The property that was formerly The Bee’s Knees is up for lease about four months after the coffee and tea house closed its doors permanently in November.
The 3,277-square-foot retail space at 211 Tenth St. across from Tacocat is being leased at a rate of $24 per square foot annually, or $78,648.
It’s ideal for a restaurant, bar or coffee shop with its two serving areas, kitchen and wet bar, according to the property’s realtor, The Finem Group at Meybohm Commercial.
The space is owned by Eric Kinlaw, who opened The Bee’s Knees in 2002 and also owns the space at 215 Tenth St., which is occupied by sports bar Manny’s Sports Off Broad, which opened last August.
The Bees Knees helped bring in modern dining to downtown Augusta when it opened about 21 years ago, said Meybohm Commercial Advisor and Vice President John Eckley in the announcement.
“Out of appreciation for all this restaurant has meant to myself and so many, my hope is to see a new visionary restaurant take up the reigns,” he said.
Kinlaw originally opened The Bee’s Knees as a tapas restaurant with vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, forcing many restaurants to close, The Bee’s Knees had trouble regaining momentum when it reopened in August 2021 as a cafe focused on coffee and tea.
Just over a year after its rebranding, The Bee’s Knees announced on its Facebook page on Nov. 10, 2022, that it was closing for good after service on Nov. 20.
“Please continue to fully support all local things you love,” the post said. “It’s the soul of any community and needs to be nurtured as much as possible.”
