Creole House on Main.
The owner of The Creole House on Main, at 20517 N. Main St. in Cornelius, says he is working with town officials and the county health and building code enforcement departments to address issues that closed the restaurant in late May.
Darrin Nicolas said Friday he is not sure when he’ll be able to reopen, but he’s committed to fixing problems that health and building code inspectors found in recent weeks that temporarily shut him down.
The Creole House is in an old house formerly occupied by The Tea House, which closed in October. Mr. Nicolas said the main issue he’s facing is that the old house previously was zoned and permitted for a smaller-scale eatery than he’s attempting.
“Basically, I’m trying to do a full-service restaurant in a building it was not designed for. It was designed for a sandwich shop,” he said.
He said the building’s owners told him the structure was suitable for what he was planning. But since he opened Dec. 1, he has learned that isn’t the case. Some of the improvements (outdoor seating and other structural changes) and menu items he has introduced have caught him on the wrong side of inspectors. In May, inspectors cited the restaurant for potential issues in the handling of fresh seafood and meats, failure to have railings on a staircase, and electrical problems.
On Thursday, Mr. Nicolas met with officials from the town of Cornelius and Mecklenburg County to try and work out a path for reopening.
He says it appears he’ll have to rebuild the kitchen of the old home, and limit the seating to about 50. Outdoor seating on the front patio he built is not permitted, he said, at least not the way the building is currently zoned.
Sylvia Daniel, an environmental health manager with Mecklenburg County health department, said Creole House opened under what’s called a “transitional permit,” which happens when an establishment changes hands. She said Mr. Nicolas and officials are cooperating to get the restaurant open.
“We are working with him to do that. He’s very cognizant of the health issues,” Ms. Daniel said.
Mr. Nicolas said he is considering how to proceed. One potential course would be to reopen with a limited menu and smaller seating area. But he said that would require shifting to prepared foods and “processed” foods. His ultimate goal is to get back to offering freshly-prepared dishes, which would require a larger kitchen.
Early on, Mr. Nicolas had great success with a “Mardi Gras” promotion, including outdoor dining under a tent, and live music. He said customers told him they really like that arrangement. “We’re not a club, we’re not a bar,” and that’s unique in the area, Mr. Nicolas said.
For now, the restaurant is closed. A sign on the front door says: “We are temporarily closed to remodel.” Another bold red and black sign on the restaurant, posted by Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, reads “UNSAFE.” That sign includes a note: “Guard rails have been removed, unsafe steps, fall hazards, unsafe electrical.”
It is too bad that inspectors also can’t cite Mr. Nicolas for insensitively “improving” his 100 year-old building. It looks like he went across the street to Habitat ReStore and bought whatever windows and doors he could find and has ruined the character of this beautiful old house. No effort was made to match scale or consistency. What next? Lop off all the trim/details and cover the house and porch with vinyl siding? I think the sign on the door should read, “We are temporarily closed for remuddling”.
Ellyn Baeszler
We have had nothing but good experiences at the Creole House. It appears to be as safe or safer than restaurants in New Orleans. Of course, we have only eaten on the front porch. Can’t wait for them to reopen.
Bill Heyer
Ellyn,
I understand your concerns however my husband has been working with Mr. Nicholas and here are the facts: When he signed the lease for this home there was already vinyl siding in place on the front exterior. This vinyl siding has since been taken down to expose the original cedar shingles. He is also working with an architect and would very much like to maintain the integrity of the house. There are building codes in place that may or may not allow certain restorations or use of older materials. I can assure you that he will not be lopping off trim or adding vinyl siding! I cannot verify where the windows and doors were purchased but if it was at the Habitat ReStore I personally find that to be a positive, as I am all for recycling building materials and supporting the community.
Kim Jordan