Ovinte partner Jacques Klempf intends to sell or lease the building he rented to the St. Johns Town Center restaurant, a spokeswoman said Monday.
Through Buckhead Equities LLC, Klempf owns the 5,000-square-foot building that he leased to Ovinte at 10208 Buckhead Branch Drive.
Klempf owned Ovinte with business partner Fraser Burns. They closed the Spanish and Italian cuisine concept on Monday after almost five years.
In a statement, they said it was a business decision not to renew the lease. Ovinte was part of Forking Amazing Restaurants LLC.
“We both feel it is in the best interest of the group to focus on our new and exciting projects within the Forking Amazing Restaurants portfolio,” they said.
“We were thrilled to be one of the first locally owned and operated restaurants at the St. Johns Town Center, and we are forever thankful for our dedicated employees, loyal guests, and the entire Jacksonville community for supporting our concepts and projects throughout the city,” it said.
Neither could be reached for comment.
Ovinte opened in 2012 and served Spanish and Italian-influenced cuisine, wine and cocktails.
It replaced The Original Pancake House and was one of only a few of local independent restaurants at the Southside shopping center.
The structure was built in 2006 on the 1-acre site. The Duval County Property Appraiser lists its 2017 assessed value in progress at $2 million.
The restaurant was part of a portfolio that includes Bistro Aix, Il Desco and Cowford Chophouse, which is under construction Downtown.