You won’t be asked “what’ll ya have” and order onion rings from The Varsity in Athens anymore. But you can buy the same deep fryer that made them.
Fans of The Varsity will be able to buy memorabilia and equipment from the former West Broad Street location in an online auction. The auction starts at 6 a.m. on July 12 and ends at 10 a.m. on July 22.
Gwinnett County-based Bullseye Auction will sell about 140 items, some of which come from the former location of The Varsity Jr. on Cheshire Bridge Road that closed in 2010. The items can be viewed on the company’s website: www.bullseyeauctions.com.
The Varsity stopped serving up chili dogs to Athens customers on June 20. The landmark white building with red trim, now stripped of its signage, will be demolished in the near future.
Decorative artwork, tables and chairs, menu boards and even Frosted Orange machines are among the items up for grabs. Most recognizable is the “What’ll ya have” sign that convinced drivers on Broad Street to stop for a cheeseburger.
“Certainly people are saddened by the closing,” said Scott Schwartz, a representative with Bullseye Auction. “But here’s a chance to buy some pretty cool stuff.”
The flagship location of The Varsity opened in 1928 on North Avenue in Atlanta. Close to Georgia Tech, it continues to serve hungry customers.
The burger joint started grilling hamburgers and hot dogs in Athens on College Avenue across from the Arch at the University of Georgia in 1932. Its iconic location at Broad Street and Milledge Avenue opened in 1962.
A preliminary concept plan submitted to Athens-Clarke County calls for a mixed-use project at the former location of The Varsity.
An early rendering by Atlanta-based Fuqua Development included a few multi-story buildings with commercial space and apartments above on Broad Street, anchored by a grocery store. It also included multi-story townhomes facing Reese Street and a parking deck.
Bruce Lonnee, assistant planning director for the county, stressed that the plans are “really basic” and “not set in stone.” But it will likely include some residential units stacked on top of retailers and structured parking, he said.
Officials created a special overlay district including The Varsity and surrounding houses to regulate development on the site by limiting building heights, parking and the number of bathrooms per apartment unit.
In a Facebook post, the company vaguely stated that it plans to open a new location in the Athens area. But until then, fans will have to visit the restaurant’s metro Atlanta locations to get their Frosted Orange fix.
Buyers interested in taking home a piece of Athens history can inspect the items from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on June 21 at Bullseye’s warehouse at Pike Park Drive in Lawrenceville. Items will be paid for and picked up 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on July 23.
“We’re fans of The Varsity... Athens certainly has its history,” Schwartz said. “But now we feel lucky and fortunate to be able to provide an opportunity for people to buy something from a place that they remember.”
