ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The parking lot at Harold’s Chicken is empty. The marquee at Applebee’s has been stripped. A goodbye message is taped to the window of Milkster Nitrogen Creamery + Coffee.

Residents say these closing businesses are another reminder of how difficult it can be for businesses to stay open in Albany, Georgia.

Harold’s Chicken & Bar is closing less than a year after its grand opening in the summer of 2025. The owners cited inconsistent customer support and rising operational costs as the primary reasons for the closure.

But for many in the community, the loss of one restaurant points to a larger issue: how new businesses can gain traction and survive in the local economy.

WALB News 10 spoke with a business strategy expert about the deciding factors that determine whether a business succeeds or fails in Albany.

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