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New owners, new look for Silver Grill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No, that’s not a fried chicken and turkey and dressing-deprived mirage on Monroe Drive this week as drivers do double-takes in front of the old Silver Grill. The legendary eatery’s neon sign is lit once again and the diner is back open, nearly a year after it famously closed up shop, following a successful 58-year run.
Say hello to the Silver Midtown Grill, courtesy of its new owners Stephan Barrani and Sam Scott.
The duo has completely refurbished the outdated space (think new marble counters, hardwood floors, light fixtures and finally credit-card machines) while retaining the Silver Grill’s crowd-pleasing menu and somehow luring back signature employees, including manager Vivian Wynn, chef John Fendell and grill cook Peggy Mack. Bless her heart, Peggy Hubbard, the Grill’s 74-year-old waitress, who’s been dutifully delivering collards, corn bread and sweet tea to tables for nearly 50 years, also has returned.
Former regular Michael Thomason drove past the shuttered Silver Grill back in June and met the new owners, who were working on the space. He persuaded the pair, who wanted originally to open a similar eatery, to rebirth the Grill. Thomason then got on the horn to Hubbard and company and coaxed them back as well.
“The Silver Grill was such a community thing, it was difficult to let that go,” Thomason told Buzz Thursday. “I still can’t believe it’s back. Seeing that neon lit up again is just incredible.”
While Thomason says that some upgrades were needed to bring the old building up to code, regulars shouldn’t be too concerned about the upgraded aesthetics.
“It’s not too fancy,” he assures. “It still looks like a diner.”
The Silver Midtown Grill also eventually will open for breakfast as well as weekend brunch. Its new owners hope to make the Grill a 24-hour operation at some point, too.
So has legendary “Silver Grill Blues” songstress Diamond Lil popped back into the eatery since its reopening this week?
“No, but we’ve got to find her,” Thomason told us.
Buzz has a hunch that’s now no longer an issue …
‘Bandit’ ‘07
Braselton custom muscle car shop YearOne is honoring the 30th anniversary of the locally filmed “Smokey & the Bandit” by building 50 updated versions of the classy 1977 Trans Am from the film and recently gave the first one to Burt Reynolds himself.
They delivered the Trans Am to Reynolds in Los Angeles last month, a moment captured on film by cable network DIY for its show “Celebrity Rides,” which airs Friday night at 10. After more than 1,000 man-hours of work, YearOne pieced together vintage Trans Am parts to create a version with a different paint scheme, wheels and interior (plus modern-day power) that still looks basically like the original.
During an earlier episode, Reynolds consulted with YearOne and accepted most of the modifications but held firm on the distinctive hood bird. YearOne wanted to modify it, but Reynolds pooh-poohed the changes as “whitewashing” and insisted the bird stay the same. “That’s the most important thing about it,” said Reynolds, who still owns a couple of original “Bandit” Trans Ams from the film.
“I’m not going to argue with Burt Reynolds,” said designer Phil Brewer on camera.
“We compromised on a few things,” YearOne President Kevin King told Buzz. “But for the most part, he was a jewel to work with. And he was thrilled to see the results.”
If you want one yourself, it will set you back anywhere from $130,000 for a basic version to $205,000 for a totally tricked out edition. Check it out at www.yearone.com.
Quote of the day
“It was embarrassing. ‘Hey Chong, what are you in for?’ … ‘A bong.’ … ‘A bomb?’ … ‘No, a bong.’ “
Tommy Chong, one half of the 1970s stoner comedy duo Cheech & Chong, on his recent real-life stint behind bars for selling drug paraphernalia during an interview with Dave FM’s Mara Davis Thursday. Chong is in town for a weekend of shows at the Funny Farm.
Sick bay
New York singer-songwriter Regina Spektor postponed Thursday night’s scheduled show at the Tabernacle downtown. According to Atlanta radio station Dave FM, the vocalist, currently out on the road promoting her new album “Begin to Hope,” collapsed onstage at the Ryman Auditorium during a performance in Nashville Wednesday night. Spektor has rescheduled her Atlanta show for Dec. 5 at the Tabernacle. Tickets for Thursday’s show will be honored at the Dec. 5 date.
OVERSCENE
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox dining at Kevin Rathbun Steak in Inman Park.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actress Marg Helgenberger (“CSI”) is 49. Country singer-guitarist Keith Burns of Trick Pony is 44. Jazz singer Diana Krall is 43. Actress Lisa Bonet is 40. Actress Martha Plimpton is 37. Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (right) (“World Trade Center,” “Secretary”) is 30. Actor Noah Gray-Cabey (“Heroes,” “My Wife and Kids”) is 12.
Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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November 17, 2007 5:53 PM | Link to this
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