The sale of The Colonnade is complete and the new owners chosen.

Jodi and David Stallings handed the keys over to longtime regulars Lewis Jeffries and Paul Donahue, who will become only the third owners of the Cheshire Bridge Road dining institution in its 97-year history.

Earlier this summer, the Stallings announced the sale of the nearly century-old restaurant, which first opened in 1927 at the corner of Lindbergh Drive and Piedmont Avenue, stating that they aimed to find new owners willing to preserve The Colonnade’s legacy in Atlanta. 

The Colonnade remains closed until Sept. 11, allowing Jeffries and Donahue to get up to speed. But they said not to expect any major changes when it reopens, other than some rearrangement in seating, the future return of menu favorites and dining options like Saturday lunch, and eventually a minor refresh of the interiors. 

Understanding the legacy

Jeffries and Donahue, who own Lingering Shade Social Club on Irwin Street, have been dining at The Colonnade for decades. 

Jeffries, a third-generation Atlantan, has been eating at The Colonnade with his family since before the restaurant relocated to Cheshire Bridge in 1962. It was his late mother’s favorite Atlanta restaurant and one he took her to often, especially in the year before her death. Jeffries recalls dining at The Colonnade with his grandparents when he was a child and noted that the restaurant opened the same year his mother was born.

Donahue, a Waterloo, Iowa, native, moved to Atlanta in 1985 to work as an interior designer and has been dining at The Colonnade for more than three decades. 

“Like many people, it’s been a part of our lives for a long, long time. There are family histories here. We’ve heard so many stories from friends and people we’ve met over the last couple of weeks about their connections to The Colonnade,” said Donahue of taking over its ownership. 

The duo also recognize the importance of the restaurant’s staff to the business and to its regulars. Many employees have been with The Colonnade for decades. This includes Rhea Merritt, who joined the restaurant in the early 1970s and is often behind the bar whipping up martinis. The first person people typically see when they walk into The Colonnade is Randell Stenson. He’s been greeting diners at the host stand for 32 years. 

Retta Black bartended and manned the cash register at The Colonnade for 25 years before the restaurant began accepting credit cards in 2014. Now she works for Jeffries and Donahue as head bartender at Lingering Shade. 

“We’ve known some of the staff for years and years and years and they’ve all become very important to us. Everything at The Colonnade is so interrelated,” Donahue said. “That’s why it has to keep going in Atlanta.” 

Related Link: The Colonnade’s owners aim to find a buyer who will preserve its legacy

Understanding how cherished The Colonnade is to multiple generations of Atlantans (both new and native) is part of what prompted the Stallings to approach Jeffries and Donahue almost a year ago. 

Despite their familiarity with the staff and being friends with many regulars, Jeffries and Donahue admit they have a lot to learn about owning and operating The Colonnade. The staff seem supportive of the ownership transition, and even a little bit excited about what the future holds for the restaurant under Jeffries and Donahue. 

Longtime patrons will likely not see much in the way of visible changes to The Colonnade over the next few months. Jeffries and Donahue plan to spend the fall evaluating staff and operational needs and looking at the books, starting with analyzing the point of sales system (POS).

It’s not sexy work, but necessary to ensure The Colonnade continues operating efficiently, Jeffries and Donahue said. But people can expect to see them in the dining room greeting people and introducing themselves as the new owners. 

What’s old is what’s new again

Save a few tweaks here and there, the menu will remain intact. Part of evaluating the POS system includes understanding what’s selling well and what could be improved upon in terms of the menu. However, regulars can rest assured that dishes like the yeast rolls, fried okra, fried shrimp (Donahue’s favorite), and chicken fried chicken (Jeffries favorite) won’t be going anywhere. Drinks like the Vesper and those ice-cold martinis will stay put, too. 

“We want to bring back a few things that went away prior to COVID and see where business might be increasing to expand hours in the future,” Jeffries said. “We’d love to see The Colonnade open seven days a week again for breakfast, Saturday lunch, and dinner, but certainly getting back to seven nights a week at some point.” 

Halloween night at The Colonnade, when everyone from staff to patrons dressed in costume, might also return this year. 

As for the refreshed design, Donahue will tap into his interior decorating expertise, much of which involved sprucing up country clubs around the South. While they don’t want to change the cozy, comforting vibe of The Colonnade, Jeffries and Donahue do want to bring more vibrancy into the restaurant. 

Jodi Stallings always referred to The Colonnade as a “country club without a membership” and Donahue said that statement resonated with him. He’ll take cues from the building’s mid-century leanings, as well as design elements from 1960s vacation destinations like Palm Beach and Palm Springs. The goal is to bring “fun things” into the space without losing the restaurant’s soul. Nothing too wild, Donahue insisted. 

“She’s an old girl and it’s about time for her to have a new dress,” Donahue said. “We’re going to try to make the overflow seating in the back dining room look less like a banquet room and incorporate booths to match the ones in the main dining room.” 

Even The Colonnade’s brown paper placemats will receive a little boost. The duo is playing around with different color schemes to refresh the design of the restaurant’s iconic placemats. 

On approaching 100 years of The Colonnade

When asked why they think generations of Atlantans continue to dine at The Colonnade, Jeffries simply stated that the restaurant offers people consistency and comfort. It’s a constant in many people’s lives, often tied to their family histories which provides the touchstone or connection to loved ones and times gone by. 

“The Colonnade also serves good food. It’s not fine dining by any means, but it’s food people like and it’s approachable,” Donahue added. “We’re really excited to get in there and get this restaurant ready for its hundredth birthday by reenergizing the staff and getting The Colonnade back to 100 percent after COVID and two bridge fires.” 

One thing’s for sure, Jeffries and Donahue promised, The Colonnade’s 100th birthday party in 2027 will be one hell of a bash.

1879 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta. Current hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Colonnade opens under new ownership on Sept. 11, 2024.