ATLANTA — An Atlanta staple and iconic restaurant will close its doors at the end of the month.
If you’re a fan of the Food Network or barbecue, chances are you’ve heard of Daddy D’z BBQ Joynt. It’s been part of the Atlanta culture for 35 years now.
But the owner of the building is decided to sell and the restaurant will have to shut down.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“Daddy D’z was the first barbecue place i visited when I moved to Atlanta ... and i loved it,” Christianah Coker-Jackson told Channel 2’s Lori Wilson.
Coker-Jackson went from customer to the owner of Daddy D’z BBQ Joynt eight years ago. But a health challenge forced her to change direction.
“I had cancer and I had to take time off,” she said. “So I wanted something that could sustain my children if i wasn’t here.”
She got better and made Daddy D’z a family business. It’s the food that made it a favorite, not just in Atlanta but for Food Network shows and movies, too.
“Tyler Perry filmed a movie here a couple of days ago,” Coker-Jackson said.
RELATED STORIES:
- Last call: Dantanna’s closing its original location at Lenox Square
- Iconic Atlanta restaurant EATS closes its doors after 32 years
- Denny’s to close 150 locations by end of 2025
When Coker-Jackson’s loan took too long to process during the government shutdown, the owners sold the building where Daddy D’z has been for decades.
“It hurts. I’m sad. I’ve cried many a nights,“ she told Wilson. “But I have faith that it’ll be alright.”
Coker-Jackson is working hard to find a new location. But in the meantime, she is letting her kids, customers and employees know that the restaurant as they know it is going away.
“We hope to find a new home and continue to be a part of Atlanta history, but this particular location is no more,” she said.
Her employees were told Friday about the upcoming closure. As for people who love Daddy D’z, Coker-Jackson invites them to visit before doors close on Dec. 31.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]