The City of Roswell has reached a key milestone in the careful deconstruction of Doc’s Café, a Groveway landmark with more than seventy years of cultural and community significance. Crews are now halfway through the process at Oxbo Linear Park (79 Oxbo Road), where the structure was temporarily relocated, and steady progress is being made toward documenting and safeguarding materials for the future.
A Thoughtful Process
Unlike traditional demolition, which clears a site in just a few days, deconstruction is a slower, more deliberate process. Using hand tools and light equipment, crews are taking the building apart piece by piece. Materials such as original lumber, windows, doors, and trim are photographed, cataloged, and stored in watertight containers on-site.
At the same time, historic preservation specialists are creating 3D laser scans and CAD drawings of the café, ensuring its proportions and craftsmanship are digitally preserved. This dual process—physical salvage and digital documentation—ensures that even as the building comes down, its story continues.
Why It Matters
“Doc’s Café is more than a building—it’s a symbol of community and culture,” said Mayor Kurt Wilson. “By choosing deconstruction instead of demolition, we are treating this history with the care it deserves and making sure future generations understand its role in Roswell’s story.”
Doc’s Café, first opened in the 1950s by Samuel “Doc” Stafford, was more than a business. Known for serving hotdog “splits,” hamburgers, and barbecue, the café quickly became a cultural hub for Roswell’s Black community and a defining part of the Groveway neighborhood. While renovations and aging have left the structure in poor condition today, its symbolic value remains strong, as a place where food, music, and fellowship once brought people together.
“Demolition would have been faster, but it also would have meant losing everything,” said Project Manager Nick Paserchia. “With deconstruction, we’re protecting the elements that still carry meaning and creating a record that will keep Doc’s Café’s story alive for generations.”
Looking Ahead
The deconstruction project is expected to be completed by mid-October. When finished, salvaged materials and digital records will give residents, historians, and educators new ways to connect with Roswell’s past, whether through exhibits, educational programs, or future design projects.
