East Atlanta Village

2007-01-31T20:56:00.000-08:00

The Wachovia branch in the East Atlanta Village is closing. The official date of the closing is April 18th. A new branch is opening February 5th at 2283 Glenwood next to Publix. The new branch's hours will be the same as the branch in the Village, 9-4 Monday through Friday. For longer hours, the branch in the Edgewood Retail District is open from 9-7 Monday through Friday, and 9-2 on Saturday.

2006-03-26T19:27:00.000-08:00

Well, the new Wal-Mart on Gresham Rd. opened this past week. It's the company's first store inside the Perimeter, with others planned. It is part of a new strategy: On my previous Web site I quoted officials who said research showed people would drive up to 10 miles for groceries, and so adding grocery to the stores made it possible to make them viable with just 10 miles of separation. So expect more here and everywhere, for better or worse! The AJC published a half-hearted article, which must have taken an entire afternoon to research -- sarcasm.

2006-03-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Guerilla Marketing in EAV, L5P
One of my favorite things to see around EAV, Edgewood and L5P is the guerilla marketing techniques of Lenny's. It reflects many of the reasons I think people move to the area -- creativity, independence from convention, authenticity. Lenny's is a lounge on Memorial Drive, near Oakland Cemetary. Lenny's knows its audience, advertising its shows on grey-painted pallets strategically placed on thoroughfares in SE Atlanta. Clearly, this is going to draw the attention of hipsters and locals, and be overlooked by the suburbanites that drift into the area on weekends. The one shown here was placed in L5P outside the The Corner Tavern (previously 9Lives).

2006-03-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

Atlanta is sooo LA, Just Smaller
So, I went to LA a week ago. I spent five days exploring the city, seeking neighborhoods, and community. I found it to be a lot like ATL, almost like a bigger sibling. If you doubled Atlanta's population the cities would be nearly identitical in their problems and diversity. I noticed the similarities more after my return than while I was there. For instance, while I don't dwell on Atlanta's smog, I saw it two days this week - only bothering to notice after having been in LA. It was a light haze hanging over the city like a soft filter on a lens. When people talk about LA traffic and Atlanta traffic there are only a few degrees of separation. To test it, commute from GA400 to EAV on a Friday afternoon. The neighborhoods -- and their states of yuppie-dom -- from Los Feliz, to Silver Lake, to Echo Park are very similar to the stretch from Virginia-Highland, to L5P, to EAV. The people were surprisingly warm just like the weather. And weather was a strange topic. Folks in LA think Atlanta is cold -- I set them straight. There are two very big differences -- the proximity to the ocean (though don't go in the water), and the prices. LA is as expensive as New York for housing. My suggestion - visit Silver Lake and Los Feliz.

2006-03-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

A recent article in the AJC looks at Moving in the Spirit, a nonprofit after-school program that uses dance and movement to teach leadership and development skills. Moving in the Spirit recently was named one of 17 outstanding youth and humanities programs by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. It was the first program in the Southeast to receive the national honor, which came with a $10,000 award. The article says, "The Grant Park/East Atlanta program instructs about 225 students ages 3-18 in various forms of dance. More than 1,250 students have participated in the program since its inception in 1986."

2006-01-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: I spoke with the folks at Fitness Factory. They hope to open the gym by the end of March in the Little Azio's plaza at Moreland and Ormewood. They knocked down a wall between two spaces to make a larger one. The staffer told me that they have had a lot of response and wonder if they will need more space immediately. Watch your back after tax season HR Block! I haven't had a chance to check on this, but there is a report in the Southern Voice that Fitness Factory is opening a second location which will be in East Atlanta. The gym is expected to open in mid-February. I'm surprised it took this long for someone to do this, considering many of the 'urban pioneers' that led to the resurgence in EAV starting in the 90's were GLBT and we know how our friends like to worship at 'LA' and other gyms on Sundays.

2006-01-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

So, Mayor Shirley Franklin halted new construction of infill, known as 'McMansions,' until February 6, but EAV is not covered. It covers North Buckhead, Virginia Highland, Morningside-Lenox Park, Ansley Park-Sherwood Forest, and Lake Claire. Councilwoman Norwood said EAV could opt in, through the neighborhood association. EAV shoudl do it, and require that home at least resmble other home in the neighborhoods.

2006-01-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

In the interest of spreading the word... The first annual East Atlanta Yard Sale will occur Sat. (1/21) from8:30-3:00 at the intersection of Flat Shoals Ave. and Pasley Ave. Goods: Household, office, electronics, antiques, clothing, new babytoys.

2006-01-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

One of EAV's most recent additions, Bound to be Read Books, got a write-up in the AJC recently. Owner Jeff McCord is quoted. The gives special attention to Kona the Bookstore Cat. It's a nice addition to the village, which has come a long way, and nice to see the additional attention EAV has been getting this year.

2006-01-01T18:59:00.000-08:00

The AJC published an article right before New Years saying as many as six new restaurants are coming to EAV. It looks like the folks who have gotten it right are going to give it a run to add many more options. What's really needed is to get something in the check cashing space at the intersection of Glenwood and Flat Shoals -- An outdoor restaurant in that space would put walking traffic on the streets and make the village feel more inviting to visitors. It's my understanding that the owner of that space owns a great deal of property in EAV and won't let go of it. The AJC article follows:

Eateries bet on East Atlanta
With several restaurants about to open, hopes high for revivalBy PAUL DONSKYThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 12/30/05
Nearly a decade after emerging as Atlanta's newest hot spot, East Atlanta Village is struggling to regain its footing.

Not too long ago, the trendy shopping and nightlife district boasted two of the city's top live music venues, an upscale bistro called Iris that drew raves from the foodie crowd, and an eclectic mix of offbeat stores and hip bars.
But the neighborhood fell on hard times recently as the economy cooled. Now, a rash of empty storefronts has turned parts of the Village into a ghost town.

Iris, once viewed as a symbol of the Village's coming of age, shut its doors several months ago after a three-year run. The Echo Lounge rock club remains boarded up after having trouble with its liquor license. The Heaping Bowl and Brew restaurant, credited with kicking off the East Atlanta boom, closed after an ownership change.

But don't count the Village out just yet. The plucky neighborhood may be on the verge of a second renaissance, led by the opening of at least six restaurants next year, including an upscale eatery in the old Iris space. The new blood can't come soon enough for Michael Knight, co-owner of Traders furniture store, which opened just as East Atlanta was beginning to take off.

The store, which sells everything from scented candles to leather couches, initially stood out among the check-cashing stores and old-school beauty salons. Knight watched the area blossom into a hipster hangout and then retreat a bit as shops went out of business and remained vacant for extended periods.

"It's been up and down for years. We're the only retail store that has made it, that's stuck it out from the beginning," Knight said. "If all those restaurants open up, that would be a big boost for the East Atlanta retail stores. You can't make a living unless you have lots of traffic."
And an onslaught of eateries is on the way.

The owners of Cantina La Casita, a successful budget-priced Mexican restaurant that opened earlier this year, plan to open four new spots: Latitude 33, a Southern-style seafood restaurant; a diner serving breakfast and lunch called Honey's Kitchen; a wine bar; and a barbecue joint.
The Iris space, meanwhile, has been leased by the owners of the Flatiron, a mainstay East Atlanta bar. The group hopes to open a restaurant by March with "high-end" cuisine but more affordable prices than Iris, which featured entrees in the $20-to-$30 range.

The owners of East Atlanta Thai took over the Heaping Bowl lease and plan to open the Blue Dog Cantina, a moderately priced Latin American bistro, early next year.

The entrepreneurs say they are bullish on the area because they see pent-up demand for restaurants among the young families and others flocking to the still-affordable neighborhoods surrounding the Village.

As evidence, they point to the Village's newest restaurant, the Graveyard Tavern, which opened a few weeks ago and has attracted huge crowds for its Mediterranean cuisine.

"This neighborhood is more than capable of supporting three times the amount of restaurants than are here," said David Bishop, a partner in the Flatiron ownership group and president of the East Atlanta Business Association. "There has definitely been growth in higher-income families."
Micki Silvestros, one of the La Casita owners, said the East Atlanta area is thriving, but too many residents eat and shop in more established neighborhoods like Midtown and Virginia-Highland.

"I definitely see lots more people — people with kids and dogs and strollers— walking around at all hours of the day, which I never saw six years ago," she said.

East Atlanta Village was a bustling commercial center earlier in the 20th century, serving a community then on the outskirts of Atlanta. The crossroads of Glenwood and Flat Shoals avenues featured a drugstore, a movie theater and several grocery stores.

But the neighborhood declined as middle-class families fled the city, and by the 1970s it was overrun with crime and drugs. As the crime rate fell and the economy boomed in the 1990s, East Atlanta rebounded and emerged as a center of youth culture.

The Village is now a mix of established businesses, trendy boutiques struggling to make it and empty buildings like the old Madison movie theater, which remains in severe disrepair.

Hipsters still pack the EARL most nights to see live music shows and guzzle cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Joe's coffee shop and Mary's, a gay bar, have loyal followings.

The neighborhood also is one of the few in Atlanta where it's possible to do errands on foot. The Village is home to a post office, a hardware store, a bank, a bakery, a public library, a pet store and several hair salons.

Local shop owners and residents offer a range of reasons for the neighborhood's recent woes.
Some say the businesses that failed were poorly run. Others blame new competition a few miles up the road from the big-box-dominated Edgewood Retail District.

And many feel that the neighborhood remains unfairly saddled with an image as a sketchy, crime-ridden outpost. While police say crime is down in East Atlanta, many people still remember that shortly after Iris opened, a customer was shot and killed as he left the restaurant.
Business owners who have been successful in the Village say the secret is to cater to the people who live in the area. Much-loved Iris, for instance, was considered beyond the budgets of most people except for special occasions, said Knight, the furniture store owner.

"You can't just open a restaurant in a neighborhood like this unless you are going to sell food people can afford for an everyday meal," he said. "You're not going to get people from Dunwoody on a Tuesday night to come down here and pay those prices."
East Atlanta resident Russell Brissette said he'd patronize the new restaurants — as long as the food was good and the prices were right. He is particularly excited about the diner being opened by the La Casita group.

"I would definitely go to a place that had eggs, a traditional breakfast," he said, eating a piece of cake at Joe's on a recent afternoon. "And I wouldn't just go on Saturday or Sunday."

Adrene Ashford, owner of Pieces of Adrene clothing boutique, said her 5-year-old store recently stood virtually alone on a long stretch of Flat Shoals as neighboring businesses failed.

But her shop has of late been joined by a men's clothing store and two shoe stores.
The restaurants will entice people "to stay, hang out in the area, see what else is popping up over here," she said as hip-hop music thumped in the background. "Restaurants are the perfect places to keep people in the neighborhood. That's what this area needs."

2006-01-01T18:47:00.000-08:00

I'm moving EastAtlantaVillage.com to a blog to save on hosting costs. So, while the content appears to be old -- based on the timestamps -- it is really just that none of the previous content has been ported.

2004-05-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

Two items...

I missed the Notoberfest, but a friend said it looked 'fraty,' not such a good thing from my point of view. With that said, the village and its businesses -- mainly the restaurants and bars -- have looked lively as of late.

Folks in EAV are going to have an interesting July. The primary is July 20 and there are a lot of candidates (six, I think) running for District 4. The talk around town is whether District 4 is destined for a runoff, including McKinney, who is polling at 50% of the vote right now. Cathy Woolard would be considered a front runner, but she seems to have low visibility in the race, so far.

2004-05-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

Then and Now A now defunct blog shows photos from the eternally "up and coming" East Atlanta. Photos from 2000 and 2003 show some fresh paint and new store fronts and some empty ones as well. Good or bad, it's interesting to see the change. Of Note: Mary's has recently changed to pink from the blue, as shown in the photos; Iris occupies an old gas station on Glenwood, the Fountain Head Lounge is now East Side Lounge, the Spa (Panacea?) is currently turning into a piano bar...

2004-04-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

Larry Johnson has a great site where he posts photos from Oakland cemetery and follows developments at Glenwood Park, Atlantic Station, and this Sembler Development. Thanks to Larry -- who doesn't know me -- I took a walk in Oakland Cemetery last weekend with my girl. It is well worth checking out. Try swinging by Ria's Bluebird and then walking off breakfast (maybe a hangover) in the park/cemetary. Margeret Mitchell and Bobby Jones are buried in the cemetery. (Side Note: Mary Rose Taylor, founder of the Margaret Mitchell House & Museum used to be married to Charlie Rose, of PBS)

2004-04-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

An Article about East Atlanta Village, suggesting you might
gird your loins on Glenwood? Maybe I have been in the village too long.

2004-04-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

ABout East Atlanta Village

Flat Shoals Road in East Atlanta used to be a major trade route for Native Americans, particularly the Creek and the Cherokee tribes, according to a recent article in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles. After the civil war ended in the 1860s, East Atlanta quickly recovered and became a suburb of Atlanta. At the time, Moreland Avenue was nothing more than a dirt path. Throughout the early 20th century, hardship fell on the area, though the neighborhood remained racially integrated. Just 10 years ago, the neighborhood was practically ignored by city trendsetters because of the intimidating crime and drug scene. But an infusion of urban pioneers served as a catalyst for growth and renewal.
Homes & Lifestyles Publishing