A sign displayed in the window on Tuesday, July 23 at Philanthropy Fresh Café & Grill announced to customers that the restaurant has permanently closed. The Facebook and Instagram pages for the 350 E. Broad St. business have been deleted, and a Google search for the address listed the restaurant as permanently closed.
“Farewell Athens!!!!,” read the sign. “We truly enjoyed serving you while it lasted. Philanthropy Fresh has closed the doors for good. Thank you all for your support and patronage.”
Philanthropy Fresh opened on Dec. 6, 2023 in the downtown Athens space where Zombie Coffee & Donuts had previously operated. A smaller-sized sister location to the Walton County establishment Philanthropy Grill & Ale House, Philanthropy Fresh was co-owned by restaurateurs Kenneth Brown and Michael Dermer. The Banner-Herald was unable to immediately reach management at the Grill & Ale House for comment.
The business model for Philanthropy Fresh asked guests to choose from a list of local charities for which a portion of the sale would be donated. Though the Athens location offered a scaled-down version of the menu at its larger counterpart, options such as acai bowls, wraps, and a variety of sides were available along with staples like wings, burgers, hot dogs and salads.