Okra's Cajun Creole, a landmark restaurant in Old Town Manassas, will close at its current location at the end of the year.
Owner Charles Gilliam posted a Facebook video on Monday announcing the news, saying the business has "opportunities to live on in other ways and other places."
Gilliam didn't say exactly why the popular restaurant at 9110 Center St. is closing and couldn't immediately be reached for comment. He said he hasn't yet decided what Okra's future will be.
Okra's opened on Oct. 2, 1998 and "it became my everything," said Gilliam, current chair-elect of Leadership Prince William and an active member of several local business and community organizations.
"We opened the streets to parties and festivals that opened the doors to the lively entertainment Manassas enjoys today," Gilliam said, calling the restaurant the "epitome of a powerhouse business that changed the face of our community."
"I have had more fun than anyone should be allowed to have," he said. "There’s nothing more I could hope to achieve in a restaurant business."
(1) comment
Really sorry to hear this. Best wishes to Gilliam and staff.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.