Atlanta restaurant Le Petit Marche is closing its doors, owner Marchet Sparks announced in a recent Instagram post.
Sparks had run Le Petit Marche for 13 years in the Kirkwood neighborhood of Atlanta. As a successful restaurateur, Sparks joined a small band of black-owned eateries in the early part of 2000s that took a chance on entrepreneurship in the food industry.
Le Petit Marche Abruptly Closes Its Doors In Atlanta
Her restaurant regularly packed customers in lines out the door, but she has other plans going forward.
“I did decide to close this week,” she said. “It’s a matter of timing: My lease is up. And it’s a matter of opportunity,” she said. Sparks will resume her career as a real estate sales agent as well as manage her Airbnb in the city.
“We were able to grow the business into what it will become: a legacy, a legacy in everyone’s hearts forever,” she said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the restaurant industry hard, especially in Atlanta. Several black-owned establishments have closed their doors during that time including:
Sweet Auburn Seafood
“Our goal has always been to provide excellent food, service and memorable experiences to every guest and we hope in some way we have accomplished that for you,” the eatery said in an Instagram post days before its September 2020 closure. ” When the idea of the restaurant concept was conceived, we could think of no better place than the Historic Auburn Avenue District which resulted in the creation of Sweet Auburn Seafood.
Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint
The Peachtree Street eatery closed its doors in April 2020 and hasn’t opened back up since.
How You Can Support Atlanta’s Restaurant Industry
Support Atlanta’s restaurants by doing what you do best: eat, drink and be many! Take a moment to order takeout and delivery from eateries during lunch and dinner.
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The craze hasn’t escaped metro Atlanta’s food and drink scene, which has seen a bar explosion in recent years.
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f you’re a health nut and want more local healthy food choices, perhaps you’ll be interested in our Guide to Local Farmers Markets.
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