Historic Atlanta Krispy Kreme Owned By Shaq Goes Up In Flames Overnight

The beloved Atlanta Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop that NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal owns caught fire and endured immense damage shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning (February 10).

Fire crews responded to the scene at the historic Ponce de Leon Avenue shop that has served the area for more than five decades, the Associated Press reported in the hours following the incident.

The Associated Press also 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.

As Atlanta residents express sadness at the news of the damage to the iconic Krispy Kreme store, Shaq, who bought the Krispy Kreme shop in 2016, told 11Alive that “we will bounce back better than over.”

Social media posts, including from WSB-TV, captured video of the blaze.

First responders managed to save most of the building and no one was injured. Though officials believe the fire started in the back of the doughnut shop, the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, Battalion Chief Douglas Hatcher confirmed to local news outlets.

Photo: Getty Images