Everybody's Pizza at Emory Village is to close March 19th.
The restaurant's closing was first tweeted by @TuckerPatch with seemingly no story to accompany the brief. (I hinted at the possibility of them closing last year, but a was unable at the time to confirm a closing timetable.)
Everybody's Pizza has been owned and operated by Andy Kurlansky for its entire 41-year existence. Kurlansky has decided now is the right time to sell and sent out a press release today announcing the closing. Ironically Coincidentally, he and Dante Stephenson, founder of Buckhead's Dante's Down the Hatch, are both closing their establishments within months of each other.
The landmark pizza joint has been an Emory fixture since 1971, but has seen its popularity wane over the past few years. The sister location in Virginia-Highland closed in 2010 where in early 2011, Genki Sushi, a local sushi chain, replaced it.
Jagger's Pizza, which itself closed last August, was for many years located practically next door to Everybody's. Many generations of Emory students grew up going to them both, as well as the nearby CVS Pharmacy, previously home to a college sized Kroger.
Emory Village has gone through a metamorphosis of sorts over the past couple of years. A traffic circle was added to the intersection of North Decatur Road, Oxford Road and Dowman Drive. Additionally, landscape and streetscape elements were added to enhance the appearance and to make the area more pedestrian friendly.
In the coming months, Ink & Elm, a new restaurant, will open in the old Park Bench space. Tin Drum Asia Cafe replaced their unsuccessful sibling concept Wonderful World Burgers & Fries, and nearby, on Oxford Road, a number of new dining options have opened. Joiningfellow newbies Chipotle Mexican Grill and Romeo's Pizza, Zoës Kitchen opened this week.
In place of Everybody's, Crawford Moran, brewmaster of 5 Seasons Brewing, will open a new restaurant, Slice & Pint. As its name suggests, the restaurant will serve pizza and will also have a microbrewery serving craft beer. Due to the age of the restaurant and enhancements Moran has planned, it's likely the restaurant won't open for a few months.
Thoughts? Memories? Gripes?