Essex Bar & Bistro announces closure in Uptown
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Essex Bar & Bistro is closing its restaurant on the prominent corner of Trade and Tryon in Uptown.
Why it matters: It's another local business in a string of several that have announced their closures recently.
Context: Another Uptown restaurant, The Bella Ciao, formerly Vapiano, closed suddenly last week .
- Monday night, Resident Culture South End announced it closed.
- Mazi, a Mediterranean restaurant in South End, announced it would close last week, less than six months after opening.
- Okra, a yoga studio and massage therapy business in Plaza Midwood, closed abruptly, leaving staff locked out and uncertain about their future employment, the The Observer reported.
Between the lines: Small businesses are particularly vulnerable during times of economic uncertainty.
What they're saying: "Essex will be permanently closing in the coming weeks, with an unconfirmed date," the restaurant's event coordinator, Toni Shaw, confirmed to Axios.
- The restaurant will continue to take reservations for private events and gatherings until the first week of August.
Flashback: When Essex opened in August 2016 on the ground floor of the Omni Hotel, it quickly became a go-to Uptown spot. At the time, the area had few options for post-work dinner or drinks.
- With its craft cocktails and globally inspired menu, Essex helped transform a once-quiet pocket of Uptown into a bustling destination for both lunch and dinner crowds.
The big picture: Uptown is evolving, and the city's urban core has shifted South.
- Part of that evolution means more food and beverage options — both from national chains (STK, Dos Caminos and Kitchen + Kocktails all opened last year), and local names like Dogwood by Rare Roots Hospitality Group and Milkbread and Albertine by Joe and Katy Kindred.