Brine Seafood Shack Closes at Avalon in Alpharetta

Brine Seafood Shack closed on Sunday, May 12 at Avalon in Alpharetta, according to a statement sent to Eater Atlanta on Monday. This, after owner chef Marc Taft closed his fried chicken restaurant Feed at Battery Atlanta in January.

Taft, who opened Brine at Avalon in 2017, recently filed chapter 7 bankruptcy, which ultimately lead to the decision to close the Alpharetta seafood restaurant.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I have made the decision to close Brine,” Taft says. “I’m grateful for the support of the Avalon community and its management company, North American Properties. As we regroup and explore new avenues of growth, we’ll be applying a more informed criteria based on what our employees and partners need to grow and prosper.”

In other words, the chef isn’t done opening restaurants here, including a Best Burger and a new Feed at Halcyon in Forsyth County, 40 miles north of Atlanta. The development includes office and retail space, residential units, a dine-in movie theater, two hotels, a 50-acre green space, and several restaurants.

Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative & Taproom, Gu’s Dumplings, Sweet Tuna, Cocina & Taqueria, Pita Mediterranean, Tacayo, Kilwins Chocolates, Land of Thousand Hills Coffee Company, Butcher & Brew, and Hogs Island will all open at Halcyon this year.

He’s also opening the Gemini Kitchen and Cocktails at the AC Marriott Hotel in Huntsville, Alabama’s CityCentre at Big Springs as well as four spots at the Camp in MidCity, west of downtown Huntsville: Feed Fried Chicken, Mucha Lucha Tacos, the Camp Bar, and Miss Fluff’s Wine & Cupcakes. The Camp is a 140-acre development with hotels, retail, residences, trails, a TopGolf, outdoor music venues, and dining.

Taft closed Feed at the Battery a little over a year after opening at the Cobb County complex. At the time, he blamed a “saturated market” and lack of “organic traffic” during non-game days at SunTrust Park for the closure.

Eater Atlanta reached out to inquire about the new Feed and Best Burger opening at Halcyon.

• Feed Fried Chicken Shutters at Cobb County’s Battery Atlanta [EATL]
• All Avalon coverage [EATL]
• Upcoming Forsyth Mega-Development Gains Four More Restaurants [EATL