Monday, November 11, 2013

Canyons Burger Company Hits Bottom in Brookhaven

Canyon's calls it quits in Brookhaven.


Woodstock-based Canyons Burger Company has closed its Brookhaven location. The casual burger eatery was on my DeathWatch earlier this year, and actually lasted a few months longer than I'd predicted.  The restaurant, located in Cherokee Plaza, closed after business on Friday, and by early Saturday afternoon, all exterior signage had been removed and paper covered the windows.  Notices on the restaurant's door claimed they were "moving" and encouraged you to visit their Woodstock location. (I might be crazy, but even if I did like Canyons, to think I'm gonna drive to Woodstock is laughable.)

Canyons tagline "Eat Well. Play Hard. Live Fresh." was meant to differentiate its brand from other "better burger" concepts with its kayak and other outdoor props within the restaurant working to tie the restaurant to a healthy lifestyle.

Canyons was started by former Moe's franchisees in 2008 who wisely cashed out and sold their then two-unit concept to  David Kim of Baja Fresh (and other investors) in 2009.  Kim  spearheaded an effort to grow Canyon's by partnering it with the established Baja Fresh brand and opened dual branded locations dubbed "Baja Fresh Canyons Burger."  The first of the dual branded locations was franchised and opened in Bozeman, Montana in July 2010.  A second location opened in Great Falls, Montana in December 2011, but by late August 2010, it was closed.

Today , the chain consists of four locations in four states, with local intel in D.C. suggesting that location may be next to close.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Their manager has said they are moving to a new location. I wouldn't be so quick to assume they are closing altogether.

Anonymous said...

Sad. I just moved from Brookhaven to Buckhead. We would stop in there pretty often. It was good food and reasonable priced.

SB said...

I'm surprised by this. I've stopped there several times before softball games nearby. Most recently ~2 months ago it was 100% full at 6:30pm almost entirely with kids and their parents. Seemed like they were hitting the target demographic perfectly.

Like Anon said above, I do wonder if this is a business decision to move to cheaper rent. Weingarten is finishing up the Kroger expansion and in that process they pushed our an Asian restaurant, the nathans/brusters outparcels, and post office. They are overflowing with potential tenants and probably want to push rents big time.

Willy's is coming into the Elwood's space and not sure what is happening with the former running store (they moved to Town B) but I bet a high rent tenant as well. Maybe Canyon's space and the Peach running store space will be combined for a tenant Weingarten already has lined up.

Anonymous said...

Too bad really. Pretty decent burger, good kids menu and specials. Hopefully they do find a new space in the area. But I also agree with the above comment.... with the Kroger remodel that center has much more potential than ever. Classic case of Town B arriving and Cherokee Center having to "keep up with the Jones".

Anonymous said...

We went to Canyons Burger today for lunch and were shocked it was closed. The place was always busy the food was good and the staff was nice. We are going to miss Canyons Burger and I am sure many of the others will too.

Anonymous said...

"we are moving"....

Insult to intelligence

Anonymous said...

This place closed without any warning to their employees. That should say enough about the calibre of people who own this place. Glad they are out of my neighborhood. Stay in Woodstock, I never go there anyway. Your burgers were sub-par and overpriced. Run by jerks.

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