[EXCLUSIVE] Simon Finally Says Uncle and Closes Citizens Culinary Market

The Citizens Culinary Market era at Phipps Plaza is over.  The struggling food hall is closing in favor of an independent food hall from Phipps Plaza owner Simon Property Group.  Work to remove Citizens signage from the venue has started, with the mall already marketing the space as "Food Hall at Phipps."  

ToNeTo Atlanta has been vocal from its 2023 debut that the Citizens "culinary market" missed the mark and was destined to fail.  It seems Simon has finally seen enough and opted to ditch its third-party food hall operator in favor of an internal approach.  (The mall operator reportedly discussed other existing food hall operators taking over the venue but ultimately decided to do it themselves.)   

When it opened in April 2023, the market was heralded as essentially the best thing since sliced bread.  

To bring the "foodie playground" to life, Simon partnered with two companies that had themselves partnered on a joint venture operation.  

"C3 (Creating Culinary Communities), the fastest-growing global food tech platform and Legends, the data-intelligence fueled global premium experiences company that specializes in delivering holistic solutions for sports and entertainment organizations and venues, today announced a joint venture to build the world’s premier management business to operate and manage Citizens culinary markets throughout the United States and Europe," read the release announcing the opening.  

"The joint venture will bring two of the world’s leading operators together, combining Legends’ global operations platform used at the world’s leading sports and entertainment venues with C3‘s innovative and award-winning culinary brands and IP technology. The partnership will leverage both companies’ brand cachet, scale and global network of immersive, social and community experiences centered around a mutual appreciation of culinary excellence," the release continued.

The operation opened with Umami Burger, Krispy Rice, Sam’s Crispy Chicken, Sa’Moto, EllaMia, Cicci di Carne, El Pollo Verde, Soom Soom, and a central bar.  Firebelly Wings, a virtual brand, was later added, but seems to have been removed from the restaurant's lineup.   

Today, all of those businesses are closed with some having already been replaced with new concepts. 

Recent additions include Stackhouse Burgers & Shakes from the owners of Mad Dads Philly's and Wasabi Hibachi Sushi & Ramen, while a new eatery called "Lokma Mediterranean Kitchen" is expected to open soon in the former Soom Soom.  The eatery is owned by Huseyin Abdullah Ozden, an entrepreneur also behind Damat Tween at Lenox Square.  Ozden was also previously a business partner at the ill-fated Blue Martini lounge, according to his LinkedIn.  

The addition of Stackhouse is puzzling for two reasons: 1) it's basically the same food as the existing Johnny Rockets in the food court, and 2) it's a completely new brand that does not benefit from awareness or established consumer trust or patronage.  

The new offerings join the aforementioned Mad Dads Philly's as well as Pizza Jeans and Cultivate, with several spaces still empty and up for grabs, and Simon reportedly offering heavily incentivized deals in an effort to fill space.  

The central bar, often the busiest part of the venue, is currently closed with Simon reportedly in talks with a new operator to take over "soon."  

The closure and conversion at Phipps Plaza follows the closure of Citizens Market, a two-level offering at the Brookfield Properties-owned Manhattan West project at Hudson Yards in New York.  The 40,000 square foot, twelve-stall hall, opened in October 2021 and shuttered this past April.  It is now being leased and operated by Brookfield.  

A key component of Citizens that may be a hurdle for some operators to consider opening - even at reduced rent - is the fact that all stalls must work out of a central kitchen for all prep, as the facility was designed for a single operator rather than independent ones, as it has now.       

One of the most frequent complaints about Citizens at Phipps Plaza was that the hours were incredibly inconsistent, with many stalls deciding to close whenever they wanted, often resulting in would-be patrons less and less likely to visit.  

"I’ve been waiting here for 15 minutes, someone told me that the bartender was in the bathroom and then another person told me that it was closed. I’m over it," reads the most recent Google review for the market with an overall 3.6 rating and only 159 reviews in more than two years.  

According to the Phipps Plaza website, all stalls are open 11am until 8pm.  That said, Cultivate, a breakfast and coffee-oriented business, indicates on its website that it's open Monday-Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 10am-4pm, which in reality makes a lot more sense.  

What are your thoughts on the changes at the "food hall" at Phipps Plaza?  What has been your experience at Citizens Market?  Do you think the food hall can be saved?  

Please share your thoughts below.