Twice-burned in Midtown Atlanta, Krispy Kreme shop to reopen next week

A promise two years in the making is set to be fulfilled.

Krispy Kreme on Monday announced the grand reopening of its beloved location in Midtown Atlanta that caught on fire twice, leading to a temporary shop and then a pledge to rebuild from one of its owners, Shaquille O’Neal.

The 4,000-square-foot facility, called “Shaq’s Shop,” will open Oct. 10, two years after the NBA legend gave his word that the popular doughnut store at 295 Ponce de Leon Avenue would “bounce back better than ever” after a series of bad luck.

“We made a promise to the Ponce community and all of Atlanta and we’re delivering on it,” Krispy Kreme Global Chief Brand Officer Dave Skena said in a statement.

The historic building was shuttered in February 2021 because of a fire, then demolished that summer after a second blaze in July. In December 2021, the company opened a temporary pop-up store at the location with a drive-thru and limited menu, the first sign that O’Neal and the company would deliver on their vow.

The new “Hot Light theater shop” will feature more than 70 employees, serving classic and limited-time offerings. While designed to be modern, it will still pay homage to Krispy Kreme’s history in the Atlanta community, as well as the original shop, which opened in 1965. It will again be open seven days a week and will also include a custom mural and plaque and a refurbishment of the distinctive heritage sign that dates to the 1960s.

During grand opening week, Krispy Kreme will award 120 people a “Celebration Ticket,” which will net them a dozen free glazed doughnuts every month for a year.

The company had announced construction plans and the shop’s official name in January.

“Everyone has been so supportive during our bounce-back process and we’re thrilled to turn on the Hot Light. Our longstanding presence in Ponce is core to the community,” Skena said. “Beginning Oct. 10, delicious, fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts and all the happiness that comes with enjoying and sharing them will be back.”