Now, after 30 months of closure, the beloved barbecue restaurant is preparing to reopen in 2026.

Jim Van Landingham, who spent more than five decades eating at King's Barbecue, has been fielding phone calls since the news broke.

"I can tell you this, ever since this news came out, I've had calls from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia Beach, 'Hey, did you hear the news?'" Van Landingham said.

"It's an institution," he said. "A huge positive for the city."

Matt Keeler, who made the difficult decision to close the restaurant 135 weeks ago, is now leading the reopening effort.

"We know what the restaurant means to a lot of people," Keeler said.

The King's Barbecue story began 79 years ago, and the restaurant still has and uses the original doors to the walk-in cooler that have bee

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