Nu-Way Weiners to close at Mercer Village, Bear Burgers set to open
A dining shift: From classic hot dogs to innovative burgers
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Nu-Way Weiners will close its Mercer Village location later this month, and a new restaurant will take its place next year.
Bear Burgers Macon announced last week it will open in the Montpelier Avenue location in January 2024.
“Get ready to experience food, atmosphere & friendly service like you never have before!” a flyer on the restaurant’s Facebook page states.
Bear Burgers formerly operated as Keene’s Kafe inside a Shell gas station on Thomaston Road.
Keene’s Kafe closed earlier this year, but the closure wasn’t due to a lack of support. Customers contributed more than $5,000 over the summer after owner Jonathan Keene said someone cut a hole in the back of the building and stole food and money.
“Life is going to happen,” Keene told 41NBC in July. “And there’s good people and there’s bad people, and for every bad person there’s a hundred good people, and so as long as you do what’s right and you help and you give what you can and you try and make a difference, I feel like you’ll always be okay.”
Keene said Thursday he’s honoring the support from the community by rebranding and relocating.
“When you think of Macon, you think of Mercer University,” he said. “You think of the Bears, so that was our way of giving back to Macon.”
Nu-Way Weiners President James G. Cacavias confirmed the Montpelier Avenue location’s closure on Wednesday.
“We will be closing this location on December 19th,” he wrote in an email. When reached by phone, he said the decision to close the store was made due to marginal sales, citing the lack of a drive-thru at that location and that customers had complained it was hard to find parking, especially during the lunch hour.
Cacavias says the Mercer Village location at 1602 Montpelier Avenue, Suite 105, which has been open since May 2016, employs about half a dozen workers. When asked if they’d be transferred to other locations in the company, he replied, “They already have.”
Nu-Way’s website lists eight other locations: Macon Baconsfield, Macon Bloomfield, Macon Napier Square, Macon Northside Drive, Macon Zebulon Road, Warner Robins Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins Russell Parkway and Fort Valley.
Bear Burgers is still finalizing its menu, but it’s expected to offer breakfast options in addition to burgers.
Keene says he hopes his restaurant will become a staple in the community where people come and connect.
