After 'challenging year,' baked potato restaurant closes on Jacksonville's Southside
Open just over a year, Mr. Potato Spread’s first franchised location has closed.
The restaurant, at 7159 Philips Highway, closed on Wednesday. Its closure was shared in a Facebook post on Thursday morning.
“Today, we bid farewell to our beloved Mr. Potato Spread Philips location. We want to express our deepest gratitude to Randall and Shinika for their dedication, hard work, and passion in bringing our potato goodness to this community,” the social post began.
Franchisees Randall Coursey and his wife, Shinika Summeries, opened their restaurant in November 2022.
“2023 was a challenging year for all of us, but Randall and Shinika have been an integral part of our journey. Their commitment and resilience have been truly inspiring,” wrote Mr. Potato Spread founders Lakita and Aaron Spann, who launched the baked potato dining concept in 2014 in their Jacksonville kitchen as a catering service, then grew it into a popular food truck before expanding to the food courts of two Jacksonville-area shopping malls.
More restaurants in the works: 25 new restaurants are in the works for the Jacksonville area in 2024. Here's a list
Another closing: After more than 21 years, Ponte Vedra barbecue restaurant closes
The quick service restaurant concept features large, white potatoes and sweet potatoes baked and split down the middle, filled with steak, pulled pork, seafood or veggies. The menu also features tater tots, fries and salads.
After proving their concept at food courts at Regency Square and Orange Park malls, the Spanns opened their own restaurant in February 2023 at River City Marketplace. In addition to that restaurant, the Orange Park Mall location remains open.
Support from readers like you makes our coverage of Jacksonville's growing dining scene possible. If you're not already a digital subscriber, now is a great time to support local journalism. Here's how to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mr. Potato Spread closes restaurant on Jacksonville's Southside
