The Phoenix Public Market Café announced via Instagram that the restaurant would be closing its doors for good last week.
The announcement said, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the permanent closure of the Phoenix Public Market Café.”
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The post followed a previous announcement in late March, on Instagram as well, informing the community that the restaurant would “cease all operations… until further notice.”
“As a small business, it is difficult to make such a decision, but we know it is the right one to make to ensure all our staff and valued customers are safe and healthy,” the post said.
The restaurant, located at 14 E Pierce Street, has been a staple for downtown Phoenix residents and visitors since it opened back in 2013.
With a large portion of the clientele being downtown Arizona State University students, many were saddened by the closure.
“It’s really unfortunate that the restaurant is closing especially since there’s not a whole lot of options within walking distance from the Taylor Place dorms,” said Samantha Chow, a sophomore at ASU whose favorite item at the cafe were the lemon bars.
“They were one of the few restaurants downtown that are open on a Sunday past 7pm. And if you’ve ever lived in downtown dorms without a car, you know if you don’t find food by 7pm on a Sunday then you’re just not eating that night,” she said.
The café’s announcement said the decision was not an easy one and that with the challenges presented these past six months, the cafe could not find an economical way to operate without the business of students, conventions and business travelers.
Devon Matthews is a general manager at Chambers, an Irish bar and restaurant a block away from the cafe, and said he always enjoyed going to Phoenix Public Market for breakfast. He said he was sad that the business was closing the first time when the cafe announced they were ceasing operations due to the pandemic.
“That is a very big shame and I am very sad to hear that a business in my community is going out of business,” Matthews said.
Aaron Chamberlin, chef and owner of the restaurant, opened the market in spring of 2013. Chamberlin also opened Taco Chelo in Phoenix in 2018.
Jackie Muri, a current manager of Taco Chelo, said the closing is disappointing to see, but understandable because of the current economic climate during the pandemic.
“I used to work (at Phoenix Public Market) and that’s actually how I got this job,” Muri said. “It’s really really saddening. A lot of my coworkers were frequent there or worked there in the past, and we’re all really bummed out, especially because of the food.”
The Instagram announcement also stated that Taco Chelo is “open and thriving,” at their 501 E Roosevelt Street location.
Contact the reporter at erjohn15@asu.edu.
