Erica Jackson reports in this week’s City Paper:
A few days after enjoying their most successful week since opening 18 months ago, Daniel Island eatery Arlaana closed its doors for good. Co-owner Arlaana Black described the scene as almost funereal on Thursday, as loyal patrons stopped by to pay their respects, sometimes tearfully.
“We were like a plane on the runway,” she says. “We just couldn’t take off. We ran out of fuel.” Despite great reviews from local media and foodies, Black cites financial issues and the still-slow Daniel Island scene as the nail in the coffin. Black and co-owner (and husband) Chuck plan to return to their previous careers as teachers.
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After calling Culinary Art Co. in Mt. Pleasant and hearing that the phone had been disconnected, we investigated further and found the former restaurant with a big “for rent” sign on the front window, the inside scattered with just a few vestiges of its former brightness.
We couldn’t get in touch with owner/chef Tim McCusker or his wife, but we’re assuming the restaurant fell prey to the same problem as Arlaana — critical acclaim is only worth so much.
