Two years ago this month, the Albany iconic restaruant building, Smitty’s Drive-In, was sold at auction to Nathan and Melissa Thrasher.

Operated for 38 years by James “Smitty” Smith and his wife, Shelva, the south Albany restaurant first opened in 1962 and continued operations until the couple retired and closed the facility in 2000.

The building sat vacant for some 20 years before the property was sold at auction in 2020

Demolition started last week on the property with hopes of rebuilding and returning the property to its former glory.

Thrasher told the NEWS he plans on rebuilding the structure to the exact size and dimensions it used to be and to have it look as close as possible to the same as it was back in the 1960’s.

Thrasher said his daughter, Emily, is going to run the restaurant when it’s completed. No word yet on an estimated finish time.