Update: Justin’s Restaurant to close for renovations or permanently?
UPDATE, 6/7/12 5:15 p.m.: I spoke with Keesha Johnson, of Dan Klores Communications, who represents Sean Combs. Ms. Johnson says that the restaurant now plans to remain open until further notice and will not close on Saturday as originally planned.
UPDATE, 6/7/12 5:00 p.m.: Ms. Johnson indicated that the restaurant is not closing tomorrow but on Saturday (June 9). Justin’s will accommodate all reservations arranged for tomorrow. She was unable to comment on the future of the restaurant but will keep us posted as plans develop.
PREVIOUSLY: According to persistent rumors, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ restaurant, Justin’s, will close tomorrow. Justin’s, which serves Caribbean and soul food, has been in business for 14 years.
The restaurant’s general manager, Solomon Fornie, denies rumors that Justin’s Restaurant & Bar will cease operations tomorrow. Instead, he says, it will close early next week to undergo four or five weeks of renovations to both the interior and exterior of the building. According to Fornie, they hope to reinvigorate Justin’s and “make it upscale like it was when we first opened.” With regard to the designer for the project, Fornie says they “are still in the process of making those decisions.”
Yet, according to those persistent rumors, employees have received a severance package and will be dismissed tomorrow. Additionally, the restaurant’s website is no longer working. Its facebook page is still active with a post today that said “Justins is Open for Lunch everday at 1130 [sic].” Reservations can also still be made for the this weekend through Open Table.
Does anyone else have any information about the future of Justin’s (2200 Peachtree Road N.W.)?
–by Jenny Turknett, Food and More blog
accessAtlanta Partner Sites
Sections
Advertise on accessAtlanta.com »
Reach the audience you want by advertising on accessAtlanta.com
Join the Access Atlanta Network »
Advertisers and Publishers, expand your reach by joining the Access Atlanta Network.
Tell us what you think about the site
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement | About our ads
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
30 comments Add your comment
FM Fats
June 7th, 2012
2:52 pm
Scene of a truly fine episode of My Super Sweet Sixteen on MTV 6 years ago.
E
June 7th, 2012
3:29 pm
I’ve only been to this place once. Once was one too many. The food was absolutely terrible, not to mention WAY overpriced.
Kar
June 7th, 2012
3:59 pm
I hear they only serve pigskin leather.
Terri Jones
June 7th, 2012
4:02 pm
It should have closed long ago. The time for Justin’s has passed……….The food is of poor quality and the prices are too high…….pair that with the economy and the picture is clear………JUSTIN’S IS A GONNA……
Wendy
June 7th, 2012
4:13 pm
If they are really closing, I will miss their mac and cheese and fried wings. They made them better than I do.
For them to have lasted 14 years says they were doing something right.
Ms MJ
June 7th, 2012
5:02 pm
@ Crumpy – In regards to that last line that you felt the need to write, WHO CARES!
JL
June 7th, 2012
5:07 pm
@Crumpy
No need write that.
Clark
June 7th, 2012
5:22 pm
Please lower stereo volume.
Judge Smails
June 7th, 2012
5:47 pm
Wow, Tom…racist much?
Judge Smails
June 7th, 2012
6:03 pm
So…is it closing or not? Sounds like they just used the AJC to garner some free advertising.
Nice job AJC…not
Bob
June 7th, 2012
7:39 pm
Work just up the street. The food stinks and has for a long time.
Crafty
June 7th, 2012
7:58 pm
Frank Ski must be lickin’ his chops for some new customers to come on up to his place.
tina
June 7th, 2012
10:31 pm
the food is sub par, over priced and the place was def starting to look run down. i prefer Houstons over Justins anyday. and btw….I’m black…so not a racial thing….its a food thing. ;-/
Edward
June 7th, 2012
11:30 pm
Awww, I’ll miss the shootings, gang fights and swarms of police cars there on the weekends.
Ziza
June 8th, 2012
12:15 am
no big loss there. the food never was any good and the service was worse. it will close. with no further announcement or ado. and no big loss.
george
June 8th, 2012
5:17 am
this place always seemed to be a “destination” spot for visitors, etc. my wife and i tried it twice and each time the food was mediocre, but priced like richard blais or hugh acheson was in the kitchen personally preparing our meal. kind of like our embarassing rhoa it seemed to be all “sizzle” and no steak and designed for the unwary or socially insecure.
Baltisraul
June 8th, 2012
7:11 am
Sounds like they rode this horse as long as they could!
thefoodlist
June 8th, 2012
7:21 am
This place was clearly propped up by either Comb’s fame or money – or probably both at some point in 14 years.
Sadly now his fame has diminished, as I am sure his money – and there goes his own private restaurant. The food here was never even 10% of the quality right next door at Houstons.
But…. it was a place to shoot and be shot at on the weekends !
Matt
June 8th, 2012
4:10 pm
bye-bye puffy.
Confirmed: Justin’s Restaurant closed | Food and More with John Kessler
June 9th, 2012
11:26 am
[...] this week, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ restaurant, Justin’s, was rumored to close today. The restaurant’s general manager, Solomon Fornie, denied the closure was permanent, instead [...]
daemonova
June 9th, 2012
2:28 pm
I guess Buckhead will get another regionally ethnic restaurant as long as they aint black, they’ll love that
Another Fresh Spring
June 9th, 2012
6:35 pm
The food is sub par, over priced and the place was def starting to look run down. btw….I’m black…so not a racial thing….its a food thing. ;sadly now Puffy Daddy’s fame has diminished, as I am sure his money – and there goes his own private restaurant. The food here was never even 10% of the quality right next door at Houstons.
But…. it was a place to shoot and be shot at on the weekends !
Oh Puffy Daddy or whatever you call yourself because you’re insecure about your identity ……….. the food troff you ran SUCKED !!! Bye now.
Mrs. H
June 9th, 2012
6:39 pm
@ Edward… Please find a bible based church and PRAY!!!!!
unbiased committee
June 9th, 2012
10:33 pm
All puffed out ……
Diddy closes Atlanta restaurant, Justin's | Business News | SoulCulture
June 10th, 2012
9:47 am
[...] claims from general manager Solomon Fornie last week that the restaurant was simply closing to undergo [...]
Native Atlantan
June 10th, 2012
9:25 pm
Puff goes up in smoke,….good bye, good luck, good riddance.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs To Close Justin’s Restaurant | Test
June 12th, 2012
3:09 pm
[...] spite of recent rumors, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ popular Atlanta restaurant, Justin’s, has permanently shut [...]
Caroline
June 12th, 2012
4:58 pm
We are so happy this place is closing , was not a safe place, I know hundreds of people that feel the same way .
The Saga Ends For Diddy’s Atlanta Restaurant | Mex Report
June 12th, 2012
9:34 pm
[...] annoy of recent rumors, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ renouned Atlanta restaurant, Justin’s, has henceforth tighten down. [...]
Native Atlantan
June 12th, 2012
11:04 pm
buh-bye