Top Stories of 2023: Tragedy, and Resilience, for Med Deli and Classic Carolina

Posted Dec 29, 2023
Tragedy hit Chapel Hill’s downtown business community multiple times in 2023. In July, a massive fire destroyed Mediterranean Deli and caused major damage to several nearby businesses — then in September, a family-run apparel store on Franklin Street, Classic Carolina, was devastated by the deaths of the two co-owners, father and son. (Chapelboro.com)

Related: Campus Connections

Best-selling novelist, UNC alum Sarah Dessen reflects on her ‘Change of Plans’
At Carolina, Sarah Dessen initially chose psychology as her major. But after she took a creative writing class with the late Doris Betts, she was...
Wed Jul 29, 2026

A guide to Chapel Hill's vibrant music scene
Some of my favorite memories at Chapel Hill have taken place in loud rooms lit by colorful stage lights. Listening to live music with friends...
Tue Jul 28, 2026

The Delicious Legacy of Chapel Hill’s Favorite BLT
Perched just off Highway 15-501 in Chapel Hill, NC, the old-school breakfast and lunch joint Merritt’s Grill serves such comforting Southern classics as pulled pork...
Mon Jul 27, 2026

UNC students gather to remember James Cates Jr. 55 years after his murder: 'A 22-year-old like us'
When students are walking to and from their classes every day, they can find a plaque located by the Pit and beside the Undergraduate Library...
Sun Jul 26, 2026