Buckhead’s Souper Jenny is moving to the Atlanta History Center: UPDATED

Plans include an Anthropologie-esque design and a specialty bookstore in April 2016; Plus changes at Juicy Jenny
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Rendering of the new Souper Jenny at the Atlanta History Center
Rendering of the new Souper Jenny at the Atlanta History Center

Courtesy of Mandy Culpepper

After 16 years at 56 E. Andrews Drive in Buckhead, the original Souper Jenny is moving down the street to the Atlanta History Center on April 2, 2016, owner Jenny Levison announced yesterday. Levison’s sister business Juicy Jenny, which currently resides two doors down from the original Souper Jenny, may be moved to a Brookhaven location, but a final decision has not yet been made.

“Our building was bought, and the main lease is up in January,” Levison says. “We had started looking anyway because we don’t know the plans for the center, and they aren’t renewing a lot of long term leases.”

The breakfast and lunch spot will continue to serve a rotating menu of sandwiches, salads, and soups, albeit in a larger space. In a Facebook post, Levison describes the new look as “a cross between what a chic, but funky café at Anthropologie would look like and the coffee shop from ‘Friends.’” She says it will still have family pictures on the walls. It will seat 60 people inside and 60 more on the patio. There will also be reserved parking in front of the restaurant for to-go orders, as well as a parking garage nearby. New to Souper Jenny will be a full coffee bar serving cappuccinos and the like made with Batdorf & Bronson coffee.

“I’m thrilled. I think it’s a space where we can become more of a community,” Levison says.

There will also be a specialty bookstore overlooking the café. It will not be officially associated with Souper Jenny but Levison is consulting on the books featured. Patrons can expect cookbooks, kids’ books, and volumes on Southern studies, Atlanta history, gardening, and architecture.

UPDATE: As of October 22, Levison released a statement acknowledging that she “was about to make the very difficult decision to close” Juicy Jenny due to the high costs of using 100% organic ingredients and the cost of labor to make juice, but decided that she’s not ready to give up just yet. Instead, she’s changing the food and drink prices and reducing the shop hours. She’ll make a final decision as to the fate of Juicy Jenny before the lease is up in January.

In the mean time, Juicy Jenny will be open at 9 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. and be closed on Saturdays. Juices will cost $9 (previously $8) and the vegan lunch bar options will be reduced to one size for $12.

“At first I was making the decision based on numbers, but it’s one of my passions, and hopefully these changes will make a difference,” Levison says.

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