Crisp & Green closes in Water Street Tampa
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Apr 23, 2024

Minnesota salad chain Crisp & Green has abruptly shuttered its store in Water Street Tampa.

Crisp & Green's Water Street storefront was in the district's Cumberland garage, facing East Cumberland Avenue. It opened in April 2023. A source with knowledge of Crisp & Green's real estate said the Water Street store was one of three that the chain was closing suddenly.

Shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday, Crisp & Green's signage had been taken down and workers were removing furniture from the restaurant.

Water Street developer Strategic Property Partners confirmed the closure but declined comment Tuesday. In addition to salads, Crisp & Green serves grain bowls and smoothies. It occupied 3,350 square feet, according to city building records.

Crisp & Green faced stiff competition within Water Street and throughout Tampa. Fast-casual bowl concepts Cava and Tampa-based Naked Farmer are steps from Crisp & Green's former storefront. Sweetgreen, a national salad chain, has two stores in Tampa, in Hyde Park Village and The Heights. SoFresh has a store on North Franklin Street in downtown Tampa.

In 2021, Crisp & Green said it was planning eight to 12 stores in the Tampa Bay region as part of a major growth plan for Florida. Its other Florida stores are in Naples, Estero, Venice, Winter Garden and Winter Park, though it's unknown whether any of those locations are among the closures.