A popular spot in downtown Macon joins a growing list of restaurant casualties

A popular downtown Macon restaurant is closing Sunday, adding to a growing list of restaurants unable to withstand rising food costs, supply-chain issues and worker shortages.

Macon Beer Co. at 458 Second St. announced its pending closure on Facebook.

“Unfortunately, market conditions have made our continuing operations unsustainable,” the post reads in part. “Rising inflation and supply chain issues have continued to be major challenges.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have come to realize that we are not in a position to overcome those challenges.”

The locally-owned restaurant has operated in downtown Macon for six years.

In business at 546 Poplar St. in downtown Macon for more than nine years, Taste and See Coffee Shop and Gallery closed its doors Nov. 1.

The closure was attributed to staff shortages, the same reason that the Lazy Donkey shut down at 379 Third St. in downtown Macon in late October. The restaurant had been open less than a year.

“We struggled to find help,” co-owner Enrique Lopez said. “These days, it’s hard to open a restaurant.”

Nov. 19, owners of another locally-owned restaurant, this time in Warner Robins, announced on Facebook their immediate closure due to food and labor costs. The Hot Chik had been open at 670 Lake Joy Road, Suite 400, less than three months.

Struggling

Other Middle Georgia restaurants are just barely hanging on.

Teresa Cohen, who opened Ma Duke Southern Cookin’ at 1530 Rocky Creek Road in August 2019, said she’s struggling.

And that’s in spite of overcoming adversity, including losing her son, her business partner and struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic. Cohen said the challenges facing her restaurant today continue to mount from rising food prices to the increased cost of renting restaurant space.

Cohen also said that “sales are down like never before.”

“I’m doing everything I can,” Cohen said. “I got my prices affordable for people to come in here.

“Like I said, I know my food is good. It really is. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t have any answers. I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

Cohen suggested holding a Soul Food Festival to help put money back in the community.

“I’m doing everything I can to keep my restaurant open,” she said.

Restaurant casualties

Other Macon restaurants that have closed recently include City Cafe at 2830 Riverside Drive and Ricky’s Taco Shop at 518 Cherry St. and Barberitos at 4921 Riverside Dr., Suite C.

Earlier this year, five downtown Macon restaurants closed for a variety of reasons from the COVID-19 pandemic to staff shortages to the owner’s health.

These former restaurants include Lazy Susan’s Tapas Bar at 428 Second St., La Bella Vita Italian Kitchen at 347 Cotton Ave., Bossa Novas at 490 Cherry St., Ladda Bistro at 442 Cherry St. and Michael’s on Mulberry at 588 Mulberry St.

Other Macon restaurants that have closed this year include include Mr. Pingo’s House, which operated at 3001 Vineville Ave. for less than eight months.

Restaurant closures in Warner Robins this year include the Greek Village Express, 6001 Watson Blvd., Suite 300, the Atlanta Bread Company, 2624 Watson Blvd. Suite A, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, 670 Lake Joy Road, Suite 150, and Cluck N Waffles, 6011 Watson Blvd. Suite 380.

Nonetheless, while there have been multiple restaurant casualties, there have been more gains than losses overall with more restaurants opening in Macon and Warner Robins than closing this year. Also, more are in the works.