‘Stags’ turning Crawford building into restaurant, hospitality space.
Paul “Stags” Oristaglio
The building has “had a thousand lives,” said Paul “Stags” Oristaglio. If all goes well, he will add one more.
Oristaglio has plans to open The Waypoint at 1147, a cafe-style restaurant and hospitality space in downtown Crawford.
Its location at 1147 Athens Road plays an important role in his vision. Oristaglio said he views Crawford as a “gateway” to nearby Athens, with the potential to serve both locals and travelers.
“I want it to be a welcoming place; it’s part of the name, The Waypoint,” he said. “It’s where people get oriented.”
Oristaglio purchased the property from Iris Inc Realty last fall, broker Jessica Arnold said. It most recently was A&B Emporium, which closed in July 2024.
She has watched the project develop since the beginning.
“We’ve seen behind the scenes how much work he has put into this,” Arnold said.
The Crawford City Council approved the project in March.
Arnold said Oristaglio has been thoughtful about every detail. He said he plans to source everything within 20 minutes of Crawford.
Having dealt with his own food sensitivities, Oristaglio is committed to clean food free of preservatives and antibiotics. He said meeting dietary needs is not just a business strategy, but part of hospitality itself.
“If we’re doing hospitality, then this is what hospitality is,” he said. “It’s catering to people’s needs.”
Oristaglio plans to expand beyond just a restaurant. There will be at least three rooms for overnight guests as a continuation of the project.
Arnold said there are many instances where people travel to Crawford looking for real estate, but they don’t have a place to stay. She said this project will help with that, as well as add amenities to the county.
The restaurant will likely focus on breakfast and lunch, aiming to meet the demands of residents. After moving to the area, Oristaglio asked residents what Crawford needed most.
Many people said they wanted coffee and a sit-down breakfast and lunch place.
“The answer was almost 100% consistent,” he said.
While the vision stays the same, Oristaglio said he has had to learn how to balance his vision with the reality of construction costs.
Once the main restaurant is established, Oristaglio hopes to start working on Zero West, an outdoor extension, where people would be able to walk up and order coffee. He plans for the coffee shop to be on Park Avenue, behind the Barber Shop.
Currently, the building at 1147 Athens Road lacks power and water. The layout designs are about 85% complete, Oristaglio said. The next steps involve mechanical, electrical and plumbing reviews for code and fire compliance.
Oristaglio said he’s working with Oglethorpe County architect/artist Cynzia Sanchez to help with design.
In order to avoid disappointing the community, Oristaglio withheld an opening date. He will commit to a timeline once it is concrete.
“I’d rather pleasantly surprise the community,” he said.
Oristaglio intends to operate under regular business hours. He said he wants to start small, with the potential to expand and change with direct community feedback.
Beyond the customers, he is looking for the right people to help bring the project to life.
“I want some creative freedom to be afforded to the staff in bringing this hospitality project to life, building and maintaining it,” he said. “I mean that hospitality takes great people, it takes attention to detail and attention to the clientele.”