Emily Betz wasn’t looking to sell her 5-year-old restaurant, Shelburne’s Bistro Sauce, but when Charlotte couple John and Carolyn Kovac and their business partner Jennifer Sinclair approached her about buying it, she decided to consider the possibility. “It took me a long time to decide if it was something I wanted to do,” says Betz, who spent months considering the offer before opting to sell.

Sauce will serve its last meals on Thursday, October 28. The Kovacs hope to open the doors to their new restaurant — which Betz describes in an email as “a new casual dining experience with a ‘twist,’ in a relaxing and rustic environment” — in early December.

What will Betz do with her newfound free time? For now, she plans to spend it with her three young children. “It’s their turn for a bit,” she says. “I’m looking forward to having some time to think about what the next thing is going to be.”