Bagel Palace Closed In Toco Hills

DECATUR, GA — Bagel Palace, a fixture for hungry DeKalb County residents in Toco Hills for more than 20 years, closed its doors "with much sadness" over the weekend.

The beloved Jewish deli, an institution for more than 25 years, announced on Saturday night that Sunday would be its last day in business.

"(A)t 4 PM, the doors of our home away from home will be closing for the last time," the restaurant said in a Facebook post. "We never thought it would end this way when we began a new episode in our lives upon moving to Atlanta, 25 years ago.

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"With the current rent, under the new landlord, it was impossible to stay."

Development company Edens bought the Toco Hills shopping center at the end of 2015. Since then, a wave of popular, longstanding businesses there have been shuttered.

Famous Pub, French restaurant Petite Auberge, Shoe Center, jewelry store Alexander's of Atlanta and Radio Shack have all closed up shop. The Georgia Department of Labor also has moved an office that was there.

In a news release when it bought the shopping center, Eden said it planned on "bringing a cohesive feel to the shops and restaurants" at the center — which was first developed by Clyde Shepherd, Jr., in 1956.

Edens owns and operates several other shopping centers in the Atlanta area, including Buckhead Market Place, Sandy Plains Centre and Merchant's Walk. They say their focus is on attracting "a collection of local, regional and national retail – giving shoppers many reasons to visit."

The company began renovations at Toco Hills in 2016. Since taking over, new shops and restaurants there have included chef Hugh Acheson's Spiller Park coffee house, vintage furniture shop Westside Market, and pizza restaurant Local Pizzaiolo.

Sports bar Hudson Grille, a hair salon, and restaurant Kale Me Crazy have been announced, as were Pao Pao Ramen and Pao Pao Rolled ice cream shop just this week.

That's cold comfort for those who have come to know and love spots like Bagel Palace, with its extensive, classic menu that owners steadfastly refused to tinker with for decades. On Sunday, there were lines out the door of patrons seeking one last bag of bagels or reuben sandwich.

Liam Grovetold the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he and his wife went on some of their first dates at the deli and that it's "quaint and homey" feel was part of its charm.

"Whole generations of people grew up there,” he told the paper. "Everything felt homemade, for better or worse."