Ham’s Brewmaster T.L. Adkisson said he was notified Sunday morning by company officials that the casual dining restaurant and Greenville’s only beer-brewing facility was closing its doors immediately. Other staff members were notified of the restaurant closing as they reported to work.

“There was no warning,” Adkisson said. “The company line was that things were fine all the way up until Sunday morning.

“I feel bad for my fellow employees.”

Adkisson, an award-winning brewmaster, said he plans to move to Winston-Salem to become head brewer at Foothills Brewery.

Ham’s is owned and operated by Chelda Inc. of Greensboro. Several calls to the corporate office requesting comment were not returned Tuesday.

The Greenville Ham’s, which opened in the late 1990s in the brick building that formerly housed Wilkerson’s Funeral Home, featured the chain’s only brewery. The local restaurant, popular with college students and city residents alike, also featured a large bar and patio, with karaoke and live entertainment.

A sign on the window of Ham’s front entrance reads, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ham’s Restaurant and Brewhouse is closing for business. We greatly appreciate your patronage throughout the years. You will be missed.”

At lunchtime Tuesday, dozens of cars pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant at the corner of Evans and Eighth streets in downtown Greenville. After walking to the front entrance and reading the sign, the potential diners walked back to their vehicles, many of them shaking their heads to express disbelief, before driving away.

Two large rental trucks were positioned at the rear of the restaurant. From time to time, employees could be seen carrying large stock-pots and other kitchen equipment out of the restaurant and onto one of the trucks.

A request to get a comment from any management on site was denied.

Greensboro businessman Charlie Erwin purchased Ham’s in the mid-1980s and expanded to 14 company-owned locations and seven franchised restaurants in North Carolina and Virginia.

Ham’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Oct. 28, 2009. Since then the company has closed five of its restaurants, including the original location that opened in 1935.