Lenox Square restaurant sets a new low for longevity: Azucar Cuban Express, a local restaurant that "soft" opened August 18 at the Buckhead mall, has been permanently closed since before Thanksgiving, according to a local source.
Azucar Cuban began as a food truck in 2020 before opening their first brick & mortar in Brookhaven this past June. The Brookhaven restaurant, located at 2142 Johnson Ferry Road, occupied the former home of The Righteous Room, which closed in late 2022 after nearly a decade in business.
The idea that the Cuban eatery could go from no locations to two restaurants within a few months was always going to be a challenge but was likely made more so by the parking hurdles imposed by Lenox Square management that made accessing the restaurant neither fast nor easy. The hurdles put in place - reportedly to slow would-be thieves - have also contributed to sales challenges at Sweetgreen, where it's among the worst performers for the chain, company-wide, according to a source.
Azucar Cuban marks the fourth eatery/food business to close at the Buckhead mall in just the past few months, following the closures of Ponko Chicken, Sugar Daddy Cookies, and Garrett Popcorn Shops.
Did you ever make it to Azucar Cuban Express? Are you surprised to see so many food businesses struggle at Lenox Square? What would you like to see open in the now empty shipping container?
Please share your thoughts below.