Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Sage Hill Cafe Taking An Extended Holiday?

Sage Hill Cafe, located at the corner of Clifton and Briarcliff Roads near Emory University, is [temporarily] closed. Multiple signs are posted on the inside of the space (facing out) and although they are somewhat obstructed, the gist is that the restaurant is closed for "large remodel" and will "reopen after the new year" and that they "thank you for your business." The thanking of customers for business makes me think that they are gone for good, and no remodel will occur. Additionally, there is a large "For Lease" sign in the front of the building that seems to suggest that the business is closed for good. I'm not sure when the leasing or remodeling signs went up, but I believe that it was recent.

With friends at Emory and at nearby Ben Franklin Academy, I had heard that the cafe had become a relatively popular lunch spot. The cafe offered affordably priced "home cooking" featuring southern favorites like fried chicken and collard greens in a no frills atmosphere.

Sage Hill Cafe opened September 2009, about five months after Dusty's Barbecue closed in the same space. Dusty's had been a neighborhood institution for 27 years and its closure was a shock to many. Later details emerged that Dusty's longtime owner Linda Thompson had committed suicide. All in all, a very sad situation.

Honestly I don't get the whole act of "closed for renovations" or "closed for remodel." If you are closed for good, why not just say it? Downtown, Yoeshi and sister concept One Cafe Blanc both were reportedly "temporarily closed" over the summer before reopening a short time later and then permanently closing last month. While I've seen enough examples to detect a permanent closure, perhaps other frequent guests are not as aware and remain hopeful of a reopening. With all due respect, it's not certain that they are closed, but I think the writing is on the wall.

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5 comments:

SB said...

I live just around the corner and noticed the For Lease sign early last week. That led to my wife and I speculating on what would succeed in that spot and whether it'd be best to consider scraping it and letting a national chain build their own place.

Anonymous said...

My guess for the "closed for remodeling" act is that the owner just doesn't want to admit that the place is closed for good and is holding out hope that he can raise funds and re-open. I've never owned a restaurant, but it has to be heart-breaking to pour your money, time, and hard work into one, only to have to shut the doors.

The Anti-Gnostic said...

Sad, considering the site's tragic history.

Katy said...

Pig N Chik is moving into this space!

Anonymous said...

Knew this concept wouldn't work. Dusty's was some of the worst bbq in town and am so glad they closed. Now if Pig n' Chik moves in, that will be a winner.

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