Lula & Sadie’s on Chapel Hill Road is known as a popular destination for Sunday brunch and live jazz performances, and as a place that feels just like home. But now, the dining room is quiet and the kitchen is empty. On Sept. 20, the Lakewood restaurant served its final customers.
The restaurant’s owner and executive chef Harry Monds, also known as “H2,” said the decision to close came down to finances.
“It’s the times that we’re in right now,” he said. “Economically, product and restaurant costs are skyrocketing. On the flip side, customers are feeling the pinch too. They have to cut something out, and it’s typically something extracurricular like going out to eat.”
While Monds is sad about closing Lula & Sadie’s, he’s proud of what they accomplished since starting out six years ago. Growing up, Monds always knew he wanted to work in the restaurant industry. When the opportunity came around, Monds wanted his business to honor his grandmothers, Lula and Sadie, who sparked his early love for food and cooking.
“I remember telling my grandmother. ‘One day I’m going to own a restaurant,’” he said.
Monds didn’t learn how to cook from a traditional culinary school or a world-renowned chef. Instead, he learned by teaching himself. From serving tables at Pizza Inn to volunteering shifts in the kitchen, Monds wanted to learn everything about the restaurant industry.
Lula & Sadie’s started as a booth at the Durham Food Hall, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared in 2020. Shortly after opening, Lula & Sadie’s was forced to switch to take-out only for a year due to pandemic restrictions.
“That first year was pretty strange,” Monds said.
Three years later, Monds secured a space on Chapel Hill Road, finally realizing his dream of owning his own restaurant. With a new 6,724-square-foot venue, Monds wanted to ensure his space felt welcoming for his customers.
“We didn’t want it to be a sterile or pretentious space,” he said. “We wanted it to seem like home.”
Every Sunday brunch, jazz musicians performed live music. On occasion, Lula & Sadie’s would host community-partnered events, including live painting showcases during dinner. The restaurant also donated meals to those staying at the Ronald McDonald House, a nonprofit that supports families whose children are seriously ill and receiving care at nearby hospitals. Periodically, artists from the Durham Arts Guild would come in to display their artwork around the restaurant.
Wanting to keep Lula & Sadie’s food offerings innovative, Monds created weekly specials. Some dishes, like their fried green tomatoes, became such customer favorites that they ended up on the permanent menu.
On its final Friday dinner service, Lula & Sadie’s was filled with vibrant lantern lights, lively chats among families and friends, and beaming smiles across the room. Customers were having a good time and it felt as if food was always coming out. It was hard to imagine that the restaurant was coming to a close so soon.
Shalonda, a longtime customer, wanted to come out for one more meal before it shut down.
“It was sad to hear because I knew the story behind why the owner started this restaurant, under his grandmother,” she said.
Over the years, Shalonda had grown to adore Lula & Sadie’s, particularly its customer service. She shared with The 9th Street Journal how accommodating the staff has always been.
“In the restaurant business, definitely it’s kind of a gamble sometimes,” she said. “But every time I’ve been here, the service has been really good.”
Dwayne echoed his friend’s sentiment about Lula & Sadie’s welcoming environment.
“At this age, you’re always looking [for] kind-of like a mellow place you can go to have conversations and drink with your friends,” he said.
Monds credits a lot of the business’s success to his oldest son, Harry (also known as “H3”), who cooked alongside him at the restaurant.
“We wouldn’t have this success if he weren’t a part, without a doubt. He’s taken a lot of load off of the operations of this place. He’s vital,” Monds said.
Though Lula & Sadie’s no longer has a brick-and-mortar space, Monds says he and his team hope to launch a catering business so they can continue doing what they love.
“Serving this community over the past six years has been an honor, and we are thankful for every guest who chose to dine with us,” he said. “We look forward to everything our next chapter holds.”
Photo at top: Returning and new customers dining at Lula & Sadie’s on Chapel Hill Road. Photo by James Nguyen — The 9th Street Journal
James Nguyen
