The End of an Era: Partners Pizza at Aberdeen Demolished

Some buildings are more than just brick and mortar; in this case, stucco—they are touchstones of memory, anchors that hold a community together. Perhaps I am sentimental, but Partners Pizza and the shops of Aberdeen were a weathered, dependable presence, a place woven into a blanket of memories for me as a 32-year resident of Peachtree City.

The parking lot is a third place for me. It is home to the Peachtree City Farmers Market, which I started and managed for its first ten years. I know the places where water puddles collect, how to turn on the lights for the meat vendors and musicians, and what to do if we tripped the breaker. My children helped pay for part of their college educations by selling peaches for the local peach farmers. I learned firsthand what it means to shop and eat local, the distinction between sustainably grown and organically grown produce, and the world of food artists and small businesses that strive to make a difference while earning a sustainable living.

When I sit in traffic just under the bridge, I don’t just see a building. I see a younger version of myself with friends, my children, and their friends with full bellies rolling down the hill, stopping just short of Highway 54 and the emergency room. I picture my young daughters, pushing open the glass doors, adding to the handprints of other children, and being greeted not only by familiar teenage workers but also by the aroma of melted cheese, toasted crust, oregano, and garlic—a smell so constant it seems to have seeped into the very walls. Families crowded into booths, their golf carts lined up outside. Our favorite order: a round of wings, extra celery, a baked potato pizza, and lots of iced tea – quietly lived on, from weeknight dinners to soccer events, birthday parties, and graduation celebrations.

Before the plethora of restaurant choices existed, Partners was more of a gathering place where our town came together, one pizza at a time.

Partners Pizza is still considered by most to be the best pizza around. The Aberdeen location has a temporary home behind Y-Knot Sports Bar and will relocate once the new building is complete, next door to Y-Knot Sports Bar. And, of course, the demand for pizza and subs since 1977 has led to increased locations in Braelinn Shopping Center, the Tyrone area, and two locations in Newnan, so one does not have to look too far for the famous Baked Potato Pizza. 

In 1972, the biggest retailer in the space at Aberdeen was Hudson’s Village Market, alongside Thompson’s Drug Store, Ruth Crompton’s beauty shop, and 11 other small businesses. In a 1974 appraisal, Aberdeen Center was valued at 1,0030.00, the highest valued retail center in the city.

In 1978, when Jim Royal opened Partners Pizza, his hard work and dedication built an iconic restaurant. In 1991, Jim heard that the then-owners of the complex were thinking of tearing it down. Faced with a costly move, he gathered a few of the other lessees and made an offer to buy the complex. Many pizzas later, he slowly became the sole owner of the complex.

He estimates that his restaurant has sold over 3 million pizzas since its opening. The Pizza is good, but it has always been more than just a good pizza. For many, Partners was their first job. Over the years, Jim and Marilyn Royal estimate that over five thousand teens worked at Partners, many of whom paid for cars and college, and gained real-world experience in an idyllic setting.

Many can say that they had their first date, or first errand run, and grandparents like to brag about sharing a pizza with the next generation. The walls held countless conversations, celebrations, and ordinary moments that somehow became extraordinary simply because they happened there. The building was a landmark of belonging.

But the side patio with the view of the bridge and the hum of 54 ended on August 22, 2025. The day it came down is one I won’t soon forget. When the demolition crews arrived, it felt like watching a chapter of our town’s story close forever. Cindy and Danny Laterza watched from their golf cart and shared, “We have lived across the street from this place for 40 years. 40 years. Lots of baseball parties at Partners. We hate to see it go.” Throughout the workday, a variety of people gathered nearby, some with cameras, while others stood still, watching in silence.  A drone flew through the dust-filled air as heavy machines tore into its frame, the sound of cracking beams echoing like the breaking of something far more fragile—my sense of permanence.

But I have to admit, it felt less like a physical demolition and more like a farewell, as if we were saying goodbye to an old friend who had been our neighbor all our lives, but moving to the beach, perhaps, after introducing us to the new friend, one that will be sexy and tall and be home to 12 lucky homeowners, who maybe one will invite me to have a glass of something cool and watch the sunset from their fabulous outdoor space. It was both sad and exciting at the same time.

Change, of course, is inevitable, and face it, change is often welcome and needed. Our area is growing, and progress demands high-quality space. As Jim Royal said, “This is my legacy to Peachtree City, our hometown.”

What will rise in its place will be modern, fresh, and filled with potential—new businesses, new memories waiting to be made. 

 Sure, it’s hard not to feel the ache of what we’ve lost. The new can never replace the old; it can only build upon the foundation and be even better. In the end, those of us who call Peachtree City home will fondly remember the Aberdeen Complex. Its walls may be gone, but the stories remain, tucked into our memories and passed along in conversations that begin, “Do you remember when…?” That is the true gift of a place like this—it continues to live, not in concrete or brick, but in the heart of a community that loved it.

As our town turns the page and writes its next chapter, I hope we remember that progress does not erase the past. It adds to it. And while the skyline may look different with our new three-story Royal Views building, there is history, and that history will always be a part of who we are as Peachtree City neighbors.