Based out of North Myrtle Beach, Outrigger Seafood opened a second location in the Southpark area in 1991. This was during the height of Charlotte Hornets-mania and restaurant (and team) owner George Schinn sought to capitalize on the popularity of his basketball team franchise with the opening of his restaurant.
Outrigger was a combination of several different concepts. It was part beach-themed fish camp--with tons of fried seafood, a salad bar, and (actually very good) hushpuppies. It also featured a fairly-upscale decor with white linens, formal servers, and lots of deep green and wood-tones. They also featured fresh fish (some unique like cobia) prepared in a number of non-fried ways (grilled, broiled, sauteed, poached, blackened).
Though popular at first, the restaurant ultimately failed within a few short years. Causes included its hard-to-find location--it was hidden behind an office park across the street from the mall. Schinn's shameless promotion of the Hornets as a tie-in also didn't help much (see the ad above)-the bar even featured photos of all of the players. Like Schinn and his Hornets, Outrigger Seafood soon became a distant memory for most Charlotteans.
The Outrigger in Myrtle Beach also closed in 2006.
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