Fans of the Iconic, Shaq-owned Krispy Kreme location on Ponce De Leon have reason to rejoice today as plans for the rebuilding of the donut shop have been confirmed by a statement from Krispy Kreme, and backed up by a land development permit application filed by Krispy Kreme for the site of the burnt donut shop.
The statement from Casandra Williams, a representative of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation, confirms that “as we and Shaquille have said since after the first fire, our plan is to rebuild as soon as possible … and be back better and sweeter than ever, serving delicious doughnuts and providing an awesome doughnut experience to everyone in the Ponce neighborhood and those who visit.” The statement also confirms that the company is “in the process of applying for necessary permits… toward construction of a new Ponce shop, including efforts to retain and refurbish some of its original elements such as our historic sign.”
This represents a significant turn of events as just 24 hours ago, What Now Atlanta reported that the almost 70 year-old donut shop was slated to be demolished after a second fire tore through the shuttered business on July 8th, 2021. This was after a first fire, deemed to be arson, left the structure with major damage back in February of 2021.
At the time of publishing yesterday, there were no further details about the future of the site, leaving fans of donuts and local landmarks saddened at the prospect of losing such a beloved establishment.
Josh Cochran wrote on Facebook “Ugh. I wish they would catch the person who did this. Sad to see this neighborhood gem go away.” Many users shared childhood stories about visiting the establishment, and even started the hashtag #ShaqBringItBack pleading with the shop’s famous owner to restore this local gem.
However this statement, along with a Land Development Permit Application filed with the City of Atlanta, indeed confirm that the Ponce Krispy Kreme will make its comeback. The permit filing describes “site improvement work for the new building” costing $300,000. The site work would include “grading, stormwater management, utilities, paving and site access improvements” for the construction of a 3,800 SF structure. The filing also lists Krispy Kreme as the owner of the land and in the project description, all of which confirm the statement from the Krispy Kreme Corporation.
Additional details about what exactly the replacement will look like at the historic location have not yet been released. However Krispy Kreme also stated that they “pledge to keep the community informed as we embark on the path to turning back on our legendary glazer and Hot Light at Ponce.” Stay tuned for those updates as details for this donut shop are still in the oven.
