Shaq's Atlanta Krispy Kreme Hosts Pop-Up After 2 Fires This Year

The historic Krispy Kreme Doughnuts location on Ponce de Leon Avenue is (sort of) in operation again.

On Tuesday (December 7), the Krispy Kreme location opened its temporary pop-up event at 7 a.m., bringing customers back to the beloved doughnut shop owned by NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. Tuesday morning marked the first time customers could be served in months, after the building caught fire twice this year. The first blaze, which the Atlanta Fire Department confirmed was arson, happened overnight in February, the second happened over the summer.

In the hours following the first fire, the Associated Press noted that the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts location in Midtown Atlanta opened in 1965, notably serving hundreds of mourners following civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral in 1968. Churches in the area received 150 dozen donuts as donations in honor of King.

Though the building was demolished because of the fire damage, officials plan to rebuild within the next year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The news outlet noted that the company previously said, in part: “We pledge to keep the community informed as we embark on the path to turning back on our legendary glazer and Hot Light at Ponce and return to sharing awesome doughnuts and lots of joy there.”