Two Years and Two Fires Later, the Ponce Krispy Kreme Finally Reopens This Summer

The “Hot Now” sign at the historic Krispy Kreme on Ponce will once again be switched on later this year.

Two years after two separate fires caused catastrophic damage to the Krispy Kreme on Ponce De Leon Avenue, construction on the new building is finally underway, with plans to reopen the historic doughnut shop in midtown Atlanta this summer.

Say goodbye to the nostalgic design of the building, as plans call for a modern look and feel with more seating inside, as well as outside along the side of the doughnut shop, a drive-thru window, and a mural inside the shop depicting the former Krispy Kreme building. The iconic Krispy Kreme sign, which stood high above the doughnut shop on Ponce for close to six decades, is also being restored.

Krispy Kreme opened on Ponce in 1965 and included a 24-hour drive-thru window. It was the only kosher-certified Krispy Kreme location within the city limits at the time of the first fire in 2021. A representative for Krispy Kreme says the company is still determining whether to continue offering hot glazed doughnuts 24-hours a day or keep the kosher certification at this location. When asked whether the company considered scaling back the parking lot on Ponce with this new design, the representative says the parking lot is per city code based on the “building type and square footage.” Eater reached back out to inquire if the company contemplated a more pedestrian-friendly design for the building given its city locale.

Shaquille O’Neal purchased the landmark doughnut shop in 2016 as part of a franchise deal the basketball legend and sports commentator struck with the North Carolina-based doughnut chain. He remains a partial owner.

There have been signs of life at the Ponce Krispy Kreme since the 2021 fires, including a temporary drive-thru pop-up at the end of that year. Investigators eventually ruled arson as the cause of the first fire in February 2021. Nearly six months later, a second fire caused further damage and led to the decision to demolish the building and start from scratch. While no evidence of arson was found, investigators deemed the circumstances surrounding the July 2021 fire “suspicious.”

Krispy Kreme