Arline's Grill closes, but owner finds landing spot James York doesn't mince words about the closure of Arline's Grill, the Union Road diner he poured six years of his life into. "It's heartbreaking. It's gut wrenching," York said Thursday. "It's like losing a piece of yourself." York announced the closure on Arline's Grill on New Year's Eve after struggling for months to find a way to keep the lights on at the little eatery he'd owned since 2016. Like restaurants across the state, Arline's shuttered for two months between March and May as Gov. Roy Cooper slapped pandemic restrictions on businesses large and small. Arline's reopened over the summer but was soon hit with large unexpected costs when one of the diner's coolers failed.