June 7th 2024.
Unfortunately, the Downtown Atlanta location of Big Dave Cheesesteaks is facing an uncertain future. The bustling city has been hit with a series of water main breaks, causing chaos and destruction for many businesses, including the popular chain restaurant. Owner Derrick Hayes took to social media to share the heartbreaking news with his loyal customers.
In a candid Instagram video posted on Monday, June 3rd, Hayes showed the extent of the damage done to his restaurant. As he walked through the flooded establishment, he explained how the main water breaks have caused significant damage and made it impossible for the restaurant to open its doors. "Got a bad call this morning SMFH !!! Water break ruined my Downtown location," he captioned the post.
With his wife, Pinky Cole Hayes, founder of Slutty Vegan, by his side, Hayes showed the devastation caused by the water main breaks. "I can't win for losing," he said, visibly upset. "Well, downtown will be closed again today. As you guys know, we've been going through a water main break for the last two days. So this location may close."
Sporting a t-shirt, shorts, and Timberland boots, Hayes took viewers on a tour of the back of his business, pointing out the flooded walk-in cooler filled with food. "My whole restaurant right now is done. Like water everywhere. Walk-in cooler, flooding," he said, clearly devastated. "This might be it for this baby. But, you know what though, I ain't even going to stress myself out over it. I know God got the last say."
As he walked from the back of the business to the front, the camera showed puddles of water throughout the establishment. Hayes shared how much money he has invested in the location and the work it will take to restore it. "I'm going to keep my head held high," he said, trying to stay positive. "But this one right here hurt me because I worked my way out of the gas station to get this location. This $700,000 right here, you know, down the drain. I mean, I got insurance and all that, but nobody wants to go through that."
His wife, Pinky, offered words of encouragement in the comments, writing, "Small hiccup for a bigger come up." Hayes has affectionately referred to the downtown location of Big Dave's Cheesesteaks as his "rocky location" due to the ups and downs it has experienced with closures. Four years ago, the eatery was forced to close due to protests over the murder of George Floyd, according to AJC reports.
Last week, amid the water main breaks, the restaurant was forced to close on Friday and Saturday, with plans to reopen on Sunday. However, Hayes received a call from his director of operations informing him of the flooding caused by a burst pipe. With his team working diligently to clean up the damage and other staff working out of locations in Forest Park, Doraville, and Lawrenceville, the restaurant announced on Friday, June 7th, that it will remain closed "until further notice."
This announcement came one day after city officials lifted the boil water advisory that had been in effect since Friday. Thankfully, sampling confirmed that Atlanta's public water is now safe for all purposes and no longer requires boiling. The water main breaks were caused by burst pipes that were nearly 100 years old.
It's a tough blow for Hayes and his team at Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, but they remain hopeful for the future. Despite this setback, they are determined to keep moving forward. As they say, "Small hiccup for a bigger come up."
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