The popular Atlanta restaurant will open in its new location on Saturday.
ATLANTA — Hundreds of small businesses across Atlanta had to shutter their doors last summer after a massive water main break caused extensive damage and money down the drain.
But now, one iconic restaurant is ready to welcome customers in Atlanta once again — just in a new location.
Derrick Hayes, the owner of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, announced in mid-July of 2024 that he would not reopen his flagship restaurant after the Atlanta water crisis. The flagship restaurant was located in Downtown Atlanta, off Forsyth Street NW. Hayes is a West Philadelphia native who named the restaurant chain after his late father. He opened the first location in a 700-square-foot Shell gas station in Dunwoody, Georgia.
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“The water really… killed the location, it’s not worth reopening,” Hayes said in an Instagram video following the water crisis. “We’ve been through a lot trying to get it reopened; it’s just not, you know, coming together.”
Hayes said at the time that he knew “something that’s bigger and better” was coming his way.
And now, six months later, that “bigger and better” thing is coming to fruition.
11Alive was able to tour Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks’ new location on Marietta Street ahead of its grand opening on Saturday.
“I got the jitters right now like a kid on Christmas because I am so happy,” Hayes said.
It is a moment he has been waiting for after the sadness of seeing his sign coming down at the previous location and having to close the doors due to all the damage.
“I think I’m going to drop a lot of tears on Saturday,” he said.
But even though they’re starting fresh, they did bring a lot of the last location with them.
“Our open kitchen, our shotgun style, we don’t hide anything from anybody, once you come in… you guys can see how we prep the food, prepare the food, hot, ready to go,” he said.
Hayes said he self-funded his new opening, but the City of Atlanta Recovery Fund has helped hundreds of businesses reopen. New numbers from Invest Atlanta show that 472 businesses were funded after the water main break. In total, $4.4 million was awarded, with an average grant of $9,446.
But in terms of Hayes’ business, he’s ready to bring his popular cheesesteaks back to Downtown Atlanta — with some new additions, too.
“I’m announcing something really big for the grand opening. I’ll whisper it to you.”
OK, we’ll let you in on the secret, too!
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks will now be selling Philly Pretzels when they open on Saturday.
Overall, Hayes said he wants people in Atlanta to see his grand opening as a sign of resilience in the city.
“It’s easy to dream when you sleep! You gotta dream with your eyes open! You gotta never stop dreaming, never stop believing,” he said.
