Award-Winning Restaurant Kimball House to Assume Ownership of Its Decatur Building

• Brush Sushi in Decatur closes and Cuddlefish takes its place
• Bennett’s Market and Deli relocates in Grant Park
• A location of Illy Caffe is opening at the Ford Factory Lofts

Kimball House.

The owners of awarding-winning restaurant Kimball House just entered into a $1.385 million sales agreement with Decatur’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to purchase its East Howard Avenue building. According to a press release, an agreement between Kimball Mill LLC and the DDA was reached Friday, October 14, with funds from the sale slated for reinvestment to help make improvements to downtown Decatur.

“The mission of the DDA is to spur economic development in Downtown Decatur, and at the time the DDA acquired the property eleven years ago, the Old Depot District was relatively barren,” Conor McNally, Decatur DDA chair says in the press release. “Thanks largely to the success of Kimball House as an anchor tenant, the area has seen tremendous growth from the private sector, featuring numerous retail tenants and residential developments that prove it is ready to stand on its own.”

Kimball House co-owner Bryan Rackley says he and his partners have already invested more than $750,000 over the last decade to maintain the building and preserve some integral design details of the former train depot built in 1891. The building is under the ordinance protection of the local Historic Preservation Commission. Any changes to the exterior must first be approved by the commission.

“We are even more committed to the preservation of this living landmark as its new owners,” says Rackley in a prepared statement.

According to further reporting by Decaturish, Kimball House’s lease expires at the end of the month and will likely shift to month-to-month until the sale is complete, which should take place in the next 45 days. [Official]

Kimball House.

Brush Sushi in Decatur closes and Cuddlefish takes its place

After closing Brush Sushi on October 9, chef Jason Liang and John Chen are preparing to open casual omakase restaurant Cuddlefish in its place this week. Ahead of its grand opening in downtown Decatur later this month, expect service to be limited and by reservation only. Brush reopens in a new location in Buckhead next year. [IG]

Bennett’s Market and Deli relocates in Grant Park

Bennett’s Market is open in a new location on Cherokee Avenue. Now located in the former Intown Healthy Hound space, the market and deli counter was previously located at the corner of Boulevard and Rosalie Street in Grant Park. Bennett’s is open this week from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will eventually operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. [FB]

A location of Illy Caffe is opening at the Ford Factory Lofts

Italian cafe Illy Caffe is slated to open early next year at the Ford Factory Lofts on Ponce. Expect a menu of coffee and espresso drinks as well as cocktails, Italian pastries, gelato, and a cafe breakfast. [Official]