After 46 years of operating in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, Taco Mac closed in 2025, along with Farm Burger, which had been a neighborhood staple for over five years.
Jennifer Cohn has lived in Virginia-Highland for 11 years. Cohn has raised a family and plans to continue living in the neighborhood for years to come. Throughout her time, Cohn has seen many businesses come and go. She believes there should be a wider variety of cuisine available in the neighborhood.
“There have been many great restaurants in Virginia-Highland,” Cohn said. “But, I feel like many have been very similar. For example, we had Farm Burger right next to Moe’s and Joe’s, with George’s right down the street. All of these are burger restaurants, so I feel like the reason Farm Burger had to leave is due to competition and a lack of diversity in restaurants.”
Sandra Spoon has been the owner and operator of Atkins Park since 2012, and her husband owned the restaurant for many years before. Throughout her time there, Spoon has seen many changes in the community.
“When we took over Atkins Park in 1983, the neighborhood was in transition,” Spoon said. “Many homeowners were moving out of the city, and the long-term outlook felt uncertain. Over time, that shift reversed completely. Today, the neighborhood is vibrant, highly sought-after and deeply rooted in community life. Watching that transformation firsthand has been one of the most rewarding parts of being here for more than four decades.”
According to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, in 2010 the famous Atkins Park “Bruno Burger” cost roughly $10. Now, as of 2025 the “Bruno Burger” costs $15. Spoon said changes in pricing is a struggle for many restaurants and small businesses.
“While staffing has remained relatively stable for us, rising costs, especially food and insurance, have been the most significant challenge,” Spoon said. “Both have increased dramatically over the past two years and show no signs of slowing. We’ve had to be more disciplined than ever in pricing, purchasing and menu design to ensure the business remains sustainable without losing accessibility for our customers.”
Rachael Pack is the owner of Kinship Butcher and Sundry located next to the old Farm Burger. Her business has recently expanded by opening a new store in Grant Park, and purchasing the land that was formerly Farm Burger. Pack has successfully managed her restaurant by navigating through changing rent costs and connecting with the community.
“In Atlanta, challenges like rent hikes, the sharp rise in the cost of goods and labor, a lack of parking or a pesky review can all tank an operation,” Pack said. “There are one million challenges a small business faces – and that is not an exaggeration; rarely is something easy, and if it is easy, you have to question it. At the end of the day, we strive to be good to our employees, good to our community, good to our farmers and purveyors and hang our hats on quality. I truly believe that having this mindset is why we’ve had success at Kinship.”
Scott Drake has been involved with Moe’s and Joe’s ownership since 2012 along with three other partners whose roles date back to the 1970’s and 80’s. The restaurant has been in Virginia-Highland since its founding in 1942. Drake believes community is one of the most important aspects of being a Virginia-Highland owned business, and restaurants that lack a sense of community normally don’t last long.
“Taco Mac was big back in the day, but when they sold out and went corporate in 2018, in my opinion, that brand fell apart,” Drake said. “Taco Mac became too corporate and lost its community sense where their locations were. People abandoned that brand, and thus, it has basically disappeared. Farm Burger, an excellent brand and concept but very niche and very limited. I think in a neighborhood like Virginia-Highland, you need to embrace every type of person in your community and try to offer them what they want at a reasonable price and a fun atmosphere.”
Over his time working for Moe’s and Joe’s, Drake has observed many changes to the neighborhood.
“The biggest transition started in the early 2000s and now has a great mix of families, older couples and younger professionals,” Drake said. “When I got involved in 2014, we were still very much like when we opened; we only served drinks, and you could still smoke inside. We expanded to the restaurant next-door on what we call the annex side and merged the two together keeping the original part the same …. eliminated smoking and expanded the menu a little. I noticed immediately that the neighborhood embraced those changes. Families were coming in more, resulting in the need to get more high chairs right after the changes.”
Spoon agrees with Drake and believes to be a successful business, you have to be willing to adapt to changes in your environment and community.
“Staying successful requires constant awareness and willingness to adapt,” Spoon said. “Neighborhoods evolve, and so do the people who live in them. Every decade brings a new group of patrons — people move, change careers, raise families or alter how often they dine out. Our job is to recognize those shifts early and respond thoughtfully. We rely heavily on detailed sales data to guide decisions. As more families have moved into the area, we’ve adapted our offerings and approach to better serve them while staying true to what Atkins Park has always been.”
Kevin Cronin,Virginia-Highland Board’s planning committee chair, evaluates businesses to make sure they follow regulations and coordinate with community desires. Cronin believes that changing restaurants is a part of every neighborhood, and there are many things that can contribute to business closures.
“From my perspective, business turnover is often part of the natural life cycle of neighborhood retail,” Cronin said. “Closures can happen for many reasons — ownership changes, economic conditions or evolving consumer habits. We’re encouraged to see new ownership and new concepts coming into the St. Charles, North Highland commercial node, and the board is committed to supporting their success and helping those businesses thrive.”
Drake believes building community engagement is a large part of Moe’s and Joe’s success and can help any business.
“A reason for our success is keeping it local,” Drake said. “I grew up here. My partners grew up here, so we know and love the neighborhood in the community. You listen to your customers, and you provide a great product. Try to keep your prices as low as you can, but also listen to the community, get involved in the community and give back to the community. And we’ve established a great reputation with that and have a great following of regulars.”
Amy Harward, a member of the Virginia-Highland Civic Association Board, believes neighborhood involvement is important for businesses and the neighborhood.
“Restaurant Week and Wine Walk are fall Virginia-Highland events meant to bring new patrons into the neighborhood restaurants and create an experience for neighbors,” Harward said. “The events highlight what we have to offer here.”
Pack gives credit to the Virginia-Highland community for being loyal and supportive of local business owners.
“There is a reason for the saying ‘location, location, location,” Pack said. “The VAHI community is so special, and the area is fiercely loyal to the local businesses. Moes and Joes, Murphy’s, Paolo’s, Highland Tap – There are so many businesses on the cross streets of Virginia and Highland that have been around for decades. Kinship wouldn’t be what it is now if it were not in Virginia-Highland. So, as a community, keep showing up to the places you love and supporting the operation.”
