By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, June 28, 2016
The Atlanta Improv comedy club is re-opening in a new Buckhead location.
WhatNow confirmed the address: 3365 Piedmont Road, which is in the same Tower Walk shopping space as Twin Peaks, Ru San's Sushi and AMC Dine In Theatres. It's about a 1.5 mile drive from the club's original site in the East Andrews Entertainment District.
UPDATE Wednesday, June 29: Lorrie Dixson Griggs, a publicist, sent me some fresh info: the capacity will be 350, larger than the previous space. It is set to open in the winter.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
de Haan, in an interview Thursday morning, said he was seeking space that was near major hotels and highways. This particular space is in walking distance of several major hotels such as the InterContinental and the Hyatt."I'm excited by the accessibility to 400," he said. "And parking is improved."
He plans a more comfortable seating layout with better sight lines, elevated areas and banquettes. He also wants better acoustics. "We are investing heavily in the audio," he said.
The previous Atlanta Improv shut down on New Year's Eve after the property owners decided they wanted other shops in that space.
The original 300-seat Improv club opened in the fall of 2012 with Louie Anderson as the first headliner.
By 2014, the Atlanta Improv began hosting bigger names than long-time rival the Punchline including Jon Lovitz, Dave Coulier, Paul Reiser and Tom Arnold. In its final weeks at the old site, the club booked the likes of Kevin Nealon, Norm MacDonald and George Wallace.
He said there is a gap in the market now for top-tier talent of this ilk that are currently not coming into the market.
The Punchline shut down its long-time location last year in Sandy Springs but found a new, smaller space at the Landmark Dinner in Buckhead last November. It's unfortunately too small to be able to draw some of the names that the Improv did.
The two clubs will remain about a mile apart.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
The new Improv will include an Open Mic to be held on Wednesdays with comedy shows every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings with special one-night appearances monthly.
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