Local downtown restaurant to end 22-year run on Feb. 1
The owners of the award winning Sweet Potatoes (well, shut my mouth!) a restaurant has announced it will permanently close its doors on Feb. 1.
In a post made on the restaurant’s Facebook page on Thursday night, owners Stephanie Tyson and Vivian Joyner thanked their loyal customers and employees for all the support over the past 22 years.
The post read, “It is with a full heart that we announce that Sweet Potatoes – a restaurant will close at the end of business Saturday, February 1, 2025. We have had the privilege to share our extended home with more than 2 million neighbors from near and far over the years. We have employed over 1,500 people in our 22 years, many that have become like family. Sharing, encouraging, learning from, teaching and holding space for one another has been our blessing. You, our guests, have lifted us, supported our dreams, and added to our lives in immeasurable ways.”
In the Facebook post, the owners cited the ongoing effects of the pandemic as their reason for closing. They wrote, “The pandemic was scary. The challenges shifted daily but restaurant folk are resilient. However, the aftermath impact has been relentless. The mental, physical and yes financial strain has taken an overwhelming toll on us.”
Co-owners Chef Stephanie Tyson and Vivian Joyner opened Sweet Potatoes in 2003 and it quickly became one of the city’s most popular restaurants. In 2017 the restaurant moved to its current location at 607 N. Trade St. and a few years later Tyson and Joyner opened Miss Ora’s Kitchen next door to the Trade St. location.
Over the years Sweet Potatoes has been featured in The Chronicle several times, including last fall when they were named The Chronicle’s Business of the Month.
To read more about the legacy of the award winning restaurant, visit www.wschronicle.com and type “Sweet Potatoes” in the search bar.