Oxford Square mainstay Ajax Diner will soon reopen, but not until renovations are complete.

Ajax was one of the first of the Oxford restaurants to close due to COVID-19, and many restaurants followed afterward.

While some restaurants decided to keep their kitchens open and just do delivery or curbside service, other restaurants, such as Papito’s Mexican Grill and Soul Fish Cafe, decided to close down their restaurants for good.

According to Ajax owner Randy Yates, however, fans of the restaurant’s Southern-style cooking have nothing to fear.

The original plan was for Ajax to open back up as soon as the city government deemed it safe for restaurants to reopen. That plan soon changed when Yates decided to make some renovations to the restaurant.

“We are not closing,” Yates said. “We’re just doing renovations and will open back up by the end of the month.”

Renovations to Ajax Diner include a new kitchen floor and a new kitchen cooler.

According to Yates, as soon as renovations are done, Ajax Diner will open its doors once again. It isn’t clear if Ajax will only do curbside and delivery to start, or if they’ll allow a certain number of diners to come in at a time, but customers can rest assured knowing that Ajax will soon begin serving them again in a manner that is safe for everyone by the end of June. 

“We are looking forward to reopening and being able to serve the people of Oxford,” Yates said.