Creative Loafing’s Omnivore blog reports that Watershed employees were informed today that the Decatur mainstay restaurant would close for good next Saturday.

A message on the Watershed website confirms it.

One of Atlanta’s most iconic southern restaurants reveals its plans for relocation in Atlanta. The new location (to be announced) will combine a fine dining experience with a casual and comfortable atmosphere. The “new” Watershed will continue to serve the outstanding southern-inspired cuisine it has become famous for, including the award winning Southern Fried Chicken and Sunday Brunch. The restaurant design will offer guests a vibrant bar, spacious dining room, large outdoor patio, and ample parking. It will also include a private dining room where neighborhood residents, businesses and other community groups will be able to entertain, conduct business meetings, or celebrate special occasions. Owner Emily Saliers commented, “While it was not an easy decision to leave Decatur, we are unable to offer our guests these added amenities in our current location. We are deeply grateful to the Decatur community for 13 years of support.” Watershed’s Decatur location will be closing after dinner on Saturday evening August 6th so that the owners can begin working on the new restaurant which they anticipate opening by the end of the year.

I guess all good things come to an end, but this will certainly shock more than a couple Decaturites used to their Tuesday Fried Chicken and Sunday brunch.  While Brick Store is largely credited with the revival of the Decatur pub scene, Scott Peacock’s Watershed is generally often cited for making Decatur a high-end dining destination.

Soon after we learned that chef Joe Truex would take over the culinary reins at Watershed, we were quickly reassured that he and his wife’s current venture “Repast” would remain open.  However, it seems that things have changed.

The faceless Besha Rodell reports on CL’s Omnivore…

I just spoke to Joe Truex, who delivered the sad news that Repast will be closing after tomorrow night’s service. Truex, who has owned Repast with his wife and co-chef Mihoko Obunai since early 2006, was announced as Scott Peacock’s replacement at Watershed in May. At that time, the couple announced that Obunai would continue as Repast’s chef and owner. But two months later, they feel that the economy and notoriously slow summer months cannot sustain the restaurant.

From John Kessler’s Food and More blog…

Today Watershed restaurant in Decatur announces the appointment of chef Joe Truex as its new chef and operating partner. He replaces Scott Peacock, who left the restaurant in February after 11 years, to pursue a documentary film project and begin working on a memoir. Truex, who has run Repast restaurant with his wife, Mihoko Obunai-Truex for the past four years, will assume the position June 1.

Both Truex, who currently resides in Decatur, and managing partner Emily Saliers relay to Kessler that changing up the menu more frequently will be a key component of evolving the restaurant in a post-Peacock era.

Watershed has an official press release on their website.

For even more info on Truex check out his now former restaurant Repast’s menu HERE.  Additionally, Kessler wrote an extensive profile of Truex for the AJC just this past March, after traveling with the chef to his hometown in Louisiana.