Athens vegetarian restaurant The Grit to close after more than three decades in business
After 36 years in business, The Grit will permanently close on Oct. 7.
The announcement came via the beloved Athens vegetarian and vegan restaurant's official Facebook page on Thursday.
"Unfortunately, things have changed due to the pandemic and we’ve had to reevaluate our business goals," read the post, which acknowledged The Grit's long history with the Athens community and invited people to come say farewell.
General manager Jay Totty told the Banner-Herald that The Grit staff were notified of the closure before the announcement was made.
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"Our first concern is for the employees," said Totty, who has been working at The Grit for nearly 25 years. "We love Athens and we love the community, so it's sad that we won't be able to continue to serve in that capacity."
Founded in October 1986 by Jennifer Hartley and Melanie Haner Reynolds, The Grit began as an art gallery and café that evolved into a restaurant that became popular for the crossover appeal of its menu, which continually surprised vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike with just how good the food was.
The Grit settled into its 199 Prince Ave. location in 1990 and was bought by Ted Hafer and Jessica Greene (née Hafer) in 1996. The Hafers published "The Grit Cookbook: World-Wise, Down-Home Recipes" in 2001 and Ted passed away in 2007, with Greene carrying on as the restaurant's owner.
In the fall of 2020, The Grit was among the first Athens restaurants to modify outdoor space into a parklet, a patio-like area where guests could dine with a reduced risk of contracting COVID-19.
Prince and Hill Properties, LLC purchased the building in 2004 from previous owner Michael Stipe. Prince and Hill also own Daily Groceries Co-op at 523 Prince Ave. and the former Go Bar location at 195 Prince Ave.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens restaurant The Grit announces permanent closure in Georgia
