ABD has learned that both the New Life Natural Foods Store and DiChicko’s Cafe inside the store will be closing by year’s end. The cafe will stay open until the end of September and the store will shutter at the end of 2024 as the lease will expire.
The self-contained vitamin, supplement, and healthy grocery store has been open in the Fairway Square Shopping Center for decades. DiChicko’s Cafe was added 17 years ago.
The co-owner, who longtime customers know as simply “Heather” with her positive outlook, shared her reflections with ABD via text message from the Atlanta area, where she now resides.
“DiChicko’s Cafe was like a child to me. When we opened the Cafe in 2006, my daughter was 1 year old. We had spent a year developing the sauces and opened up the cafe to see if Americans would love the Peri Peri flavor as much as the rest of the world did.”
Every item on the menu utilizes the Peri Peri sauces in one way or another from the Peri-Naise, all the way to the Extra Hot.
Over the last 17 years, that child grew in greatness and we learned that, yes, the American pallet was falling in love with Peri Peri.
“The greatest surprise though, was what amazing customers we would gain and what lifelong friendships would develop. A true Peri Peri family was formed and loved. Much like my daughter going off to UGA, the time has come for the cafe to sunset. We cannot thank Augusta enough for being such positive, friendly patrons and more.”
They are still actively providing restaurants and consumers with the Peri Peri line of sauces. These products, as well as the recipes for most of the cafe menu items, can be found at dichickos.com.
“It is with great pride and humility that we say goodbye to this chapter.”
