ATLANTA (AP) – A historic Krispy Kreme Donuts store in Atlanta owned by basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, which dates back to the mid-1960s, was engulfed in flames early Wednesday, severely damaging the structure.
Atlanta firefighters responded to the iconic restaurant on Ponce de Leon Avenue shortly after midnight, news outlets reported. Video posted on social media showed furious flames.
The Midtown store opened in 1965 and O’Neal bought it in 2016, news outlets reported.
“I hope no one has been hurt and that we come back better than ever,” O’Neal said in a statement.
“We and our retail partner, Shaquille O’Neal, are extremely grateful that no one was injured and for the prompt response and excellent work of the local fire and police departments,” said Jack Farmer, representing Krispy Kreme.
“We are working with the authorities to assess the damage and are not sure at this point how long the store will be closed,” he added. “However, we plan to reopen the store as soon as possible! In the meantime, our Ponce team members will continue to receive full pay as we identify and offer them positions at other Krispy Kreme stores. “
Battalion Commander Douglas Hatcher said firefighters saved most of the building after the fire started in the back. No injuries were reported. Hatcher said the cause of the fire was under investigation.
The Midtown Krispy Kreme was one of the first locations to be established outside the company’s main operating bases in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee.
After Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral in April 1968, the Krispy Kreme fed mourners by donating 150 dozen donuts to churches in Atlanta.
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An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the store was over 60 years old. It opened in 1965.