Earlier today, Galaxy Diner on Henderson Mill Road in Embry Hills closed. The restaurant at 3320 Henderson Mill Road was situated in an outparcel of Embry Village shopping center, where anchor Kroger is currently undergoing a significant expansion. On a sandwich board inside the restaurant, ownership thanked patrons for 15 great years.
The diner, renamed Roy's Galaxy Diner shortly after Roy Jones purchased it in 2006, occupied a onetime Hardee's and was popular for their Eggs Benedict, among other breakfast fare. Following Roy's passing in 2014, the restaurant was run primarily by his two daughters and son-in-law, Maria and Fabiel Dominguez, and Christina Lee.
The restaurant suffered a small kitchen fire in January 2017, but just days later reopened, and a mere two weeks later was the filming location for a scene from the feature film, "I, Tonya," staring Margot Robbie as disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding. [Portions of the film were also shot at Gwinnett Place Mall, among other area locales.]
ToNeTo Atlanta has thus far been unable to obtain official comment regarding the cause of the closure. Local chatter, however, indicates that the center's landlord, Kimco Realty, did not offer the restaurant a lease renewal, likely in an effort to get a higher paying tenant to join the center.
The freestanding 3,400 square foot space is not yet marked as "available" on Kimco's Embry Village page, but that is likely to change in the new year.
The owners of Galaxy Diner hope to reopen nearby sometime early next year, but don't have a lease signed or even a location identified. One possible relocation space is the former O'Charley's on Northlake Parkway in Tucker, which closed this past June.
Where is your favorite "diner" in metro Atlanta? What would you like to see open in place of Galaxy Diner? Where do you think Galaxy Diner should reopen?
Please share your thoughts below.