Junior's Pizza in Summerhill announces closing with 'great sadness'
ATLANTA - Junior's Pizza in Summerhill has joined the growing list of closures in recent months.
The closure announcement was made in an emotional post on social media.
"We tried to provide quality pizza to customers and a living wage to employees simultaneously; we thought it could be done, and we’ve proven it can’t," they wrote. "We’ve mentally, physically, and emotionally destroyed ourselves for seven years, thinking good pizza was enough to keep us going. Now we know it’s not. And we need to focus on our family."
The restaurant closed immediately.
In another post about two weeks ago, the business reflected on other local closures, their efforts to keep their second location in Hapeville afloat (it closed in November), and the challenges they faced at the Summerhill location.
They also wrote, "Atlanta is on the brink of having a lot of locally owned businesses close due to the economy."
Junior's Pizza is owned by husband-and-wife team Alex and Jennifer Aton. Originally a pop-up delivery business, the counter-service New York-style pizza restaurant opened in Summerhill in 2019.
Known for its thin-crust pies, Junior's offered pizza by the slice, 14- and 16-inch red and white pies, Sicilian pan pizzas, build-your-own calzones, and house and Greek salads.
The restaurant also gained popularity for its vegan breadsticks, cheesy bread, and pizza options.
In addition to its food, Junior's Pizza frequently hosted events such as drag bingo, team trivia, and other community gatherings.
Before opening their restaurant, Alex worked at Fellini's Pizza for 10 years, while Jennifer spent 14 years in the restaurant industry as a server and bartender.
Other closures
Other recent closures include Pour Taproom at The Interlock in West Midtown. The property is listed for sale by the Shumacher Group.
Pancake Social at Westside Paper is also listed for sale by the Shumacher Group.
Recent Restaurant Closures in Atlanta
- Best End Brewing (White Street SW): Closing Jan. 1. No reason given for closure. More info.
- Torched Hop Brewery (Ponce de Leon Avenue): Closing after New Year's Eve. No reason given for closure. More info.
- West Egg Cafe (West Midtown): Closing on Dec. 29 after more than two decades in business. Cited decline in customers after COVID-19 pandemic. More info
- Boho115 (Decatur): Closed on Oct. 21 after just over a year in business. No reason was given. More info
- The Bookhouse Pub (Ponce de Leon): Announced closure in September, with a final date expected by January 31. More info
- BoruBoru Sushi (Emory Point): Closed on Oct. 30 with no explanation provided. More info
- CraveWell Cafe (Sandy Springs): Announced closure on Nov. 14 after six years in business, teasing a possible return in West Midtown. More info
- Damsel: Atlanta's first cabaret restaurant closed suddenly in September, citing operational challenges. More info
- Elsewhere Brewing: Both Grant Park and West Midtown locations closed on Oct. 28 due to a 40–50% drop in sales. More info
- The General Muir (Sandy Springs): Closed in late September, citing pandemic-related challenges. More info
- Georgetown Cupcake (Buckhead Village): Closed in late November. No explanation provided. More info
- Java Jive (Ponce de Leon Avenue): Closing in December after 31 years. More info
- Mi Barrio (Grant Park): Closed in August after 26 years, with owners citing retirement. More info
- Original Pancake House (Cheshire Bridge Road): Quietly closed in August after 35 years, possibly due to the massive fire across the street that destroyed a retail and apartment building. More info
- Pho Cue (Glenwood Park): Closed on Sept. 13 after three years. More info
- The Ivy (Buckhead): Closing after 14 years, with its final day on New Year’s Eve. More info
- This Is It! (Panola Road): Closed due to Georgia Department of Transportation’s traffic improvement plans.
- Taylor’d Bar-B-Q (Avondale Estates): Closed in November due to significant sales declines caused by nearby construction. More info
- Virgil's Gullah Kitchen and Bar (College Park): Destroyed by fire in October; owners vow to rebuild. More info
- Wahlburgers (The Battery Atlanta): Closed on Nov. 3; Shake Shack is slated to replace it. More info