Circa, also known as Circa 1926, has closed. The restaurant, which opened in late 2008, had occupied the troubled space on the corner of Park Avenue and Canton Avenue in Winter Park. That location was, for a long time, the Park Avenue Grille. But in the years since that it closed, a number of restaurants have come and gone with such surprising swiftness that locals have started wondering if the location is cursed.

I doubt it; I don’t believe in curses. I do believe that a well-run restaurant can survive on its own merits, especially one in such a high profile location. Circa was plagued with a number of issues, not the least being the loss of its opening (and talented) chef, James Slattery (currently at Big Fin Seafood Kitchen), and mercurial management that often offended guests. It certainly didn’t help that Circa opened in a recession in a large space that is known to have a hefty rental rate. Talk about your curses.

A neighboring restaurant, one with a much better track record, at least in terms of longevity, has announced that it will close at the end of April. Brandywine Deli, one block north of Circa, will stop serving after 40 years. According to the Orlando Sentinel, owner Johnny Frankenberger cited a failure to come to terms on a new lease with the property’s owner.

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