Restaurant closed for the last time on Sunday, July 24.
When 4th & Swift opened in Old Fourth Ward eight years ago, the restaurant was a neighborhood pioneer.
Only one other eatery operated in the area back then – a stark contrast to the over 20 that exist inside Ponce City Market alone, directly across the street from the neighborhood standby.
On July 24, the restaurant closed its doors for the last time.
“I am proud of what we accomplished at 4th & Swift” owner Jay Swift told What Now Atlanta (WNA) in a phone conversation the week of July 11.
When asked about the possibility of 4th and Swift reopening at a different location in Atlanta, Swift said he would “leave that possibility available.”
“I would love to maintain a presence in the intown Atlanta dining scene, but that’s just not viable at the moment.”
According to Swift, revenues began to plummet once Ponce City Market opened.
The restauranteur recently opened another dining establishment, Noble Fin, in Peachtree Corners.
The shuttering of 4th and Swift, considered by many to be a consistent, high-quality, and respected local restaurant, could raise the question of whether the food hall model is bad news for other such establishments.
Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market and other dining halls offer a variety of options. In the long run, will many of the eateries become neighborhood standbys?
Atlanta’s recent obsession with mixed-use complexes such as Inman Quarter – located about a mile from where 4th & Swift operated – has also flooded the market with a plethora of dining options.
Time will tell how the intown Atlanta market responds. While many may think that the city’s projected population growth could accommodate the market’s supply, its also possible that there are simply too many cooks in the kitchen.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated 7/25 at 7:12 PM to specify when the phone conversation took place. A statement about the restaurant’s revenues was added 7/26 at 8:55 AM.
[Disclosure: Jay Swift, the owner of 4th & Swift, is a member of The Oxford Center, WNA’s publisher, and is part of the Elite 100.]
Do you think food halls and mixed-use complexes are bad news for neighborhood restaurants? Tell us your thoughts below….
9 Responses
Jay and his team ran a wonderful restaurant. I hope that he finds another venue.
I agree with your conclusion in the article – the problem has always been that Atlanta overbuilds everything, including restaurant capacity, and people always want to try the next new thing. So no matter how good the old neighborhood standby may be, people want to try out the new guy.
But there’s no arguing that people love the food hall environment and excitement, including the chance to stroll and windowshop before or after dinner, in effect making for an evening’s entertainment, and that’s something that the freestanding restaurant has a hard time competing with.
So disappointing. While there are many great new restaurants nearby, 4th & Swift was a pioneer in Old 4th Ward and the quality was consistently excellent from day one to the last. Many in PCM, Inman Quarter, and KSM won’t last, so it’s a shame if these are the reasons for 4th & Swift closing. The place will definitely be missed.
God help us – out with 4th and Swift, beloved local restaurant, and in with The Mercury and The Luminary. Does ANYONE think either of those or any of the other ones like it are anywhere near as awesome as 4th and Swift?!
What?????? This is such sad news!! We were just there on the 12th and we had a great conversation with the bartender about how happy we were to see that it was packed. We absolutely loved 4th and Swift. Hands-down one of our very favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Consistently amazing. As New York City transplants, we are a bit snobbish when it comes to food. 4th and Swift always delivered a wonderful meal and great atmosphere. So sad to see it go. I agree with the above comments about the replacements being “trendy” places that won’t last. Sniff….
it wasn’t that long ago that 4th & Swiift was a “trendy” restaurant in a rough, undeveloped part of town. you act like there’s not another great restuarant in this city and they are all just trendry posers.
i will commend you for at least knowing you are a “bit snobbish”, because comments like yours don’t make any attempt to hide that fact.
One of the best meal’s I have ever been served here in Atlanta, was at 4th & Swift. I understand the excitement of the newest kid on the block, but I’m sadden to see a tried and true go. I had just made reservations for my CEO and his guest, when he visits town next month, as I knew they’d be sure to love it. I wish Jay Swift and all his employees luck in the future and hope to see something open-up from him again (in the old neighborhood, if possible).
One longtime resto closes and we conclude it’s because of food halls and mixed use complexes? what is this, fox news now??
I agree. It’s hilarious, this is the 3rd food blog I have read and both point the fact that food halls were there demise. Alot more is going on than just a food hall opening that caused 4th and Swift to close. I always had a great experience there and it was consistently busy each time I visited. So something else must’ve been coming into play to cause its closure.
According to this article, Swift had a phone conversation about 4th closing the week of July 11? Were all his quotes from that conversation?
Would have been nice to give his employees the same notification of the restaurant’s closing!