R.O.’s Bar-B-Cue, a 79-year staple in Gastonia, announced it will close its restaurant on Dec. 27, marking the end of one of the region’s most iconic family-owned eateries. The decision, owners said, came after “current and sustained economic factors” made continued operations impossible.
The restaurant opened in 1946 about a mile from downtown Gastonia and quickly became known for something few barbecue joints could claim — slaw so famous it rivaled the meat itself. The recipe, created by co-founder Pearl Black in the 1940s and originally grated by hand in her kitchen, has remained unchanged for decades.
Generations of families made R.O.’s part of their traditions, and the news of the closure spread quickly through Gaston County. One longtime customer said she “wanted to cry,” calling R.O.’s a true local landmark and a gathering place tied to countless memories…