After closing in March, 42nd Street Oyster Bar will reopen in February with a new ownership group, including longtime general manager, Hunter Correll. According to Raleigh Magazine, Correll purchased the property outright from landlord John F. Holmes Jr. Rumors started swirling this past August after sources hinted at a reopening.

Originally opened in the 1930s, The Angus Barn's Thad Eure Jr. officially launched the restaurant in 1987. Correll has been with the oyster bar since 1996 and is now part of the new business entity 42nd Street Partners LLC, which was formed in June.

We want to reminisce on our reader's memories when we shell-ebrated this local icon back in March. If you have your own 42nd Street story you'd like to share, fill out our online form, and you might see it in a future edition of RALtoday.

"Almost 20 years of date nights — the only place we never took our kids!" — Reader Gayle D.

"I worked there for 20 years. Met so many great people there! Many friendships formed from there, and I will never forget all the great memories. 42nd will certainly be missed!!" — Suzette S. via Instagram

"My husband of 30 years and I had our first date (a blind date!) at 42nd Street Oyster Bar. We still laugh about there almost not being a second date because he mansplained the beer list." — Anonymous RALtoday reader

"My dad would take me and my older brother on nights when my mom, who isn’t a fan of seafood, had other plans. We’d always sit at the oyster bar, sharing a peck of oysters and a pound of shrimp. Dad, being from Raleigh, would often point out the various Raleigh characters on the painted wall. Going to miss it!" - Caroline K. via Instagram

"Our family has been coming to 42nd Street for about 25 years. We have celebrated many birthdays, anniversaries, birth of a grandchild, and even college graduations. We frequently have out-of-town guests, and this is our usual spot to bring them. We have just one more chance next week to enjoy a family meal at our favorite restaurant. This will truly be a sad day for all of us." — Reader Janet G.

Is someone cutting onions in here? Read more fond memories from 42nd Street on our Instagram page and continue sharing your own before it shuts its doors this weekend. Psst... we've got a couple more local spots for oysters on the half shell.