Oxford, MS, iconic Ajax Diner on The Square is sold. See details on new owner

Randy Yates spent the last 27 years of his life cooking for the people of Oxford and beyond.

Now, he can sit back and enjoy life since having recently sold the iconic restaurant Ajax Diner to Clay Scruggs.

"I don't really know what I am going to do, honestly," Yates said. "We will see what comes up next."

Ajax opened in 1997 and is named after Yates' grandfather. A.J. was his name, and Ajax was his nickname when he was his fraternity's kitchen steward at Ole Miss.

A.J apparently bragged that people came from all over campus to eat his food.

He was also well known for his hospitality at the Neshoba County Fair. The late-night sing he directed is named after him to this day. Ajax’ awnings and Christmas trees lights are fashioned after the family’s fair cabin.

"It’s that Mississippi hospitality that Ajax brings to the Oxford Square," Yates said. "It's a special place, for sure."

Southern comfort food is the specialty. Chicken and dumplings, fried catfish, Mississippi pot roast, meatloaf, country fried steaks, along with an array of burgers and poboys are just a few of the standards.

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When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Yates said Scruggs came along as an advisor to help the process. Now, with an in-depth experience in the restaurant, he is taking over the Oxford institution.

"He is not going to change a thing," Yates said. "That was the promise, and that's the hope as he moves forward."

Over the years, Yates said there have been a lot of people to pass through the doors. In fact, he said one of his favorite memories is the day the door fell completely off its hinges from so many people going in and out. He said they replaced the door and kept on serving.

As far as all of those people who were coming in the doors, there were a lot of famous folks as well.

Some of his more famous patrons were Ole Miss royalty, The Manning family as well as the author Jim Harrison and musician David Byrne.

However, the most famous (or infamous) person likely to have walked through the doors was Prince Andrew. Yes, that Prince Andrew, third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger brother of King Charles III. Prince Andrew later fell out of favor after U.S. accusations of sexual abuse. That case was later settled.

Prince Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages, and he agreed to stop using the title His Royal Highness in an official capacity.

Yates said Andrew was in Oxford for a speech on architecture and came by Ajax while he was in town.

Now, the reins have been handed over to Scruggs, who will oversee the day-to-day operations of the business, that is sure to keep the front door swinging wide hundreds of times of day.

That leaves Yates to his retirement. Anything he won't miss?

"Double Decker Festival, for sure," Yate said, laughing. "That is one long day every year."

By the way, Yates made it out just in time. Double Decker begins Friday.

Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Oxford, MS, iconic Ajax Diner sold, menu to stay the same