Atlanta Burger Institution Ann's Snack Bar for Sale? Closing?

Ran across this mention of the impending sale of an Atlanta burger institution (home of the so-called "Ghetto Burger") in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. If you have seen this woman on YouTube from 2008 here and from 2007 here, you will discover that she is quite a character and serves up quite a nice-sized burger.

I'm sad that I never got a chance to visit this place that was hailed by the Wall St. Journal as the "best burger in America" a few years back, but I do wish her well on her retirement.

Anyone been to this place? Would love to hear your thoughts. The "real deal" or a lot of hype?
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For sale (soon): Ann’s Snack Bar, home of the “Ghetto Burger”

4:50 pm May 18, 2009, by jgumbrecht

Ann Price serves up a "Ghetto Burger" to customers at her Kirkwood Restaurant, Ann's Snack Bar.

Ann’s Snack Bar, the Kirkwood home of the “World Famous Ghetto Burger,” might not be around much longer — at least not with Ann herself.

Ann Price, known to her customers and the world at large as “Miss Ann,” told Buzz on Monday that she’s ready to sell after 37 years of hand-shaping patties for hungry customers.

“You got a buyer?” she shot into the phone.

Miss Ann won’t be locking the doors just yet. She plans to talk with a real estate agent in a couple weeks, and doesn’t yet know the price, but wants it on the market at the end of the month. It’s not clear if the restaurant will remain open once it’s out of Miss Ann’s hands.

“I don’t care what they do with it,” Miss Ann said of the building at 1615 Memorial Drive. “Once they pay me for it, they can do whatever the want with it.”

The "World Famous Ghetto Burger" at Ann's Snack Bar in Kirkwood.

That news will be hard to swallow for regulars who got comfortable on the bar stools at Ann’s. It was already a local institution when its “World Famous Ghetto Burger,” was named the best burger in America in a Wall Street Journal story two years ago. The crowds have been flowing even steadier since then.

So why now? “I’m tired. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

What next? “Sleep. I’m planning to sleep when I leave here.”

Miss Ann did say she’ll stay in Atlanta, but didn’t elaborate: “I can’t talk now. I’ve got customers.”

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And this from a local Atlanta TV Station site:

"Ghetto Burger" Home For Sale?

ATLANTA -- The home of the self-proclaimed "World Famous Ghetto Burger" might be up for sale. Ann Price, owner of Ann's Snack Bar, told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution she is selling the Kirkwood restaurant. In Tuesday's Peach Buzz column the AJC reported that Price wants to have Ann's Snack Bar on the market by the end of the month. READ: AJC Article Here Two years ago, Raymond Sokolov, the food reporter for the Wall Street Journal, crowned the “Ghetto Burger” at Ann’s Snack Bar on Memorial Drive as the best burger in the country.

DIRECTIONS: Finding Atlanta's Best Burger

He described Ann Price's masterpiece as a “two-patty cheeseburger tricked out with bacon that she tends closely in a fryolator.” The Ghetto Burger also features chilli along with the standard lettuce, tomato, and onion. After sampling a “Ghetto Burger” dusted with Miss Ann’s “seasoning salt” Sokolov called it “the next level in burgerhood.” If you want to dive into one head for the Snack Bar at 1615 Memorial Drive. Citing the burgers at The Vortex in Little Five Points and the EARL in East Atlanta Sokolov called Atlanta the home to the best burgers in America. If you plan a trip to Ann's, there's a few things you need to know. First, there's only eight stools in the restaurant. That means only eight people get waited on at a time. From there, people line up outside waiting for a stool to empty before heading inside and placing their order. Price describes business as "Off the hook" since the Wall Street Journal reported on her burger. Translation: get there early and prepare to wait. Many people spend a couple hours in line just waiting to get inside. Price has had to start cutting the line off around 4 p.m. the last week just to accommodate everyone. She's open Monday to Saturday.

Check Out Best Burger In United States

VIDEO: Atlanta's Ghetto Burger Named Best In U.S.
SLIDESHOW: Feast Your Eyes On Best Burger In The Country, The Ghetto Burger

The 63-year old Price has been frying up food at her restaurant for nearly 35 years. If you want to sample a Ghetto Burger, consider yourself warned, Price plans on retiring at the end of next year. Speaking of warnings, should you decide to check out the slideshow or video, chances are you'll be hungry for a Ghetto Burger when you're finished looking.

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