While the new year has just begun, the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce is already set for its first ribbon-cutting ceremony of 2024.
The event, scheduled for the afternoon of January 3rd, celebrates the Rosebriar restaurant’s first anniversary under its new ownership.
For nearly 40 years, the Rosebriar has been in business as a local eatery serving the county, specializing in sandwiches, burgers and — most notably — a wide selection of homemade pies. Rosebriar’s pie menu includes traditional favorites such as coconut custard, strawberry custard, banana split, almond joy, chocolate silk and German chocolate.
At the end of 2022, Albemarle resident and former Rosebriar owner Gail Burris announced her retirement in a social media post, stating that Wes and Melissa Eudy would be purchasing the restaurant as it continued under their new ownership as of Jan. 3, 2023.
As fans of the restaurant after eating there many times, the Eudys were natural successors to the Burris’ ownership period.
“It is bittersweet, as I am leaving my baby the Rosebriar after 35 years,” Burris wrote. “I will miss all my customers who have become friends and family, but I am blessed beyond measure to turn it over to Melissa and Wes Eudy, who will love and cherish it and continue what Alan and I have built. They have the heart to go forward and make it better yet.”
One year later, the Rosebriar is flourishing under its new owners as it takes some of its services to new and unprecedented heights, especially in the pie-making category.
Last month, Atrium Health Stanly used a grant from the Stanly Health Foundation to purchase 644 pies from Rosebriar, distributing the desserts to employees as a token of gratitude during the holiday season.
During one week in late December, Rosebriar’s staff made over 800 pies, more than double their previous weekly record.
“There are literally pies from the floor to the ceiling, everywhere. We’ve even got them stuck in nooks and crannies,” Melissa Eudy said in a video message on Dec. 21, documenting the process that led to the pie-making frenzy. “I do this because I have some amazing support from our staff. It was absolutely amazing to watch…The real heroes here are the nurse leadership team at the hospital that reached out and asked us to do this. We are so grateful for what the hospital staff does every day and grateful that they let us be a part of recognizing and appreciating all those employees.”
Catering menus and private room reservations for the Rosebriar, located at 528 Wiscassett Street, can be found at RosebriarAlbemarle.com.