A long time establishment of the Thornton Rd area has closed its doors marking an end of over 3 decades of service, as well as ending an era in Douglas County. Sunday we discovered Shoney’s has closed and no immediate reason given on the door, and for that matter it is unclear how long they have been closed. Jump back in time several decades when Shoney’s was synonymous for providing travelers a good food option dotted along interstate highways for hungry and weary travelers. They were a staple in the travel industry restaurant business offering menu items and a buffet, especially at breakfast times. Douglasville had 2 locations on Fairburn Rd and Hwy 5, as well as this one in Lithia Springs. Times “they are a changing” as it is so often put, and where once Shoney’s dotted the map in Atlanta and Georgia, their locations are closing up and becoming more of a challenge to find. They still operate and in other states seem to be doing okay despite their waning influence in Georgia. In Douglasville, the Hwy 5 and Fairburn Rd location closed several years ago due to stiff competition from other restaurants that were a bit more modern and willing to change with the times. The Thornton Rd location long managed to survive despite competition and the downturn in the economy. That ended last week. And with the Thornton Rd location closed, Shoney’s no longer operates in Douglas County after 30+ years. In Georgia, the closest locations to Douglasville are now in Cartersville and Newnan.
