Marshall Green Dishes On Cafe Estelle Closing

It was a truly sad day for Philly brunchers when Cafe Estelle announced that they were closing up shop via Twitter. Today, Drew Lazor at The Daily News gets the inside story on how the last few months have played out for owner Marshall Green at 444 N. 4th Street, and why he decided to finally throw in the towel at the cult-favorite restaurant.

Green cites the dead zone where the restaurant lives (in between NoLibs and Old City) as the major factor in why things didn't pan out, even though it was a huge critical success with a seriously dedicated fanbase. Green is very candid while admitting that they struggled even when Cafe Estelle was the buzziest brunch place in all of Philly and a Craig LaBan favorite.

"On paper, we've never been in the black. We've always been in the red," Green told Lazor. "It's always been a losing endeavor."

Instead of going out with a whimper, Green and the Cafe Estelle crew are throwing an all-out brunch celebration on September 29 and 30, with a plan to deplete the restaurant inventory. Green said that there will be door prizes (mugs, coffee beans, a shot of whiskey) for the people who get the last order of different dishes. Make your reservations plans now.

· Why Cafe Estelle Failed [DN]
· Cafe Estelle Closing In September [~EPHI~]