Sadly more closures in the local restaurant scene as Dusty's BBQ near Emory closed today. Open for 27 years at the corner of Clifton and Briarcliff Roads, the restaurant is said to be continuing operations as a catering only business at a different off site location: Dusty's Catering 215 Laredo Drive Decatur, GA 30030. Repeat Atlanta is not sure if this was a planned closure, but they certainly got their signage down fast. The eatery served their last meal yesterday and by this morning signs were down and moving trucks were picking up equipment, presumably for the catering business. Repeat Atlanta!
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Went by Dusty's last week. They said business was great, but they lost their lease after 27 years. Who knows, but I am definitely going to miss it as there is not another quick in/out BBQ place in the nearby area.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that's not the case. If the restaurant was in fact doing well, the landlord should have worked with them as I doubt anything is lined up for that corner. The space is small and few people are itching to get in the food business these days.
ReplyDeleteThere are plans for improving/expanding access to the Clifton campus for Emory, CDC, etc. I expect the lost lease has more to do with this than anything else.
ReplyDeleteThat intersection will be widened very soon. It has gotten accelerated approval and funding due to the CDC being in such close proximity. I ate at Dusty's twice. Both times the food was as if it has been sitting under a heat lamp. The portions were small and it was not particularly very good.
ReplyDeleteWith DBA barbecue opening just down the street at N. Highland and Amsterdam (as reported in Repeat Atlanta) barbecue fans are not left out in the smoker.
ReplyDeleteI am very sadden to hear of the closing. My family was in the BBQ business for over 50 years in Chattanooga and I loved Dusty's. I owned Carry Out Couriers which delivered food from Dusty's as well as other local restaurants. The owner was wonderful to work with. I consider her to be a personal friend. I wish her much luck. She was the greatest!
ReplyDeleteFranklin Sweeney
Went to Dusty's the day it opened
ReplyDeletewith a relative of the owner. Have
been returning every two or three weeks or whenever the craving for eastern NC style barbecue comes upon me! Where on earth am I going
to satisfy this craving now that Dusty's is gone? Ideas, anyone?
Remember, it MUST be eastern NC
style.
This makes me so sad. I've been eating at Dusty's for the past 10 years. Just got around to taking my Dad there a few weeks ago, because I'd been telling him about it. Glad he at least got to enjoy it once. I'll miss you Dusty's!
ReplyDeleteWent by on Mother's Day to visit my mom and to my utter disbelief I saw that Dusty's was GONE. I was heartbroken. I love Eastern NC BBQ and had recently found Dusty's served it and it was really good, not to mention the homemade pork rinds. Now what am I going to do? Who else in the Metro area serves real Eastern NC BBQ?
ReplyDeleteAccording to their website, Dusty's catering location at 215 Laredo Drive, Decatur (near DeKalb Farmer's Market and Avondale Estates) is open for lunch from from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. M-F and some outdoor seating is available. You may call ahead at 404-687-8972 to place an order to go.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sad, sad day. Our family ate there routinely many times after returning from various appointments at Emory for both of our kids throughout their childhood. That's almost 18 years! My wife preferred their wings. I always had the delima of deciding on only two of the many side items to go with the great NC style BBQ. I hope they can find a way of expanding the catering side back into a restars!uraunt.
ReplyDeleteI wish Dusty's would return. My husband and I are very sad about this. Every time we would go out for BBQ, it would be to Dusty's. They had the best of everything. I will miss those homestyle chips with that dip. There was no better BBQ that Dusty's. We recommend that place to everyone and would take family there when they came down from up north. This really stinks!!!
ReplyDeleteI just heard from a former employee that the owner of Dusty's shot and killed herself, after she lost the lease on her resturant, the sad news about this is that this story got no news coverage, she died and no one in the community still does not know this. The catering buisness stop buisness as soon as this happened, and closed up. For those of you who find this hard to believe contact the Dekalb Co Police Dept her name was Willinda Thompson. I think the community should do something to honor her for the 27 years of great BBQ she provided. She was a very lonley old women with know family and very few friends, the resurant was her life, when she lost it she lost everything. The few employee's she had left did nothing to get the word out to the community about what happened to Ms. Linda Thompson, I do not know if they were ashamed of how she ended her life or just did not care.
ReplyDelete"with know family"?
ReplyDelete"resurant"?
I think it's horrible to comment about someone's spelling when she has something so terribly tragic to report. I never went to Dusty's but I am appalled and greatly saddened by her lonely end. It is a pity that this woman, so beloved, obviously, by so many people, should have died this way. That's the point of the note now, wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteI actually knew Linda Thompson and worked for her, and want to clarify a few things. The restaurant was closed because of being so far behind on lease payments. Linda had a heart of gold and would do anything to help a person, but at the same time was a nightmare to work for. She also had a few secrets that would blow a persons mind. And knowing what I know, I think when she killed herself she thought about things from the past and the restaurant closing just put the icing on the cake.
ReplyDeleteI loved Ms . Thompson and do not give a flying f%^& about how she was to work for or her past. Rest in peace Ms. Thompson.
ReplyDeleteI am so sad to hear this news. Linda, I trust you are at peace now. The world was a better place because of your life and you will be missed. I will always remember you foldly and think of the many kind words you had for me. If I had know things were that bad, I would have been closer. I will always remember you in the future. Love always,
ReplyDeleteLinda Thompson gave me my very first job out of college...in 1991, when I finished school, there were absolutely no jobs available anywhere for your college graduates, and Linda took me in and taught me to do plumbing, electrical work, carpentry. I had none of these skills before her. Later, when I lost my home, she took me into her home and let me live with her. For 18 years, she was my friend, my mentor, my guide in life. I learned of her death soon after she committed suicide, and I only wish that I had called her more frequently, to tell her, as I always did, that I loved her. Linda gave employment and money to the needy...to drug addicts and alcoholics, to elderly women who had no source of income and were about to be homeless, to gay and lesbian youth who had no one to whom to turn. Linda gave me my start in life, and I regret more than anything that no one informed me of her passing and that I was therefore not able to attend her services. Linda, I loved you so very much. Thank you for feeding me that delicious and wonderful food from our home state, thank you for caring for me, thank you for making me laugh, thank you for realizing and knowing that my affection for you was genuine and real. You were another mom and dad to me, I will miss you terribly. I love you.
ReplyDeleteDr. Jamie Davis
I am terribly saddened by the news of Linda's death. I chatted with her at the Loredo Drive location just a week or so before it abruptly shut down, and she was talkative and seemed upbeat. Had been a Dusty's customer since the day it opened and assumed that the wonderful NC-style bbq and Linda would always be around.
ReplyDeleteHow I wish that the customers who'd known Linda for so many years had been aware of her dispair so that we could have tried to help!
I first started being treated in 1980 at Emory for cancer, I have always lived in Aiken, SC. I remember when the Dusty's first opened. I instantly was hooked on the Brunswick Stew. It was always the little bit of joy that I received while battling the cancer and all the side effects on my trips up to Atlanta. Even up into this past year, whenever I went up to or even through atlanta, the gallon purchase was always a staple. I was very saddened to hear of it's closing, but totally disheartened when I read the comments of the owners death. From my standpoint she was one of the classics in that she not only put out a good product, but also understood what it's like to keep the family atmosphere. My condolences to friends & family!
ReplyDeleteVery sad. I'm reminded of poor Bob "Rocky" Russo. It is so easy to lose perspective over money issues. God rest her soul.
ReplyDeleteThe restaurant biz is very tough these days. People are hunkering down in their homes.
Does anyone know of a family member to whom those of us who
ReplyDeleteloved Linda could convey our
sympathy and express our sorrow?
I think her long time lawyer is William A. Back....if you find out anything from him please post here. You are great to be so thoughtful. I have recently been very busy and haven't had time to do anything due to much travel and work. Thanks
ReplyDeleteFound an email address for Mr. Back as well as a cousin of Linda's who used to be a Decatur bank president and now lives in FL. Asked both for info regarding where to send condolences. If either or both respond, will post the addresses here. Heard about a place in Ellenwood tht serves NC-style bbq and went there yesterday. Way too
ReplyDeletesalty and soupy. Guess there's no substitute for Dusty's.
A neighbor from Wilmington told me of this website. So many people loved Miss Linda. Wish she'd known it! I found Dusty's and her as a homesick freshman at Emory 15 years ago. It was like discovering a little piece of home. Decideed to stay in Atlanta and always went to Dusty's for my bbq fix between trips home. I was so sad to learn that the restaurant closed, sadder still when I learned of her death.
ReplyDeleteregarding the last post, I'm not
ReplyDeleteClifton. Just using my neighbor's
computer. Barrie
Can't bring myself to drive by
ReplyDeletethe Briarcliff corner or the Loredo Drive location. Makes me
feel depressed.
Linda's longtime attorney reports that the family has not yet scheduled a memorial but he would like to participate if anyone wants to plan one. He also said that Southern Voice has been contacted about doing a story on Linda, but they have not responded. In the meantime, this coming weekend, Oct. 3-4, there will be an estate sale at Linda's home at 1502 Brookvalley Lane, off Sheridan Road which Mr. BAck will be supervising. In addition to the usual housewares, the estate will be selling quite a few items of memorabilia from Dusty's and lots of clothes.
ReplyDeleteI am a former employee of Dusty's (worked there for 9 years as Catering Director, Administrative Assistant, Restaurant Manager, and also did some accounting work out of her home when I had my 2nd child). Linda was not just a boss, but a true friend and caring soul. When I was hospitalized with a bone infection in my skull as a result of a rare skin disorder, Linda came to see me.
ReplyDeleteShe and I have remained in contact for many years since I stopped working for her after my illness in 2003. She supported and comforted me through my illness, my unfortunate divorce, and my depression. She celebrated with me when I got remarried and had a new baby.
I went to see her at Laredo with my baby and my 2 boys, who basically grew up around her and whom she totally loved. This was about 2 weeks before her demise and she seemed cheerful and loving as always, hugging my boys and talking about when my oldest (who is now 16) was a baby and she let me bring him to our company Christmas Party and he fell asleep under the tree! She had even let me bring my oldest to work with me at the office after he was born and let him be there with me until he was about 6 months old and needed more attention. She sponsored my kids baseball and football teams, and was the most generous person I knew, often inviting those without families to eat with her for Thanksgiving dinner. She would give you the shirt off of her back, and ask if you needed her pants too!
I am truly saddened that there is no stories commemorating her life in the news. I tried to contact a paper that Dusty's used to advertise in to get them to write an article about her but got no response. Maybe someone who reads this blog will have some pull somewhere and contact some of us former employees and restaurant patrons to collaborate something to honor her memory.
I went to the Estate Sale today and it was so hard to be in the house that I used to clean for her, hang out at after the restaurant closed at night after bringing her the night's paperwork and deposits (she didn't want me to go make the deposit at night alone), and just spend quality time with her. Her spirit was all around me, and her neighbor and friend William Back gave me some items that I could remember her by.
Linda was a tough boss, but as long as you did the right thing and did your job, it was never a problem. She had high expectations and wanted to offer the clientele who used the catering service and ate at the restaurant a quality product at a reasonable price with speedy and friendly service. I loved the food and loved Linda and will always remember her for all she did and all she was. She was a believer and I believe that God knew her heart and she is in His care now.
Kristi Bracewell King
kristi.bracewell@gmail.com
Attn All,
ReplyDeleteIt's clear there is a story to be told. It has been suggested that someone look into having Linda's story, life, business and unfortunate death reported on and that needs to happen. Dusty's was a part of the Emory / Druid Hills neighborhood too long no to be honored and remembered properly. While we here at Repeat Atlanta have some contacts in local media, we would like to ask you, our readers to speak to people you may in mainstream media to help get Linda's story told.