{"id":3080,"date":"2026-06-23T14:06:42","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T14:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3080"},"modified":"2026-06-23T14:06:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T14:06:42","slug":"longtime-leader-of-raleighs-oldest-restaurant-dies-at-age-68-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3080","title":{"rendered":"Longtime leader of Raleigh\u2019s oldest restaurant dies at age 68"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Paul Dombalis, the longtime leader and owner of Raleigh\u2019s oldest restaurant, died on Thursday, June 18. He was 68.<\/p>\n

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Dombalis was the third-generation owner and operator of The Mecca, the diner-style restaurant that\u2019s been a staple in Raleigh since 1930. The restaurant was founded by his grandparents Nick and Helen Dombalis and then operated by his parents John and Floye.<\/p>\n

Paul Dombalis started working at The Mecca at 11 years old and eventually took it over in 1990, operating it until 2018 when it was sold to downtown Raleigh restaurateur Greg Hatem<\/a>. After selling the restaurant, Paul retired to Kure Beach, his family said.<\/p>\n

Dombalis\u2019 death was announced in an obituary by his family<\/a>. No cause of death was shared.<\/p>\n

When your family restaurant is a centerpiece of Downtown Raleigh, the city blocks become your playground. Growing up, the Dombalis children Mary, Nick and Paul knew the downtown streets like they were family, walking to school, getting high vantage points for the Christmas parades.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were downtown Raleigh natives; downtown was our home and The Mecca was home base,\u201d Paul\u2019s sister Mary Dombalis Winstead said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n

And when your family runs a restaurant, your childhood is often centered in its dining room and kitchen. For Paul, the restaurant always seemed like a higher calling, Mary said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was innate,\u201d Mary said of Paul Dombalis\u2019 connection to The Mecca. \u201cThere was something about the restaurant. We would have our birthday parties at The Mecca, we loved being on those stools at the red counter.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is no more iconic Raleigh restaurant than The Mecca, which spent decades hosting and feeding the city\u2019s lawmakers, judges and downtown workers.<\/p>\n

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Paul Dombalis grew up in the restaurant, first operating the two-story dumbwaiter. At 20, he started working in his parents\u2019 restaurant full-time and a decade or so later took it over himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was just so proud of the family and working in the restaurant,\u201d his son John Paul Dombalis said in a phone interview. \u201cHe valued consistency, he didn\u2019t even like to close for a hurricane.\u201d<\/p>\n

As its steward, Paul Dombalis added beloved dishes like San Francisco Chicken, a baked broccoli dish, and lasagna.<\/p>\n

Current Mecca owner Greg Hatem said that the storied restaurant can be particularly proud of the Paul Dombalis era.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul was one of the kindest and hardest working people I\u2019ve ever known,\u201d Hatem said. \u201cHe was the heart and soul of The Mecca restaurant the last 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since John Dombalis died in 2002, Paul worked alongside his mother Floye for years, crediting her with the restaurant\u2019s bookkeeping while he ran the kitchen. The pair were a popular fixture in the restaurant, greeting the steady flow of customers and regulars nestled in the booths and barstools. Floye Dombalis died in 2023<\/a> at age 96.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul\u2019s legacy lives on in the countless meals shared at The Mecca, the genuine friendships formed across its lunch counter, and the enduring example he set through a lifetime of service and remarkable chapter in Raleigh\u2019s history,\u201d the Dombalis family said in an obituary. \u201cHis family is eternally grateful for his selflessness and devotion as he kept the restaurant running.\u201d<\/p>\n

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 2:40 PM.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Paul Dombalis, third-generation owner of The Mecca in Raleigh, died at 68. 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