Melt Kitchen & Bar opened its second location on July 15, and a semi-truck accident knocked out power to the businesses around it that same day. The Greensboro News & Record described the result as "a rough first couple of days." The fast timeline is the bigger story. The space at 3606 N. Elm St. had served its last meal as At Elm Street Grill on June 13, so the room sat empty for about a month before a Greensboro owner had it open again.
That handoff set the pattern for the year at the commercial corner closest to Lake Jeanette. Three storefronts changed across Lake Jeanette Commons and North Elm Village in 2026. In the two spaces that had been local operations, the new tenants already run businesses elsewhere in the Triad.
The Room at 3606 N. Elm Had an Open Invitation
At Elm Street Grill ran for 15 years. When owners Ravi Khanna and Chef Ruchi Khanna announced the closing, they told Yes! Weekly that rising costs, changing consumer habits and economic uncertainty had all played a part. They also noted that the restaurant had once ranked No. 3 out of 843 Greensboro restaurants on TripAdvisor, and they thanked guests for years of birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and engagements.
The announcement also said the Khannas would welcome talks with a restaurateur interested in carrying on at the North Elm Street location. That meant the space never had to wait for a long search for a tenant. According to the News & Record, Melt owner Bob Haberer started working to take over the space shortly after the closing was announced in mid-June.
Here is how the year went on both sides of the corner:
- June 13: At Elm Street Grill closes after 15 years at 3606 N. Elm St. in Lake Jeanette Commons.
- July 15: Melt Kitchen & Bar opens at 3606-A N. Elm St., and the power outage hits on day one.
- August: Pita Press is still getting ready, and as of August 16 it had not announced an opening date.
- September 16: Chipotle opens at 303 Pisgah Church Road in North Elm Village.
- September: Pita Press opens next door at 301 Pisgah Church Road, in the former Barberitos space.
What Melt Brings Across Town
Melt has been around since 2015. Its original Greensboro location is at 1941 New Garden Road, so the North Elm site is the first time the business has been on this side of the city. Haberer bought Melt from its original owners in 2021. He also owns two Homeslice Pizza and Subs locations and a food truck. Ron Smith is the operations manager at the North Elm Street location.
The menu centers on paninis and toasted sandwiches, with burgers, salads, tacos and appetizers alongside. Melt's website lists hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Brunch is served on Sundays only.
Haberer pitched the opening as a local business. In the release reported by WFMY News 2, he said:
"We're not a chain, we're your neighbors, and we pour everything we have into every dish we serve."
Across Pisgah Church, the Same Owners Changed the Sign
North Elm Village saw a similar handoff, with no gap at all between operators. Pita Press opened in September at 301 Pisgah Church Road, Suite B102, next to Penn Station East Coast Subs and Epic Chophouse. The space used to be a Barberitos burrito franchise. The News & Record reports that Pita Press owners Audrey and Kyle Hill ran that Barberitos themselves after taking it over from the original franchisee.
In other words, the people behind the counter stayed and the concept changed. The Hills took over the Barberitos about three and a half years ago, and their main business is Hillbuildit Creations, a custom furniture maker in High Point. The new menu is fast-casual Mediterranean: bowls, salads, pitas and wraps, including a Greek salad with falafel.
The One National Arrival
Chipotle is the only national chain among this year's arrivals. It opened next door at 303 Pisgah Church Road on September 16, making it the eighth Chipotle in Greensboro. The North Elm Village store has no drive-thru. Among the city's other locations, the ones at 3227 Battleground Ave., 1404 Four Seasons Station Drive, 6021 W. Gate City Blvd. and 5615 W. Friendly Ave. do. It is open daily from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
So the 2026 lineup runs like this: a Greensboro sandwich shop in the old grill, a High Point couple's Mediterranean concept in the old burrito franchise, and one national chain filling in beside them. The independent storefronts on this corner stayed independent.
The Lakes Run on a Shorter Clock
Those restaurant hours matter more as the season changes, because the outdoor options north of the corner are about to cut back. The City of Greensboro rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards at its three municipal lakes from May 1 to October 31. In October the rental hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lake Brandt is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. As of today, October 12, the rental season has 19 days left.
Lake Jeanette's own marina works differently. The Lake Jeanette Association describes it as a private facility for members and the guests they bring along, so the city lakes are the public option for paddling. Personal canoes and kayaks can launch at Lake Brandt year-round. Fishing is allowed from the pier or a boat, and swimming and wading are not.
These are the city's remaining fall dates near the neighborhood:
| Date | Event | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Oct. 25, 1–4 p.m. | Howl-O-Ween | Country Park, 3905 Nathanael Greene Dr. | Trick-or-treating for dogs and their people, no registration |
| Fri., Oct. 30, 6:30–8:30 p.m. | Trunk or Treat | Craft Recreation Center, 3911 Yanceyville St. | City Parks and Recreation event |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 10 a.m.–noon | Costumes & Kayaks | Lake Brandt | Registration required, children under 13 share a two-person boat with an adult |
| Sat., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.–noon | Pumpkin Smash | Lake Brandt, 5945 Lake Brandt Rd. | No registration required |
Costumes & Kayaks falls on the last day of the rental season. Pumpkin Smash comes a week after the boats are put away.
Two Trail Closures That Outlast the Season
Two closures will still be in place after the lakes quiet down. On the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway, the northern trestle over Lake Brandt has been closed since October 2023. In a February 17, 2026 notice, the City of Greensboro said design began in January 2025 and was nearly 65 percent complete. The city projected that construction would start in fall 2026 and finish in fall 2027. The city's trails page still lists that same fall 2026 to fall 2027 schedule.
At Country Park, the entrance on the Science Center side and the Orman Road lot are closed while the Science Center rebuilds its parking lot. Visitors are directed to park at 3905 Nathanael Greene Drive or 3802 Jaycee Park Drive, bikes are not allowed during construction, and the work is expected to finish by December 2026. The park shuttle is also unavailable for the rest of the 2026 season. Anyone heading to Howl-O-Ween on October 25 should plan on parking at the Nathanael Greene Drive lot, the same address listed for the event.
Here is how the hours compare once the city boats come in on October 31: at the corner of North Elm and Pisgah Church, Melt serves until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Chipotle stays open until 10 every night.
For more on daily life by the water, see our look at Lake Jeanette waterfront and interior homes. If you live near Lake Jeanette and want to talk through what changes like these mean for your own plans, Pam Robbins Real Estate Group is glad to sit down with you. Schedule a consultation whenever it suits you.
