Restaurant closed for the last time on Sunday, July 24.



When 4th & Swift opened in Old Fourth Ward eight years ago, the restaurant was a neighborhood pioneer.

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Only one other eatery operated in the area back then – a stark contrast to the over 20 that exist inside Ponce City Market alone, directly across the street from the neighborhood standby.

On July 24, the restaurant closed its doors for the last time.

“I am proud of what we accomplished at 4th & Swift” owner Jay Swift told What Now Atlanta (WNA) in a phone conversation the week of July 11.

When asked about the possibility of 4th and Swift reopening at a different location in Atlanta, Swift said he would “leave that possibility available.”

“I would love to maintain a presence in the intown Atlanta dining scene, but that’s just not viable at the moment.”

According to Swift, revenues began to plummet once Ponce City Market opened.

The restauranteur recently opened another dining establishment, Noble Fin, in Peachtree Corners.

The shuttering of 4th and Swift, considered by many to be a consistent, high-quality, and respected local restaurant, could raise the question of whether the food hall model is bad news for other such establishments.

Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market and other dining halls offer a variety of options. In the long run, will many of the eateries become neighborhood standbys?

Atlanta’s recent obsession with mixed-use complexes such as Inman Quarter – located about a mile from where 4th & Swift operated – has also flooded the market with a plethora of dining options.

Time will tell how the intown Atlanta market responds. While many may think that the city’s projected population growth could accommodate the market’s supply, its also possible that there are simply too many cooks in the kitchen.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated 7/25 at 7:12 PM to specify when the phone conversation took place. A statement about the restaurant’s revenues was added 7/26 at 8:55 AM.

[Disclosure: Jay Swift, the owner of 4th & Swift, is a member of The Oxford Center, WNA’s publisher, and is part of the Elite 100.]

Do you think food halls and mixed-use complexes are bad news for neighborhood restaurants? Tell us your thoughts below….