Catfish Parlor is closing its original location after 48 years of serving catfish and coleslaw to the community.
Located at 11910 Research Blvd., the seafood restaurant’s last day in operation will be Nov. 6. After opening the original restaurant in 1973, owner David Kerbow went on to open two other locations in Georgetown and South Austin. Being a family-owned business, his son Chris Kerbow is the owner of the Georgetown location.
His father owns the building and the land and wishes to sell the property so he can retire, Chris Kerbow said. With a building that is almost 50 years old, it would be costly to remodel to continue operations, Kerbow said.
“It’s a combination of my dad’s age and the age of the building,” Chris Kerbow said. “It’s a tough time for restaurants. It’s really hard to find help; food costs are high; and real estate values are high; so it’s kind of like the perfect storm.”
Although the original location is closing, the two remaining locations will remain open. Decorations from the first location will be moved to the Georgetown location to preserve the original experience, Chris Kerbow said. Equipment and employees will also be transferred to the other locations, Chris Kerbow said.
“It’s just kind of a bittersweet event for our families and employees,” Chris Kerbow said. “But my dad’s career has been amazing. You know the family legacy will live on here in Georgetown and South Austin. We’re just happy that we’ve served millions and millions of people over the years.”