Some of the social media reaction to the Manuel’s news Friday:
On Twitter:
I’m stunned by the news of Manuel’s. In a city where everything’s always changing, it was the one constant.
-Steve Fennessy @stevefennessy
Pray for Manuel’s. #gapol
-Seth Cansler Clark @Seth_C_Clark
I’m gonna chain myself to the front door. Who’s with me? #SAVEMANUELSTAVERN
-Miss. Owl Atl #ElvisIsProud29
Facebook comments on a letter from Brian Maloof on the plan:
Thank you for talking me down out of my tree. Love you guys.
-Nikki Kranz Collins
A big decision and a bold move. we’ve come to expect nothing less from Manuel’s Tavern. We’ll be there until you need to close and will be waiting for your doors to reopen.
- Steve McQuade
This all sounds good, BUT you cannot trust developers!
- Faye Smallwood
Manuel’s Tavern — the Poncey-Highland bar and decades-old haunt for cops, politicos, reporters and regular in-towners — plans to close and later reopen after extensive renovations that will coincide with construction of a surrounding mixed-use development.
Word of the changes provoked hand-wringing from regulars and on social media, along with some praise. Recapturing displaced customers after the planned several-month closure next year won’t be a cinch, hospitality experts say.
Owner Brian Maloof, son of the tavern’s namesake, founder and one-time DeKalb County political heavyweight Manuel Maloof, said the community’s attachment runs so deep he catches hell when menu items change. He said his priority is to honor his family and the tavern’s place in Atlanta history.
If all goes as planned, Manuel’s will close early next year and reopen in time for the tavern’s 60th anniversary in August 2016. Meanwhile, a mix of shops, creative office space and residences, still in the early planning stages, will be built on parking lots around the tavern.
“It’s natural to have concerns,” Maloof told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’d be a poor businessman if I didn’t have concerns.”
The tavern will remain in its current footprint and height, according to Green Street Properties, which is buying the property from a Maloof family business and will lease the renovated Manuel’s back to Brian Maloof. The company said it has no plan for vertical construction over the pub.
Manuel’s Tavern, opened in 1956, has long been favored watering hole not only for nearby residents, but for journalists, state and local politicians — especially Democrats. Manuel Maloof parlayed his bar’s popularity into his own political career. He was DeKalb’s first CEO and a powerful voice in local and state Democratic Party politics.
The plan is to refurbish the tavern while maintaining the character of a classic neighborhood dive bar that’s hosted decades of rowdy election nights, visits from U.S. presidents and governors and countless crowds for broadcasts of Braves and Falcons games.
But during construction, Manuel’s patrons will have to find a new joint. The shutdown will also displace regular group meetings in private rooms like the Eagle’s Nest.
P. Harris Hines, presiding justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, grew up in Virginia-Highland. Hines has frequented Manuel’s since he was at Emory University in the 1960s, and, though he lives now in Cobb County, still visits the tavern about every 10 days.
From its historically left-leaning patronage, the crowd changed to become more of a mix of Republicans and Democrats.
“You can see some lively debates between elected officials,” he said. “The discussion is often passionate, but it’s always pleasant.”
Hines said he’s worried “a little bit” about the tavern losing its rough edges, but he said he has faith it’ll stay true to its spirit.
“I’m just glad that Manuel’s will remain in the building,” Hines said.
Millennial appeal
Maloof said the new Manuel’s will have to retain regulars but also appeal to new generations. Age dynamics in the neighborhood are shifting, and Maloof said newer restaurants have certain comforts younger folks expect.
Regulars see Manuel’s as a standby that hasn’t changed, but in many ways it has kept up with the times, said Harold Shumacher, an Atlanta restaurant consultant. The tavern has a chicken coop on its roof for fresh eggs — the chickens will be relocated and returned after construction — and it expanded its menu over the years with more contemporary dishes.
“When Manuel’s added brunch his fans thought the world had ended,” said Shumacher, who previously consulted for the tavern.
Some past changes didn’t stick. New Manuel’s locations in strip malls along Memorial Drive near Stone Mountain and in the Norcross area failed. John McCosh, a spokesman for Georgia Budget & Policy Institute and a former AJC reporter, said those outposts never captured the authenticity of the original.
McCosh is part of a fantasy baseball league named after Manuel’s that’s held drafts there since the mid-1980s.
“I’m sure we’ll return when they open their doors again. Otherwise we’d have to change the name of the league,” he said.
The sale to Green Street is not final, but the property is under contract. Financial details were not immediately known. The tavern will remain under Brian Maloof’s control and will be open until the start of construction.
A plan for workers
Maloof said he’s working with a human resources firm to find temporary employment next year and to create a retention plan for the more than 60 employees.
“We’re hoping their love of the tavern will pull them back in when we reopen the doors,” he said.
Green Street plans to hire archivists to photograph the placement of memorabilia on the walls and restore some of the artwork and artifacts.
“We are even having discussions about making sure the paint doesn’t look too fresh,” Maloof said.
Katharine Kelley, Green Street’s president, said the company’s goal is to “keep the history and charm and grittiness and character as it is. Ideally, the things that change will be the things behind the scenes that people don’t typically see.”
The project will cover about 1.6 acres on both sides of North Highland Avenue. Kelley said her firm will build parking to accommodate the planned street front retail, eateries, residences and office space. She plans to soon meet with neighborhood leaders before coming up with firm plans and seeking various city approvals.
The Poncey-Highland master plan allows for up to four stories in height, but any development will require various zoning changes.
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