With Help From Patrons, Harold's Barbecue Stays Open

After Harold's Barbecue announced last Thursday that it would close its doors for good, fans came out in droves to show their support— and ended up reversing the restaurant's decision to shut down. So many people came to dine this week that Harold's will be able to stay open for at least another month instead of closing tomorrow, on their 65th anniversary, as expected.

The restaurant even ran out of meat yesterday because of the crowds that appeared. For a barbecue joint that used to use up 15-20 hams a day but recently had trouble getting through one, this is excellent news. Says John Hembree, grandson of Harold's namesake, "Southern people, when you call out, they'll come help. That's what happened here." The employees remain optimistic that they can turn their luck around with the assistance of their customers, many of whom have been eating barbecue on McDonough Blvd for decades. Longtime patrons say that the restaurant hasn't changed since it opened. With luck, they'll be eating Brunswick stew and cracklin' cornbread on red-checked tablecloths years from now and still saying the same thing.
· After 65 years, Harold's Barbecue Shuts Its Doors [EATL]
· Big Crowds Bring Reprieve for Harold's Barbecue [AJC]
[Photo via BBQ Biker]