401 E. CENTER ST. / A&M GRILL

View north, circa 2005 (via ncbbqsociety.net)

 

View south, 2009 (photo by Porky LeSwine)

 

 

The easternmost structure was built as a gas station in the 1940s. The original restaurant building (now the westernmost section) was built sometime between 1947 and 1954, with the "fill in" (middle) section built sometime afterwards when the restaurant expanded.

 

A&M Grill was opened by Charlie R. McAdams, Sr. and George Crawford Amick (the owner of the building) at this location in 1948. The "A" stood for Amick and the "M" for McAdams. Heading west, it's noted to be "the first building in Mebane, and the last building in Orange County."

 

"Charlie was another one of Warner Stamey’s barbecue protégés. Charlie started working with Stamey in the 1940s. Charlie was supposed to go to Lexington and open a branch restaurant for Stamey. Instead Charlie came to Mebane and opened his own small business called The Log Cabin. In 1947, Charlie was running a service station that had a small kitchen area, a few booths and some bar stools. From his tiny kitchen Charlie began selling his delicious barbecue." (Via ncbbqsociety.net)

 

Charlie, Jr. and Donna McAdams purchased the business after Charlie came home from Vietnam in early 1968. In January of 2006, the three daughters of Charlie and Donna (and the third generation) operated the restaurant: Karen Louis, Charlotte Ragans, and Lisa Wright.

 

A&M Grill closed on June 26, 2011. It was open for 63 years.

 

After an extensive two-year remodel, Mebane Steakhouse, BBQ, & Seafood (it was initially to be named Rock House Grille) opened in the building (and adjoining building, formerly Brick Alley Antiques) in May 2017. It closed in 2019 after receiving mixed online reviews. The entire building is now leased by Hope Church.

 

View north, June 2019 (via Google Streetview)