LGBTQ-owned Guac y Margys has abruptly closed one of their locations after a little over a year at the Amsterdam Walk complex.
“We made the very hard decision to close our Midtown location,” Guac y Margys co-owner David Barton told Eater Atlanta. “We put a lot of work into the space and made a lot of great memories, but it ended up not being the right fit for our concept. Staff were compensated fairly as a result of the closure.”
According to Eater, however, sources alleged that the employees of the location were blindsided by the sudden closure and laid off without warning. One source claiming knowledge about the closure told Eater that staff were allegedly informed of the immediate closure during a Zoom meeting and were compensated one week’s pay.
Guac y Margys was first opened four years ago at SPX Alley on the Beltline by Barton, Troy Meyers, and Sebastian Romano. The larger Amsterdam Walk location was opened in 2021. Becoming quickly known for its margaritas and tacos, the restaurant is a favorite among Atlanta’s LGBTQ community.
“Two of our three co-owners are gay men and long-term residents of Atlanta. When the space became available, it felt like an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” Barton told Eater at the time of the opening in Midtown. “We look forward to opening another gay-owned bar and restaurant there.”
The closure also impacts Atlanta’s drag community, as the location was the home of The Other Show.
The SPX Alley location remains open, as well as the third location opened at the Interlock on Howell Mill Road in 2022.