Krispy Kreme
Donut shop · Atlanta ·
Hot glazed donuts, coffee, and frozen drinks await you
Hot glazed donuts, coffee, and frozen drinks await you
"After a two-year closure, I watched the “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign flick back to life on Tuesday, October 10 when the Shaq-owned Krispy Kreme on Ponce de Leon Avenue reopened in brand-new Midtown digs. The twice fire-ravaged shop, which first opened in 1965 and was purchased by Shaquille O’Neal in 2016 as part of a franchise deal (he remains a partial owner), replaces the old nostalgic design with a more modern, somewhat suburban-feeling look that brings in more natural light and adds more seating inside and outside. Some of the shop’s storied past remains: the iconic Krispy Kreme sign that stood outside for nearly six decades has been restored and a mural inside nods to the former building. The Ponce location suffered two separate fires in 2021 — investigators ruled the February fire arson, and a second July fire was deemed “suspicious,” leading to demolition and reconstruction — but it has returned; while the previous site had a 24-hour drive-thru and was the only kosher-certified location within city limits at the time of the first fire, the new drive-thru will not operate 24/7 though it remains kosher certified. Hours are Sunday–Thursday 6 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 6 a.m.–11 p.m." - Beth McKibben
"After two devastating fires in 2021 that led to demolition, construction is now underway to rebuild the historic doughnut shop on Ponce De Leon Avenue with plans to reopen in Midtown Atlanta this summer. The restored “Hot Now” sign will be switched on again, but the building will adopt a modern look with additional indoor seating, outdoor side seating, a drive-thru window, and an interior mural depicting the former structure. Opened in 1965 and long known for a 24-hour drive-thru, the location was the only kosher-certified outlet within the city limits at the time of the first fire; the company is still weighing whether to resume 24-hour hot-glazed service or retain kosher certification. The new design keeps the parking lot sized to city code based on building type and square footage, though the company has been asked about pursuing a more pedestrian-friendly approach. The site — purchased in 2016 as part of a franchise deal by Shaquille O’Neal, who remains a partial owner — showed signs of life with a temporary drive-thru pop-up at the end of 2021; investigators ruled the February fire arson but found the July fire suspicious, prompting the decision to rebuild from scratch." - Beth McKibben
"The drive‑thru Krispy Kreme pop‑up at the original site of the historic doughnut shop on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown is now closed, and I note construction will begin soon on a new Krispy Kreme location after two fires in 2021 caused major structural damage to the original building at the corner of Ponce and Argonne." - Beth McKibben
"The original Krispy Kreme on Ponce opened in 1965 and was known for its 24-hour drive-thru window and for being the only kosher-certified Krispy Kreme within the City of Atlanta; partially owned by Shaquille O’Neal, the landmark suffered catastrophic damage from two fires (February and July), with the February blaze eventually ruled arson, and was demolished in November with no injuries reported. Plans call for rebuilding the Ponce shop using some original and refurbished design elements, including the prominent Ponce sign, with a hoped-for reopening sometime in 2022, though it remains unclear whether the 24-hour hot glazed doughnut drive-thru will return." - Beth McKibben
"Twice damaged by fires, the Krispy Kreme on Ponce De Leon Avenue in Midtown—partially owned by basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal—is set for demolition this week with plans to rebuild and reopen next year; meanwhile the company plans a temporary holiday pop-up on the site starting in December. Little is known about what the pop-up will entail or which doughnuts will be served, though a press release says menu, hours, and an opening date will be released in the coming weeks. The building suffered catastrophic damage in two blazes (February, later ruled arson, and a second fire in July whose cause remains undetermined), but nobody was injured; Atlanta fire officials had previously deemed the site “unsafe,” with utilities disconnected and the property fenced off at the time of the July fire. When rebuilt, the shop will incorporate a few original and refurbished design elements—most notably the sign prominently displayed on Ponce—but a Krispy Kreme representative declined to say when the Ponce location will reopen in 2022 or whether it will again feature the 24-hour hot-doughnuts drive-thru. The landmark shop originally opened on Ponce in 1965 and was the only kosher-certified Krispy Kreme location in the city; O’Neal purchased the landmark as part of a 2016 franchise deal." - Beth McKibben