COLLEGEDALE— On July 8, Cambridge Square announced on its Facebook page the closure of Joe Mama’s, a locally owned shake, sandwich and salad restaurant that opened Jan. 26 of this year. This news was followed by a second announcement on Monday, Sept. 1, that a restaurant under the same ownership, Marthie Ann’s, would be shutting its doors as well.
In the Jul. 8 post, Cambridge Square mentioned family obligations as being the main cause of Joe Mama’s closure.
“We talked with the ownership at length and fully understand the pressures they are facing,” the post reads. “We’ll be working to release the space over the next several weeks and will keep you posted on our progress.”
According to a previous Accent article published Feb 11, owner Joseph Keel designed Joe Mama’s to be a casual, family-friendly dining experience, showcasing foods from various cultures.
“What we think of as international food is really just soul food,” Keel said.
The Accent requested an interview with Keel regarding both restaurants but did not receive a response.
Cambridge Square took to Facebook again on Sept. 1 to share the news of Marthie Ann’s closure, where they received 429 comments.
“We discovered this morning that Marthie Ann’s will no longer be operating in Cambridge Square,” the post read. “After close to a year of working directly with their management to provide a path forward, it appears they are not in a position to continue operating.”
One previous waitress, Kimberlee Rodgers, commented under the post to share her feelings towards the news.
“As a full time server at Marthie Ann’s I want to thank each and everyone of our regulars for supporting and encouraging us through every battle we faced,” she wrote. “Please pray for myself and my coworkers at this time.”
Prior to Marthie Ann’s shutting down, the restaurant had been working on revamping its business model, according to a post made by Cambridge Square on July 8. The post explained that rising costs are straining locally owned businesses. “Costs across the board for locally owned restaurants are crazy-high which means they have to be really nimble in their operations,” the post read. “It also requires a development structure that prioritizes long-term, flexible tenant relationships to enable change when it’s necessary.”
In an interview with the Accent, a previous waitress who wishes to remain anonymous shared her experience working for Joe Mama’s and offered her perspective on why the restaurant closed.
“I worked [at Joe Mama’s] as one of the first waitresses when it first opened,” she said, “I had been working under that management for several months, and I could tell that there were a lot of problems within the restaurant as far as the owner and how he treated his staff… I also don’t think that they marketed the restaurant very well.”
In their Jul. 8 post, Cambridge Square expressed a strong need for community support for their locally owned businesses.
“… The more support that our restaurant family receives from the community, the more sustained they are in serving you delicious food,” the post reads.
According to the Sept. 1, Facebook post, Cambridge Square plans to work on a transition plan following the closures and will announce any progress on social media. The shopping plaza asks that all questions related to Marthie Ann’s or Joe Mama’s be directed to their ownership.
Marthie Ann’s restaurant is closed to customers in the area. Thursday, September 2, 2025 (Photo by: Alva Johnson)