The building might be new, but the important pieces are still there: the historic Krispy Kreme sign; the glazed doughnut machine with its river of hot oil; and, most importantly, the people from all walks of life looking forward to a freshly fried sweet treat.
As the shop on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown Atlanta prepares to turn on its Hot Light for the first time in more than two years, members of the community gathered Friday morning for a ribbon cutting at the historic site. The event was attended by representatives from the Atlanta mayor’s office, Krispy Kreme headquarters, local schools, chambers of commerce and organizations like the Atlanta Falcons and the Fox Theatre. The restaurant will open to the public Tuesday at 6 a.m.
The historic location, Krispy Kreme’s eighth, opened in 1965 but suffered two fires in 2021. Investigators determined that the second was caused by arson. The damage was catastrophic and the building was a total loss.
The store’s owner, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, promised in the wake of the fire that the location would “bounce back better than ever,” words that became a rallying cry for stakeholders. While Shaq could not attend the ribbon-cutting, Krispy Kreme’s chief marketing officer, Georgeanne Erickson, said he would “be by the shop soon.”
“Nobody loves Krispy Kreme more than Shaq,” Erickson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Greg Clay, commissioner of the Atlanta mayor’s office of constituent services, described the Krispy Kreme as an essential gathering place and a “true landmark.” The new store is unique, with all the modern touches of a new location but plenty of non-standardized nods to the site’s history.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
“It’s a very symbolic thing, especially for this neighborhood, to have familiar locations that people are used to, in addition to the great growth like Ponce City Market down the street,” Clay told the AJC. “It’s a great asset to the community.”
Even without the special treatment given to this Krispy Kreme location, having an active business at the corner of Ponce de Leon and Argonne avenues is a huge improvement over a fenced-off, burned-out building. But Krispy Kreme took pains to acknowledge its 50-plus-year history at this address, covering an entire double-height interior wall with a mural depicting the original structure, which it took over from the Pig’n Whistle drive-in.
“Everyone has been incredibly supportive of our bounce-back process, including the City of Atlanta, including the authorities,” Erickson told the AJC. “It always takes a little longer than you’d like and there are complications along the way, but we’re thrilled to be back and thrilled to open the doors to the community.”
Friday’s ribbon-cutting felt a bit like a sugar rush, with a DJ spinning treacly pop hits and an appearance from Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School’s phoenix mascot. The event’s speakers were regularly interrupted by joyful honks and cheers from excited drivers on Ponce. Dozens of the store’s 70 employees were present, many of them training for the grand opening. Atlanta police officers and event organizers kept turning away people who pulled into the parking lot, thinking the store was already open.
The first thing most customers will notice about the new Krispy Kreme is that it’s two stories, giving it a much airier dining room with large windows letting in lots of natural light. Whereas the drive-thru line at the former building could wrap around the parking lot, especially late at night, the new structure has two drive-thru lanes. Inside, customers can place orders at the counter, as always, or they can order from touchscreen kiosks. There’s a pickup area reserved for online orders.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
The doughnut-making machine remains the star of the show and appears unchanged. Fresh doughnuts still bob and flip lazily through a bath of frying oil before they’re enrobed in a gentle cascade of glaze. Picked directly from the conveyor belt, the original glazed still taste the same, which is to say, they retain their status as one of food’s most ethereal and decadent simple pleasures.
The new building also appears to be largely made from brick and glass, with security cameras covering every corner.
Unlike the previous incarnation, the new Krispy Kreme will not be open 24 hours a day. District manager Tracy Bradley said that opening for 24-hour service was a possibility one day, but the new location would follow the chain’s standard operating hours for the foreseeable future.
“It’s very rare for a Krispy Kreme to be open overnight,” Erickson said.
Starting Tuesday, the location will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
With the construction fences removed and the Hot Light soon to be illuminated, the new Krispy Kreme feels like it has restored an iconic piece of Midtown. The location has faltered before, which led Shaq to purchase the store to save it from permanent closure in 2016. The community has rallied around the shop through its recent run of bad luck, perhaps realizing what would be lost if the half-century-old institution was gone.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
“As a generational Atlantan, I remember coming here vividly, probably hundreds of times,” Clay told the AJC. “We’re very fortunate in our community to have these types of staples.”
Clay chuckled when asked if basketball-loving Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens would be enjoying a Krispy Kreme doughnut anytime soon.
“The mayor keeps a pretty thin profile,” Clay said. “But I’ve seen him enjoy a treat a time or two. We’ll make sure we procure some (doughnuts) today.”
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