ATLANTA — The artist who was commissioned to paint the now-covered-up mural of Jovita Moore on the side of the Bellwood Coffee location along Boulevard said it “is tough” to see his work gone.
Tommy Bronx posted a short statement over the weekend after people across the community started posting their outrage over the mural being painted over.
Moore died in 2021, just seven months after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.
RELATED STORIES:
- Hundreds gather to race for brain cancer research, first Jovita Moore Impact Award given out
- Channel 2’s Jovita Moore passes away after battle with brain cancer
- Channel 2’s Jovita Moore reveals brain cancer diagnosis
She had been with Channel 2 Action News since 1998.
According to Bellwood Coffee, it initially said, “the windows in our buildout cut into the mural significantly,” and they decided to paint over the mural.
“We knew Jovita Moore’s story, but we truly had no idea how much this specific mural meant to the community of Atlanta,” they said in the post on social media.
Hey, it’s us.
— Bellwood Coffee (@Bellwoodcoffeee) May 1, 2026
We knew Jovita Moore’s story, but we truly had no idea how much this specific mural meant to the community of Atlanta. Unfortunately, the windows in our buildout cut into the mural significantly. Seeing how much this mural meant to so many, we realize we made a…
In his post on Instagram, Bronx said he was moved to see how much people loved his mural and Jovita.
“It’s been powerful to see how much it meant to the community,” Bronx wrote. “Public art lives in the people and the place it’s created for, and this one clearly resonated. I appreciate everyone who’s spoken up and shown love. Hoping whatever comes next reflects that.”
Bellwood posted another statement later in the day on Friday, saying they were going to make things right over the mural.
“The truth is, the reasons aren’t good enough. We made a mistake and acted without enough consideration, and that is not reflective of the kind of people we want to be. For the 7 years that we have had this business, our heart has always been to build community in our city, yet this decision is driving us apart from many in our dear Atlanta community.
To those of you who are saddened, angry, disappointed: We hear you, and we understand. We want to make this right by commissioning another mural. We want to be better, to listen well to our community, and to slow down before making impactful decisions.”
©2026 Cox Media Group
