulties, increased competition and high operating costs as reasons behind East End closing, but McDonald said Deep End will stay open with the same staff, drink specials, and Country Night.

“We’re just not doing the business to keep it going on this floor,” McDonald said. “The rent is really high on this floor.”

East End’s last official night will be Saturday, and McDonald said he hopes everyone who loves the bar and the staff will come out for one last celebration.

“We really just want to thank the community for the time that we’ve had here,” he said.

McDonald said the only change to Tuesday night’s popular Country Nights, characterized by country music and 25-cent beers, will be a change to age requirements. Men will need to be 21 or older on Country Night, but 18-and-up women will still be admitted. McDonald said this change comes only from a need for space.

Rodney Huskins, general manager of East End, said after closing the top floor, he and the staff will focus on bringing more people to Deep End. He said they are considering adding karaoke, trivia and live music every week.

“We’re gonna concentrate on making Deep End the place for college students to go — the college bar in Chapel Hill,” Huskins said.

“I’ve thought for years that if someone had that floor to concentrate on, it could kill it.”

East End originally opened as a restaurant in 2001, although McDonald said he and his business partners bought it in May 2002. In 2009, McDonald said he bought out his last business partner and reopened the kitchen at East End, but they decided to close the kitchen again because of high costs.

Chris Carini, the owner of East End’s Franklin Street neighbor, Linda’s Bar and Grill, said he and McDonald have had a working relationship for many years.

“It’s nice to work with a constant professional,” Carini said.

Huskins said he has worked at the bar for eight years and is thankful to the people who have supported East End since it opened.

“The staff here has been the best staff in Chapel Hill, I believe, since the time we’ve been open,” Huskins said. “Howard (McDonald) has been the best owner and boss anyone could work for.”

Being a business in Chapel Hill is just as hard as it’s always been, Carini said.

“You have to appeal to so many different groups, and you have to do so without trying to.”

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.