Jan. 9—HIGH POINT — For Otis Battles, the reality of owning a restaurant in High Point’s new food hall didn’t live up to the hype.
After eight months as one of the vendors at Stock and Grain Assembly, Battles said he closed Miss Johnnie Mae’s Kitchen in December because the volume of daily foot traffic through the public marketplace did not come close to food hall representatives’ projections.
Battles said his restaurant was charged a $580-per-month marketing fee by the food hall, in addition to $6,500 in rent.
He said he never got an explanation as to how the marketing money was put to use and saw no evidence that it was bringing customers into the venue.
“They did not hold up their end of the bargain whatsoever,” Battles said in an interview. “I love the city of High Point. That’s why I went there. But the traffic was just not there to sustain a seven-day-a-week operation like they’re doing. Sometimes, there would be 10 people in there. It was like a ghost town on some days. Some of those vendors got no sales whatsoever.”
Since leaving, Battles said, food hall representatives have refused to release $10,000 worth of equipment the restaurant purchased and used there.
In an email, Stock and Grain Assembly General Manager Ericka Hickerson disputed Battles’ allegations and said the venue is committed to the success of the vendors that operate there.
While she said the figures for rent, marketing fees, foot-traffic projections and other details that Battles shared are inaccurate, Hickerson said she could not comment on specifics terms of their contract because they’re confidential.
“Miss Johnny Mae’s is currently in breach of multiple provisions of their multi-year agreement with Stock and Grain,” Hickerson said. “We have formally communicated this breach on multiple occasions as well as explaining our rights when a breach occurs. All our actions to date have been in accord with the agreement and explained in advance. Furthermore, we expressed our desire to work privately to come to a fair resolution even though we have no obligation to do so. We will continue to pursue this privately.”
The food hall was announced with much fanfare in 2019 as the only venue of its kind in the Triad, with a collection of local food vendors assembled in a single location.
It opened in 2022 on the first floor of the Bedrock building at 275 N. Elm St. just beyond the outfield wall of Truist Point stadium as a centerpiece of the city’s downtown catalyst project.
It now has eight tenants, all of which are independent small businesses.
Battles launched Miss Johnnie Mae’s a few years ago in memory of his late grandmother, Johnnie Mae Brand. It started as a High Point-based food truck featuring a fusion of soul food with Caribbean and Cajun influences.
Success followed, as the food truck was invited to be an official tailgate vendor at the Super Bowl in Tampa in 2021 and at New York Fashion Week.
As the business grew, Battles, along with his mother, Barbara Battles, the co-owner of the venture, opened the first physical location of Miss Johnnie Mae’s at the food hall in April 2023.
He said that between equipment costs, inspections fees and other expenses, it cost about $30,000 to move into the space.
Monthly operating costs came to about $16,000, including rent, utility bills, marketing fees, personnel expenses and groceries.
He said the terms of the contract required Miss Johnnie Mae’s Kitchen to be open seven days a week and that food hall representatives told him there would be an estimated 184 people per day in the building during breakfast hours, 480 during the lunch window and 500 at dinner.
“Ms. Johnnie Mae’s was there eight months and never got those numbers,” Battles said. “I told them, ‘The rent is way too much, and you haven’t brought in any of the numbers you said you would.’ We had a large following before we moved in, and that’s what sustained us, but I saw the red flags.”
He said he pressed food hall representatives for information about their marketing of the venue but saw little evidence of physical or digital advertising efforts.
Hickerson said the food hall has a comprehensive marketing plan to drive customer traffic to the venue.
“This plan includes print, radio and TV advertising, social media, event planning, sponsorships with local organizations, collaboration on large-scale events with High Point city agencies and more,” she said.
Stock and Grain Assembly has a dedicated community and events manager responsible for executing the marketing plan.
“Since the benefits are shared, each business is contractually obligated to contribute to this overall marketing effort,” Hickerson said. “Separately, each business is responsible for marketing the unique aspects of their food and experience to their customers.”
She said Stock and Grain Assembly also offer vendors things such as customized rent structures and business consultations.
“With the increased activity planned for downtown High Point in 2024, highlighted by the Carolina Core FC (soccer team), we are looking forward to another great year,” Hickerson said.
Battles said Miss Johnnie Mae’s Kitchen was able to get out of its contract after his mother fell ill. She has since recovered, he said.
He said the food truck is currently in operation, and he plans to launch a restaurant in Charlotte.
pkimbrough@hpenews.com| 336-888-3531
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