Atlantans will have fewer local ice cream options come 2024. The owners of Four Fat Cows, a locally owned chain of ice cream and baked goods shops, announced they are closing this week after more than eight years in business.
Four Far Cows offered a wide variety of ice cream and sorbet as well as amazingly flavorful gluten-free baked goods such as cookies and brownies. Keeping with the family friendly theme, the shops also offered an assortment of games, toys and plush.
The owners did not share a singular reason for the closure but indicated that COVID-19, inflation, and staffing challenges all contributed to the need to end operations. In an effort to streamline operations and cut costs, the duo shuttered their Athens location earlier this year and their Dunwoody outpost earlier this summer. Those efforts seemed not enough to continue as a going concern.
In recent days the company has updated their website to display the below message:
"It is with a sad heart that we share this update with you. While we have cherished the incredible journey of establishing and operating seven locations, as well as providing catering and wholesale products, we have recently had to make the difficult decision to close some of our retail outlets.
The persistent impact of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, including ever-increasing, seemingly limitless operating costs, and the unfortunate closure of one of our primary suppliers, has compelled us to reevaluate our business strategy.
We want to express our deep commitment and gratitude for the opportunity to serve the communities in and around Atlanta over the past eight years. Your support has been invaluable to us, and we are sincerely thankful for the trust you've placed in our brand.
Thank you for being part of our story, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue serving you in innovative and exciting ways in the future."
Despite the mention of the closure of "some retail outlets," and the forward-looking messaging, ToNeTo Atlanta has confirmed the entire company is closing, with Thompson looking to liquidate all merchandise and equipment via various Facebook Marketplace listings.
Four Fat Cows last week vacated their short-lived "cart" at Politan Row at Colony Square in Midtown. This week the company will cease operations at their remaining four locations: Marietta Square Market in Marietta, Pharr Road in Buckhead, North Main Street in Alpharetta and at Madison Yards in Reynoldstown.
It has been a tough 18 or months for metro Atlanta ice cream makers.
Greenwood Ice Cream, an Atlanta area mainstay for 70 years, closed in August 2022. Greenwood had been a supplier of Four Fat Cows before the company was forced to bring all production in house. The Greenwood property is actively being marketed for sale.
Just a few weeks after Greenwood's closure, High Road Craft Ice Cream also closed. The firm was in September 2022 acquired at auction by PMC Financial Services Group LLC, one of its existing creditors, for $12 million. It's unclear what PMC's plans were/are but High Road, along with sibling brands Ciao Bella and Helados La Neta, have all disappeared from store shelves.
What is your favorite local ice cream? What would you like to see open in place of the former and soon be former Four Fat Cows shops in metro Atlanta? What is your favorite food hall in metro Atlanta?
Please share your thoughts below.