This was posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 by Rodney Ho on the AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
On this past Sunday's episode of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker noted that their Old Lady Gang restaurant was nearing completion.
The episode was shot in July. But four months later, it's still not done. The website has no information on an opening date.
[UPDATE: March 2, 2017. Okay. "Soon" in the headline may have been a bit optimistic. I stopped by the restaurant today, three and a half months later, and it does look more or less ready to go. I saw Todd and he said they were maybe two weeks away from a soft opening. He wasn't sure when they'd have a full-blown opening party. Kandi a couple of days later told me they were planning a soft opening by mid March.]
On Monday, Kandi Burruss posted this on Instagram saying the restaurant is complete. This is her first restaurant and I'm sure the challenges of opening one has been far greater than anticipated.
So today, I stopped by building in Castleberry Hill (177 Peters St.) just to see what the neighborhood is like and maybe get a tour of the interior.
Todd Tucker was there, along with the chef (who went by Chef Jay) and plenty of construction folks. I was not allowed inside. They said it wasn't ready for the press to peek in. DonJuan Clark, Burruss' manager, called me a few minutes later and said he promised to give me access and a tour once it's closer to being ready. It could open before the end of the year though I am not sure if it will be open in time for Bravo to capture that moment.
The restaurant is next to an art gallery. Castleberry Hill is full of artists. This space was previously used as a restaurant Cloud IX Restaurant and Lounge, a Carribean/soul food place, which appears to have closed last year. I walked around the nearby blocks. There are not a lot of retail or restaurants nearby.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
There are a few parking spots in front of the restaurant but most customers will likely park behind the building.
The restaurant idea was hatched last season by Burruss and Tucker, inspired by her mom and aunts. That's where the "Old Lady Gang" name came from.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
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