Scratch restaurant closes along Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park

Another Winter Park restaurant has closed its doors. 

Scratch on Fairbanks Avenue said goodbye Monday, July 3, as owner and operator Ashley Byrd wrote a Facebook post just days before announcing the eatery would be permanently closing.  

Scratch first opened its doors in late 2013, serving tapas from a cozy hole in the wall. The restaurant was decorated with paintings from local artists, blending food and art into one cool hang out. 

“We’re a passionate hospitality group in Winter Park serving those who love food, beer, wine and art,” the Scratch Facebook page reads. “We kick up the glam and serve up flavor-rich small plates.” 

Byrd did not respond to a request for comment. 

Her announcement came just three days after PR’s Taco Palace closed their doors on Saturday, June 24, down the street along Fairbanks after a 30-year run. 

Besides the SunRail project closing off the road that contained most of the restaurant’s parking, PR’s owner Perry Inman also suggested the downtown Winter Park area has seen more restaurants open their doors, resulting in more customers going elsewhere. 

“In the last couple of years, there’s been a dozen restaurants that have opened up in Winter Park,” Inman said. “The slice of the pie gets thinner and thinner.” 

One study by the city presented at a recent parking summit last month said 1,400 restaurant seats have been added along Park Avenue since 2003. 

But despite the increase in Winter Park restaurants, there are plenty of customers to go around, said Winter Park Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Betsy Gardner Eckbert. 

“I have site selectors calling me all the time saying, ‘We’re looking to bring a new restaurant into Winter Park,’” she said. “We’d love to have space for more restaurants in Winter Park. Winter Park is a perfect market for restaurants. We get a mix of guests from international to domestic to wealthy, local patrons that make it an ideal fit for success for restaurants.” 

As for Scratch, Gardner Eckbert said it was her understanding that the closing had more to do with internal problems than the surrounding area or a lack of customers. 

Two restaurants have closed along Fairbanks Avenue, but the corridor remains a vibrant place for a restaurant, she said. 

“I can speak to Hunger Street Tacos as an example,” Gardner Eckbert said. “They’re a really successful, very active member with us. Their business seems to be thriving and growing and moving from strength to strength on Fairbanks. 

“I’m not aware of corridors in the city having problems,” she said. “This is a destination. All we’re hearing is excitement and continued interest in Winter Park as a dining destination.”