AJC: Decatur Diner Owners Close Empire Diner in Sandy Springs
Decatur Metro | January 11, 2011 | 1:09 pmThe AJC’s Food and More blog reports that the Empire Diner in Sandy Springs has closed.
This normally wouldn’t be all that pertinent news to Decaturites, except that Empire was owned by the same folks who own the Decatur Diner, according to the AJC. Here’s the blurb…
A reader has informed me that the Empire Diner in Sandy Springs has closed. According to them, “..went right after Christmas and found a “Temporarily closed” sign on the door, but all fixtures still in place. Went today and the exterior sign was removed and fixtures removed. This was operated by the same group that was to operate the long-delayed Decatur Diner.”
A call to the diner’s phone number reveals the number has been disconnected.
This was reported and heavily discussed several weeks ago: http://www.tonetoatl.com/2010/12/empire-diner-expires-decatur-and-morrow.html. It’s interesting when the AJC picks up these stores a month later and credits a “reader.” I realize that this is an AJC blog, not the print edition; but bloggers are expected to read the top blogs on subjects they’re covering, particularly when they’re being paid to do so, no?
I reported that here over a month ago based upon eyewitness accounts.
Sorry guys. Apparently there are so many angles to this story that it’s hard for me to remember what I’ve already heard.
More and more talk about the seemingly shady owners of the diner, coupled with all the talk of how wonderful the diner will be when it opens, makes me think of all the wonderful people who like to support shady business owners. I guess the mentality is “I don’t care, as along as the food’s good”.
Seriously, what are the facts that support the accusation of “shady owners”?
Exactly UDog! That’s why I said “More and More TALK about the SEEMINGLY shady owners of the diner”. No facts on anything so far.
I also said “all the talk of how WONDERFUL the diner will be when it opens”. No facts on anything so far.
Then, I took the two statements and made a big jump to “wonderful people who like to support shady business owners.” Which was quickly negated by the statement “I don’t care, as long as the food’s good”. Which is the way I feel about most places that I eat. (See my other references about restaurant health scores. I feel health scores or irrelevant if the food is good! That is why I support such places like Bagel Palace and Java Monkey.)
Bottom line…there are no facts about why the diner has taken 9 months (or more) to open. There are no facts about the quality of the food at the establishment. And there has been no actions from the owner to get the word out about what is taken so long to open. (at least that I’ve seen.)
If you have first hand facts, please share them with the rest of us and finally you will be able to single handedly stop all the speculation and rumors that are flying around.
I have no facts about the diner, but if they do open in 2011 I will be there to support them.
(Darn, I broke my pledge not to talk about the diner until they opened.)
I incorrectly responded to your post instead of a general post. My question was a sincere appeal to anybody who had facts about “shady owners.”
This has all the obvious signs of a cash flow crisis. Even if they manage to open, (still doubtful) they’ll never make it.
It’s kinda not even funny anymore. Just sorta stressful and sad.
Too bad the landmark diner people didn’t move into the space…