The Standard closes, to reopen in spring
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The Standard in Grant Park is under new ownership and will stay closed for the time being, emerging from its cocoon in spring as a redesigned and changed restaurant.
The restaurant was the site of a horrific crime, just over a year ago, when bartender John Henderson was shot to death during a robbery. This incident brought to light the resurgence of crime in central Atlanta.
Here’s the notice from the restaurant’s Web site:
The Standard would like to thank Grant Park and Atlanta residents for their continued patronage and support. We are under a new ownership makeup and will be making exciting new changes over the next few weeks that will improve our ability to serve you better.
Please check our website and Facebook page for updates on our progress. Thanks again, and we look forward to serving you again very soon!
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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
40 comments Add your comment
Rod
February 15th, 2010
10:39 am
Sad I went there once and enjoyed the place. Sad about the person killed
DP
February 15th, 2010
11:00 am
Maybe you should revise the tag line on the front page so it doesn’t sound like the business closed for good.
Librarygirlatl
February 15th, 2010
11:00 am
Rumor is that it will reopen as a gastropub. After the murder, I always felt sad when I went in there. I’d take a sip of my beer or a bite from my sandwich and I couldn’t shake the “my God, someone was murdered here” feeling. No one will ever forget what happened to John Henderson but maybe this is the chance for the new owners to turn the bar into something positive.
PF
February 15th, 2010
11:15 am
I agree with DP – the headline suggested that this business is closed for good. I think that’s a disservice to the new owners. I’m sure they would prefer people looking forward to an updated business rather then writing them off for good.
OZZFEST
February 15th, 2010
11:20 am
THANK YOU AJC FOR THE MIS-LEADING HEADLINE……….WHY NOT JUST CALL THIS RAG THE ATLANTA INQUIRER?………..INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
TJ
February 15th, 2010
11:22 am
It’s so sad when punks take a life just because they can. Librarygirlatl, said it best maybe the new owners can turn it into something positive. I’ll never forget what happened that night, John will always be remembered. They may make this a place where we will all feel good about visiting = )
Pulitzer Prize for John Kessler?
February 15th, 2010
11:35 am
Great headline Kessler. Sounds like it closed down – but it’s just temporarily closed for a renovation. Award-winning work, and hats off to the editor as well. This is a top-notch unit at the AJC.
anger management
February 15th, 2010
11:38 am
wow, sounds like some of you have got a case of the “mondays”…lighten up!
mo
February 15th, 2010
11:44 am
…i agree anger mgmt, sounds like a lot of displaced anger. We all want a safe city…Standard has become the…well, standard for the anti-crime movement. I havent been since the murder and would have a difficult time not thinking of what occured if i did go…and i certainly couldnt bring the wife and kids and feel “safe.”
Local
February 15th, 2010
11:45 am
It should be closed it was nothing but a smoke pit. The whole place smelled like an ash tray. I lived right by it and never went because I could not bear the smell when I entered the front door.
ATL Bread
February 15th, 2010
11:52 am
I agree with Local. I went a few times but always had a bad experience due to the smoke. If you are going to allow people to smoke (which is fine) then please install an air filtration system. Your patrons will appreciate it!
Local Sucks.......
February 15th, 2010
11:52 am
Don’t go to a bar a$$hole if you don’t like smoke. Go to Decatur.
Local Sucks.......
February 15th, 2010
11:53 am
Same to you ATL Bread.
Life's Standard
February 15th, 2010
11:54 am
If the violence that surrounds us dictates how we live our lives, then we’d have few places to go. Live your lives with the vitality and love that John Henderson would have wanted. Push back against the evil-doers and fear mongering with pints full of Guiness and the fun experiences that came with the Standard.
Southgate
February 15th, 2010
11:59 am
Seriously people?
Main Entry: tem·po·rar·i·ly
Pronunciation: \ˌtem-pə-ˈrer-ə-lē\
Function: adverb
Date: 1534
: during a limited time.
Hooked on phonics…
Geo
February 15th, 2010
12:00 pm
Looking forward to the reopening!
-a happy customer
U Suck, Local Sucks...
February 15th, 2010
12:04 pm
Did you ever think for one inkling of a moment that A$$ WIPES like you probably led to the demise of the place. Folks that want to drop in for a bite to eat don’t necessarily want to deal with the smell of smoke in addition to the smell of stale beer. Alcohol sales and smoking won’t sustain a successful business for long.
DP
February 15th, 2010
12:15 pm
Southgate – Thanks for playing but you’re late to the game. Epic Fail. They updated the headline before your comment.
Local Sucks.......
February 15th, 2010
12:22 pm
In your head….I’m in your head, how does it feel?
John Kessler
February 15th, 2010
12:30 pm
Hey, I’m all up for admitting a mistake but I don’t see how “The Standard closes, to reopen in spring” is misleading. Seems like I can’t get any more “just the facts, ma’am” than that…
Deltoid
February 15th, 2010
12:34 pm
It was probably the homepage headline — “Standard, site of slaying, closes” — that people are talking about.
Local Sucks.......
February 15th, 2010
12:37 pm
I agree John Kessler; please dumb down your writing for these folks who can’t get past headlines; only easily digestible headlines from now on please.
Thank you and that will be all……I will miss their yummy steak sandwich though as i puff on a Camel.
John Kessler
February 15th, 2010
12:38 pm
Aha..thanks, Deltoid. Looks like it’s changed….and I’m late to the party. Figure if I’m going to be a scum-sucking yellow journalist, I should at least know why…
Local
February 15th, 2010
12:48 pm
Normal people would not touch the place becuase of the smell of smoke which wass the demise of the place. Only the freaks and hippies of Grant Park would go there that was the demise of the place. Look at Lenny’s next door same story. Now whos in your head!!
Grumpy McGrumperson
February 15th, 2010
12:54 pm
I’d just like to say that everyone’s opinion other than mine is wrong, all web sites I visit suck, and no issue is too small for me to react to in an outrageous and disproportionate manner.
I would close my post with some personal attacks and poorly-disguised profanity, but I’m just too angry at how the world has failed me.
Al
February 15th, 2010
12:56 pm
I agree. The smoke smell was disgusting. People should smoke outside. I won’t go back unless they change.
uberVU - social comments
February 15th, 2010
1:00 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tiffany_Tiffany: RT @ajc: The Standard Bar in Grant Park, site of infamous slaying, is closed as new owners remodel it. http://bit.ly/9YV660…
Shane
February 15th, 2010
1:22 pm
I loved the Standard and visited often. I was one of the unlucky decaturites who had to find a new second-home after Trackside burned down and the Standard was there for me, thankfully. GREAT FOOD – AWESOME STAFF! The only drawback was the lingering smell of puke… I think they vented the place well when it was smoky, but something that someone puked on never got cleaned up properly… and when everyone who runs the place smokes, they can’t smell it, so I guess it never got cleaned up. Other than that, I’d have to say it was a top notch place overall… I wouldn’t mind seeing Trackside open back up though… hint hint, for whoever’s listening – It’s been over a year now and I haven’t seen even one inch of progress rebuilding that great institution.
Local Sucks.......
February 15th, 2010
1:54 pm
Local, please learn to use things like apostrophe’s and commas when appropriate while typing….like normal people, not like those awful hippies and freaks from Grant Park.
Grumpy, very well said………were you talking too me?????
Local
February 15th, 2010
2:02 pm
I dont have time while sitting around in my tatoo shot to focus on my gramatical errors like you.
Kay
February 15th, 2010
2:06 pm
Shane,
The company I work for got a copy of the blueprints for the Trackside, They are going to start renovations in the spring.
Grant Park ResI ident
February 15th, 2010
3:07 pm
I enjoyed the Standard in weather that allowed me to sit outside. Like several others here, I couldn’t tolerate eating in an ashtray. I was terribly disappointed that the place chose to focus on BAR rather than RESTAURANT. Lots of young couples with kids couldn’t come here since the smoking policy meant no one under 18 allowed. I am happy to have restaurants within walking distance, and I welcome the new incarnation. I suspect I’ll be a more regular customer. Welcome to the neighborhood!
Grant Park Resident
February 15th, 2010
3:08 pm
OOPS! Before anyone slams my typo, I meant Grant Park Resident!
Parker Jones
February 15th, 2010
3:13 pm
“It’s smokey in here wifey…oh no…and I think I saw a colored fella get off the bus outside…oh golly…”
Local Sucks.......
February 15th, 2010
3:46 pm
Well………you’re,post says: everything bout you.;?,
Johnson
February 15th, 2010
8:55 pm
Hey everybody! Just to quell any rumors. This is the new concept and it will be open on Monday. Just needed a couple weeks to pull it off. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=305073558770&ref=mf
Johnson
February 15th, 2010
8:56 pm
Monday, the 22nd.
FM Fats
February 15th, 2010
9:34 pm
It will reopen as Young Augustine’s and will be a non-smoking restaurant as per one of the owners. The work in progress menu posted to its Facebook page looks pretty nice. If they build on what they’ve done at Steinbeck’s the past year, it should be a good place to eat.
SLP
February 15th, 2010
10:47 pm
you angry people scare me. you friends with the guy who killed the poor man?
Anne-Caroline
February 16th, 2010
4:37 pm
I will miss the Standard and am eager to try the new version of this place when it opens. Man, I cannot get over the negativity I have read here today. John, do you ever feel like a person in charge of a roomfull of 2nd Grade children?