R. Thomas Deluxe Grill, an Atlanta staple for four decades, is for sale. The restaurant, known for its healthy fare, fresh-squeezed juices, and tropical birds, first opened in 1985 and was once open 24 hours a day.
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| R. Thomas Deluxe Grill - Official |
Although healthier foods - including vegan and vegetarian options - are easier to find today, R. Thomas remains a popular destination in part due to its rich history but also for its atypical hours, including being open until 5 AM Wednesday through Saturday and until 11 PM on all other days.
Richard Thomas opened the restaurant after a successful career in the fast-food franchise business. Thomas for several years served as President of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and spearheaded its growth in the 1960s before co-founding Bojangles in Charlotte in 1977. He would later feel guilty for his role in “poisoning America” with trans fats and other unhealthy foods, which was the impetus for his pivot to healthier fare and the launch of R. Thomas.
Thomas passed away in January 2017 at age 82.
Linay Thomas Sheltra, Richard's daughter, has owned the restaurant since her father's passing, but has operated it from afar as she lives in Charlotte and makes visits to the business a couple of times a month. "We're going to be vetting people a little bit more, maybe deeper than we normally do," Atlanta entrepreneur Cliff Oxford told the AJC, the first to report the news [behind a paywall]. "We always do it, but I've got to think, would Richard and Linay have this person running the restaurant and be happy about it?" Oxford added.
Oxford, who, according to his own online presence, is an author and "business management consultant," is seemingly not a business or real estate broker. He was reportedly chosen to market the property given his longtime friendship with the Thomas family.
The AJC article made no mention of an asking price but indicated that Sheltra is also entertaining offers from interested investors in the business and has set no firm timeline for a sale to occur.
"The restaurant's next owner will not only acquire a stable business but a valuable piece of Buckhead real estate on Peachtree Road," Oxford told the AJC. According to Fulton County tax records, however, the property is owned by MPSBJ PROPERTIES LLC, an entity controlled by Edmund "Eddie" Birnbrey. For what it's worth, the restaurant building is only 1,916 square feet, was built in 1965, and sits on .11 acres, according to Fulton County records.
To misstate the Thomas family's ownership in the real estate seems careless on the part of Oxford and the AJC.
Sheltra and Oxford also told the AJC that the restaurant has "franchise potential," which seems at the very least misguided when you consider the kitchyness of the existing restaurant and how difficult, if not impossible, it would be to replicate it. As much as we love healthier offerings and have enjoyed the establishment's Thai Express Bowl with tofu on more than one occasion, some restaurants are simply not built to be franchises.
Taxco, Agora, Marietta Diner, Red Eyed Mule, The Colonnade, and Nuevo Laredo are among the locally-owned Atlanta area restaurants that are great as independently owned establishments, but would seem impossible to franchise and still maintain their charm.
The marketing of R. Thomas comes on the heels of another significant transition within the Atlanta dining scene that saw Buckhead's Aria restaurant - celebrating 25 years in business this year - change hands from founding business partners Chef Gerry Klaskala, Ron San Martin, and George McKerrow to longtime General Manager Andrés Loaiza.
This past September also saw the sale of nearly 100 year old iconic Atlanta restaurant The Colonnade. First opened in 1927, the restaurant was listed for sale in August before selling about a month later to Paul Donahue and Lewis Jeffries who have made limited tweaks to the restaurant, and as of February, brought back seven day a week service.
Have you been to R. Thomas? Do you think R. Thomas is franchiseable? What is your favorite healthy eatery in Atlanta?
Please share your thoughts below.
4 comments:
It's a great breakfast. Tasty food, quickly served and yes, quirky ;) Hopefully they keep up the quality. It never has been cheap but it's worth what you pay. Good luck to all !
as a very long time patron, we love that place, however, how do replicate an R Thomas without it looking like a Bennigan's?
New to the area and found the restaurant on a July 4th Peachtree Road Race.
Once discovered, made it a stopped point when I was in the area.
Hopefully, the new owners will keep it going.
Don't see it being franchised out.
Such a great establishment.
Eaten many wings at R. Thomas for the past 30 years, hope the new owner keeps some of the same recipes.
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