The Open Hearth will close its doors after 63 years in Greenville.
Opened in 1959, the restaurant owned by Jimmy and Paula Starr Melehes will end its run at the end of June.
There is no word yet on whether it will be replaced or taken over by a new operator.
Named for the open charcoal grill on which steaks are cooked, the white-tablecloth, fine-dining restaurant has been serving Greenville for generations, according to Jimmy Melehes.
“The mainstay is our customers,” he told the Greenville Journal in 2019. “We have a very loyal clientele. I would say probably 65% of our business is regulars. I’ve been seeing a lot of third-generation families coming in. We’ve had people come in who had their rehearsal dinner here 50 years ago.”
The restaurant has long been known for its dining room, which was intentionally designed to be quiet, from the carpeted floors to the sound-absorbent tiles in the ceiling. The service is equally intentional, from greeting customers by name at the door to the fresh-cut flowers on the tables.
Ultimately, Jimmy Melehes credited The Open Hearth’s longevity to his family’s dedication.
“I think our biggest success is that we’re family-owned and operated,” he said. “There’s somebody from the family here all the time. Always has been.”
Want to dine at The Open Hearth before it closes?
The restaurant is located at 2801 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Taylors.
The menu includes favorites like tenderloin medallions with reduced demi-glaze, South Carolina fried chicken with honey, lump crab cakes, bacon-wrapped filet mignon and more.
Hours
Tuesdays through Saturdays 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
