Popular Atlanta craft cookie shop Sugar Shane's closed its shop at Ponce City Market as of December 31. The shop first opened in the market's central food hall in March 2023.
Following its closure at Ponce City Market, Sugar Shane's continues to operate locations on 14th Street near Georgia Tech, on Hammond Drive in Sandy Springs, and on Old Highway 41 in Kennesaw near Kennesaw Mountain.
The locally owned cookie shop recently introduced "cookie tins" which can be shipped nationwide and Shane will be introducing a new experiential baking business called "The Baking Social" in 2026.
La Metro, a tapas and cocktail spot from Chef Hector Santiago, also closed at Ponce City Market as of the end of the year. Santiago, already the operator of El Super Pan, added the tapas eatery to his Ponce City Market presence on October 30, 2024.
The tapas eatery opened in place of South African eatery Biltong Bar which had previously closed in the space. La Metro was believed to have been on a short-term "trial run" that seems to have concluded.
The Ponce City Market El Super Pan will remain open as will a sibling location at The Battery Atlanta.
Ton Ton Ramen & Yakitori and Miso Ko, popular restaurants from chef Guy Wong, are also closing at Ponce City Market this week. Ton Ton, an original tenant at the mixed use project, first opened in June 2016, about a year after it was first projected to so. (Delays on both its space and the project as a whole were said to be what caused the delayed opening.) Sibling sushi kiosk Miso Ko came online in September 2018.
Visits to Ponce City Market and reviews on the market's food stalls suggest Ton Ton and Miso Ko were among the most popular at the development. That said, sources suggest that Wong and business partner Mike Blum were unable to come to mutually agreeable terms on a lease renewal.
Both restaurants are due to close at the end of normal business on Saturday, January 3.
Following their closures, Wong and Blum will continue to operate Ruby Chow's, an Asian fusion restaurant across from Ponce City Market on Glen Iris Drive, as well as Big Boss Chinese on 10th Street in Midtown. There are reportedly plans for Ton Ton to be served elsewhere in the future.
Despite its perceived popularity and success, thriving as a food operator at Ponce City Market is no easy feat. These four closures come on the heels of the closures of French Broad Chocolates and W.H. Stiles Fish Camp this past September.
Are you surprised by the closures at Ponce City Market? Do you think food halls are past their prime? What is your favorite food hall eatery in metro Atlanta?
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3 comments:
The parking situation there is awful and the rents must be high. I could see why restaurants would struggle in Ponce City Market, especially in this seemingly economic downturn which seems to also be impacting restaurants elsewhere in the city (and likely in lower rent spaces) too.
Rent, food cost and labor makes it impossible for most concepts to work. If a restaurant doesn't have a wait at peak hours, it's probably not going to make it (save them owning the property, owners working for free ornsome money laundering operation). Mid priced restaurants in particular will struggle, fine dining might do okay (the rich are getting richer, corporate expenses dinners) and popular fast food concepts (chic fil a in n out etc) will thrive. Going to be a lot of restaurants closing this year whether its leases expiring or just low sales that dont meet operating costs.
I’m so tired of hearing people complain of the “parking situation.” Is it often crowded during peak times? Yes. But, even at those times, I’ve never been unable to find a spot. Get over it, people! You can’t be in an urban setting (which demands density) and expect parking to always be overly abundant. JFC.
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