Soul food seekers in the NoHo Arts District were dealt a blow this weekend following the closure of Otis Jackson's Soul Dog.
The eatery opened in the spring of 2011, but closed Sunday due to paltry earnings, according to one of its proprietors.
Said owner Don Scott: "We sold the space to a new owner. My wife and I decided that as much as we loved being in NoHo and she loved owning her first restaurant, but we just weren't making very much profit for the amount of work we were putting in."
Named after a friend of Scott and his wife, Otis Jacksons was known for more for its fried chicken and soul sides than hot dogs, Scott said.
Despite its revenue, the restaurant garnered a four-and-a-half star rating on Yelp.
"The new owner of the Soul Dog space is doing a completely new concept and will be remodeling for about six weeks,"Scott said in an email, adding: "It has been an adventurous ride being in the food service business and we have learned a whole lot that we did not know two years ago."
One of the main reasons for the failures around NoHo is the unfriendly pedestrian sidewalks. As a community, especially the NoHo Bid should make sure the area is more manicured and beautified. The street trees need trimming, some are dying or dead, street lights are out, sidewalks need pressure washing which I believe is what the NoHo Bid office is suppose to provide for the business owners. The tree wells need additional plants to bring a visual to the eye, similar to the area past Magnolia. Magnolia to Camarillo is in dire need of help! Include wooden planters along the businesses with seasonal flowers. I've spoken to a few business owners and they would enjoy taking care of the watering of them if they were provided. Have the Art Institute create planters that have an artsy flair on the sides. In order to make the area work, it's up to our own community to pitch in with ideas. Has anyone gone to the business owners to ask them what they would like to see happen to create a pedestrian friendly area? Another thought would bring in hanging flower planters on the street lights to brighten the street. We need some full discussion on this as there are quite a few businesses that are thinking of moving out of the area. We've lost NoHo Scooters, now Soul Dogs, and soon a few more if we don't step up!