Greensboro, North Carolina
A Good Time Since 1935
For nearly nine decades, Ham's Restaurant was woven into the fabric of Greensboro, North Carolina. What began in 1935 as a humble curb-service deli on Friendly Avenue grew into a beloved chain of more than 20 restaurants stretching across the Tar Heel State and into Virginia. It was where Grimsley High students rushed for lunch, where UNCG kids gathered on weekends, where dads took their families before Scout meetings, and where live music filled the Triad on countless evenings. This website is a tribute to that legacy.
In 1935, a man named Newmer Ham opened a small restaurant at 201 North Smyres Place, just off West Friendly Avenue in Greensboro. The original Ham's offered curb service, kosher meats, and deli-style take-out food. It was simple, unpretentious, and perfectly located — sitting within easy reach of both Grimsley High School and what would become the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Ham's quickly became a gathering place for young and old alike. Students would race out of school to grab lunch there. Families came for the homestyle food. The restaurant's accessibility and welcoming atmosphere made it a neighborhood institution almost overnight.
In the 1940s, Al Freiberg and Carl Herbst took over the restaurant from Newmer Ham. Under the Freiberg family's stewardship, Ham's continued to evolve — transitioning from a simple deli into a wine-and-cheese spot, and eventually becoming one of Greensboro's early establishments to sell liquor by the drink. Al Freiberg was remembered by longtime patrons as a generous man who always gave customers extra food. The Freiberg family ran Ham's for four decades, building a deep well of community goodwill and loyalty.
Newmer Ham opened the doors in 1935. Al Freiberg and Carl Herbst took it over in the 1940s, running a beloved neighborhood deli for four decades. The building at 201 Smyres Place — constructed in 1953 — became the heart of the operation. With curb service, kosher meats, hand-cut fries, and a jukebox that never stopped, the original Ham's became the place where Grimsley students, UNCG kids, and Greensboro families all crossed paths.
When 24-year-old Charlie Erwin purchased Ham's in 1984, he had never worked in a restaurant. Other Greensboro restaurateurs predicted failure. Instead, Erwin threw himself into the work — flipping burgers, busing tables, cleaning bathrooms, and logging 14-hour days, seven days a week. Within a year, business was booming. He opened a second location in High Point, then a third in Chapel Hill, and kept building. By the late 1990s, Erwin owned or co-owned 28 restaurants grossing over $30 million annually. The Ham's chain alone expanded to more than 20 locations across North Carolina and Virginia, and began franchising in 2004. Erwin's other ventures included Tijuana Fats, Dolley's, Blue Marlin, and several Golden Corral steakhouses.
After Ham's filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009, local nightclub owner Rocky Scarfone purchased nine remaining locations at auction for $360,000 in August 2010. Developer Marty Kotis acquired the original Friendly Avenue building separately. Scarfone worked to revive the brand, but locations gradually closed as the restaurant industry faced mounting challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic and severe staffing shortages delivered the final blow. In July 2022, the last Ham's — at the Palladium in High Point — closed permanently, ending an 87-year legacy.
"A Good Time Since 1935"
— The Famous Ham's Tagline, Painted on the Original Building
A small curb-service deli opens at 201 North Smyres Place off West Friendly Avenue in Greensboro, NC, offering kosher meats and take-out food.
The restaurant changes hands. Under the Freiberg family, Ham's evolves from a simple deli into a more complete dining establishment and beloved community fixture.
The familiar brick building on Friendly Avenue that most Greensboro residents remember is built, replacing or expanding the original structure.
A 24-year-old with zero restaurant experience buys the restaurant from the Freiberg family. Despite skepticism from other local restaurateurs, Erwin's relentless work ethic turns the business around within a year.
Erwin opens locations in High Point, Chapel Hill, and beyond. The chain grows to more than a dozen company-owned locations in NC and Virginia, becoming known for homemade chips, burgers, live music, karaoke, and NTN trivia.
Erwin now owns or co-owns 28 restaurants of various types — including Ham's, Tijuana Fats, Dolley's, Blue Marlin, and Golden Corral franchises — with annual revenues exceeding $30 million.
Erwin begins offering Ham's franchises, eventually growing to about seven franchised locations in addition to 14 company-owned restaurants.
A celebration is held at the original Friendly Avenue location. At this point, there are 18 company-owned restaurants and one franchise.
Ham's Restaurants Inc. files for bankruptcy. The company owes $1.7 million to the IRS and nearly $816,000 to the NC Department of Revenue. Burlington and Kinston locations close immediately.
Greensboro restaurateur and nightclub owner Rocco Scarfone purchases nine remaining Ham's locations at bankruptcy auction for $360,000. Developer Marty Kotis acquires the original Friendly Avenue building separately. The original location closes permanently.
Despite Scarfone's efforts to revive the brand — including opening new locations in downtown Greensboro and Winston-Salem — restaurants continue to close. By the end of the decade, only a handful remain.
The New Garden Road location — the last Ham's in Greensboro — closes when the owner is unable to obtain a lease extension with agreeable terms.
In July, the last Ham's American Bar & Grille at the Palladium in High Point closes permanently, citing COVID financial hardship and inadequate staffing. After 87 years, the Ham's era comes to an end.
Opened the original Ham's Restaurant on Friendly Avenue, offering curb service and deli-style food. His vision created the foundation for what would become one of the Triad's most enduring dining institutions.
Along with Carl Herbst, took over Ham's in the 1940s. Freiberg was remembered as generous and kind, running the restaurant for four decades and building deep community loyalty. His widow Minna expressed heartbreak when the original location eventually closed.
Bought Ham's at age 24 with no restaurant experience. Through sheer determination and tireless work, he turned one deli into a regional empire of more than 20 Ham's locations and 28 total restaurants. A true Greensboro success story.
A Greensboro nightclub and restaurant owner who purchased the Ham's chain out of bankruptcy for $360,000. He fought to keep the brand alive through challenging economic conditions, ultimately closing the last location in 2022. He still holds the Ham's trademark.
"I can't say they had better music, a better jukebox or anything like that. It was just something about it. It felt like a family."
— Cindi Glaros, former server & bartender, 1980s"I used to go to Ham's like all the time with my parents growing up and once I got older I would go and get drinks with my friends."
— Jazmine Hedgepeth, Greensboro native"There was always just a mad rush out of the school to get to Ham's."
— Sidney Gray, Greensboro, who ate there in high school"We all have different memories of Ham's."
— Marty Kotis, developer, who grew up nearbyHam's was known for its homemade chips, hand-cut fries big enough to eat like a baked potato, live music, karaoke, NTN trivia, and a Clydesdale beer wagon mural that became an icon. Model trains once ran around the interior of the original building.
"Ham's has been a tradition in the Triad since 1935 and known for its great food, drinks & entertainment. Whether it was to have a drink after work, sing karaoke, celebrate an event, listen to your favorite band or enjoy your favorite sporting event — Ham's was Always A Good Time."
— Ham's Final Farewell Statement, July 2022
The following articles and sources were used in compiling this history. Click any card to read the original reporting.
A look back at the memories, the people, and what the original Friendly Avenue location meant to the community.
Read Article →A profile of the young entrepreneur who bought Ham's at 24 with no restaurant experience and built a $30 million food empire.
Read Article →Celebrating seven decades at the original Friendly Avenue location in 2005, with insights from Ham's COO Steven Stern.
Read Article →The emotional final days of the original Friendly Avenue location, with recollections from longtime patrons and the Freiberg family.
Read Article →Reporting on the 2009 bankruptcy filing, the company's debts, and the impact on more than 1,000 employees.
Read Article →Rocky Scarfone's plans after buying the chain at bankruptcy auction for $360,000 in 2010.
Read Article →The closing of the final Ham's at the Palladium in High Point in July 2022.
Read Article →Developer Marty Kotis announces plans for The Mad Hatter restaurant at the original Ham's location on Friendly Avenue.
Read Article →Local news coverage of the final closure, including reactions from Greensboro residents who grew up with Ham's.
Read Article →FOX8's reporting on the final closure, including Ham's farewell statement to the community.
Read Article →Coverage of one of the later closures under Rocky Scarfone's ownership.
Read Article →The encyclopedia entry on the Ham's restaurant chain and its history.
Read Article →A photograph of the original Ham's building on Friendly Avenue, with historical notes about the restaurant.
View Photo →