UPDATE:  I followed up before originally posting and asked the Fox Bros PR team if there would be any official word on the closing. Here it is…

Fox Brothers Restaurant Group (FBRG), the team behind Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q and Big Tex Decatur, is closing Big Tex on November 3.  The Big Tex space will be retained by the group for an unforeseen period of time.

Growing demand on the Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q kitchen, stimulated in part by the designation of the restaurant as the official barbecue of the Atlanta Falcons, made the decision to close Big Tex necessary.  “We are certainly going to miss serving our loyal friends in Decatur we have made over the 3 years and we hope to be back one day.  We are thankful for the additional demand on our barbecue business but closing Big Tex is bittersweet.  We will be focusing on the future of Fox Bros Bar-B-Q with expansion and the build out of our new catering/commissary facility on Ottley Drive. The new commissary will really be a game changer for us and help meet the needs of our restaurant in Candler Park and future Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q restaurants,” Jonathan Fox, Partner and Pitmaster of Fox Bros Bar-B-Q.

Big Tex Decatur, located at 308 W Ponce de Leon Ave in Decatur opened the doors in May of 2011 and has served Texas-inspired food and drinks since 2011.

Rebecca points out this note from Big Tex on Facebook from just minutes ago…

Thank You for 3 great years, but it’s time for us to say goodbye. We had a great time serving Decatur and look forward to seeing you soon!

Photo courtesy of Sandi

Altmod writes in FFAF this morning that she’s observed a sign in the old Terra Mater space – next to Decatur CD on West Ponce (MAP)- announcing that Kale Me Crazy juice bar would be opening a second Atlanta location in the old hair salon.

Kale Me Crazy’s first location is in Inman Park along Highland Ave.  They serve cold-pressed juices, smoothies, coffee, wraps, and acai bowls.  Back in July, USA Today named the spot the top juice bar in the country.

Photo courtesy of Yelp

Guy Wong has been waiting patiently to get access to his new space in Decatur at the former book bindery at 312 Church Street, behind the Avenue Realty office and former Houndstooth Road space.  A year-ago in a DM comment, Wong described the space as “a long straight building with arched ceilings.” The city had been utilizing the space up until recently.

Well, we received word over the weekend that Wong has finally gotten the keys to the space and that the restaurant renovation should commence soon.

In that same comment from October 2013, Wong described the venture thusly…

I plan to offer authentic Cantonese recipes from my parents former restaurant Sam’s Gourmet, which was one of the first true authentic restaurants in Atlanta. It was an honor for me to learn these dishes and I can’t wait to share it in BBC.d

We will be offering lunch, dinner, and late night. You can expect live seafood tanks, Chinese BBQ station, and private “your friends basement style” karaoke rooms. Dim Sum is a strong possibility.

Smith Hanes is the designer tasked at creating the space. I would describe as a Chinese cross between Roberta’s and Hotel Delmano in Brooklyn.

Photo courtesy of Google Streetview

Here are your requisite Decatur Beer Festival crowd photos.  Especially appreciated and enjoyed the extensive Georgia section up on the MARTA plaza this year.

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We’re just a few days out from the 2014 Decatur Beer Festival, so if you have tickets, you may want to  view the brewery list for this year’s event along with a map of booth locations HERE.

The expanding presence of Georgia-based breweries and many newcomers should make for an interesting array of choices this year.

Map courtesy of Decatur Beer Festival website

This sounds pretty tasty…

We received a tip late last week that Fresh to Order employees were saying that they would be opening this weekend, but we couldn’t confirm.  But a look yesterday revealed a patio of patrons and lights galore.

Looks like the report was right!  Fresh to Order is now open in the old Decatur Diner space at East Ponce and Church Street across from Leon’s.