Could 42nd Street Oyster Bar return? Signs of a revival, courtesy of Elton John
A cryptic social media post could hint at the return of a lost Raleigh restaurant legend.
42nd Street Oyster Bar closed in late March after nearly 40 years in business, ending a chapter as one of Raleigh’s most iconic restaurants.
On Wednesday, many Triangle fans found a social media clue that could spell a revival for 42nd Street. After weeks of mostly silence on its Facebook page, 42nd Street posted a black and white photo of its familiar entrance and original neon sign. The Elton John song “I’m Still Standing” played over the image.
Does this mean a comeback is in the works? We’re still working to find out for sure.
Angus Barn co-founder Thad Eure originated 42nd Street Oyster Bar, and longtime managers Brad Hurley and John Vick owned it for almost all of its nearly four decade run. Hurley and Vick announced in March that the restaurant would close, saying a long-term lease could not be worked out, choosing retirement instead.
The 508 W. Jones Street property is owned by Hobby Family LLC, whose owner John Holmes has a history with prominent restaurant projects. Holmes also owns the Franklin Street building that has seen three different iterations of the Standard restaurant brand, today operating as Standard Beer + Food.
In June, Holmes created a new corporation called 42nd Street Partners LLC, according to state corporate filings.
Reached by phone Wednesday, Holmes declined to comment on the rumors of a 42nd Street revival. Hurley and Vick did not respond to requests for comment.
The possible return of 42nd Street was first reported by Triangle Business Journal.
In the weeks after its closing announcement, 42nd Street opened each night with a line out the door as thousands of diners made the pilgrimage for one more meal at the famed bar.
Though the restaurant has been closed for months, the brand has lived on in merch sold online. The items, pint glasses and hoodies, seemed to be souvenirs to a lost piece of Raleigh history, but may serve as a bridge between eras.
Before it was the 42nd Street Oyster Bar we’ve known for a generation, there was an original 42nd Street Oyster Bar, a tiny oyster and beer house on the same property, a grocery store and a ramshackle tavern, operating in one form or another for nearly a century.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Could 42nd Street Oyster Bar return? Signs of a revival, courtesy of Elton John."
