It's a bittersweet 10th anniversary for a gourmet potato-centric restaurant as it closes its last brick-and-mortar restaurant citing multiple factors, including rising operating costs and a decline in consumer spending.
Mr. Potato Spread will shut its doors at 840 Nautica Drive No. 117 in River City Marketplace about 1 1/2 years after opening at the North Jacksonville shopping center near Jacksonville International Airport. Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the closure might happen as early as Monday afternoon depending on its inventory, the restaurant said on social media Monday morning.
The restaurant is known for its jumbo white potatoes and sweet potatoes baked then split down the middle, stuffed with steak, pulled pork, seafood or veggies. The menu also features tater tots, fries, salads and more.
Founders and co-owners Lakita and Aaron Spann ― who launched the spud-focused business from their home kitchen ― announced the closure on social media in a post thanking customers and the community for their love and support over the years.
"We’ve made the tough decision to close this chapter of Mr. Potato Spread. With the rising costs of rent, insurance, and goods, alongside the decline in consumer spending, it has become increasingly difficult to operate comfortably in this space," they posted on Facebook.
The Mr. Potato Spread food truck and catering business will remain open and operating as normal, Lakita Spann confirmed to the Times-Union.
Spann posted "we're still rolling strong with our food truck! You'll find us popping up at private events, festivals, and all around town."
"This decision wasn’t easy, but we remain incredibly grateful for the love, support, and community we’ve built over the past decade. Thanks to YOU, we’ve hit so many milestones, and we’re excited to take some time to focus on family and plan for future ventures (more details to come)!" they also posted.
Restaurant sprouts from home kitchen
Mr. Potato Spread began in August 2014 as a catering service, grew into a popular food truck then expanded to the food courts of two Jacksonville area shopping malls and a franchise restaurant.
Initially, the Spanns focused on delivery-only corporate catering. As the popularity of their potatoes grew, they expanded the business in 2016 to include a food truck and added at-home delivery to their catering service.
That, in turn, led them to open successful food court restaurants, first at Regency Square Mall in March 2019 and then at Orange Park Mall in February 2020.
As the Mr. Potato Spread food truck crisscrossed Northeast Florida, it often was in the growing Northside neighborhoods sprouting up around River City Marketplace, UF Health North medical campus and the airport.