Brick & Fire Pizza and Wine Co. at this moment (Saturday noon) is packing up everything in its Church Street Station locale and moving to a new location on South Orange Avenue. In an e-mail, chef and co-owner Mark Dollard told me “rent here is too high, and we would fail if we continue to stay here.” He said he knew that other businesses on Church Street were looking into “exit strategies.”
“It’s not worth it to anyone here to continue to stay open,” said Dollard.
Brick & Fire will relocate to a former Moe’s location at 1621 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, near the Orlando Health medical complex. Co-owner John Dobson, reached a few minutes ago by phone, said he expects to reopen Monday November 24.
Other restaurants in the Church Street Station complex, once a vibrant and bustling nighttime destination, include Cheyenne Saloon, Ceviche, the Dessert Lady, Hamburger Mary’s, and the just-opened Rustic Steak. Neither Dobson nor Dollard would be specific about which other businesses might also close up or relocate, but, said Dollard, “This whole area is a house of cards.”
Church Street Station is owned by Cameron Kuhn and the complex is part of a bankruptcy procedure, which complicates issues.
There will be more to report on soon.