The Fifth Quarter Restaurant in Charleston unexpectedly closed its doors this week.
An employee who answered a call from the Gazette-Mail Wednesday morning confirmed that the restaurant had officially closed Tuesday. Charleston's Beni Kedem Temple, located on Quarrier Street next door to Fifth Quarter, owns the property, but the restaurant is owned by David White.
Later in the day, Beni Kedem member Walker Pauley stood at the parking-lot entrance to Fifth Quarter, which had operated at the corner of Quarrier and Clendenin streets, to make sure people weren't using the lot.
Pauley said Beni Kedem members knew Fifth Quarter was closing but were under the impression it would stay open until the end of June.
Pauley said Beni Kedem is in talks with developers that plan to build a hotel on the restaurant site.
"It's not concrete yet, but it's close," Pauley said. "And [White] knew that was coming, so he just decided yesterday to close."
City Manager David Molgaard said he attended a meeting with interested developers earlier this year about the possibility of a hotel on the site.
"It was a very general conversation," Molgaard said. "I think they seemed very receptive and eager to work with us, in terms of site planning and logistics, but the conversation really hasn't gone any further than that."
He added that there also had been discussion about building an enclosed walkway between the hotel and the Civic Center, but "we're too far along in the project to even consider something like that."
Molgaard wouldn't identify the developers.
Beni Kedem recorder Tom Black said around midday Wednesday that there had been "no communication at all" with White about the early closure. The group didn't know Fifth Quarter had closed Wednesday until a reporter called for comment.
A sign taped to the front door Wednesday said "The Fifth Quarter Restaurant is now closed. We appreciate your patronage over the years."
The restaurant, located near the Civic Center, has been owned by White since 2012. He was inside Fifth Quarter on Wednesday when reporters visited, but he refused to speak to the news media.
Black said White leases the property directly from Beni Kedem.
"I wish I could tell you something, but I'm waiting on my attorneys to call," Black said. "They've got money problems over there, so I can't address anything. Once I get advice of lawyers on which avenue we're gonna travel, I'll be more than happy to make a statement."
Pauley said he's noticed that business has been "way down" at Fifth Quarter in recent months.
"Down here at lunchtime, they might have 15 cars," he said. "It used to be packed."
Beni Kedem members on Wednesday were planning to have fencing installed around the Fifth Quarter parking lot, to keep vehicles out, "until we make a decision on what we're going to do," Black said.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.