Two Riverside restaurants closing; Amici in St. Augustine could be next

Two more Riverside restaurants are closing their doors, and another in St. Augustine could follow.

Clarke Bros. in Riverside announced it will close June 20, remaining open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the meantime. Prospect Five Points also announced its closure on June 9, citing a rough year for business and the slow season ahead.

The closings come on the heels of Mossfire, which shut down last year. And in St. Augustine, Amici Italian Restaurant signaled that it could close, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.

The news was already drawing a crowd outside Clarke Bros. Don Kelly, a customer standing in line, kept it simple when asked why he showed up.

“They serve very good food,” Kelly said.

Jason Archer, another customer, said the place holds a special routine for him and his crew.

“Everybody loves coming here, man. We come here every Thursday after work. It’s an awesome niche place,” Archer said.

When told the restaurant was closing for good, Archer’s reaction was heartfelt.

“I hope he doesn’t close,” he said.

Cheryl Croft, owner of Edge City, said the closings reflect a broader challenge for small businesses right now.

“I think it’s just been really hard to be able to maintain business. This is not a very supportive economic climate for small business at present,” Croft said.

But she noted her own experience has been different, thanks to the community around her.

“A very local flair for the community and the community has been very supportive of us,” she said.

Michael Jay of Tweeds said the reality of business in any neighborhood is that not every shop makes it.

“Unfortunately, some businesses don’t make it when they come into the area. But I think that’s just the nature of the game,” Jay said.

Casey Roth, with the Five Points Merchant Association, said the closings hit close to home but urged perspective.

“Well, first of all, we hate hearing it because these are our neighbors,” Roth said. “It’s churn. It’s not like decline of the area. But still, there are like real people in the middle of that churn.”

Roth said the best thing residents can do is simple — walk through the door.

“What I can tell you is how to keep those doors open, and that’s for all of us to go through them,” Roth said.

He made the economic case for shopping local.

“I think the study showed like 70% of money spent at local businesses stays in the community versus like 20 to 23% for a chain,” Roth said. “So you’re not just performing an act of charity for a local business. You’re like paying people’s rent.”

Roth described Riverside as a neighborhood unlike any other in Jacksonville.

“There’s kind of a place here for everybody in Riverside. Riverside does not exclude; it includes people from all walks of life,” he said. “This is a place, not just a space to occupy.”

Roth also pointed to a reason for optimism — the area’s first Business Improvement District, created in partnership with City Councilman Jimmy Peluso and funded through an assessment on local business properties. The board overseeing the funds is made up of merchants and landlords, with an upcoming July meeting.

Another restaurant closing?

Operators of Amici Italian Restaurant said it will close, barring a purchase by new ownership. The restaurant at 1915 Florida A1A S. posted on its Facebook page that it would close by the end of June minus a “hail Mary chance a buyer could step forward.” 

Amici is owned by married couple Freddy and Jennifer Underhill, according to its website.