The bubble has burst.
After weeks of speculation, Bubbles & Pearls owner Josie Smith Malave, AKA Chef Josie, has confirmed what many suspected, that the popular restaurant will not reopen.
“It deeply saddens me to say that after nearly nine years of serving the Wilton Manors community, Bubbles + Pearls is officially closing its doors. I will not be continuing with the renovation to reopen,” she said in a statement.
The restaurant has been closed for weeks, undergoing renovations. When asked recently, she insisted the restaurant would reopen.
There is no word yet on what will become of the space.
OutSFL saw pictures from inside a few weeks ago, and the space was very much demolished.
Smith Malave cited the rising cost of food and quality ingredients and wages. Bubbles & Pearls was more than a restaurant, it was a dining experience. Its format didn’t lend itself to carryout, which has become a bigger part of full service restaurants since the pandemic.
“So as the captain, I go down with the ship,” a fatalistic Smith Malave wrote.
“Thanks to all of you who chose BNP to celebrate your special moments. Thank you for trusting us with your families. Thank you for making us your family. Thanks to all the staff who passed through BNP and helped make this vision a reality. Thank you, Wilton Manors, you helped make my first restaurant a success until it wasn't.”
