Third and Final Soul Daddy Location Closes in Minnesota

In news that is simultaneously surprising, and yet totally expected, Soul Daddy has shut down its Mall of America location. The healthy soul food restaurant was the winning concept from America's Next Great Restaurant. This location lasted almost two months, longer than its New York and Los Angeles counterparts. According to the official statement from ANGR Holdings, "the restaurant simply was not performing as we had hoped."

So much for the show's much-hyped statement that winner Jamawn Woods would receive "an extraordinary prize" of "three restaurants in three cities." While technically the show delivered on its promise, there must not be anything in the fine print about how long the restaurants will actually stay open. If the concept simply wasn't bringing in enough business, is that a reflection on Woods, or the high-profile team of restaurateur judges that deemed his idea the winner?

Here's a statement from the company:

After careful consideration and a thorough review of its performance, we have decided to close Soul Daddy at the Mall of America. This was a difficult decision for us, as we wanted to see Soul Daddy succeed, but the restaurant simply was not performing as we had hoped. We'd like to thank all of the customers who tried our restaurants and the people who worked hard to try to make the restaurants succeed.

--Soul Daddy Restaurants

· Soul Daddy Closes its Final Location at MOA [Star Tribune]
· All Soul Daddy Coverage on Eater [-E-]