Add Sean “Diddy” Combs to the list of entertainers whose restaurant ventures in Atlanta eventually failed. The Bad Boy Entertainment mogul, through his parent company, confirmed that Justin’s — the one-time super hot restaurant in south Buckhead — has closed.
There was speculation that Justin’s was shut down for renovations and would reopen. Not. Once known for “Martini Mondays” and celebrity-filled weekend nights, Justin’s fell off in recent years and was unable to relocate its early magic.
Combs’ first Justin’s restaurant, in New York, closed after 10 years in 2007. His Atlanta location lasted 14 years.
Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group (BBWEG), founded by Combs, said in a statement that Justin’s was closed in order to pursue “other business ventures in music, television, fashion, fragrance and spirits.” It added that is is “actively exploring business opportunities in Atlanta” and promises “to have a strong presence in the region.”
Atlanta-based entertainers Usher, Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri all have also closed their restaurants in Atlanta in the last few years. Dupri’s Cafe Dupri shut down in 2008, three years after he opened it. The space is now home to La Fourchette. Usher’s The Grape, a wine bistro in Inman Park, closed near the end of 2009 and is now PURE Taqueria. Ludacris opened Straits in Midtown 2008; it closed in January. Ludacris announced he had won a contract to open Chicken N Beer at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Only Gladys Knight’s and Ron Winan’s Chicken And Waffles remain among entertainers in the restaurant industry in Atlanta.
