A Smyrna, Ga., landmark has closed after 50 years of business.
Howard’s Restaurant, which opened in 1964, was The Jonquil City’s oldest restaurant until its closure on Saturday, according to The Marietta Daily Journal.
“In ‘64 there were very few restaurants here that sold beer,” The Marietta Daily Journal quoted owner Bobby Martin, whose father opened the restaurant as a deli, as saying. “My dad wanted a place where a family could eat and the parents could have a beer and be in a nice comfortable environment. We’ve tried to keep that.”
The restaurant has long been a favorite of Smyrna residents and local politicos, including Mayor Max Bacon, who has used Howard’s as a meeting spot for supporters on election day. Howard’s also served as the backdrop for a scene in the Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah movie “Joyful Noise,” released in 2012.
Howard’s has occupied its current location since 1991. The building previously housed a Western Sizzlin restaurant.