Sweet Auburn Seafood is permanently closing its Sweet Auburn doors of five years on August 31, the restaurant late-Sunday announced on Instagram, publishing a story from WSB-TV covering the closure. As with many recently-shuttered restaurants around town, Sweet Auburn Seafood attributes the decision to financial hardship brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Coming here five years ago just seeing the growth and the potential that it does have, we put everything into it as far as making it a great location,” Owner Patrick Williams told Channel 2′s Audrey Washington. “People from around the world talk about Sweet Auburn Seafood, and then you have your own city that’s not rallying behind you.”
Williams co-owned Sweet Auburn Seafood, at 171 Auburn Ave. NE, with his father who last week passed away. There were also several shootings nearby last month which were fatal, and to add insult to injury, the restaurant over the past few months has seen a decline in business caused by the pandemic, Williams told WSB-TV.
Sweet Auburn Seafood joins a long list of recent restaurant closures, many of which attribute the decision to the effect on business COVID-19 has taken.
4 Responses
Great point, succinctly put that I think applies to a lot of businesses whether they’ve gotten around to admitting it or not. I’ve been back out to a lot of places, but I couldn’t imagine going back to a crowded, cramped place like Mother.
Yes I’m sure that applies to many places. I own a retail space which is very small– my tenant has been on a sliding scale for several months now, and it’s working out well for both of us atm.
Bars in particular tend to be more fun with a good-sized crowd. Mary’s in EAV was always shoulder to shoulder– wonder what their strategy will be going forward…
At the places you’ve been to, are they effectively enforcing social distancing, masks, lower capacity, etc.
Or is it more like a free for all?
It’s very spotty. There are places that I know won’t be enforcing anything so I avoid them. But for where I’ve been: most (but not all) employees are wearing masks, most places are making passive attempts at social distancing (spreading out tables, marking where to stand in line, etc.), very few are actively enforcing social distancing (telling customers to spread out), and none are requiring customers to wear masks (even if they have signs saying that). As for the public I’d say about a third of people are wearing masks.
Yeah, that’s about how I figured it would be…