History

Beginnings

The City of Avondale Estates was founded by George Francis Willis in 1924. Willis' plans for the City were inspired by the trip he and his wife Lottie had taken to Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He aspired to recreate the majestic Tudor-Revival style architecture found at the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Planned City

With the guidance of internationally known city planners, Willis proceeded to develop what would later be known as the first documented example of a planned city in the Southeast. Today, Avondale Estates is named on the National Registrar of Historic Places.

Waffle House
On Labor Day 1955, Avondale Estates neighbors Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner founded the first Waffle House restaurant. The name was inspired by the most popular item on the original menu. The restaurant's focus on fast-food speed and round-the-clock service reflected mid-century societal shifts toward an automobile culture. As suburbs and the interstate highway system developed throughout the region and the nation, Waffle House grew to include over 1,600 locations nationwide, becoming an American cultural icon open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Museum
In 2004, Waffle House reacquired the original restaurant building located at 2719 East College Avenue in Avondale Estates and opened it as a museum. A visit to the museum feels like stepping back into 1955. The museum also features Waffle House memorabilia from the past 54 years.