What’s next for Burgaw as “Own Your Own Restaurant” winner backs out of deal?

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — Months after beating out more than 500 other competitors, the winner of the “Own Your Own Restaurant” competition, Karoline Schwartz, has backed out of the deal.

Schwartz, who is from Tabernash, Colorado, was named as the winner back in October.

As the winner, she would have been given a budget of $1 million to design and operate a restaurant in Burgaw.

But Schwartz has changed her mind about the deal, which has left “Own Your Own” organizer Richard Johnson working on a Plan B.

Johnson said despite the setback, he is still excited to bring another restaurant to Burgaw.

“So we’re full steam ahead,” Johnson said. “We want to design this space and we want to start construction on it. We’ve been working with some of the chefs to come up with a new theme and we feel like we have it. And we also are going to be opening a deli.”

Johnson’s goal is to bring more food options to Burgaw and he has done so by helping to open Fat Daddy’s Pizza and Burgaw Brewing.

Emmaline Kozak, one of the owners of Burgaw Brewing, served as a judge for “Own Your Own” and said two more restaurants will do just that.

“I think that the new restaurant will help Burgaw in the way that we’ll become a food hub, we’ll become a destination,” Kozak said. “you know, we have great shops here, we have great things to do. But you know, there’s not a huge draw for people to come from out of town, unfortunately. We’re just a bit off the map and I think adding more restaurants, adding more shops and things like that will kind of create a destination for us.”

WWAY has reached out to Schwartz and is waiting to hear back.

Johnson said he’s currently in talks with several of the other top 6 finalists to see if they would take over the restaurant and run the deli.

An official announcement is expected on March 15th.