Three longstanding restaurants along Wilton Drive are saying goodbye. Wilton Creamery, New York Grilled Cheese, and now Palmyra are all shuttering by the new year.
The three diverse restaurants all cite the same primary reason for shuttering: rent.
Palmyra is the latest name on the list. Over the weekend, owners posted the news to social media, saying, “The decision was not made lightly. With rising rent across Wilton Manors, the sharp increase in food and operating costs, and ongoing economic challenges, it has become unsustainable for small, independently owned establishments like ours to continue.”
It appeared Palmyra was going to close earlier this year, when owners announced they were made a lucrative offer too good to pass up. That deal fell through.
On Nov. 5, Wilton Creamery posted, “It is with a heavy heart (truly devastated to be honest) that we must announce that we will be closing Mid-December. It has been an honor to serve this community.”
Over the weekend it was confirmed that their last day will be in December and that, again, skyrocketing rent is the reason. However, they are looking into the possibility of reopening somewhere else.
Creamery owners are looking for a larger space in Oakland Park, where commercial rentals are cheaper.
Finally, there’s New York Grilled Cheese. They announced their impending demise several months ago and announced the “restaurant will be going away as of 12/01/25.” The post also says they are looking to reopen as NYGC Express in Fort Lauderdale.
Running a restaurant is not easy in even the best of times, and many fail for a number of different reasons, often because the concept, such as focusing on ice cream or grilled cheese, doesn’t work. That is not the case here.
All three, all roughly the same size, are leaving due to the cost of staying in the place that helped make them popular to begin with. How much more do landlords believe they can squeeze out of new tenants? The spots could sit empty for months, then once a new tenant is found they will need to do some sort of costly remodel.
One restaurant can close and not raise an eyebrow. But three at the same time along the same road may be a troubling trend manifesting itself in real time.
