By Tim Gardner
One of the first fast-food chain restaurants ever in Mitchell County has shut down permanently. On Monday, August 28, employees at the Hardee’s Restaurant in Spruce Pine were informed that was the last day of business for that location and offered employment to those employees at other Hardee’s locations.
According to CKE Restaurant Holdings, Inc, Hardee’s parent company, the Spruce Pine restaurant was shut down primarily because of the expiration on the lease on the building, which its officials decided not to renew.
The Spruce Pine Hardee’s was temporarily closed this year following an incident on May 30. The restaurant shut down for one day for a deep cleaning after a juvenile who had eaten there that morning experienced medical issues a few hours later. Later that same day, Spruce Pine Police stopped an off-duty male employee of the Spruce Pine Hardee’s at a traffic stop. The employee, who was on legal parole, had an illegal substance in his possession. Police officers also found a pill bottle that they maintain had been stashed by at least one other employee at the restaurant. Spruce Pine Police officials reported the incident to Hardee’s management and the employees involved were terminated. The restaurant was then completely disinfected.
Town of Spruce Pine Police Chief Kasey Cook told High Country Press
that no narcotic drugs were found in the restaurant by law enforcement authorities.
F.M. Gardner, then Interim Director of the Toe River Health District, which governs the Mitchell County Health Department, released the following statement to High Country Press when the restaurant temporarily closed: “Out of an abundance of caution, the Health Department agreed with the restaurant’s District Manager’s decision to temporarily close this establishment pending a deep cleaning and re-education of employees. The Health Department has been in contact with the NC (North Carolina) Food Protection Branch regarding this matter.”
The Spruce Pine Hardee’s was one of 18 restaurants operated by Mountain Star, LLC (Limited Liability Company), of Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The closure will not affect any other Hardee’s locations. Hardee’s also has restaurants in Newland (Avery County), Boone (Watauga County), and Jefferson (Ashe County), and Burnsville (Yancey County).
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