Crepe restaurant to open on Franklin

Following the suit of a string of new Franklin Street eateries opening this year is Crepe Culture, a cafe serving a variety of crepes and coffee drinks.

The cafe is set to open by Fourth of July weekend and will replace Gigi’s Cupcakes, which closed its doors in November 2014 due to low sales traffic. But Chris Kieffer, director of marketing for Ram Realty Services, which oversees the 140 West complex where Gigi’s was located, expects Crepe Culture to be highly attractive to customers.

“From what I’ve seen and heard, they’ve got a fantastic product,” Kieffer said. “140 West is particularly attractive to boutique restaurants and stores, so Crepe Culture really is an ideal tenant for a property like that. They’re different, but I think they’ll fit in well there.”

Kieffer said that since students make up a solid portion of the complex’s clientele, it is important for the cafe to appeal to the student lifestyle.

“The cafe is really based on the deli concept,” Kieffer said. “Students can come in and sit down, or they can grab a crepe and go.”

Crepe Culture co-owner Sree Valluru said he set his sights on Franklin Street right away when he started plans to open the restaurant.

“I’ve been in this area for a while, and I’m a big fan of UNC basketball,” Valluru said. “Franklin Street is the heart of the town. I knew that whatever I wanted to do, I wanted to do there.”

Valluru said the family-owned business will serve a variety of savory and dessert crepes, as well as high-quality Manhattan Broadway-style coffee.

“Why not crepes?” Valluru said. “If you look at the whole street, people like burritos and wraps. A crepe is not really a burrito, but it’s a similar dish. It can be made however you like it.”

Valluru said he hopes to compete with other local dessert and coffee shops as well as other casual sit-down dining options near campus. He said once they have finalized a strong menu, Crepe Culture’s competitors will not compare.

“After people are done eating, they usually go to YoPo or another ice cream shop,” Valluru said. “We just thought, ‘Why not offer a proper dessert?’ I’d say that the coffee is definitely going to be better than Starbucks.”

The cafe will be open for lunch, dinner and maybe breakfast, depending on business. Valluru said the cafe’s primary target is students, and the ultimate goal is to offer the best available — but still affordable — crepes.

Valluru said he hopes to be involved with UNC organizations and events.

“We want to come to you and make the crepes in front of you,” Valluru said. “Crepes are a new dish for many people, and I don’t think many people have tried them before.”

UNC junior Wai In Lam said she is excited to see something different open on Franklin Street and plans on trying Crepe Culture’s dessert crepes.

“I’ve always wanted to taste (crepes),” Lam said. “Strawberry is my favorite fruit, so if they have something with strawberries in it, I definitely want to try it.”

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