Earl of Sandwich has closed its eatery at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. It had closed "temporarily" more than a week ago, but the shop has since been removed from both the Phipps Plaza and Earl of Sandwich websites despite still being marked "temporarily closed" on its Google listing.
Wang opened a small format Earl of Sandwich at The Municipal Market (fka The Sweet Auburn Curb Market) in late 2022 and another location at Bell Glenridge in Sandy Springs that was to have opened last fall, but only in recent days finally opened.
It's unclear why the Phipps Plaza location closed, but it had reportedly benefited from an uptick in guests patronizing the sandwich shop instead of the lackluster Citizens Market food hall on the mall's first floor. This success could have - as with Starbucks, which also previously closed - made it a target for non-renewal or other action by landlord Simon, given their vested interest in the success of the food hall.
Citizens Market has in recent weeks seen its already embarrassing Google rating drop from 3.8 to 3.6 stars with recent visits lamenting the same issues as in months past, including inconsistent hours and subpar food.
The closure of Earl of Sandwich at Phipps Plaza follows the closures of other casual dining options such as the aforementioned Starbucks, as well as Moe's Southwest Grill and Subway, among others.
Are you surprised to see Earl of Sandwich close at Phipps Plaza? When you visit Phipps Plaza, where do you typically go for a casual meal? What would you like to see open in place of Earl of Sandwich at Phipps Plaza?
Please share your thoughts below.