When the husband-and-wife team of Matthew Walker and Jennifer Concklin open three10 this month, the pair hopes to bring something new and fresh with a modern Southern menu to Wilmington.
 
The pair first started making plans for a restaurant back in 2018, and now three years later, it’s finally becoming a reality.
 
“I wanted a more traditional space,” said Concklin, adding that she just wanted a little house to have as an eatery.
 
Her dream came true when they were able to locate a small bungalow in Wilmington that was going to be torn down. With help from the Historic Wilmington Foundation, the space that diners will soon eat in is that bungalow house. Concklin and Walker have added on to the back for a kitchen space.
 
“I love the original part of this space. The bungalow is our dining room, and the new part is our kitchen,” she said.
 
The restaurant’s name three10 comes from the bungalow’s original location, 310 Bladen St. Dating to the 1920s, the house was moved to the current 1022 N. Fourth St. site and underwent renovations.
 
Concklin said she had one main theme in mind when restoring the space.
 
“I wanted it to feel like you were going to your grandma’s house on Sunday after church. That brings a comfort to me, and I want everyone who comes here to feel that comfort,” she said.
 
While she will serve at the front of the house, Walker, who hails from Florence will serve as chef. With a long history in restaurant kitchens across the country, Walker and Concklin feel very at home in Wilmington.
 
The menu will include items such as smoked bluefish spread with rye crackers and North Carolina white shrimp with risotto. Walker plans to incorporate seasonal, local products as much as possible to keep items on the menu new and fresh.
 
On their website, they describe the menu as modern seafood dishes “highlighting traditional ingredients of the coastal and low country Carolinas along with updated classic cocktails.”
 
“We are so thrilled to be a new restaurant opening in the Brooklyn area, and we already have a historic place here,” Concklin said. “We want to honor the heritage of the building and bring comfort and good food to people who come dine here.”