{"id":184279,"date":"2026-03-09T15:39:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T15:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/184279\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T15:39:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T15:39:58","slug":"another-downtown-loss-bellwether-announces-it-will-close-at-the-end-of-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/184279\/","title":{"rendered":"Another Downtown loss: Bellwether announces it will close at the end of March"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bellwether, a Downtown Jacksonville dining spot and frequent site of meetings among Jacksonville business and political figures, announced it is closing at the end of March.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to put into words how grateful we are for the memories made within these walls,\u201d read a post on the restaurant\u2019s Facebook page.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat started as a vision became a place filled with laughter, celebrations, late-night conversations, and countless shared meals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan Insetta, whose Jacksonville-based restaurant group includes Orsay in Avondale and the former Black Sheep Restaurant in Five Points, opened Bellwether in 2017.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Jonathan Insetta, left, and partner Michael McKinney inside the food storage facility at Bellwether, their restaurant in Downtown Jacksonville. Insetta said food costs have risen about 30% over the past four years.<\/p>\n

Photo by Dan Macdonald<\/p>\n

The restaurant at 117 W. Forsyth St. serves lunch and dinner with a menu that includes soups and salads, burgers and sandwiches, steak and Asian-inspired dishes such as Korean short rib and kimchi tots.<\/p>\n

The Facebook post did not list a reason for the closure.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Insetta told the Daily Record that Bellwether had been \u201changing on a string in Downtown for the last four years, barely making it\u201d due partly to rising costs of ingredients.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said he tried to adjust by adopting \u201cless cheffy\u201d menu items but was not willing to lower the quality standards of the restaurant.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The entrance of Bellwether restaurant at 117 W. Forsyth St. in Downtown Jacksonville.<\/p>\n

Photo by Ric Anderson<\/p>\n

The impending closure follows a Jan. 28 announcement by Intuition Ale Works that it is closing its brewery, restaurant and music hall April 24 when its lease expires at 929 E. Bay St.<\/p>\n

Intuition has been in business 15 years in the Sports and Entertainment District.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Owner Ben Davis said reasons behind his decision to shut down the operation included the challenges of operating a craft brewery since the coronavirus pandemic, such as rising production costs, reduced margins and increased competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Downtown restaurateurs\u2019 challenges also include a high vacancy rate in Downtown office buildings, with Jacksonville industry market reports showing year-end 2025 vacancy rates up to 29.5% on the Northbank..\u00a0<\/p>\n

The trend is poised to continue, with Citizens Property Insurance Corp. uprooting from its offices at 301 W. Bay St. for a suburban location and EverBank exploring a move out of the same building.<\/p>\n

\"Intuition<\/p>\n

Intuition Ale Works is at 929 E. Bay St. in the former Noland Building at 929 E. Bay St. in the Downtown Sports Complex near VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, VyStar Ballpark and EverBank Stadium.<\/p>\n

Photo by Monty Zickuhr<\/p>\n

Citizens employs about 1,000 people Downtown. EverBank\u2019s Downtown workforce numbers 800.<\/p>\n

EverBank is seeking $9.8 million in tax incentives from the city of Jacksonville to remain Downtown, saying the funding is needed to offset a cost differential in operating Downtown versus the suburbs. Those costs include parking and security, bank executives say.<\/p>\n

On Feb. 18, the Downtown Investment Authority board voted 7-2 against recommending City Council approval of the incentive package.<\/p>\n

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