Story and Photos by John Fleming
It’s quiet here in the late afternoon at the Flying Biscuit. The bustle of the lunch crowd has melted away as a lull sets in. The spring sunlight streams in the big windows, showing off the floor-to-ceiling murals we’ve all grown familiar with.
It’s an appropriate time to look back over the years that The Biscuit has perched here at the corner of McLendon and Clifton, serving Candler Park since 1993. That’s because the local icon is taxiing down the runway, getting set to take off and land … at a new location.
As franchise owner Joseph Hsiao announced at the CPNO Members’ Meeting in March, his restaurant will soon reopen at the old Lazy Betty spot at the corner of Mell and DeKalb Avenue.
Other than the location, Hsiao says, not much is going to change.
“That’s especially true of the menu,” he told The Messenger. “You sure you don’t want to order anything with that coffee?”
So, the obvious question is, why move, if nothing is going to change?
The Biscuit, Hsiao explains, has been at the current location since its founding by Delia Champion in 1993. He’s been the franchise holder since 2010 (Champion sold to Big Game Brands in 2004) and kept the restaurant in the same spot. It’s time, he says for a move, because the building is getting old and needs work.
The new location offers about the same amount of square feet, but includes more parking spaces, something that had long been an issue at the McLendon address.
“It will be nice to be in a new more modern space,” Hsiao added. The Lazy Betty owners, Hsiao pointed out, completely renovated the interior after taking over the property when the Radial left a few years ago (Lazy Betty has decamped for Midtown).
“I would say, for us, that space is turnkey,” Hsiao said. “Taking over a space like that has saved us a lot of time and effort.” Hsiao plans to close the current location the day after the new location opens. “If all goes according to plan, we will open on June 1, and close on May 31,” he said.
This optimistic turnaround is because of that ready-made space at Betty’s. This, he says, will allow him to avoid the punishingly-long delays inflicted on Pizza Verdura and The Porter.
“So far, all the paperwork has gone very smoothly,” he said.
Of course, this is in part because Hsiao is no stranger to the business. He knows his way around the restaurant world and all of the bureaucracy that comes with it. Through his company, the H Group, he also owns the franchise’s locaiton in Midtown, as well as The West Cobb Diner, the South Cobb Diner and Pisano’s Pizzeria in Kennesaw.
Hsiao knows the city, and our neighborhood specifically.
“I was born and raised in Atlanta. I’m a GSU graduate and I live around the corner from here. I love this neighborhood,” he said of the Candler Park location. “This place has really been part of the transformation of Candler Park, helping to make it what it is today.”
His impact, of course, goes beyond having served the countless people who have dined at this restaurant. His payroll is up to 40 people, with some of them having been with him since he took over the restaurant in 2010.
They include Oumar Thiam, the Biscuit manager this afternoon. He’s a constant comforting presence in the dining area, off to the kitchen, then back to a customer seated at a table: “What may I get you? More coffee, something to eat,” etc, etc.
Sitting nearby is long-time Lake Claire resident Elizabeth Hamilton, who is also a frequent Biscuit customer. So long, in fact, that she was coming even before she moved here, back during the Olympics when she visited from Birmingham. She describes long lines of an hour plus just to get into the door.
“But it was always worth it,” she said.
She is, like a lot of people in the neighborhood and outside of it, a fan.
Hsiao is full of information about his business. But don’t ask him about what comes next for the space at the corner of McLendon and Clifton. He hasn’t the foggiest idea.
That’s for the future (and the landlords) to decide.
Mike Nelson and Clay Harper, owners of the block — from Lafonda to The Flying Biscuit, have a long-time history of bringing in solid business owners. We hope they land another for this space.
So, not our decision, probably. But whey not engage in a fun exercise and knock around some ideas?
What would you like to see pitch up at the old Flying Biscuit space?
We invite you to drop your comments here and in time, we will publish your suggestions and maybe have a public conversation about it.
Until then, enjoy your meal.