Sunday, April 7, 2013

Neighborhood Italian Eatery Changing Hands, and Names?

Capozzi's Decatur on Clairmont Road will be changing hands, and names, after five years.


The neighborhood Italian eatery has become one of the longest running eateries in the center.  An email was sent to patrons this week announcing upcoming changes to the restaurant.  The email invited  guests to come in this past weekend and next to say goodbye to current owners and to meet new owner "Tori."

Reportedly, the sale of the restaurant is due to close by the 15th (tax day coincidence?) Additionally, the restaurant will remain Capozzi's until later this year, perhaps June or July, when the owners plan to introduce a new name for the restaurant.

The restaurant heavy shopping center in which Capozzi's is located has had its fair share of turnover over the years. Although I never lived close enough to the center to pass it daily, or even weekly, I still witnessed plenty of changes at the complex. 

Capozzi's opened in 2008 and replaced previous Mexican eateries Ricardo's Mexican Grill and Sol Y Luna. 

In the late 90s, the center was home to one of the first Melvyn & Elmo's (later renamed Einstein Bros. Bagels) bagel shops in Atlanta.  If memory serves, the shop opened around 1997 or 1998 and was one of the first to close. (Another, more famous, former Einstein Bros. was on Peachtree Road in Buckhead and later became the first unit of the now national chain, Moe's Southwest Grill) Einstein Bros. Bagels and has gone on to reopen not near Emory, but on the campus itself! 

The far left space in the center has probably seen the most turnover as it's been two different concepts, albeit supposedly from the same owner, in just the past couple of years.  The Nest opened in the spring of 2011, and was replaced by Scoreboards Bar & Grill this past fall.  This string of restaurants follows a longer list of failed businesses including Selam and Moya, among others. 

Community Q opened in 2009 and replaced The Epicurean.  I also recall failed burger joint Burger Joe's having been in the center in a space later occupied by a Papa John's franchise and more recently Bhojan Market.

Current restaurant tenants include the ever popular Pyng Ho Chinese restaurant, Mint2 Thai/sushi, Bhojanic and Nectar, a juice bar and sandwich shop.

Are you a current customer of Capozzi's customer with feelings on the change?  What is your favorite eatery in the center?  What type of restaurant would you like to see open in the area?  

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

You keep referring to "the center", but WHAT center? Does it have a name? And an actual street address would be nice, too.

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon,

My apologies, "the center" in on Clairmont Road, about a block before North Decatur Road and next door to Athens Pizza.

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for reading the site.

Carl Black said...

Yet again, your memory = amazing!

I've always referred to this as the "restaurant shopping center." I believe there was once a dry cleaner here, but otherwise it's a format we're not accustomed to experiencing elsewhere.

Brad said...

Yes, Pinckard and Morgan dry cleaners was in there, moved up to downtown in the CVS shopping center. I used to like the bagel and drycleaner right next to each other...

I think one of the first smoothie kings was in that center also.

Anonymous said...

The far left space was a Tanner's Chicken Rotisserie restaurant way back in the 80/90s. Used to go there when I was in High School.

Anonymous said...

I remember when Mexican restaurant "La Quebrada" was in that plaza 20+ years ago.

Anonymous said...

And wasn't there a Thai restaurant named "Thai One On?" Don't know when it opened, but it closed about 5 years or so ago.

Atlantan99 said...

@Carl, thank you, I apprecaite the support and readership.

Atlantan99 said...

@Brad,

Crazy! After I read that I totally remembered the Smoothie King in the cente, perhaps the current Nectar space?

Thanks for the commments and readership.

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon,

I don't think I ever went to Tanner's but I know the same for sure. Good times

Thanks for reading the site and for the comments.

Anonymous said...

There was a Schlotzky's for quite awhile. I miss it.

Sandman said...

Does anyone know why they are selling. We love Capozzis and hate to see them go.

Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz said...

So what is its new name and when to open? We loved it! Waiting impatiently for super Italian food in this area.

Atlantan99 said...

@Babs,

It's called Villagio Italian Kitchen. It should be opening any day now.

More about it can be found here ->

http://www.tonetoatl.com/2013/08/capozzis-out-villagio-italian-kitchen-in.html

Thanks for your comment and readership!

Maxwell Pickett Jr said...

I 1st went to Capozzi's last year some time, and I almost lost my mind. It was NY pizza to me, and I had not had anything like it since back in the 70's (Jamaica Queens New York.). I told friends from home about it, and they ran their just like me. No sooner than we fall in love with the place, I drive bye and it's gone. I'm trying to find out where the owner is now, or if he has re-located. I don't want a substitute, I want that pizza. Max from Brooklyn.

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