Upstart eatery Crafthall Kitchen has closed its first and only location after less than eight months in business. The restaurant, developed by entrepreneur Jennifer Rotondo, was located alongside Honey Baked Ham, Le Madeleine, Tiff's Treats and Zoës Kitchen in the REI/Goodwill anchored Perimeter Square West shopping center in Sandy Springs. The restaurant opened April 5 and has not reopened following what was supposed to be a temporary closure on November 14.
Originally launched as four separate concepts under one roof, the decision was made over the summer to merge the best sellers from the four separate menus into a single menu.
At barely 1,600 square feet, the space was small, while the offerings and complexity of those offerings was not. The confined space no doubt made operational efficiency incredibly important. It's unclear what exactly led to the closure, but the restaurant made vague posts to their official Facebook page on November 14 and 18 indicating that the closure was temporary.
"We are closing today and until further notice for training and reorganizing! Keep an eye on our page- we'll let you know when we open up again!" -- November 14
"Hey everyone- we are doing an overhaul on our management and will be closed for awhile to work everything out. We are hoping to open up again soon- we're sorry for any inconvenience! Stay tuned for more info." -- November 18
Despite the promise of updating everyone, there was no mention of the permanent closure on the Facebook page but the restaurant's website does indicate it.
"Thanks for visiting Crafthall Kitchen. Unfortunately we've had to close. We are so thankful for your support and wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season!"
The undated message reportedly appeared on the website within the past few weeks and is now the only thing viewable on the site.
ToNeTo Atlanta attempted to reach Rotondo in November as to the reasoning behind the closure and when reopening might occur. Rotondo declined comment then, and we have have not reached out again.
Prior to opening Crafthall, Rotondo spent time in marketing and "food innovation" consulting roles for a number of quick serve and casual eateries such as Flip Burger Boutique, Stevi B's Pizza Buffet and Tin Drum Asian Kitchen, among others. Rotondo, whose husband is Mike Rotondo, formerly CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, was herself previously Director of Marketing for the smoothie franchise. Mike accepted the CEO role at Edible Arrangements this past July.
What would you like to see open in place of Crafthall Kitchen in Sandy Springs? Are you surprised that Crafthall Kitchen did not work out? What was your favorite menu item at Crafthall Kitchen?
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