Long-time Sandy Springs restaurateur Nancy Goodrich, owner of Southern Bistro, has passed away.
Goodrich, 64, died Aug. 13 after a “brief but valiant” battle with cancer, according to an obituary shared with Reporter Newspapers.
Sixteen years ago, Goodrich opened her Sandy Springs restaurant, then called Nancy G’s Café and Bistro and later rebranded as Southern Bistro. It features a Southern-inspired menu and is located in the Fountain Oaks shopping center, about a mile from Chastain Park.
“Her husband, Colman, worked alongside Nancy to build Southern Bistro into a legacy,” said the obituary. Colman in April had told the Atlanta Jewish Times that Goodrich was “living her forever high school dream of running a restaurant.”
Southern Bistro won various awards including the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year, according to the obituary.
“Her restaurant is the neighborhood ‘Cheers,’” said Tisha Rosamond, owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes, who met Goodrich about ten years ago when she was opening her bakery. “She always greeted you with a smile at the door and made a point to stop at your table to catch up. Nancy always said yes to everyone — no matter the cause or the event, she donated. She had the most caring and loving heart. She will be greatly missed.”
Karen Trylovich, principal at event planning company A Classical Affair, said Goodrich was a tremendous businesswoman who gave back to the local community.
“A very large, gaping hole is felt in the community with her absence,” said Trylovich, who met Goodrich through the chamber over a decade ago. “She was an incredible businesswoman who persevered and adapted with changing and tough times. A beautiful, humble, big-hearted person inside and out.”
A memorial service is planned for Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. It will be held at 6110 Bluestone Road in Sandy Springs, with a reception following at Southern Bistro.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Longleaf Hospice.