The Italian-themed Urban Food Market can't compete with construction outside its door as the Centre of Tallahassee mall prepares for the relocation of three major state departments.

So it's closing.

As of Monday, a sign indicated the Food Market was shutting down temporarily, and it hopes to re-open in late spring. However, head chef Mirko Di Giacomantonio, who manages the Urban Food Market, told the Tallahassee Democrat it may be closer to October when the market reopens.

By Tuesday, customers were caught off guard. They peered into the Food Market's window as the locks were being changed.

Back story:

"We really tried our best to stay open. I feel sad, but this is just temporary," said Giacomantonio, the pasta pro who convinced a master team of chefs to relocate in Tallahassee.

John Abernathy, president of Blackwater Resources, the Alabama-based developer behind the mall's top-down redevelopment, said he couldn't offer details Tuesday morning. He said he'd know more details following a call Wednesday afternoon.

Abernathy said all the mall's retailers, including Belk, AMC and Dreamland, remain open. However, after four years of operation, the Food Market's sudden closure raises questions.

STRUCTURE Commercial Real Estate Broker Brenda Francis indicated her gut feeling says "it's not good."

"In my opinion, historically when you see sudden closures like this, they are not coming back," said Francis, who writes a quarterly column in the Democrat about businesses opening and closing.

The Food Market showed promise in the beginning, Francis added. But it was plagued by problems, such as difficult parking to navigate and being a "destination venue." But, chief among them, was the mall's inability to deliver on filling storefronts with new retailers as hoped.

"If the mall had been a mall and gotten an anchor," Francis said, "the Food Market would have been a good decision."

Centre of Tallahassee, a 95-acre shopping grounds the locals still call by its former name, the Tallahassee Mall, hangs on with a handful of major tenants. That includes AMC Tallahassee 20, Belk and Barnes & Noble after Burlington Coat Factory pulled out last year.

Its evolution continues as a mixed-use development, despite a screeching halt in momentum for attracting new retailers and no immediate signs for luxury apartments previously in the early plans. It's in the same situation as many malls struggling to survive in the age of Amazon and consumer shifts to shop online.

The Pavillion is its centerpiece, an entertainment draw that hosts several concerts and events throughout the year within the covered 6,500-person amphitheater. And, the School of Arts and Sciences, opened a second location in the former Dillard's space.

Still, some days, the cobble-stoned roads within Music Alley are a ghost town. The open air vision, where customers pop in and out of shops, has yet to materialize.

The Urban Food Market was supposed to be a money maker.

Modeled after The Eately in New York City, the Urban Food Market housed four separate spaces under one roof within a 15,000-square-foot space. Each had a special ingredient to the all-Italian themed food attraction, including pizza, casual dining, fine dining, wine and gelato.

The Food Market seated up to 500 people when at capacity. But, despite much fanfare when the unique culinary experience debuted in the capital city, it's struggled to nab a committed following.

Changing visions:

Now months of construction ahead forced the closure. The mall is converting thousands of square footage to make room for three state offices that have signed leases: the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Health and the Department of State, Division of Corporations. The construction isn't expected to be fully complete until early 2020.

With about 3,000 coming, the flood of state employees may sustain the Food Market and struggling mall.

When asked if this closure is temporary or a sign of the Food Market's demise, Giacomantonio responded with optimism.

He said he doesn't plan to go anywhere, because "we have invested a lot of money."

He said they will reopen with "more concepts."

Contact TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com or follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.



Details on Urban Food Market Flash Sale:

Starting at 5 p.m. on March 20, the Food Market is selling wine at 50 to 70 percent off, which will range from $5 to $30 after the discount . Beer will be sold at $1 per glass. It's also offering free slices of pizza.