Welton Street Cafe’s Last Moments in the Five Points Plaza bring hope and sadness

Kwon Atlas

The storied Five Points restaurant, Welton Street Cafe, has been preparing to close its doors in the Five Points Plaza after decades of being in this location but they aren’t moving far. They will stay on Welton Street but move two blocks north into a brand new commercial space owned by Van West Partners. Unfortunately the transition will not be smooth as the build out for their new building will take an estimated 5 to 7 months and will be very expensive.

The Welton Street team had hoped to have secured a temporary location or a kitchen to cook out of during the wait for the opening of their new location, but as of the date of this article, Welton Street hasn’t found a location to hold them over. Also despite raising over $100k in 7 weeks, Welton Street is still unsure if they will have enough money to cover the long layover, the build out, and begin new operations. 

Fathima Dickerson, manager and owner, expressed experiencing waves of sadness of having to abandon a place that has become home to her and her family this week. However, as much as the unknown is frightening, the new building brings hope for a fresh start for Welton. They hope their new larger space will open up the cafe to more visitors, live music events and a bar for more beverages. A space with less maintenance and more freedom. Welton Street would like to thank everyone who has supported them during this transition and ask everyone to be patient.

There is still time to support the Cafe’s GoFundMe and better ensure a smooth transition. Last Man Standing: Support our Move