After closing its doors following the passing of founder chef Michael Shortino, the owners of Lincoln’s Haberdashery are opening a new concept in South End at 1300 South Boulevard, Suite S.
The beloved breakfast and lunch spot opened in early 2018 but closed this week following the passing of Shortino, who opened the first U.S. location of Roka Akor in Scottsdale, Ariz., and he later opened Futo Buta in Charlotte in 2015. Now his daughter, Cassie Shortino, a semifinalist in 2019 and 2020 for the James Beard Award’s Rising Star Chef of the Year honor for her work at Tratto in Phoenix, has taken over and will open a new restaurant in her father’s honor.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share some bittersweet news with you all,” according to an Instagram post on the restaurant’s Instagram page. “After much reflection and consideration, we have decided that this will be the last week of service at our beloved Lincoln’s Haberdashery. As many of you know, Chef Michael Shortino, our Captain, and passionate creator behind the magic here, recently passed away. His culinary talent, creativity, and unwavering dedication have been the cornerstone of this restaurant, and his loss has left an irreplaceable void in our hearts. In his honor and memory, we have decided to embark on a new journey — a restaurant that Chef had been passionately working on before his passing. We will be transforming this space into a new concept that embodies his spirit, creativity, and the culinary legacy he leaves behind.”
While there is no word as to what kind of restaurant Lincoln’s Haberdashery will transform into, co-founder Courtney Estes will continue to work alongside Shortino’s daughter Cassie to provide vision and creativity to the restaurant. Since the news of the restaurant’s closing broke this week, many patrons have expressed sadness about the loss of Lincoln’s Haberdashery but are excited about the new venture.
“Shortino, a 3rd generation chef, was not only a culinary trailblazer but also a beloved member of the hospitality community,” according to a statement from Shortino’s family at the time of his passing. “His passion for food, creativity, and dedication to providing exceptional experiences influenced the teams, friends, and patrons of his restaurants and beyond.”
