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Junior's Grill celebrates 50 years at Georgia Tech By Allison Roberts Campus Life Editor ATLANTA November 13, 1998
 On November 19, 1998, a Georgia Tech tradition will celebrate its fiftieth year serving students and faculty members. As Junior's Grill begins its second fifty years at Tech, students, faculty, and friends will come together to celebrate the history and future of this Georgia Tech landmark.
Junior's Grill has been involved with Georgia Tech since 1948-longer than the Campanile, the Aquatic Center, and tenth-year seniors. The location of Junior's has changed, though hamburgers and a focus on good service remain vital to the on-campus grill.
Junior's opened in 1948 as "Wilber Gold, Junior's Grill" at its original location at the corner of Techwood Avenue and North Avenue.
In 1958, Jimmy Klemis and John Chacknis took over the restaurant operations. The original restaurant site was demolished in 1967, to construct a Techwood [Residence] Hall parking lot.
Junior's moved to its second location in 1966, another spot on North Avenue across from the Smith Residence hall. The building, owned by the Georgia Tech foundation, housed Junior's until 1994, when it was demolished.
After Georgia Tech was selected as the Olympic Village, Junior's, Engineer's Bookstore, and a Wendy's restaurant were displaced from their North Avenue locations to make room for the University Village Apartments. Junior's moved from its North Avenue location to its current location, in the Bradley building next to the football stadium and Tech Tower. The site was (coincidentally) originally the location of a dining hall. The new location, opened in Winter 1994, seats up to 143 people, and is often filled to capacity during busy lunch hours.
In a 1994 interview with the Technique, Tommy explained, "Low prices and service were the goals of the original Junior's. One of our goals is to know all of our customers by name and to bring back a personal touch." Today, the crew remains dedicated to these ideas.
Facing financial difficulty during the early 1990's, Junior's recognized the hardships faced by students, and refused to raise prices. Although this forced the restaurant to reduce its business hours, the restaurant remained determined to serve its main clientele-Georgia Tech students.
Today, the restaurant is run by Tommy Klemis, and his staff, and "Tommy" is often seen behind the counter, chatting with students and serving the burger baskets Junior's is famous for. The crew tries to make the Junior's experience a pleasant one for visitors by placing an emphasis on the original philosophy of the restaurant-"prices students can afford."
Tommy himself is becoming a Tech tradition. The son of Jimmy Klemis, he has received the coveted "Friend of the Student" award, and also has received awards and commendations from GT Motorsports, and the Crew team.
The decorations on the walls are a reminder of Georgia Tech's past, and the restaurant itself has established Tech traditions. Each spring since 1995, the Junior's crew has sponsored a hamburger eating contest, with the proceeds going to charity. The winners become a part of the decor, as their names are engraved on the Junior's "Wall of Shame." The wall itself, hidden partially by a salad dressing cooler, adds to the unique, casual atmosphere. The walls feature pictures, maps, and other memorabilia that resemble a scrapbook of Tech memories, including a portion of a goal post from Georgia Tech's 1990 Championship game.
On November 19, 1998, a fiftieth-anniversary celebration will take part and give students an opportunity to celebrate this Georgia Tech icon with Tommy and the crew. Prices on hamburger and cheeseburger baskets will be lowered to $1, and refreshments will be served. President Clough, Tommy, and a select group of Junior's customers will be on hand to join the celebration. The celebration begins at 11:00 a.m. and continues until 12:00 p.m.
By Alex Bahr / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Hemanth Meka, Junior's patron and occasional Technique staffer, guzzles yet another hamburger in the annual Hamburger Eating Contest.
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Copyright © 1998 by Gregory S. Scherrer, Editor and by the Student Publications Board
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