Tornado-Damaged Restaurant Reopening Soon At New Location In Anne Arundel County

EDGEWATER, MD — A restaurant damaged last year in the Annapolis tornado will reopen soon. The Greek eatery, named Chris's Charcoal Pit, will relocate to Edgewater.

The business has not yet announced a targeted opening date, but the establishment said it will be located at 3283 Solomons Island Road. Eye On Annapolis said Hong Kong Buffet used to occupy this space, which is part of The Market South River Colony shopping center.

Chris's Charcoal Pit announced the news on its website. Eye On Annapolis was the first to report the story on Wednesday.

"Dear customers, friends and neighbors, we are glad to announce that we have found a new location and are working hard to re-open as soon as possible! We will post updates as soon as possible," Chris's Charcoal Pit said on its website. "Thanks for all the support and we look forward to serving you again soon!"

Chris's Charcoal Pit has been in business for more than 40 years. The restaurant was an Annapolis staple at its previous location of 1946 West St.

That all changed when a tornado spawned from Tropical Depression Ida on Sept. 1, 2021. The twister battered Annapolis and Edgewater, especially along West Street in the state capital.

Related: Tornado Can Shake Store, But Not Determination Of Business Owner

The 125 mph winds earned the tornado a rating of EF-2. The twister trekked 11.5 miles with a maximum width of 200 yards during the 22 minutes that it was on the ground.

The barrage caused 3,924 power outages in Anne Arundel County. The storm also displaced 38 Annapolis residents, the city said a day after the tornado. The town later announced that Ida left:

• 5 buildings destroyed
• 25 condemned
• 29 with major damage
• 46 with minor damage

Marylanders rallied around the victims with fundraisers and recovery grants.

Related: Anne Arundel Tornado Victims Now Eligible For Grants From MD

One GoFundMe has collected over $33,000 for Chris's Charcoal Pit, exceeding the original goal of $25,000.

Annapolis resident Jeanne Poole launched the fundraiser the day after the twister. The money will help restaurant Owner Stavroulla Herodotou and her workers.

More than 500 people have donated so far.

"It will take time to rebuild, and, in the meantime, we are setting up a fund to support and provide lost income to their loyal and longtime kitchen staff," Poole wrote on the listing. "When I reached out to their owners, their SOLE concern was their wonderful staff."

Residents and customers can still contribute to the fundraiser at this link.

Customers can learn more about the eatery by visiting chrischarcoalpit.com.

Related: Annapolis Tornado Leaves Businesses, Locals In Need Of Donations

Editor's Note: GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.