the many lives of ponce city market
TRANSCRIPT
THE MANY LIVES OFPONCE CITY MARKET
January/February2015
•winter
issue
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hoods of the 1950s.I can’t say I think about Lenox
Square very often these days, and inretrospect, my favorite feature of themall was an easily overlooked oddi-ty. Lenox Square’s opening in 1959 in-cluded Elbert Weinberg’s sculptureof the storybook Bremen Town Musi-cians. With the angular aspect of to-tem pole carvings, the statue depictsa crowing rooster atop a yowling catatop a barking dog atop a braying don-key. The sculpture was always a wel-come surprise when I’d notice it onan obscure sidewalk or neglected cor-ner of the parking lot. I was mildly sad-dened to find that in 2012 it was relo-cated to the Morgan County Library inMadison, Ga.
What did a quartet of barnyard ani-mals from a Brothers Grimm fairy taleever have to do with shopping in At-lanta? I never knew the answer — andI kind of like not knowing. It’s the sortof quirky detail that didn’t necessarilyfit with the mall’s evolving design con-cepts, but still gave Lenox some flair.The mixed-use developments of todayshould leave room for such odd littleflourishes.
Curt [email protected]
editor ’s note
In the cover package of this is-
sue of Living Intown, Josh Green
harks back to the history of
Ponce City Market, and Scott
Walton compares its features
to those of Krog Street Market
and Buckhead Atlanta. As such
high-profile, mixed-use develop-
ments spring up in the city, it’ll
be interesting to see how they in-
fluence the way Atlantans live,
work and play.
The mixed-use trend has drawn at-tention away from some of Atlanta’sformer defining features: the shop-ping malls. Many shopping centershave fallen into decline across thecountry due to the economic slump,online competition and shifts in ar-chitectural style. There’s even a mel-ancholy website that tracks mall fail-ures called “Deadmall.com” Air-con-ditioned malls might fare a little bet-ter in the South’s sweltering summers,and at least Lenox Square, PhippsPlaza and Perimeter Mall may haveenough of an affluent shopping baseto stay viable.
Those shopping meccas were someof my regular haunts when I was ateenager. At least once a week, I’d biketo Lenox Square and make a circuitof the book shops, the record store,possibly the movie theater, and def-initely the food court and video ar-cade. Lenox’s Time Out was the kindof flashy, chiming video game empo-rium evoked by the present-day “bar-cades” mentioned in Bob Townsend’sstory this issue.
Barcades aren’t the only places I’venoticed some surprisingly passion-ate nostalgia for 1980s mall culture.The Internet finds a lot of amusementin the now-kitschy design of the era,like the shoppers’ feathered hair andMembers Only jackets. But you alsofind people downright wistful aboutold malls, as if the soft-edged, climate-controlled shopping complex servedas the 1980s’ answer to the sun-kissed,cookie-cutter suburban neighbor-
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WEWOULDN’T BE HEREWITHOUT GRADY.
I SPENT 65 DAYS AT GRADY.
I was experiencing pre-term labor so my doctor put me on total bed rest.
Liam was born healthy at 31 weeks. They were really surprised at how big he
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ADVERTISING OR DISTRIBUTIONQUESTIONS: 404-526-7766
A publication of The Atlanta [email protected]
EditorCurt Holman
Copy EditorRebecca Bowen
DesignersShane Blatt, Sara Bryant,
Evelyn Ortega
PhotographerJenni Girtman
Managing EditorMark Waligore
Editorial DirectorBob Howard
Director,Product Development
Molly [email protected]
4 Editor’s note
12 Contributors
14 Calendar: January/February
15 Spotlight: Black History Month
[FEATURES]
24COVER STORY: The many livesof Ponce City MarketPlus: A catalog of years
40MIXED-USE METHODS: How threedevelopments differ for live, work and play
44A NEW LEASE ON LIFE:Vintage building finds rescue from ruin
48THE YEAR AHEAD:What you’ll be doing in 2015
52INSIDER TRIPS:Cruise control
in this i s sue
20
About the coverPhotographer Jenni Girtman took thislow-angle shot of Ponce City Market’scentral tower, built to accommodatea cistern that housed water from thearea’s original natural spring.
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in this i s sue
[DEPARTMENTS]
Dine
58 Foodie gras rolls at local restaurantsPlus: Finding the flavors of New Orleans
62 Recipe: A toast to love
64 Bite: Blueberry plate special
Shop
66 Scents & sensibilityPlus: “Would smell as sweet”
Arts
70 Theresa Hightower: The lady sings the blues
Do
72 Bocce, bowling and barcades
78 No shade on Groundhog Day Juggler’s Festival
Home
82 Suzanne Kasler’s design for living
Insider’s Guide
86 Chamblee gets on the right side of the tracks
94 Driving tour: Local landmarks find new uses
97Where in Atlanta am I?
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cont r ibutors
TRAY BUTLER is a freelance writer and illustratorand the author of the city guidebook “Moon Atan-ta.” He teaches creative writing at Emory Continu-ing Education and lives in Ansley Park.
H.M. CAULEY, an Atlanta-based freelancer, haswritten about the local scene for more than 20years. Most of her work has appeared in The At-lanta Journal-Constitution, but she has also pro-duced three city guidebooks and written for na-tional magazines.
LANE EDMONDSON, an Atlanta native, has writ-ten for Creative Loafing, Atlanta Woman maga-zine, CitySearch and other publications. In addi-tion to being a blogger and flak catcher, she hasworked for the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention.
KERI JANTON is a freelance writer and photog-rapher living in Sugar Hill. She has written for theAtlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Magazine,East Alabama Living Magazine and Atlanta Par-ent. The coolest writing award she ever receivedcame from the United States Bowling Congress.
JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN is an Atlanta-based freelance writer specializing in food andtravel. She serves as the managing editor of Fla-vors and dining editor for Southern Seasons. Herwork also appears in People, The Atlantan, SimplyBuckhead, Delta SKY, American Way and others.
JASON GETZ has more than 16 years of editorialphotography experience, including eight years withThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Owner of JasonGetz Photography, he is a contract photographerfor the Associated Press, USA Today Sports Imag-es, and is a sports photo editor for CNN.com.
JENNI GIRTMAN, Living Intown photographer, hasmore than 15 years of professional experience,including eight years on staff with The AtlantaJournal-Constitution and contributions to The NewYork Times and USA Today.
JOSH GREEN is contributor to Atlanta magazine, ed-itor of Curbed Atlanta and has written for the AtlantaJournal-Constitution, Creative Loafing, IndianapolisMonthly and The Los Angeles Review. His book, “Dirt-yville Rhapsodies,” was named a “Best Book for theBeach” by Men’s Health magazine last year.
GWYN HERBEIN is a native of Knoxville, Tenn., andhas lived in Atlanta for the past five years. Former-ly the editor of KNOWAtlanta magazine, her workhas appeared in Bespoke and Sea Island Life maga-zines. An Emory graduate, she lives in Midtown withher husband, infant daughter, dog and cat.
KATE PARHAM KORDSMEIER is an Atlanta-basedfood and travel writer. She develops recipes forCooking Light and FITNESS, and is the Atlanta Ex-pert for About.com. Her book “Atlanta Chef’s Table:Extraordinary Recipes from the Big Peach” comesout this month.
ADRIANNE MURCHISON, a native of Buffalo, N.Y.,attended Clark Atlanta University. She has workedfor the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is editor ofthe Sandy Springs Patch. She is the author of a non-fiction book on African-American relationships titled“Kalieding on the Road to Happiness.”
BOB TOWNSEND has been writing about beer andfood for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for morethan a decade. Since moving to Atlanta in 1986,he’s lived in Midtown, Grant Park, Poncey-Highlandand Cabbagetown. He’s the editor of Southern BrewNews, a bimonthly beer publication.
A. SCOTT WALTON has been an Atlanta resident for20 years. After six years at the Detroit Free Press, hespent 15 years at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.He has been guest editor and contributor for The At-lantan, an executive editor at the Atlanta Voice, and acontributor to online news outlets.
JON WATERHOUSE has worked in journalism formore than two decades and been a regular contribu-tor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 10 years.He has written for Esquire and BlackBook, as wellas MTV.com. He is the host of “The Pop Culture KingShow” on WMLB 1690-AM. He lives in Decatur.
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AboutOut&
JANUARYTheater: Extra, read all about it
Based on the 1992 Disney film of thesame name, the stage adaptation of“Newsies” brings its Tony Award-win-ning music and choreography to the Fox.The musical takes inspiration from theNew York City Newsboys Strike of 1899.
“Newsies.” Jan. 20-25. Fox Theatre, 660Peachtree St. 404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org
Theater: Tuck and rollThe Alliance Theater stages the world
premiere of a musical adapted from Nat-alie Babbitt’s 1975 children’s fantasy nov-el “Tuck Everlasting.” Tony-winning di-rector and choreographer Casey Nich-olaw presents the story of young WinnieFoster’s relationship with the mysteriousTuck family, who may have discoveredthe secret to everlasting life.
“Tuck Everlasting.” Jan. 21-Feb. 22. Alli-ance Theatre, 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4650. alliancetheatre.org
Music: Lift every voiceThe Atlanta Community Choral Fes-
tival takes the stage with several localchoirs, including the award-winning At-lanta Master Chorale. The festival, de-signed to foster appreciation for choralartistry, will also feature a special perfor-mance from the Chattanooga Boys Choir.
Atlanta Community Choral Festival.
The Fox The-
atre deliv-
ers the exu-
berant turn-
of-the-cen-
tury musical
“Newsies.”
Jan. 24. Schwartz Center for the Perform-ing Arts, 1700 N. Decatur Road. 404-727-5050. arts.emory.edu
Festival: Have a cold oneAtlantans appreciate beer any time of
year, not just in the heat of summer. TheWinter Beer Festival takes over the Mas-querade, with attractions inside the ven-ue and heated tents in the outdoor musicpark. The ticket price includes beer sam-ples, a souvenir cup and live music onfive stages.
Winter Beer Festival. Jan. 24. The Mas-querade, 695 North Ave. 404-577-8178.masqueradeatlanta.com.
Visual art: For art’s sakeNow that it’s a new year, the Callan-
wolde Fine Arts Center offers a way tosupport emerging local and regional art-ists. The two-day indoor festival, orga-nized by the Atlanta Foundation for Pub-lic Spaces, hosts more than 80 paint-ers, glass artists, jewelers and photogra-phers, as well as live music, food trucksand dance performances.
Callanwolde Arts Festival. Jan. 24-25.Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briar-cliff Road. 404-872-5338. callanwolde.org
Film: Kosher cinemaAs the second-largest Jewish film festi-
val in the U.S. and the largest film festivalin Atlanta, the 23-day Atlanta Jewish Film
Spotlight
HistoricmomentsThe National Center for Civil and Human Rights evokes Martin Luther KingJr.’s funeral with the death certificate and funeral log. Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
»I
n 1976, the United States not only celebrated the bicentennial ofthe Declaration of Independence, but it also began the traditionof designating February as Black History Month. Atlantans have aconvenient vantage point for observing the heritage and achieve-
ment of the African-American community, and can seize on Februaryas the ideal time to visit such landmarks as the birthplace of Martin Lu-ther King Jr., the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change and Ebene-zer Baptist Church. In addition, the city commemorates Black HistoryMonth with a slate of parades, performances, lectures and exhibits.
Opened in 2014, the National Center for Civil and Human Rightsfeatures a harrowing re-creation of a lunch counter demonstration,as well as rotating exhibits from around the world, serving as a re-minder that the struggle for human rights remains unfinished. OnFeb. 14, the center will present a screening of “The Loving Story,”centered around Richard and Mildred Loving, who were arrested in1958 for violating Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage. As part ofthe Bridging Cultures initiative of the National Endowment for theHumanities, the center also will present guests who will discuss thesubsequent Supreme Court case and the evolution of racial equalityin America. National Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Al-len Jr. Blvd. 678-999-8990. civilandhumanrights.org
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performances have be-come a local tradition each February. The world-renowned African-American dance troupe returns to the Fox Theatre on Feb. 11-15 withnew choreography as well as past favorites that showcase black cul-ture. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. 404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org
For the past five years, the Atlanta Music Project has providedmu-sic education to underserved youth all over the city. On Feb. 21, thegroup’s chorus, known as AMPlify, will present its third Black HistoryMonth concert. atlantamusicproject.org
End themonth with a rollicking parade in the historic Sweet Au-burn District. Now in its third year, the Black History Month Parade cel-ebrates culture and history with live music, marching bands, publicspeakers, comedians and food. BlackHistoryMonth Parade. Feb. 28. Au-burn Avenue. blackhistorymonthparade.com
— GWYN HERBEIN
Coming to the Fox Theatre in February,
the Tony-winning musical “Wicked” pro-
vides an embarrassment of witches.
Festival attracts more than 31,000 moviegoers each year. Nowin its 15th year, the event offers more than 65 screenings fromthe world’s cinema, as well as appearances by filmmakers andother activities.
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Jan. 28-Feb. 19. Various venues.ajff.org
Music: Ramblin’ guyAs the son of American folk star Woody Guthrie, Arlo
Guthrie’s path to musical success seems to have been pre-ordained. Far from living in his father’s shadow, Guthriehas penned funny, thought-provoking protest songs and ad-dressed social issues since the late 1960s, finding his biggesthit with the amusing “Alice’s Restaurant.”
Arlo Guthrie. Jan. 31. Ferst Center for the Arts, 349 FerstDrive. 404-894-2787. ferstcenter.gatech.edu
FEBRUARYVisual art: Everything under the sun
With “Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon,” the MichaelC. Carlos Museum presents an exhibit of the Wixarika (pro-nounced “wee-shah-REE-kah”) people of western Mexico,who created beautiful art to make sense of their environment.
“Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon: Wixarika Arts ofModern West Mexico.” Through Feb. 1. Michael C. Carlos Muse-um, 571 South Kilgo Circle 404-727-4282. carlos.emory.edu
januar y/februar y calendar
The Michael C. Carlos Museum shows the art of western Mexico’sWixarika people in “Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon.” »
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Comedy: Master of his domainStar of his beloved, eponymous “show about noth-
ing,” Jerry Seinfeld returns to his stand-up chops whileon break from his Web series “Comedians in Cars Get-ting Coffee” — not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Jerry Seinfeld. Feb. 6. Fox Theatre,660 Peachtree St. 404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org
Ballet: Sealed with a kissThe Atlanta Ballet presents literature’s favorite love
story, “Roméo et Juliette,” just in time for Valentine’sDay. Sergei Prokofiev’s interpretation of the classic trag-edy is choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot, theartistic director of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo.
Atlanta Ballet, “Roméo et Juliette.” Feb. 6-14. Cobb Ener-gy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway.770-916-2800. cobbenergycentre.com
Theater: What’s going on?Motown music and a family in crisis provide the back-
drop for True Colors Theatre’s production of “Detroit’67.” In 1967, a brother and sister turn their basementinto an after-hours club, until a mysterious stranger andthe city itself disrupt their lives. The cast includes To-nia Jackson, Enoch King, E. Roger Mitchell and Court-ney Patterson.
“Detroit ’67.” Feb. 10-March 8. True Colors Theatre,Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road. 404-613-3220.truecolorstheatre.org
Theater: Star struckAtlanta native and Emory University alumna Lauren
The Atlanta
Ballet’s “Roméo et
Juliette” comes to
the Cobb Energy
Centre just in time
for Valentine’s Day.
januar y/februar y calendar
»
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Gunderson, who specializes in plays involving science, earnedrave reviews for her early 2014 San Francisco premiere of“Silent Sky.” Theatrical Outfit’s regional premiere stars Eliz-abeth Diane Wells as 19th century U.S. astronomer Henriet-ta Leavitt.
“Silent Sky.” Feb. 12-March 1. Theatrical Outfit, 84 Luckie St.678-528-1500. theatricaloutfit.org
Theater: Confidence manOn the page, the silver screen and now the stage, “Catch
Me If You Can” has recounted the tale of Frank Abagnale Jr.,who wrote millions of dollars in forged checks while pre-tending to be a doctor, a lawyer and a pilot. Atlanta LyricTheatre presents a regional premiere of the musical versionof the stranger-than-fiction story.
“Catch Me If You Can.” Feb. 13-March 1. Atlanta Lyr-ic Theatre, 528 South Marietta Parkway. 404-377-9948.atlantalyrictheatre.com.
Music: Laissez les bons temps roulerCelebrate Mardi Gras a few days early with the Dirty Doz-
en Brass Band, a New Orleans group celebrating its 35th an-niversary. They’ll be joined for a raucous performance byRed Baraat, a New York-based eight-piece band that mergestraditional North Indian music with jazz, funk and hip-hop.
Red Baraat and Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Feb. 14. Rialto Centerfor the Arts, 80 Forsyth St. 404-413-9800. rialto.gsu.edu
januar y/februar y calendar
New York-based Red Baraatblends traditional North Indianmusic with jazz, funk and hip-hop.
let’scelebrateBINDERS ART SUPPLIES AND FRAMES 60th ANNIVERSARY
1955 - 2015
www.BindersArt.com
Creativity Community Connected
PIEDMONT PEACHTREE CROSSING3330 Piedmont Road, Suite 18
Atlanta, GA 30305404.237.6331
MON-FRI 9-8 SAT 10-7 SUN 11-6
PONCE CITY MARKET650 North Ave NE Suite S 102
Atlanta, GA 30308404.682.6999
MON-FRI 9-8 SAT 9-8 SUN 11-6
Join us February 1 – 8, 2015,for an inspiring festival of
the decorative arts held annuallyto benefit our fellow Atlantans.
Our 2015 beneficiary isCovenant House Georgia.
Explore the show and get tickets:cathedralantiques.org
Photo©Em
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llowill
20 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Music: Are you my mummer?Swiss theater troupe Mummenshanz has been performing
a funny, haunting combination of pantomime and maskedtheater since 1972. Their choreographed light and shadowshow calls to mind Blue Man Group, but with a more poeticand mysterious edge.
Mummenshanz. Feb. 15. Ferst Center for the Arts,349 Ferst Drive. 404-894-2787. ferstcenter.gatech.edu
Reading: Mr. UniverseJim Grimsley, Atlanta-based author of such award-winning
plays and novels as “Dream Boy” and “Mr. Universe,” willread and sign his work at the main campus library of EmoryUniversity, where he’s a professor of creative writing.
Emory University Reading Series: Jim Grimsley. Feb. 17.Emory University Woodruff Library, 540 Asbury Circle.404-727-6861. web.library.emory.edu
Theater: Not easy being greenFor more than a decade, the musical “Wicked” has been
trying to set the record straight about the Wicked Witch ofthe West. Broadway in Atlanta presents the Tony-winningmusical about Elphaba and her misunderstood relationshipwith her sister, Glinda.
“Wicked.” Feb. 18-March 8. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St.404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org
» Mummenshanz hauntingly blends pantomime and masked theater.
the big bad,
little red,pig show
the big bad,
little red,pig showBy Lee Bryan, That Puppet Guy of Atlanta, GA
JAN 14 - 25JAN 14 - 25 JAN 29 - MAR 15JAN 29 - MAR 15Look out! Little Red is ridin’ into the
‘hood, the three pigs are hamming it up,and the Big Bad Wolf is working double-
time in this twisted, tangle of tales.
Anacondas, howler monkeys, andsloths, oh my! It’s a jungle out there inthis entertaining and educational peekat the amazing Amazonian rainforest!
Photo
byLe
eBryan
Photo
©CenterforPuppetryArts
Photo
©CenterforPuppetryArts
Written by Jon Ludwig, Stephanie Kaskel Bogle,and Raylynn Hughes
Adapted by Bobby Box · Directed by Mira Hirsch
FEB 18 - MAR 8FEB 18 - MAR 8This evocative retelling of Anne Frank’sremarkable story examines the hopes,
dreams, and the inner strength that carriedthe young girl from day to day during Nazi
oppression and persecution.
Anne Frank: Within & Without presented in cooperation with the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, sponsor of the Anne Frank Center USA’s exhibit Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945.Photos and text courtesy of the Anne Frank Center USA-New York; the Anne Frank House - Amsterdam; and the Anne Frank - Fonds, Basel.
Season supported in part by: Fulton County Board of Commissioners; the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs; and Georgia Council for the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
1404 SPRING STREET NW, ATLANTA, GA 30309PUPPET.ORG · 404.873.3391
januar y/februar y calendar
Music: Moves like JaggerMaroon 5 broke into the music in-
dustry during their high school daysin Los Angeles, and about a decadelater won the Grammy for Best NewArtist in 2005. Their tour brings themto Philips Arena in support of their lat-est studio album, “V.”
Maroon 5. Feb. 19. Philips Are-na, 1 Philips Drive. 404-878-3000.philipsarena.com
Opera: A dish best served coldThe Atlanta Opera, in conjunction
with the Boston Lyric Opera and Op-era Omaha, present Giuseppe Verdi’s“Rigoletto.” American Todd Thom-as, recognized as a leading Verdi bari-tone, sings the title role of the hump-backed court jester in this tale of loveand revenge.
“Rigoletto.” Feb. 28-March 8.Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre,2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. 770-916-2800. cobbenergycentre.com■Todd Thomas sings the title role of the vengeful jester in the Atlanta Opera’s “Rigoletto.”
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One rainy afternoon in December 1945, Joe Shafer stood in the shadow of the
brick behemoth on Ponce de Leon Avenue, looking for work. He was a 17-
year-old “country boy” from Lilburn, eager to earn extra cash for Christ-
mas. Everyone knew the imposing structure etched with “Sears, Roebuck
& Co.” was an epicenter of opportunity. Shafer was hired for warehouse
work at 57 ½ cents an hour and figured he’d be laid off in a few weeks, alongside hun-
dreds of other seasonal workers.
ponce c i t y market
Story by JOSH GREENPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN
LANDMARKOver the spanofdecades,this iconic formerSearsplantwent fromboomtobust.
1948: The Sears,Roebuck and Co. store,warehouse and office rose on the site of Ponce de Leon Springs. AJC file photo
Instead, Shafer’s work ethic paid off — for decades. “I was lucky,” he says. “Manage-
ment gave me every opportunity, and I moved up the ladder.”
Each day, he made the 18-mile commute, back when Lawrenceville Highway was two
lanes and Scott Boulevard through Decatur was gravel. He stayed with Sears for more
than 40 years, until that day in 1987 when company officials gathered employees into
an auditorium and said the Ponce facilities would shutter. The announcement, for Sha-
fer and hundreds of his colleagues, was like a family album slamming shut.
It would take nearly 30 years — and a future-focused overhaul of the Ponce building
— to open that album again. »
RESURGENCE2014: The 2.1million-square-foot building now houses residents,offices,a coffee house andmore under construction.
Nowa$300million redevelopmentprojectholdshope for thebuilding’s rebirth
ponce c i t y market
Above,Sears retirees Joe Shafer,86,andKen Posey,72, fondly remember theirdecades working at the retail and warehousefacility. Below,a view of the Sears buildingbefore its announced closure. AJC file photo
insider TIP » The propertyis 2.1 million square feet, but onlyabout half is being restored as PonceCity Market. The additional squarefootage will serve as space for parking,circulation and other uses.
At age 86, Shafer is among theoldest retirees to have made a ca-reer at the Old Fourth Ward iconthat is gradually becoming PonceCity Market — a massive $300 mil-lion project that in some waystakes the site full circle.
His hearing might be dwindling,and his legions of former cowork-ers are thinning out, but Shaferspeaks vividly about his time at thePonce “plant,” which once heldenormous economic importancefor Atlanta, greater Georgia andthe entire Southeast.
Now, as millennials rent indus-trial-chic apartments, high-techcompanies claim office space, andcelebrated chefs build restaurants,Shafer is delighted at the prospectsof the building’s rebirth; becauseit still feels like part of him, andwatching it teeter on the brink ofruin for so long seemed unjust.
“It’s a building that’s gotten anopportunity to live multiple lives,”says Kit Sutherland, president ofthe Fourth Ward Alliance Neigh-borhood Association. “It is onceagain going to be a job center andactivity center. ... We’re gettingback to the 1950s.”
Since 2011, developer James-
town Properties has been revivingthe 2.1 million-square-foot build-ing. They call it “the largest histor-ic restoration project in the coun-try,” with peers that include James-town’s Chelsea Market in New YorkCity and the Ferry Building in SanFrancisco. Once it fully opens inlate 2015 or early 2016, expect amixed-use nexus of commerce —with a vintage amusement park androoftop miniature golf course — thatcould function as a neighborhoodlinchpin and tourist magnet.
Stone Mountain resident KenPosey joins a group of 300 retir-ees, called the “Atlanta Sears Fam-ily,” who still meet for periodicluncheons. Posey worked as a hu-man resources manager on Poncein the 1970s, and he still refers tothe building with a sense of own-ership. “It’s a really positive thingthat (developers) didn’t plow it un-der,” says Posey, 72. “Our retireesare excited about what they’re do- »
26 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
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Above,a view from below the original 1926 railroad trestle thatserved the regional warehouse. The restoration will include abar installed in a vintage box car. Right, the BeltLine Passage willbridge the space between the BeltLine and the box car bar.
ing with our building.”But not all of the Ponce structure’s past is as rosy as
the Atlanta Sears Family remembers.
Brick by brickLong before Sears built on the site, Ponce de Leon
Springs flowed in a valley between Piedmont Park andInman Park. Said to have medicinal value, the naturalwater source became a favorite recreation area for At-lantans. A trolley line was built to connect PeachtreeStreet to this “country spa,” and a popular amusementpark rose around the springs.
By 1910, the amusement park began to decline. Sears’vice president, Robert E. Wood, recognized the site’spotential in what was then considered residential sub-urbia. In these 16 acres on Ponce, Wood saw cheap landon the fringe of a fast-growing city, where a major dis-tribution and retail center could offer ample free park-ing for the automobiles that represented the wave of thefuture. “The railroad (now the BeltLine) and the trolleyline were the deal-makers on the purchase,” says JerryHancock, a Sears historian and local history teacher.
Ground broke on the massive facility in January 1926,and construction set a staggering pace. About 30,000Atlantans flocked to the Sears grand opening on Aug. 2that year, marveling at the nine-story building’s size andneoclassical central tower. It was the largest brick struc-ture in the Southeast.
Blairsville resident Parker Johnson’s father was hiredto work the warehouse floor two years later. Johnson re-calls coming to work with his dad, peering out the sev- »
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ponce c i t y market
Aerial photos show the complex before and after a new 10-story East Wing addition,parking deck and auto service center. AJC file photos
Some of the Sears building’s signature mushroom-style columns arevisible in this interior photo from 1940. Used with the permission of the Spe-
cial Collections and Archives,Georgia State University Library.
The city of Atlanta bought the Sears Complex in 1991, and as City HallEast, it served as a site for meetings and storing such items as thesecarts for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. AJC file photo (1996)
»
enth-floor windows and watching the Atlanta Crackersplay baseball across the street at Ponce de Leon Ball-park, where the Midtown Place Shopping Center nowstands. “That was quite a treat, to go up in the build-ing, see the old magnolia tree in the outfield,” saysJohnson, 66, a Sears retiree himself.
In 1930, the Sears Farmers Market opened in a mod-est new building that fronted North Avenue (the cur-rent home of Dancing Goats Coffee Bar), providing thecompany a direct connection to its most loyal custom-er base. Boys sold poultry and eggs while farmers un-loaded produce from the backs of trucks, in the sameway Ponce City Market’s Central Food Hall will providefresh options for shoppers who prefer to cook dinnerfrom scratch.
After World War II, with the U.S. economy surging,Sears completed the second of three major expansionsto the building, which would eventually bring it to
more than 2 million square feet — nearly enough to fitLenox Square and Phipps Plaza inside.
The plant’s regional draw, and Atlanta’s car culture,necessitated building a 1,300-space parking garage(among the first things Jamestown tore down). “Wehad people coming from Cumming, Cedartown, outtowards Hiram — coming from everywhere,” Johnsonsays. “They’d carpool 50 or 60 miles to come to work.”
Employees recall a positive buzz permeating thebuilding in these boom times; from the security guardsin the parking garage to the executives in their diningroom, most everyone seemed upbeat, their careersseemingly ironclad. Managers often played softball af-ter work, coworkers watched each other’s children,and workplace traditions were born.
“One of the things employees used to do,” Poseysays, “was go down to the surplus store attached to theretail store on their lunch breaks and get really good
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»
“It [1970s] was the heyday.We werethe number one retailer in the world,[with] an absolute sense of pride.Welooked atWalmart as being the upstart.They were the young kid on the block.”PARKER JOHNSON
Below, from far left: the building’s original stair casing, col-umns and floor are all being carefully restored as part ofthe upcoming Central Food Hall,which will include amar-ket andmultiple places to eat. The original rail line sup-ports rail road wheels weighing about 10,000 pounds.
buys on anything from jeans to pocket knifes andrifles.”
Johnson’s kids ribbed him that all their child-hood gifts came from the “broken room.”
During the holidays, Shafer — after he’d climbedthe company ladder from cashier to warehousemanager — helped hire 200 extra workers, most-ly seasonal farm boys, to handle a torrent of cata-log orders. “We had 12 people, six per side, sort-ing 98,000 packages of merchandise per day,” hesays.
The Ponce facility’s zenith came in the 1970s. “Itwas the heyday. We were the number one retail-er in the world, [with] an absolute sense of pride,”Johnson says. “We looked at Walmart as being theupstart. They were the young kid on the block.”
From roaring to ruinIn 1960, the Old Fourth Ward was home to
21,000 people, according to Sutherland. But fol-lowing freeway construction, demographic shiftsand the clearing of impoverished areas, the pop-ulation had whittled to just 7,000 by 1980. ThePonce facility was increasingly becoming an islandamong vacant lots, boarded-up houses and ram-pant crime. Internally, another shift was afoot.
By the late 1970s, customers were gravitating toSears’ suburban stores for shopping, and the com-pany shifted its focus from blue-collar necessitiesto more high-end wares like jewelry. Sears down-sized retail operations on Ponce until deciding in1987 to shutter the entire facility within two years.
Trudie Wade, a secretary in the communica-tions department, recalls being in the auditoriumfor the shutdown announcement. For a moment,there was silence — then tears.
At its peak, the building had employed wellover 1,000 people, many of them for decades, andSears was the only life they had known. Shutter-ing the plant seemed as unthinkable as the post of-fice closing. “We all had to find employment,” saysWade, who lives in Conyers. “It was difficult for allof us.”
It was a particularly trying time for Wade, who
ponce c i t y market
insider TIP » Travel + Leisuremagazine shortlisted the project asone of the “World’s Coolest New TouristAttractions” for 2014.
Shown on her rooftop patio overlooking thebuilding, Kit Sutherland, president of theFourth Ward Alliance Neighborhood Associ-ation, has closely followed the site’s formerdecline and recent resurgence.
»
was tasked with preparing the sever-ance packages for longtime friends.Aside from company lawyers andother scattered personnel, she wasamong the last active employees in thevast, emptying building.
In 1990, the city of Atlanta pur-chased the deteriorating complex —for just $12 million — for use as an an-nex outside of downtown called CityHall East. Then-Mayor Maynard Jack-son famously called the acquisition“the deal of the century.” Police andfire department headquarters occu-pied space, as did the city’s 911 callcenter. But those uses only consumedabout 10 percent of the building, andthe city balked at a full renovation.
“The improvements they madewere to come in and install drop ceil-ings, acoustical tiles, windowless offic-es, cheap [paneling] and wall-to-wallcarpeting,” Sutherland says. “Theyjust made kind of a mess of it.”
Sutherland recalls touring the build-ing and finding vast storage areas offorgotten objects: thousands of piec-
es of obsolete computer equipment,leftover pushcarts and banners fromthe Olympics, outdated office furni-ture and other detritus. The base lev-el of the parking garage was crowd-ed with exotic vehicles seized by po-
lice in drug investigations. “There waslike a $150,000 red Mercedes just sit-ting there for years, collecting dust,”she says. Homeless people had tak-en up residence beneath one section,leaving an odor Sutherland describesas “gothic.”
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Artist Shannon Lake collaborated withJamestown’s graphics department on thismural that signals Ponce City Market’ssupport of BeltLine bicycle commuting.
In 2005, nearing the height of thehousing bubble, the city rezoned theproperty to allow for residential usesin hopes of offloading it to developers.The Great Recession killed those ambi-tions before the sale was finalized.
The building’s nadir may have comein the summer of 2010, when a graffit-ist slipped past security, climbed atopthe central tower and left his tag inlarge letters alongside the neoclassi-cal ornamentation from 1926. For thebuilding’s admirers and Sears alumni,the stunt was a slap in the face. “Thebuilding was viewed as trash,” Suther-land says, “something that can be van-dalized.”
Full circleAs Atlanta emerged from reces-
sionary doldrums in 2010, the city an-nounced it was tweaking its zoningconditions at the Ponce building andallowing, for instance, large retailersof up to 150,000 square feet. The ef-forts were meant to close a deal withJamestown, a company gaining local
clout for its Westside Provisions Dis-trict.
Jamestown wasn’t the only develop-er interested in the Ponce property forits proximity to the BeltLine and vin-tage architectural details, such as orig-inal oak flooring and steel-sash win-
dows. The company succeeded in pur-chasing the building for $27 millionand embarked on a $300 million over-haul — the largest adaptive reuse proj-ect the city has ever seen. The reviv-al officially began in October 2011, asheavy equipment rolled in and initialdemolition started.
In August 2014, Jamestown an-nounced that Ponce City Market wasofficially open for occupancy, thoughonly a few tenants — Binders, Gen-
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insider TIP » Ponce City Market’s roof will offer a nostalgic, carnival-likeexperience inspired by boardwalks and amusement parks of the early 20th century.Visitors will travel to “The Roof” in an open cab via the building’s original freight elevator.
The Suzuki School’s rooftop playgroundprovides a safe space for the preschoolMontesorri students to have fun.
eral Assembly, the Suzuki Schooland Dancing Goats — were in busi-ness, with the rest gradually movingin through spring of 2015. In October,the first residents began moving intothe 259 apartments, and leasing con-tinues.
Hancock applauds what he’s seenof the redevelopment thus far. “Per-sonally, I think Jamestown has donean incredible job,” the historian says.“They genuinely care about its histo-ry, and I think it shows.”
In fact, a less-celebrated feature ofPonce City Market will strive to pre-serve the stories of people like Sha-fer, as well as the site’s heritage goingback to the late 1800s. In the next fewmonths, Jamestown plans to open apublic history exhibit in a passagewayconnecting to the Atlanta BeltLine.Shafer and several of his Sears breth-ren have been interviewed to lend that
history a voice.Reflecting on the Ponce warehouse
and the “tremendous” project thatmarks the next stage in its evolution,Shafer expressed gratitude for thecomfortable life that followed his ar-rival at work that day in 1945. When hedies, the octogenarian happily notes,
he’ll be able to bequeath several mil-lion dollars to charity, thanks to his“unreal retirement” package and afew wise real estate investments.
“I can’t say enough for the privilegethat I had,” Shafer says. “It was just agreat time. It was just a great place. Itwas a great life.” ■
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ponce c i t y market
Timeline by JOSH GREENPhoto by JENNI GIRTMAN
1860s: A physician names the area after the famous conquista-dor, based on his theory that the natural spring waters foundbetween Piedmont Park and Inman Park were medicinal.
1888: The first Sears catalog is published in Chicago.
1905: An amusement park dubbed “the Coney Island of Atlan-ta” enjoys its heyday on Ponce de Leon Avenue, near mod-ern-day Glen Iris Drive.
1925: Sears, Roebuck and Co. buys the neglected amusementpark site to build a massive catalog-distribution center.
1926: The original Sears plant, the largest brick building in theSoutheast, is constructed in less than a year. To give thebuilding a rear outlet, the city of Atlanta extends North Ave-nue from Kennesaw Avenue to Glen Iris Drive.
1930: The Sears Atlanta Farmers Market opens near North Av-enue.
1932: The first addition is completed near Glen Iris Drive.
1948: A second addition is completed, forming the southwestportion of the building.
1966: A three-story parking deck is constructed to accommo-date car commuters from across the region.
1989: The distribution center closes.
1991: The city of Atlanta purchases the Sears complex for $12million.
1996: As City Hall East, the building is the site of gatherings dur-ing the Olympics.
2011: In July, Mayor Kasim Reed announces completion of the$27 million sale of City Hall East to Jamestown Properties.Ponce City Market construction begins in October.
2012: Dancing Goats Coffee Bar opens in August as the proj-ect’s first tenant.
2014: The “Atlanta Sears Family” retirees set an attendance re-cord — more than 200 members — at their July meeting.
2014: Though construction continues, Jamestown declares thedevelopment open. In October, the first residents move in.
2016: The final element, a rooftop amusement park, is sched-uled to open. ■
ponce c i t y market
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Three high-profile mixed-use developments on the rise are giving Atlan-
tans new incentives to dine out, refresh their wardrobes or even find a new
place to live. Buckhead Atlanta, Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market
each embodies a different idea of how to make the most out of life in the city.
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Krog Street Market is solely owned,developed andmanaged by Atlanta-based Pace Properties. Theaged 30,000-square-foot formerwarehouse space dates back to the1920s,and its structural integrityand open-air utilitarian design hasbeen preserved.
The Atlanta-based Jamestown realestate firm acquired the structure in2011 for $27million. Primary archi-tectural credits go to Atlanta’s Surb-er Barber Choate & Hertlein,whichspecializes in preserving such land-marks as theMargaret MitchellHouse and Rhodes Hall.
Developer/designer/architect
Buckhead Atlanta sits on 8 acresat Peachtree and East Paces Ferryroads,once an epicenter for night-life. After the original Streets ofBuckhead development stalled dur-ing the recession,San Diego-basedOliverMcMillan invested $25millionin 2011 to revive the project.
99 Krog St.770-434-2400.krogstreetmarket.com
675 Ponce de Leon Ave.404-692-1670.www.poncecitymarket.com
Once completed, The Residenceat Buckhead Atlanta’s twin Northand South towers will containa combined total of 370 luxurystudio apartments ($1,575-and-up per month),1- or 2-bedroomunits (up to $3,944 permonth) andpenthouses (prices TBD).
None yet. The Dallas-based Tram-mell Crow Residential firm has be-gun construction on The Alexan,amidrise apartment building with222 900-square-foot units slatedto open across the street in sum-mer 2015.
The Flats,a brick tower inside themarket, has rental units from stu-dios that average $1,350 permonth to 3-bedroom/2-bathroomlofts for about $3,000-3,500 permonth. Food, furnishings,schools,parks and other diversions are easi-ly accessible by car, bicycle or foot.
On-site businesses, including bou-tiques and restaurants, are expect-ed to employ 400-600 workers dai-ly. The undergarment conglomer-ate Spanx leases 86,000 squarefeet of on-site office space, andthe German real estate firm Engel& Volkers has leased offices for its40 metro Atlanta brokers.
At press time, themarket isexpected to have 10 dining and 10retail enterprises open by January,and those enterprises will needservers, cooks,managers andcashiers. But themarket isn’t theplace for corporate work.
Tech company Cardlytics,market-ing companyMailChimp,architectsSurber Barber Choate & Hertlein,investment firm Jamestown,Web-based information site HowStuff-Works and New York-based firmGen-eral Assembly all have leased on-site office space. Themarket is alsohome to the Suzuki School for kids.
The center’smain attraction is a160,000-square-foot assembly ofhigh-priced stores that surpassesthe offerings at nearby Phipps Pla-za and Lenox SquareMall in termsof exclusivity. New signature bou-tiques include Canali, Etro,Hermes,Moncler,Christian Louboutin,Helmut Lange and Akris.
A cute cottage called The Collectiveoffers arts and crafts by localartists. FrenchMarket Flowers andMama Bath and Body sell items tosoothe the senses. The Krog StreetPet Works is up and running. Andfoodies can find tasty morsels orlibations at the Hop City Store andBar, the Little Tart Bakeshop and TheSpotted Trotter for select meats.
Themarket has a new Binders artssupply and gifts store and is hometo the Ponce Gallery. News aboutother potential openings remainspending,but there are numerousstores at the HomeDepot complexacross the street.
»
Buckhead Atlanta Krog Street Market Ponce City Market
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 41
Buckhead Atlanta Krog Street Market Ponce City Market
Parking
Shoppercomments
Historicarchitecture?
Pros/Cons
Price level(based on$-$$$$scale)
l ive, work, play
$$$$. At Le Bilboquet, a crab andavocado appetizer is $23 and a Ca-jun chicken entrée is $29. At Chris-tian Louboutin, the signature nailpolish costs $50 and the legendarystiletto-heeled shoes start at $845.
$$. Vendors offer goods as raretreats at affordable prices. A plateof steak and fries at The Luminarycosts $22. A plate of meat and twosides fromG.C. BBQ costs $11-16.Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream averages$12 per pint.
$$-$$$. Themarket qualifies assemi-affordable. Chef Linton Hop-kins’ H&F Burger won’t open until2015; if it’s any indication,his res-taurant Holman & Finch has on-ly threemenu items over $10. TheSimply Seoul Kitchen is a fast-foodoffshoot of chef Hannah Chung’s in-expensive kimchi company.
The center offers 2,400 spaces forcomplimentary self-parking. There islimited,metered street parking. Paidservices includes text-for-pickup,de-tailing and auto emissions testing.
Complimentary parking is availableboth in the adjacent garage and thesurface deck.
The complex has amix of 2,000open-air (free) and garage (paid)parking spaces,with some reservedfor residents and employees.
No. Yes. The Krog Street Marketmaintainsmost of the architecturalintegrity of its original function as along,wide,high-ceilinged warehousefor the Atlanta StoveWorks.
Yes. The 90-plus-year-old structure’sexterior and foundation were pre-served. Restoring and re-using exist-ingmaterials saved the energy equiv-alent of 10million gallons of gas.
“Buckhead Atlanta givesme thesense of being on Rodeo Drive andFifth Avenue,all in one. Tome it’s anexample of the progressivemovesAtlanta’smaking.”—Keela Starr,CEO of
K. StarrManagement
“Five years ago, you couldn’t justride your bike along the BeltlinefromMidtown to Cabbagetown andgo somewhere new to have a drink.But now you can. Who would havethought the day would come?.”—Bill Kaelin, event promoter
“What impressesme is the level ofdetail and thought throughout theproject. ... (They) succeeded in cre-ating a place for visitors to relaxwithout feeling like they’re on NorthAvenue.”—Gene Kansas,urban redeveloper
Pros: It’s off the beaten path,andyou don’t have to dress up.Cons: It’s off the beaten path.
Pros: It raises Atlanta’s credibility asa shoppingmecca.Cons: If you have to ask, you can’tafford it.
Pros:Notmany steps from apart-ment to office to food court.Cons: It could usemore reasons fornon-residents to keep coming back.
Local small businesses suchas Honeysuckle Gelato, JuiceBox,Chai Pani and Jia-AuthenticSzechuan dominate the list offirst adopters hoping Ponce CityMarket will be their springboard toexpansion.
The initial phase of the develop-ment encompasses 70,000 squarefeet of restaurants. Gypsy Kitchenserves amix of Latin and Asian cui-sine. Shake Shack sells food truck-inspired burgers and custard treats.Thirteen Pies offers gourmet pizzaandmade-to-order cocktails. And LeBilboquet provides French cuisine.
Alumni from theWestsidemeccasBacchanalia and Star Provisions op-erate the Fred’sMeat & Bread burg-er joint. The Luminary is a new des-tination for French-American cui-sine.
In the Central Food Hall, award-win-ning chefs offer eateries alongsideplucky newcomers. Celebrated chefAnne Quatrano’s upcoming Dub’sFish Camp takes a casual approachto sandwiches and steamed sea-food dishes. The H&F Burger bistrowill feature chef Linton Hopkins’ dis-cerning tastes in bread andmeat.
Besides Atlanta-based Spanx, theonly other locally owned retail storeis Bella Bag,which specializes inbuying and reselling authenticatedcollectible handbags by prestige la-bels (Gucci,Dior,Chanel, Louis Vuit-ton) to online customers.
Manymarket restaurants are rootedinmetro Atlanta. Gu’s Dumplingshas drifted down fromBufordHighway; Craft Izakaya brings sushidelights fromMarietta; and ThomDuncan and Jeff McGhee bring freshseafood with their Off the Dock stall.
Chainsor localvendors?
Dineoptions
42 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Alocaldeveloper seesawindowofopportunityto restoreapieceof
Atlanta’s past
auburn renewal
Story by H.M. CAULEYPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN
Some people might see thebrick building at 145 AuburnAve. as an empty, worn-outshell that does little to en-hance the beauty of the block.
Gene Kansas looked at that samestructure and saw past the rot-ted wood, caved-in ceiling and mis-matched windows. Instead, the lo-cal real estate developer envisioneda chance to restore a piece of Atlan-ta’s history not far from the AuburnAvenue Research Library and Geor-gia State’s welcome center, Centen-nial Hall.
Anewonleaselife
Built in 1912, the two-story struc-ture served a number of purposes inthe predominantly black neighbor-hood. Its greatest renown began in1928, when the second floor housedthe offices of the Atlanta Daily World,the city’s African-American newspa-per devoted to informing and advo-cating for the city’s minority and seg-regated population.
In a 2013 editorial, Alexis Scott,the current publisher and grand-daughter of the paper’s founder,wrote eloquently about the paper’scommitment to civil rights, notingthat the Atlanta Daily World pushedfor quality: “Equal pay for blacks vs.white teachers; desegregation of bus-es and access to public parks, amongother unjust laws. The paper clearlystated its belief that segregation wasunconstitutional.”
In 1980, the building was identi-fied as a “historic site in journalism”by the Society of Professional Jour-nalists. But in 2008, the freak tor-nado that tore through downtownripped off the roof, forcing the pa-per’s staff to relocate to new officesnear the airport.
Four years later, weather-beat-en and dilapidated, the building wassaved from demolition by neighbor-
Gene Kansas plans to reclaim
as many of the original design
elements of the more than 100-
year-old building as possible.
Left, the building at 145Auburn Ave. housed theoffice of the Atlanta Dai-ly World African-Ameri-can newspaper for de-cades. Below, develop-er Gene Kansas took onthe building’s restora-tion after it was slatedfor demolition.
»
auburn renewal
hood residents appealing to the UrbanDesign Commission, the city officethat oversees historic buildings anddistricts. Kansas took on the project.
“It didn’t need to be torn down,even though everyone who saw it saidit was a mess,” Kansas says. “It was,but I thought it was awesome and real-ly very solid. And a lot of history tookplace here.”
Reclaiming history from uselesseyesores has become a specialty forKansas, who has been buying, sell-ing, leasing and restoring propertiessince 2003. His company portfolio in-cludes the restoration of the ClermontLounge on Ponce de Leon Avenue,the revitalization of the Sweet AuburnCurb Market and the redevelopmentof Commercial Row (the storefrontson the edge of the Margaret Mitchellhouse in Midtown).
More than 100 years old, the Dai-
Upon completion of the restoration, the145 Auburn Ave. building will house twoapartments, an Arden’s Garden juice barand a Condesa Coffee shop.
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ly World building provides anotherchance to bring a battered piece of thepast back to life.
“When I read about the controversyover tearing it down, I got involved,”Kansas says. “What really attractedme was the history and the will of thepeople to save it.”
Kansas has done his homework in-to the site’s background. “This wasone of the few integrated buildings,”he says. “In the 1940s, it was a jazzclub that brought in people like Ben-ny Goodman and Louis Armstrong.The first African-American Girl Scouttroop was housed here. And at onetime it had apartments and a coffee-house.”
Kansas plans to revive some ofthose uses for the 21st century. He hasalready signed Arden’s Garden forone side of the first floor and CondesaCoffee for the other; both are expect-ed to open sometime this month. Up-stairs is slowly being transformed in-to two apartments, each with two bed-rooms and 1,250 square feet. Most ofthe rotted materials have been hauled
away, and new floors and frames arein place. But wherever possible, Kan-sas is intent on reclaiming original el-ements such as the plaster walls, win-dows and 12-foot ceilings.
That dedication to preservationled to a partnership between Kansas’company and the Midtown architec-tural firm of Gamble and Gamble tocomplete the Daily World renovation.Co-founder Lee Ann Gamble, who metKansas five years ago when they wereworking out at the gym, found that hisenthusiasm for the past matched herown.
“We had an instant connection,”Gamble says. “He’s such an easy per-son to talk to and very engaging. Hisrange of interests — real estate, pres-ervation and history — converged inthis project. And I think that’s unusualfor a developer. Most are interested indeveloping the community and mak-ing money. Gene has those interestsas well, but he also has an underlyingmotivation to want to see long-termchange for the good.”
Kansas also brings his passion for
the past to the airwaves as host of“Sidewalk Radio,” a show dedicatedto the telling the city’s history and cul-ture through conversations aroundarchitecture, development, plan-ning and preservation. Since debutingfour years ago, the show has featuredguests such as poet Pearle Cleage,former Mayor Sam Massell and Belt-Line creator Ryan Gravel, and airs onthe fourth Monday of the month onAM1690.
The Midtown resident explains thathe has two motivations for wanting topreserve the past. The first is a child-hood spent in New Orleans, where hesays “history is ingrained.” The sec-ond is the arrival of his first child,Levi, born in July 2014.
“That made me realize that if build-ings like this aren’t here, he’ll have noclue about their importance,” Kansassays. “Future generations will knowour stories by looking at our built en-vironment. It speaks to who we are.”
Gene Kansas Commercial RealEstate. 75 Fifth St. 404-635-0027.www.genekansas.com■
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Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 47
a look at 2015
48 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 49
a look at 2015
50 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 51
Cruise controlThemedcruise ships let vacationershangoutwith rock stars,
dive intoDisneymagic or sit back for anold-fashionedpampering
ins ider t r ips
Story by JON WATERHOUSE
The Disney Dream, one
of Disney Cruise Line’s
four sailing vessels,
gives guests a laundry
list of immersive options
to enjoy the high seas.
The towel shrouds my facein a cradle of warmth.Sinking deeper into thecushy barber’s chair, Iwallow in the indulgence
of a deep cleanse shave aboard theDisney Dream cruise ship.
The spa technician pampers myepidermis with a pair of shaves— one with oil, one with gel— fol-lowed by exfoliation, a post-shave mask and lavender capsulesrubbed into my skin. I soon real-ize my usual quickie shave in theshower with the disposable razorain’t cutting it — literally.
As a scalp massage removes mylast remnants of stress, I imagine atthat very moment my wife and kidscareening downwater slides andsplashing into the waters of Cast-away Cay, Disney’s private Bahami-an island. Soon I’ll hop off the shipand join themwith a fresh, tinglyface. The Disney Dream, one of Dis-ney Cruise Line’s four sailing ves-sels, offers many opportunities to
escape.Giving guests a laundry list of
immersive options continues tobe the driving theme in the cur-rent cruise industry. While Disneycombines family-friendly magicwith adult allure, other lines andcruise companies chart their owncourses. The destinations them-selves almost play second fiddle tothe ships’ bells, whistles and the-
matic hooks. Music cruises haveguests swaying to the beat even oncalm seas, while tricked-out ves-sels offer everything from Broad-way shows to daring adventuresfor adrenaline junkies.
Fortunately for Atlantans, manycruises can be reached with aday’s drive or a brief flight to Flor-ida, with the following voyages de-parting from the Sunshine State.
Above, rock band Train invites fans on stage during amusic-themed cruise organizedby Atlanta-based Sixthman. Below, the AquaDuck water coaster propels guests aboardDisney Dream around the perimeter of the ship’s top deck. Photo byWILL BYINGTON
Photos by DAVID ROARK (left) and KENT PHILLIPS (above)
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Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 53
Rock the boatThe Atlanta-based company Sixth-
man has been rocking the seas with mu-sic-themed cruises for well over a de-cade. While managing the band SisterHazel, Sixthman honcho Andy Levinehelped organize a thank-you cruise forhelpful hardcore fans, featuring perfor-mances by the group. The idea grew in-to a new revenue stream.
Sixthman offers two distinct typesof music cruises, with the “host mod-el” starring a specific headliner withsupporting acts serving as part of themusical crew. John Mayer, Paramore,Lynyrd Skynyrd and Weezer have allcaptained host cruises.
Sixthman’s “festival model” culls to-gether acts with no specific name ac-tually topping the bill. In mid-January,the seven-day Cayamo cruise, a Sixth-
man staff favorite, sets sail out of Mi-ami to St. Barts and St. Croix. Nearly40 acts will be aboard, from newcom-ers to musical veterans, including LyleLovett, Lucinda Williams, John Prine,Brandi Carlile and Kacey Musgraves.
Although the intimate performancesmay be the biggest draw, the fan-artistinteraction remains unique on board aSixthman voyage. Each trip almost guar-antees a chance to rub elbows with anidol. Sixthman provides a cheeky vid-eo that encourages fans to stay cool andrespect the artists’ time and space, andthemusicians will likely hang.
Some artists keep to themselves, butothers make a splash. Sixthman’s PRand communications manager, Alaid-riale Derway, recalls HayleyWilliams ofParamore visiting random cabins deliv-ering toiletries, cocktails and greetings.
Brandi Carlile can typically be foundplaying blackjack in the casino. ZacBrown staged an off-the-cuff acousticperformance in one of the ship’s smallerbars late in the evening.
Kid Rock, who headlines his sixthChillin’ the Most Cruise on March2-6, can be seen “everywhere” onboard the ship, Derway says. On a pastcruise, the performer commandeeredthe vessel’s intercom system at 1:30a.m., waking up some passengers andinstructing everyone to hit the pooldeck for an impromptu D J set.
Depending on the cruise lineup, cabinstypically start at $700 per person plustaxes and port fees. Sixthman offers be-tween 12 to 14 cruises per year, with a fullschedule available at www.sixthman.net.
A whole new worldLike all the ships in Disney Cruise
Line’s fleet, the Dream sports Mick-ey Mouse’s color scheme of black, red,white and yellow. The company evensnagged special permission from theU.S. Coast Guard to paint lifeboatsMickey’s shade of yellow. That’s justone of countless examples of the at-tention to detail on a Disney Cruise.
Following the standard of its themeparks, Disney ratchets customer ser-vice off the charts while maintaining anundercurrent of fairytale magic. Fromyour personalized welcome over theloudspeaker to the smiles stretchingacross the faces of most of the crew —that’s more than 1,400 of them — youalmost feel like the guest of honor atCinderella’s ball.
A Disney Cruise serves as the per-fect gateway experience for juniorsailors, with its immersion into thebrand’s pop culture. Disney characterssail with you and regularly pose for au-tographs and pictures. Strictly super-vised drop-off areas for kids teemwithage-appropriate activities. Animator’sPalate, one of three inclusive main res-taurants, features a real-time visit fromCrush, an animated turtle from Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Nemo.” Broadway-style stage productions star Disney den-izens, and an outdoor pirate-themedrave-up culminates with fireworks.
Yet Disney Cruise Line’s best kept se-cret may be how it caters to parents.
Come sail awayOther themed cruises departing from Florida
• The Norwegian Getaway sails year round from Miami. Known for its massive on-board water park with five slides, it also features a multi-story ropes course andplank walk that takes guests 8 feet over the side of the ship. In addition to Broad-way musicals, the ship’s Grammy Experience venue features actual award-win-ning performers and memorabilia from the Grammy Museum.
• Carnival Cruise Line’s live music series continues in the spring with such bandsas Journey, Little Big Town, Smokey Robinson, Rascal Flatts and Styx.
• Keep an eye out for the announcement of the 2015 date of the Turner ClassicMovies Cruise. Last year’s event took place aboard the Disney Magic and sailedout of Port Canaveral in late October. TCM personalities Robert Osborne and BenMankiewicz joined an all-star guest list including actors Richard Dreyfuss, ShirleyJones and Tab Hunter. Special events and film screenings packed five days.
— JON WATERHOUSE
ins ider t r ips
insider TIPS »• Pay attention to scheduled theme nightsand pack the appropriate rock star outfit.
• All Sixthman cruises take place on thesprawling Norwegian Pearl. If you get lost,look down: The fish printed on the carpetface toward the front of the ship.
Norwegian Getaway
features waterslides
and a Nickelodeon-
themed pool.
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54 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Wewere looking out over the water, and I thought to myself: remember this.
Remember the amazing food. Our wine tasting in Provence. The people we met—the friends we made.And, even time alone, when the only sights we saw were each other.
It’s funny, I don’t remember a single thing from our Celebrity cruise—I remember everything.
Alaska • Asia • Australia/New Zealand • Bermuda • Caribbean • Europe • Galapagos • South AmericaVisit celebritycruises.com/atl, call 1-888-283-7275, or contact your travel agent.
©2014 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador.
Grown-ups can dress to the nines foradults-only fine dining; retreat to themellow over-18 pool and lounge areas;coddle themselves at the Senses spa;and bar hop across The District.
The Dream includes a champagne barcalled Pink with stylish decor includingrecessed, bubble-shaped lights on thewalls. The ship’s head sommelier andmembers of his team offer a $30-per-person course that splashes your tastebuds with five different champagnes.
The ship features two adults-onlyrestaurants, with the French-orientedRemy named for the epicurean rat inDisney-Pixar’s “Ratatouille.” The Ital-ian-themed Palo offers the dining dealof the cruise with a brunch ($25 perperson) that provides sensory over-load for both eyes and taste buds. Anarray of snazzily presented items in-clude rows of shot glasses filled withtomato juice and shrimp, with made-to-order dishes also available. OystersRockefeller, anyone?
Cruises on the Disney Dream operateyear round. Rates for three- and four-night Bahamian cruises start at $441
per person for a standard inside state-room, $465 for ocean view and $507for a verandah stateroom. Each priceis based on double occupancy and ex-cludes government taxes and fees.
The drive from Atlanta to Port Canav-eral, Fla., takes about seven hours and45 minutes. Those who fly into OrlandoInternational Airport can take the Dis-ney motor coach to Port Canaveral.■
insider TIPS »• The AquaDuck water coaster remains aship highlight for all ages. Ride at night toavoid long lines.
• The Dream’s Bahamian cruises come intwo lengths: three or four nights. If youhave time, take advantage of the extra dayand consider the itinerary that includestwo days at Disney’s Castaway Cay.
• Castaway Cay’s parasailing, snorkeling,and stingray experience spice up beachday, but your most economical pastimemay be to rent a blue foam float for $10and float in the clear, calm waters.
ins ider t r ips
Guests aboard DisneyMagic dine at Anima-tor’s Palate,where Disney characters add tothe entertainment—and decor.
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56 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
ARoaring 20sSwingin' Soire
benefittingSusan G. Komen Greater Atlanta
The Foundary at Puritan MillFriday, February 6, 2015
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dine || taste of new orleans
FOODIEGRASLouisiananativesbring theculinaryandculturalflairof theBigEasy toAtlanta
Serpas’ sea-
food gumbo in-
cludes blue crab,
shrimp and hearty vege-
tables and is accompanied by
a serving of bay leaf rice.
‘‘Do You KnowWhat It Meansto Miss New Or-leans,” first per-formed by Louis
Armstrong and Billie Holiday in1947, has become a kind of themesong for the diaspora of the BigEasy. But, luckily, that wistful sen-timent more often gets translat-ed to the spirit of “Let the GoodTimes Roll,” as Louisiana nativesre-create the food and fun of NewOrleans in Atlanta.
That’s especially true come Mar-di Gras, held on Feb. 17 this year,when transplanted chefs presentcarnival-themed menus and throwparties to celebrate their heritage.
“We are not a Louisiana restau-rant, even if we do things like friedoysters and gumbo,” says ScottSerpas, the chef owner of SerpasTrue Food in the Old Fourth Ward.“But on Mardi Gras day, we do afull-on Louisiana menu with thingslike red beans and rice, jambalaya,boudin balls, crawfish pie and po’boys. And we have a good time do-ing it. We always have a big party
with a band, and we bring a littlebit of New Orleans to Atlanta.”
Serpas grew up in New Orleansand began cooking at an early age,inspired by family traditions andthe vibrant culinary and culturalscene swirling around him.
Story by BOB TOWNSEND | Photos by JENNI GIRTMAN
Top, South Louisiana native Scott Ser-pas prepares special traditional NewOrleans dishes on Mardi Gras day athis eponymous restaurant. Above, Ser-pas is located in a former cotton stor-age facility in the Old Fourth Ward.
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Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 59
dine || taste of new orleans
“My dad was kind of a season-al cook,” Serpas says. “He did craw-fish boils seven or eight times a year.My momwas a good New Orleans cookwho made things like red beans andrice and gumbo. It was inspiring to bearound that kind of atmosphere andhave that family connection to food.”
After graduating from Delgado Cu-linary Institute in New Orleans andworking at Mr. B’s Bistro, a FrenchQuarter institution, Serpas embarkedon a career that took him to Dallas andAtlanta, with stints at Southwestern,Asian and Mediterranean restaurants.After settling in at Serpas True Food,named one of the 10 “Best New Res-taurants in America” by GQmagazineshortly after its 2009 debut, he’s contin-ued to explore a range of culinary influ-ences in his New American cooking. ButNew Orleans remains a touchstone.
“There’s no place like New Orleans,”Serpas says. “And it’s not just the cui-sine. It’s the feel and the way of life.I go back home three or four times ayear and watch the news, and the waypeople go on about Mardi Gras andthings. There’s just an aura to the city.It makes people fall in love with it.”
Louisiana native Darren Williamsfirst opened his New Orleans-style po’boy shop, Just Loaf ’n, in Stockbridge in2006. “After Katrina, a lot of my familyrelocated here,” Williams says. “It wasalways one of my dreams to do a po’boy shop. So there was no better timebecause a lot of them were staying with
us and needed employment.”Since then, the restaurant has had
several locations around metro Atlan-ta. But the current base of operationsis a little shop next to a gas station nearI-20 in southeast Atlanta. And the mo-bile Mardi Gras Just Loaf ’n food truckhas earned a loyal following from bothlocals and displaced New Orleaneans.
“We import everything from Loui-siana,”Williams says with a chuckle.“From the bread to the shrimp to thePatton’s hot sausage. For people fromNewOrleans, it tastes like home, andit looks like home, and it just feels likehome. For Mardi Gras, we always do acrawfish boil, and we bring out a brassband.”
Traveling around to festivals andbusinesses, the Just Loaf ’n truckserves up a full menu of Cajun and cre-ole food, including the best-sellingshrimp po’ boy, plus baskets, sides,beignets and sno balls.
“We’ve really been concentratingon the food truck,” Williams says. “Wehave the longest running food truckin Atlanta in the modern era. And weare definitely letting the good timesroll.”■
Just Loaf’n owner Darren Williams serves traditional po’ boys from his mobile Mardi Gras food truck as well as his shop on Boulevard.
Just Loaf’n’s staff, including Barbara Har-ris, regularly serves New Orleans cuisineto Delta employees as well as other hungrycustomers in South Atlanta.
60 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Big Easy Grille & BarThis neighborhood bar on the West-
side has been serving Cajun and creolecooking in the festive New Orleans stylesince 2002. On the menu, sandwichesand po’ boys join classic dishes such asseafood gumbo, jambalaya, red beansand rice, and crawfish etouffee.1193 Collier Road. 404-352-2777.
bigeasygrille.com
Just Loaf’nLouisiana native Darren Williams and
his family specialize in New Orleans-styledelights at the small shop on Boulevard,
and from the mobile Just Loaf’n foodtruck. For Mardi Gras, there’s a crawfishboil, a brass band and a real good time.371 Boulevard. 404-537-6269.
justloafnpoboys.com
McKinnon’s LouisianeOpen since 1972, McKinnon’s qual-
ifies as both a Buckhead classic andone of the city’s only bastions of New Or-leans-style fine dining. Look for seafoodgumbo, popcorn crawfish, Grouper Loui-siane and filet mignon topped with barbe-
cue shrimp. The less formal Grill Room atMcKinnon’s features a piano bar.3209 Maple Drive. 404- 237-1313.
mckinnons.com
Serpas True FoodScott Serpas, the chef owner of the
Old Fourth Ward’s Serpas True Food, is aNew Orleans native who cooks with con-temporary flair. On the seasonal menu,find the likes of flash-fried oysters and acreole omelette at brunch. Come MardiGras, crawfish, boudin and more.659 Auburn Ave., No. 501. 404-688-
0040. serpasrestaurant.com
WatershedChef Joe Truex’s Louisiana heritage
and classic training come into play ina medley of bar snacks, starters andmains. His namesake Joe’s Jambalaya— a piquant melange of shrimp, sausageand crawfish — is a menu mainstay, andthere’s a creole jazz brunch every Sundayat the Brookwood Hills restaurant.1820 Peachtree Road. 404-809-3561.
watershedrestaurant.com■— BOB TOWNSEND
Who dat?Findingthe flavorsof MardiGras
A Just Loaf’n lunch basket includes friedcatfish, French fries and hushpuppies.
©2014 Marlow’s Tavern
Classic American Tavern Fare & Handcrafted Cocktails.Open all day, every day.
Receive a $10 gift when you become an Insider. Sign up to be a Marlow’s Insider to get exclusive inside offers
and event invitations at marlowstavern.com.Visit us today at your favorite neighborhood location.
Meet me 's. at Marlow
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 61
dine || valent ine ’s day
A toast to loveT
o make this Valen-tine’s Day an affair toremember, consider-ing skipping a pric-ey reservation at an
overcrowded restaurant and in-stead surprise your sweetheartwith breakfast in bed. A sweet,unexpected meal serves as amuch more genuine and senti-mental gesture, especially if youtake care not to wake him or herwhen you slip out of bed ear-ly and return with mimosas inhand. Make Cupid proud by cre-ating a beautiful tray, completewith plenty of syrup, napkinsand reading material, to show-case the pecan-crusted Frenchtoast with roasted bananas andspiced butter from chef ToddGinsberg of The General Muir.
You can find this recipe andmore than 100 others in thejust-released cookbook “Atlan-ta Chef ’s Table: ExtraordinaryRecipes from the Big Peach.”The book gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how to make dish-es from 75 of Atlanta’s best res-taurants, including favoritesfrom star chefs like Anne Quatra-no, Ford Fry, Gerry Klaskala, Bil-ly Allin, Kevin Gillespie and Gins-berg. Don’t miss other break-fast recipes, like West Egg’s chi-laquiles and Star Provisions’ sa-vory tart — though once you get ataste, your foolish heart may notwant to stop with breakfast.
“Atlanta Chef’s Table: Extraor-dinary Recipes from the Big Peach”(Kate Parham Kordsmeier, $26.95,published by Globe Pequot, an im-print of Rowman & Littlefield)
Story by KATE PARHAM KORDSMEIER
Roasted bananas and spiced but-ter top chef Todd Ginsberg’s pecan-crusted French toast at The GeneralMuir restaurant at Emory Point.
!
Pecan-CrustedFrench Toast withRoasted Bananasand Spiced Butter(serves 2)
For the spiced butter
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted
butter, slightly softened
Zest of half an orange, grated
with a Microplane
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
For the French toast
1 ½ cups coarsely ground
cornflakes (not too fine, not
too pebbly)
1 ½ cups coarsely ground
pecans (not too fine, not
too pebbly)
4 eggs
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 (1-inch thick) slices challah
(can substitute brioche)
2 ounces clarified butter (can
substitute half butter and
half canola oil)
1 large banana, peeled and
quartered lengthwise
2 tablespoons dark brown
sugar, packed
Maple syrup for drizzling
To make the spiced butter: Placethe butter in the bowl of a standmixer fitted with the paddle attach-ment. Mix at medium-high speed un-til smooth, about 3 minutes. Add theorange zest, cinnamon and salt. Mixat high speed until thoroughly com-bined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Packthe butter into a ramekin. Cover andchill in the refrigerator until ready toserve.
To make the French toast: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Placethe ground cornflakes and pecans ina pie plate or flat bowl and toss tocombine. Set aside.
• Crack the eggs into another pieplate or flat bowl. Add the cream andvanilla and whisk until frothy andwell combined.
• Dip each slice of bread in theegg mixture, making sure to coatevenly on both sides. (To get a thor-ough soak, you may need to let thebread rest in the egg for a minute ortwo per side. You want the bread tobe soaked but not overly soggy andgooey.) Place the bread into the corn-flake-pecan mixture and press gentlyso that it’s coated on all sides.
• Heat clarified butter in a large ov-enproof skillet over medium heat.Brown the bread on both sides,about 3-4 minutes per side. Placethe skillet in the oven and bake un-til the bread puffs up and is justcooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
• Place the bananas in a medi-um-size ovenproof pan or baking trayand sprinkle with brown sugar. Broilunder high heat to melt the brownsugar and caramelize the bananas,about 5 minutes. If the sugar runsoff, spoon it back on top of the ba-nanas.
• Place 2 slices of the cookedtoast on a plate. Top with caramel-ized banana slices and a generouspat or two of the spiced butter. Driz-zle with maple syrup. Serve withmore maple syrup on the side. ■
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Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 63
Blueberryplate specialdine || bite
A pat of butter melts atop a stack of blue-
berry buttermilk pancakes on one of Polly
Sherrill’s plates at Stone Soup Kitchen.
Story by LANE EDMONDSONPhoto by JENNI GIRTMAN
I’m the opposite of a morning person,but even on cold Saturdays, I will hap-pily leave the house before 9 and driveto Cabbagetown’s cozy, eclectic StoneSoup Kitchen for a comfort food fix. Lit-tle else will get me to leave the house
before noon on a weekend.My go-to breakfast at Stone Soup is the
buttermilk pancakes, which I order withblueberries and Sutherland Farms chick-en sausage — and a cup of hot, dark coffee Ikeep constantly refilled.
Whether I order the five-pancake tall stackor the diminutive three-stack, the lovely flap-jacks arrive slightly caramelized on their exte-rior. The batter stays on the skillet a nanosec-ond after it’s fully cooked, giving it a slight re-sistance whenmy knife slices into it. The sur-face stays just this side of crisp, with the ide-al middling-light brown that a pancake shouldhave. The white, fluffy insides, which showaround the pancake’s edge, have a soft, maltyflavor, while the blueberries bring in a sweetnote. Adding syrup? Nice, but not necessary.I like a link of chicken sausage for a chewy,tongue-tingling contrast.
If pancakes aren’t your thing — bless yourheart — Stone Soup offers a delicious lineupof alternates, including Red Mule Grits fromMills Farm, vegetarian and vegan offerings,and salads and sandwiches.
Your table features Atlanta potter PollySherrill’s funky plates, bowls and serving piec-es, along with a mix-and-match assortment ofcoffeemugs, underscoring the community fo-cus of owner Sarah Ricks. The restaurant takesits name from the old folk tale about makingameal of shared ingredients. In keeping withthat “it takes a village” ethos, Stone Soup re-lies on local and regional suppliers for their in-gredients, displays the work of local artists onthe walls and holds an annual fundraiser forlocal animal rescue groups.
Stone Soup’s breakfasts easily coax myfriends from their homes to meet me inthe mornings. But it’s also the kind of mealthat’s perfectly satisfying to eat alone, soyou can savor every bite.
Stone Soup Kitchen, 584 Woodward Ave.404-524-1222 stonesoupkitchen.net■
insider TIP » To work off thosepancakes, consider a visit to Garden Hoodacross the street or head a few blocks northto Oakland Cemetery for a stroll.
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Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates and are notemployees of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. ©2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell BankerReal Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRTLLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered andunregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 10088ATL_12/14
In 2002, a vacation to the southof France introduced marketingand advertising executive SusanSexton to a new career passion.While soaking in the lush coun-tryside, she took a workshop to
custom-blend a fragrance at Galimard,France’s oldest perfumery. She fell inlove with the nuances of creating evoc-ative scents and returned home deter-mined to bring her newfound interestto Georgia.
Now a certifiedmaster blending artist,Sexton has been guiding clients to createtheir own bespoke scents at BLENDCustom Parfum, housed in a quaintBuckhead cottage. Since 2006, Sex-ton has advised guests as they designa custom perfume or cologne from aselection of 137 pure essences im-ported from Galimard. She’s creat-ed branded fragrances for corpo-rate clients and even brides whowant a custom scent as a me-mento of their big day, tes-tifying to the fact that Sex-ton has a nose for customscents and for business.
shop || personal ized fragrances
SensibilityBLEND owner Su-san Sexton’s privatebottle collection in-cludes this Eiffel Tow-er parfum bottle con-taining a fragrancefrom France,whereshe was trained.
&Story by JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
Photos by JENNI GIRTMAN
Living Intown:When someonecomes in not knowing anythingabout what they like, how do youhelp them craft a fragrance?
Susan Sexton: It’s a [proprietary]system, so we have fourteen differentessences that we ask you to perceive,and your nose chooses the one thatyou prefer most. It’s a blind test. Wedon’t want you to know what you’resmelling. For example, you might haveladies’ and men’s in the same set, orunisex scents. You may have flowers orfruits, spices or herbs. The idea is thatyour nose will choose what family [ofscents] is right for you, and then we’lldesign your fragrance based on that.
After you pick a family of scentsthat you like, then what?
The family would be a direction thatwould naturally work with your per-sonal chemistry. From there, we al-so look at you, because we believe thatfragrance is part of fashion. We look athow you’re dressed and how you pres-ent yourself, and we really pair yourfragrance with that. We also talk youto about where you’re from, becausescent is about memory. If we can tapinto memory, we can design some-
BLEND customer Harriet Adams (left) samples fragrances as part of a team-building exercise while Susan Sexton looks on.
»
After personal fragrances
are carefully mixed and the
combinations recorded, the
final parfum is packaged
and ready for application.
“It’s a blind test.We don’t want you to knowwhatyou’re smelling. ...The idea is that your nose willchoose what family [of scents] is right for you, andthen we’ll design your fragrance based on that.”SUSANSEXTON
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 67
thing that truly makes you happy.How are memories tied to scent
and how does that influence thecustom fragrance?
Scent is primal, subliminal and real-ly just part of our makeup. It’s how wechoose our partners. If we can tap intothe fact that you picked blackberriesin summer and you’re from Tennes-see, then when we present you with ablackberry essence, you’re probablygoing to like it. If you’re a swimmer,then you’re probably going to respondto our ocean and our sea scents.
When you’re building a customscent, how do you layer the differ-ent elements to create a complete,balanced fragrance?
It’s called the “perfume triangle”and is in play no matter who’s makingit, from a master perfumer to a celeb-rity making a celebrity fragrance. The“base notes” are the foundation andthey last between six and eight hours.They’re what locks the fragrance in-to your chemistry and keeps it fromblowing away. The “heart notes,” alsoreferred to as the melody of your fra-
shop || personal ized fragrances
If you’d rather shop for a fragrant product than design your own, Atlanta offers plentyof opportunities to take home candles, perfumes, colognes and room sprays to keepyour nose happy.
Gramercy Fine Linens & FurnishingsAn exquisitely scented linen can be just the place to lay your weary head. Buck-
head’s fine home textiles outpost Gramercy provides a selection of scents, speciallydesigned for linen and bedding, from Le Blanc, The Laundress and Millefiore Milano.2351A Peachtree Road. 404-846-9244. www.shopgramercy.com
Himalayan CandlesIn 2004, Julia Leaphart founded this Decatur-based line of handmade soy can-
dles as a way to reconnect to her childhood in the foothills of the Himalayas. Eachslow-burning, intensely fragrant candle is poured into a creative, reusable vessel —such as a mercury glass tumbler, etched iron pot or vintage-style goblet — and thenshipped all over the world or sold in the factory store.202 Laredo Drive. 678-705-3245. www.himalayantradingpost.com
Ona AtlantaCo-owned by sisters Sarah and Jenny Bronczek, this pretty store in the Shops
Around Lenox is a veritable aromatic feast. The boutique features deliciously scent-ed spa products, home fragrances, candles, diffusers, lotions and bath products fromsuch luxurious brands as Lampe Berger, locally made Buff Her, Tocca, Jack Black, Cô-té Bastide, LAFCO New York and Tokyo Milk.3400 Around Lenox Road, Suite 206A. 404-812-0002. www.onaatlanta.com
— JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
‘Would smell as sweet’
Atlanta’s only comprehensive Episcopal school,ages 3-years-old through 12th Grade.
Wheregoodkidsbecomegreatpeople.
www.hies.org404-255-4026
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Schooldevelops in students a love of learning,respect for self and others, faith in God,
and a sense of service to the world community.-Mission Statement
68 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
BLEND’s Theo Tyson (standing) helps agroup of staffers from Integrated Therapycreate personalized fragrances over mimo-sas, chocolate, wine and cheese.
grance, are usually the florals or thefruits, and last two to four hours. Thenthe “top notes,” like citrus, usual-ly grab our attention and only last be-tween 20 and 30 minutes.
How are the essences made?It depends on whether they are base,
heart or top notes. Base notes are usu-ally extracted or pressed to removethe scent. Heart notes are often dis-tilled because they are usually fruits orflowers. Top notes could be distilled aswell. The old method was enfleurage[using animal fat to extract fragrance]and was typically used for flowers.
Some might think that this is justfor women, but it seems like cre-ating a custom fragrance could befun for men as well.
It’s definitely for men too. In fact,a lot of the most popular fragrancesthese days are unisex. We have a lotof difference essences for men, andthe craft of fragrance was traditionallypassed down from father to son.
Once somebody’s designed ascent they love, do you keep theformula for future reference?
We do. We keep the formula on fileand you can get refills. You can also ex-tend it to a layered line, which is prob-ably the best way to wear fragrance, nomatter what you wear. You might take
a shower with a shower gel or a bub-ble bath, apply the body lotion, andthen spritz [perfume]. That’s called asillage, or layering, so it really lasts allday long. We make powder, shower gel,bubble bath, aftershave for men, andwe can even do home scents.
BLEND Custom Parfum, 2971 N. Ful-ton Drive. 404-202-5503.www.blendcustomparfum.com■
We owe our unprecedentedgrowth to a special group of
financial strategists.(Our customers.)
Gabriel, Brookhaven
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More important, they are our friends and neighbors.At Community & Southern, we take the time to getto know every customer. Then together, we design afinancial solution that helps them reach their goals.
This year, we will be celebrating our fifth anniversary. And, thanks to ourcustomers, we’re also celebrating being one of Georgia’s fastest-growing banks.Stop by one of our 40 offices and work with a bank that’s obsessed withgrowth. Yours.
My Community. My Bank.800.901.8075myCSBonline.com
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 69
ar ts || theresa hightower
In the late 1980s, Atlanta jazz singer Theresa Hightower tried to step back from performing
music, but the power of her voice still came through – even over a telephone line.
Longtime Atlantans remember Hightower as a fixture in Atlanta’s jazz scene in the ’80s
and early ’90s, along with other local chanteuses Liz Spraggins, Bernadine Mitchell and
Chandra Currelley. She got her start singing rhythm and blues as the opening act for the
likes of Lou Rawls, the Drifters and Bobby Blue Bland. In the mid-1980s, Hightower won acclaim
for her portrayal of Dinah Washington in Jomandi Productions’ musical “Queen of the Blues,”
which opened at the 14th Street Playhouse and toured the country for two years.
Story by ADRIANNE MURCHISON
But frustration with the business side of the music in-dustry led Hightower to quit performing and take a dayjob as a receptionist for CH2M Hill engineering firm.
Her love of singing was unexpectedly revived oneday when she took a call at the firm. A stranger, in-trigued by her voice, chatted with her about music andlater sent her recordings of vocalist Carmen McRae.Hightower hadn’t heard the jazz singer before.
“This was another form of jazz,” Hightower says. “Istarted to get into the jazz feeling, which was alreadythere from listening to Nancy Wilson and Barbra Strei-sand. It’s how God works.”
With a fresh perspective on her craft, she started per-forming again and left the company. Hightower nevermet the mystery caller and wonders if he’ll ever knowthe gift he provided when she was at a crossroads.
“My love for what I do overrode the craziness thatcan come with the business,” Hightower says. “Any-body that has a passion for something can get frustrat-ed and say, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ But whatyou’re really saying is, ‘I don’t want to do it [the same]way, I want to do it a better way.’”
As a little girl, Hightower dreamed of singing to largeaudiences. “My mom said at 2 years old, I told her, ‘I’m
Thesingsladytheblues
Atlanta jazz singer Theresa
Hightower says the title of
her CD “Multifaceted” de-
scribes her lifelong career.
70 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
going to be a star. I’m going to sing,’” Hightower says.“Whenever we had guests, I would sing for them.”
An only child, Hightower was born in Fort Bragg, N.C.,where her late father served in the U.S. Army.When she was6 weeks old, the Hightowers moved to Germany for near-ly seven years. When they returned to the U.S., they lived inseveral cities before settling in Atlanta when she was 15.
Hightower says the sounds of Gladys Knight, DionneWarwick, Nancy Wilson and Barbra Streisand were con-stant companions during the many moves. “Aretha Frank-lin was number one in my life,” she says.
The singer graduated from Southwest High School,where she performed in talent shows and recalls once shar-ing themic with fellow student Eddie Irons, who became amember of Brick, the popular ’80s funk band. The late pia-nist Paul Mitchell, whose Paul Mitchell Jazz Trio performedat Dante’s Down the Hatch for 30 years, was school band di-rector and one of Hightower’s first music mentors.
“Atlanta has a music history that a lot of people don’tknow about,” Hightower says. “We have the same storyas Memphis and New Orleans, but it [still] has to be told.Beale Street in Memphis, Bourbon Street in New Orleans— that’s our Auburn Avenue.”
At the original Underground Atlanta, Hightower metSonny Turner, a former lead singer of The Platters, inthe late 1970s. She joined his group Sound Unlimited andtoured the United States and Europe for several years.
As a single mother, she raised her son, Tony Hightow-er, who vividly remembers her early performing style.“When she first started she was a rock and roller, kind oflike a Chaka Khan,” he says. “I remember watching herrock parties. She’d be all over the stage, really putting thecrowd in the palm of her hand, knowing what they want.I watched and I learned. I was soaking it up.”
Hightower inspired her son to pursue a singing career,and she managed his 1990s R&B group 4.0, which wassigned to Perri “Pebbles” Reid’s label, Savvy Records.
Following her hiatus from performing, Hightower’s ca-reer has included a 19-year stint singing on weekendsin the Lobby Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, aswell as releasing her CD “Multifaceted” in 2004. She of-ten drew standing-room-only crowds to the Ritz-Carltonlounge on Friday evenings.
Hightower recently left the Ritz-Carlton gig and has be-gun performing more in theaters. She and music directorS. Renee Clark collaborated on “Theresa Hightower LIVE,”a stage show that reflects on Hightower’s storied career.
“It’s a musical journey with some theatrical moments,”says Hightower. “There’s a tribute to Dinah [Washington].There’s a moment where I do this song ‘Girl Talk’ where Ireminisce on falling in love for the first time.”
On March 1, the organization Black Women in Jazz andthe Arts will honor Hightower with a Lady Jazz MasterAward at the Buckhead Theatre.
Hightower says her faith has seen her through her ca-reer’s trials and rewards. “We all have a purpose,” shesays. “I call it a blueprint. It’s all about the choices thatyou make and how you make it work for you.”
Theresa Hightower performs in the stage play “Head OverHeels,” Feb. 13-15 at Riverside Epicenter, 135 Riverside Park-way, Austell. www.lolitasnipesproductions.com■
insider TIP » Hightower teachesmusic and criticalthinking skills in an after-school program at the REACH (Rivers En-tertainment and Arts Center for Harmony) Complex within IntownAcademy,and plans to teach workshops to aspiring performers.
80 Forsyth St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
2014•2015
SERIES
rialto.gsu.edu
404 •413 •9TIX(9849)
* Free Parking for Rialto Series shows in the Equitable Deck on Fairlie Street.
Visit us online for full schedule!
Kodo • Mar 28
Dirty Dozen Brass BandFeb 14Wendy Whelan • Jan 27
Piano Virtuosi Andreas Kernvs. Paul Cibis • Feb 17
Capitol Steps • Apr 18
SERIES
Cirque Alfonse • Mar 14Red Baraat • Feb 14
SERIESJoe Alterman • Apr 26
Compagnie Käfig • Feb 28
Urban Bush Women • Jan 31
Above, Justin Martin takes aim at the billiard table at Ormsby’s tavern onthe Westside. Right, The Painted Pin goes beyond bowling to offer bocce,shuffleboard, European Skittles, giant Jenga, vintage skee ball and moregames, along with “upscale alley” dining fare.
Bocce,bowling
do || winter games
72 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
andbarcades
Story by BOB TOWNSENDPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN
Bocce ball and house-made bratwurst? Bowl-
ing and a barrel-aged White Russian? Space In-
vaders and local IPA? Atlanta’s newest wave of
game bars are aimed at adults and offer good
food, drink and fun in a variety of settings, from
kitschy and pubby to high-tech and clubby. And with the win-
ter months upon us, these updated arcades are perfect plac-
es to take a break from the cold weather and get competitive
with friends and co-workers.
Ormsby’sWhen the late Atlanta bar man
Warren Bruno of Atkins Park fameand former Sweetwater BrewingCo. sales manager Michael Gootpartnered to open Ormsby’s onHowell Mill Road in 2010, gamebars were a rarity and the West-side had just begun to boom.
But four years on, the mix of up-dated pub grub, serious craft beerand classic fun and games is a con-vivial crowd-pleaser. Situated in adownstairs space with the sub-ro-sa aura of a speakeasy, Ormsby’sbuzzes like a neighborhood hang-out that’s been around forever.
“We decided to make the whole
Buckhead’s The Painted Pin onMiami Circle
features 20 bowling lanes with Table Tap PYOB
(pour your own beer) stations. »
Above, Alex Walker sends his shuckle (or puck) down the shuffleboard as Kiley Mayerwaits to take her turn during a spirited night of play at Ormsby’s.
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 73
place about games and meeting peo-ple and bringing socializing back intothe bar,” Goot says. “We put in a pin-ball machine, shuffleboard tables, bil-liard tables, dart lanes and two indoorbocce ball courts.”
On the food side, the menu featuresplayful takes on bar food favorites,including an assortment of house-made sausage, plus such snacks as hotboiled peanuts. The drink menu in-cludes a serious whiskey list.
“We want to be a neighborhoodpub, but up the ante a bit,” Goot says.“The indoor bocce is a signature. Wehave the Atlanta Bocce League onMonday nights all year. And we do aton of private parties. This really is aperfect place for all kinds of gather-ings. We do nearly a hundred Christ-mas parties every December.”
1170 Howell Mill Road. 404-968-2033.ormsbysatlanta.com
The Painted PinIn June 2014, Justin Amick and Wil-
liam Stallworth opened The Paint-ed Pin, an upscale bar and bowlingconcept in a renovated warehouse inBuckhead’s Miami Circle.
Amick, the son of Concentrics Res-taurants’ Bob Amick, is an advanced
sommelier who has been part of theAtlanta hospitality scene for years. Buthis first independent venture drawson his love of sports, including playingbasketball at Tulane.
“As a teenager, I would always gobowling with my friends on Fridaysand Saturdays, and I definitely wentto arcades,” Amick says. “At the Paint-ed Pin, we wanted to create a dynam-ic, unique entertainment option thatwould appeal to 30-, 40-, 50-yearolds.”
A far cry from the usual bowling al-ley or arcade, the Modern English de-cor at The Painted Pin recalls a privateclub. There are 20 lanes equippedwith Table Tap PYOB (pour your ownbeer) stations, plus shuffleboard ta-bles, two full-size bocce courts, bas-ketball hoops and a table tennis room.
The menu, billed as “upscale alley”fare, features wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and an extensive classiccocktail list, along with wine and beerselected by Amick.
“Our business is really focused oncorporate clientele during the weekand a heavy bar crowd on the week-end,” he says “We aren’t unique as anupscale bar-bowling hybrid. We areunique in that we bring a lot of restau-
Basketball at The Painted Pin has multi-ple “pop a shot” options for customers toplay head to head. The upscale bar, whichserves beer on tap at the bowling lanes,targets 30-, 40- and 50-year-olds.
Patrons gather around Ormsby’s shuffle-
board table downstairs. Ormsby’s opened
in 2010,when game bars were a rarity.
do || winter games
»
74 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
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Joystick GamebarOwners Johnny Martinez and Bran-
don Ley opened Joystick Gamebar inburgeoning Edgewood a little over twoyears ago. The duo keeps 15 retro ar-cade games and a pair of pinball ma-chines operating in a hip dive bar set-ting with a bit of pixilated whimsy.
On any given night, you might finda crowd hanging out at the bar drink-ing beer and eating tacos, while smallgroups gather on couches in the ad-joining parlor to play Jenga and old-school board games like Clue. But it’sthe boxy presence and cartoonishsounds of “Donkey Kong,” “Galaga”and “Ms. Pac-Man” that set the scene.
“I grew up on these games,” saysMartinez, who was once a comput-er trainer in the corporate world. “Iwould spend hours at the Gold Minearcade at Southlake Mall. I remember
the first time I played ‘Pong,’ I thoughtit was amazing. My favorite now is‘Mortal Kombat.’”
Martinez and Ley say they strived tocreate the kind of bar they would fre-quent, mixing comfort and nostalgiawith a contemporary craft beer andcocktail program and chef pop-ups.
“We wanted a place that was casualand social,” says Ley, who comes froma bar and restaurant background.“The games add an element of fun.Anyone can play and everyone lovesthem. And it’s a great date spot.”
427 Edgewood Ave. 404-525-3002.joystickgamebar.com
Abbey Phillips andMatt Ogles chat
between rounds at the vintage skee
ball game at Ormsby’s tavern.
do || winter games
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Game-XGame-X opened in Downtown Atlan-
ta’s Luckie Marietta District in April of2013, taking over a two-level, 12,000-square-foot space across from theGeorgia Aquarium, with views of Cen-tennial Olympic Park.
The $4 million “barcade” from Leg-acy Restaurant Partners, which al-so operates such nearby destinationsas STATS and Der Biergarten, easilyfits with Downtown’s busy tourist andconvention scene, and features some75 mostly state-of-the-art games.
“We wanted to build somethingdowntown that would attract the mil-lennials, the young professionals, thefamilies and the conventions,” saysLegacy managing partner Brian Bull-ock. “We have two private rooms, apretty robust beer and cocktail selec-tion and good fast-casual food.”
Downstairs on the busy game floor,find NBA-regulation “Nothin’ But Net,”a 10-foot-high Connect 4 board, and full-sized versions of smartphone gamessuch as “Fruit Ninja” and “Temple
Run.” An upstairs lounge includes a sec-ond bar where the scene isn’t so crazy,and you can shoot a game of billiards.
“Wemostly went for the high-techgames,” Bullock says. “We have a fewgames that were literally some of thefirst in the country. One called ‘DarkEscape 4-D’ has vibrating seats and aheart-rate monitor. Another called ‘Pac-Man Smash’ is a four-person air hockeygame.We want to keep it fresh, keep itreally up-to-date and cutting-edge.”
275 Baker St. 404-525-0728.mgamexatl.com■
The Painted Pin’s private ping-pong room fea-tures two full-sized tables. The business fo-cuses on corporate clients during the weekand a heavy bar crowd on the weekend.
SOUTHERN MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR AND LOCOMOTIVE HISTORYDuring the Civil War, a group of Union spies illustrated the importance of railroadswhen they stole a locomotive behind enemy lines. Learn their story at The SouthernMuseum of Civil War and Locomotive History in downtown Kennesaw:
• See the General, the actual locomotive Union spies stole in 1862, and aMedal of Honor awarded for the daring adventure
• Learn about the South’s last locomotive builder and its role in developing thepost-bellum South
• Join the Museum as its action-packed 2015 calendar of events kicks off withthe popular “Trains, Trains, Trains” on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015
Exit 273 on Interstate 75 in downtown KennesawThe SouthernMuseum is a Smithsonian Institute affiliateSouthernMuseum.org
Story by A. SCOTT WALTONPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN
We live in an era ofmultitasking, butjuggling too manyexpectations athome, work and in
social circles takes its toll on themind, body and spirit.
Fortunately, learning to literallyjuggle inanimate objects — like balls,rings or even burning stakes — canhelp soothe your stress. “Jugglingtakes your mind off things,” says An-dy “Drew Bob” Ford, a 58-year-oldcarpenter and longtime president ofthe Atlanta Jugglers Association.
The club gathers on Tuesday andThursday evenings at the Little FivePoints Community Center and prac-tices on the lawn whenever theweather allows.
“It can lead to a kind of obsessive-compulsive behavior, but in a goodway,” says Ford, who considers him-self slacking if he doesn’t juggle forat least an hour per day.
Ford found his favorite pastime30 years ago while watching a rerunof “The Mickey Mouse Club,” featur-ing that frisky Annette Funicello headored as a child. Then, a side actcaptured his attention.
“There was a guy juggling whileriding a unicycle, and I decided Icould do that,” Ford says.
Balancing actsdo || juggl ing l i f e
TheAtlanta JugglersAssociation casts noshadowsonGroundhogDaywith its quick-fingered annual festival
StoneMountain’s Bruce Plott is a regu-lar at the Atlanta Jugglers Association’stwice-weekly practice sessions at the Lit-tle Five Points Community Center.
»
These days, Ford juggles to pre-serve his health, peace of mind andsocial attachments. “I keep readingabout how older people tend to fallbecause they’ve lost their sense ofbalance, and it gets worse over time,”he says. “I’m fighting that age thing.Juggling and riding my unicycle helpsthat. I’ve heard lots of people say, ‘Icould never learn to do that.’ But ifyour eyes and arms work, trust me,you can learn to juggle.”
The Atlanta Jugglers Associationobserves a Groundhog Day traditionthat dates back even further than Gen-eral Beauregard Lee’s annual appear-
“I’m fighting that age thing. Juggling and riding my unicyclehelps that. I’ve heard lots of people say, ‘I could never learnto do that.’ But if your eyes and arms work, trust me, you canlearn to juggle.” —ANDY “DREWBOB”FORD
Above, the Atlanta Jugglers Association participates in the Little Five Points Halloween Parade every year. Below left,wooden tops can be popularjuggling items along with balls and hoops. Below right, Andy “Drew Bob” Ford practices on the Little Five Points Community Center’s top floor.
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 79
ances at Lilburn’s Yellow River GameRanch to signal the approach of spring.
In 1978, the AJA first presented itsannual Jugglers Festival, which overthe years has cultivated interest andattracted participants from Atlanta’ssuburbs and beyond.
“We typically draw close to 200 jug-glers,” Ford says. “The competitionroom brings in 500 or 600 people, butwe don’t charge the audience so it’shard to keep an accurate count.”
From Feb. 6-8, the 2015 Jugglers Fes-tival will be held at the Yaarab ShrineCenter in the Poncey-Highland. The fes-tival’s top competitive prize for jugglersis the PHIL Trophy, named for the 115-year-old national Groundhog Day icon,Pennsylvania’s “Punxsutawney Phil.”
“We picked the date because itdoesn’t interfere with any of the othermajor holidays,” says Ford.
Included among the AJA’s festival ac-
tivities are supervised practice sessions,demonstrations, workshops and assort-ed skill-testing games. Most are free andopen to the public, but entrants in com-petitions may be required to pay smallfees to cover the cost of trophies.
Juggling’s historic origins have beenlost — perhaps it began after man dis-covered fire and first tried to handle hotcoals. North America’s earliest recordedforms of juggling for entertainment dateback to the early 1600s, when settlers inthe Puritan “NewWorld” were allowedprecious few diversions other than thesimple tricks, acrobatics and dramaticperformances that laid the groundworkfor vaudeville.
Four centuries later, clinical re-searchers at centers like Johns Hopkinsare amassing evidence that juggling en-hances locomotive skills related to walk-ing and running, stimulates brain andcardiovascular function, improves mus-cle memory, raises concentration levelsand reduces anxiety.
“To learn juggling, you have to wantto learn and practice, that’s all,” says
A carpenter by trade,Atlanta Jugglers As-sociation president Andy “Drew Bob” Fordrides a unicycle in the Halloween Parade.
do || juggl ing l i f e
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Joyce Howard, a grandmother andgraphic designer who manages the AJAwebsite and appreciates how jugglingstimulates her mind. “I love the jug-gling community,” Howard adds. “Youcan start without any cost. All you re-ally need is some old tennis balls.”
As juggling arts have evolved, theforms they take have multiplied. Be-ginners should consider starting withthe simplest ball or ring styles of jug-gling. Then they can try their hand atmore demanding styles such as CigarBox (tossing and stacking), Devilsticks(using a central baton to balance multi-
ple other batons) and Diablo (twistingand tossing an hourglass-shaped objectwith two sticks attached by string.)
Semi-pro juggler Ron Anglin, a re-tired teacher and U.S. Army helicopterpilot, says he became a self-taught jug-gler 42 years ago after seeing a circustroupe perform at Callaway Gardens.
“I rolled up socks to juggle with af-ter my mom forbid the baseballs,”says Anglin, who performs at localschools, churches, hospitals and cor-porate events.
He puts aspiring jugglers at easewith a gravity-defying technique.
“I use nylon scarves to slow the pat-tern downwhen I teach kids,” he says,while adding that all the juggling videosavailable on social media speed up thelearning process for beginners.
Enthusiasts like to cite an old ad-age: “The key to juggling is understand-ing which balls are made of rubber, andwhich ones are made of glass.”
That’s one way to keep life’s priori-ties in proper perspective.
Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival.Feb. 6-8. Yaarab Shrine Center, 400Ponce de Leon Ave. www.facebook.com/groups/atlantajugglers■
Caroline Creed and Andy “Drew Bob” Ford practice with pins until about 9 p.m.,when the jugglers visit Savage Pizza or theWrecking Bar Brewpub.
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home || inter ior makeover
The winter months giveus an excuse to staynestled indoors, whichallows for more time to
reflect on our dwellings. Is it co-zy enough? Does it representour taste and fit our needs? A lit-tle makeover may be necessary –but where to begin?We asked Buckhead-based de-
signer Suzanne Kasler how to re-juvenate our homes. The high-end residential expert might bebest known for her furniture linewith Hickory Chair, her lightingdesigns with Visual Comfort andher collections with Ballard De-
signs, which includes beddingand wall decor.Kasler has also shared her ex-
pertise in her two books, “In-spired Interiors” and “TimelessStyle,” and is featured on the2014 AD 100 List, ArchitecturalDigest’s tally of 100 pre-eminentarchitects and designers.Kasler offered Living Intown
insight into her business, shareddesign trends and divulged someof her favorite spots in Atlantato find that perfect decorativepiece. With her help, our homesmay be refreshed before it’s timefor spring cleaning.
Design for living
Designer Suzanne Kasler movedto Atlanta 18 years ago and cur-rently lives in Buckhead.Photo by PAMELA MOUGIN
Story by KERI JANTON
82 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Living Intown: In addition toyour residential design work,you have design collections forsix different companies. Is thiswhat you set out to do, or didyour dream evolve?
Suzanne Kasler: I had a visionthat came to be realized. I love mycollections and I also, of course,have a passion for residential de-sign, so I try to keep a balance ofall my projects. When you work onproducts you start thinking abouthow things are made and howthings are used. I think this keepsmy work relevant and fresh.
You attended the Universi-ty of Cincinnati’s College ofDesign, Art, Architecture andPlanning. What brought youto Atlanta and what made youdecide to stay here?
I’m originally from Indianap-olis and my husband, John, andI moved here about 18 years agofor his job.
The thing about Atlanta that’sso amazing is the love of homesand the love of design. In theSouth we see people nesting andwanting their homes to reflectthemselves. Others look to theSouth because that focus has al-ways been there — on the home,on entertaining and what theylove. Atlanta is one of the bestplaces, with fabulous architectsand beautiful homes, new andold. I kind of started over whenI moved here. We still have fam-ily in Indianapolis, but I wouldnever move back. Right now, es-pecially, is just such an excitingtime in the city. We had a qui-et few years, but now everyoneis coming back and we’re see-ing lots of new things in antiqueshops and showrooms. It’s agreat place to be for designers.
How did the ball get rollingfor your design collections?
My home was published in ElleDécor, which was probably oneof the biggest events in my ca-reer. After that I decided I want-ed to do a furniture collection.I realized it was hard to find thesame item I liked over and over.
Left, this dining room features Su-zanne Kasler’s Choate dining tablefor Hickory Chair and the Amsterdamchairs,mixing dark and light woods.Photo by ERICA GEORGE DINES, courtesy of
Suzanne Kasler: Timeless Style, Rizzoli USA
Clockwise from top left: Kasler hung antiqueminiatures above her Laurent dining chair.Kasler chose a hand-painted French credenza for this kitchen. In this entryway, the benchechoes themirror and the rim on the table. Kasler used an Asheworth campaign desk inthismaster bath. Photos by ERICA GEORGEDINES; courtesy of Suzanne Kasler: Timeless Style,Rizzoli USA
»
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 83
So I researched and found an agent inLA, and wemade a strategic plan. Wemade a list of all the things I wantedto do. It began with Hickory Chair andgrew from there. I love working withpartners. I think it keeps me fresh, rele-vant and adds an exciting dimension tomywork. And now other companies seethat bringing in a designer for small col-lections can really make a difference.
What are your favorite shops inAtlanta to find great pieces for thehome?
There are many, but I love Bun-galow Classic, BD Jeffries and ErikaReade. I also love Huff Harrington andMrs. Howard, and I find great antiquesat Parc Monceau and William Word.
What part of Atlanta do you livein?
We moved to Buckhead six-and-a-half years ago. We renovated an olderhouse and it’s been a great canvas forme to edit all of my design ideas andmy collections from travelling with myhusband and daughter.
How often do you change the de-
cor in your home?People think designers change it
up all the time, but once I get it doneI don’t really change it. Our homewas featured in Architectural Digest,which, as a designer, is one of the mostexciting things ever. So now I focus myenergy on my clients instead of redoingmy house. I add pieces from travel andsuch, but otherwise I like it as it is.
What trends are big in home dec-orating right now?
I’m noticing a more edited lookwhere homes aren’t over-decorated.I’m also seeing a mix of high and lowpieces. People want the flexibility tochange. Houses change as kids growand pets are added, so I see that peo-ple want a fresher, edited house, oftenwith a neutral background, that allowsfor added pieces, say from a trip — likea new painting or a beaded throw fromMorocco. A house holds the memoriesof things that happen in your life.
Another trend I’m seeing is that peo-ple are focusing more on mudrooms,closets and laundry rooms. Once you
get those back-of-the-house roomsfunctioning, the rest of the house feelssimpler and not so overdone.
Do you predict any style trendsfor 2015?
There’s so much interest in and ex-posure to design that allows peo-ple to be more confident to do whatthey want to accomplish. A house to-day does not have to be as tradition-ally defined, and I think the focus forpeople is going to be more about howthey’re going to live in the house anduse it. For example, the home officehas always been an important space,but now incorporating that office in-to part of the main room is becomingbig. People want to be connected, andwith the freedom of laptops, that con-cept is easier to create.
What do you think is essentialfor a well-designed room?
I always try to look at architecturefirst. I look to make windows biggerand I often paint the walls, trim andceiling the same color to make an ar-chitectural envelope. An architectural
home || inter ior makeover
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focus requires less decorating.What the best way to refresh
your home?One thing that’s great is to get new
pillows and lamps. It’s amazing howthey can change a room. Items likethose get dated quicker than anything.Also, a new throw, fresh flowers — es-pecially after holidays when you’vehad so much going on in the house —that’s a great way to refresh. These aregreat ways to update your house, es-pecially if you have a neutral back-ground, without a big expense.
What are your New Year’s reso-lutions?
I think editing is the big one, in myhome and with the homes I design. Iwant to organize and pare down. A lotof times I’ll group my collections inone place, like all my picture frames,and I’m always coming in and lookingat things in a fresh way. By simplifyingmy space, it makes that new, specialpiece — say a pillow or a piece of art —make more of a statement.
What’s the best way to display
personal photos in the home?I like photos, but I prefer to mass
them in one place. It looks much morespecial and not so cluttered ratherthan having them everywhere. I liketo group them on a library table or ashelf on a bookcase and I usually mixin other pieces or objects.
What is the most treasured piece
in your home?I have a beautiful Picasso lithograph
on cardboard in my living room withmy collection of miniature portraits.As a designer, you have so much thatit’s hard to pick a favorite. I’d say thatthe memory of where you were whenyou found an item, and how it contrib-utes to the composition of what you’reputting together, can make pieces feelextra special.
Suzanne Kasler. 425 PeachtreeHills Ave., No. 21B. 404-355-1035.www.suzannekasler.com■
Suzanne Kasler translated her classic yetmodern design aesthetic into a fabric col-lection for Lee Jofa, which made its debutin 2011. Photo courtesy of Lee Jofa
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Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 85
ins ider ’s guide || chamblee
tracksOFTHERight sideOft-overlookedhistoric city remainsat a junctionofdifferent communities
Above, a sunburst painting decorates the exterior of Plaza Fiesta. Right, on a busySunday, visitors crowd the Latino-themedmall, which features more than 140small vendors as well as larger anchor tenants. Photos by JASON GETZ
Story by CURT HOLMANPhotos by JASON GETZ and JENNI GIRTMAN
The shopping center near the intersection of Buford Highwayand Clairmont Road has long struck me as a sign of Chamblee’schanging times. It opened in 1968 as Buford Clairmont Mall,and as a kid in the 1970s, I saw movies at the 12 Oaks Theatre,named — like the still-running Tara Cinema a few miles away —for an estate in “Gone With the Wind.”
The area’s demographics shifted so much over the ensuing years, includ-ing an influx of Asian immigrants, that by 1996, it took the name “OrientalMall” and had an arch over the parking lot’s Buford Highway entrance thatread “Thuong Xa Viet Nam.” After extensive renovation in 2000, the mallofficially became “Plaza Fiesta” — a major shopping and social destinationfor Chamblee’s Latino community.
I live in Chamblee, but you could also say I married into it. My wife grewup there, and mymother-in-law still lives in Keswick Park, giving me a first-hand familiarity with Chamblee’s comfortable, well-kept residential neigh-borhoods. Despite the city’s transformations, it remains a place to find afford-able housingwithout going outside the perimeter, and featuresmodestWWII-era bungalows, 1960s ranches and bigger new homes, at times squeezed ontomodest lots. Chambleemay not offer many cosmopolitan diversions, but it’sconvenient to Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza and Oglethorpe University. »
86 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
Above, banjo player Mike Soucie of the bluegrass band FacingSouth waits to perform at Taste of Chamblee. Below,Southboundrestaurant offers an upscale take on Southern cuisine near Cham-blee’s historic business district. Photos by JENNI GIRTMAN
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 87
ins ider ’s guide || chamblee
It’s also been expanding and improv-ing in recent years, and I know resi-dents of unincorporated DeKalb Coun-ty who joined the city with the 2013 ref-erendum. Now they rejoice in great-er police presence and street sweep-ers that rid their curbs of pine needles.Chamblee increasingly qualifies as oneof the Atlanta area’s best-kept secretsas a place to put down roots.
HISTORYLike Atlanta itself, Chamblee
formed due to railroads. A small com-munity gathered at the intersection ofwhat is now the Norfolk Southern Rail-road and Roswell Railroad, and hadthe name of “Roswell Junction.” His-torians trace the origins of the currentname to U.S. Postal Service concernsthat Roswell Junction sounded toomuch like the nearby City of Roswell,
and randomly chose “Chamblee” fromsuggestions of petitioners. The citycharter was issued in 1908.
For years, Chamblee was largely aplace of dairy farms and rolling pas-tures, but in 1917, 2 square miles wereconverted to Camp Gordon to pre-pare for the U.S. entry to WWI. Thecamp accommodated 40,000 mili-tary personnel (and reportedly morethan 7,000 horses and mules), lead-ing to a building boom in surround-ing businesses. The camp closed afterthe Great War, but reopened in 1941 as
Amember of the band Conjunto Rio Verdepasses out noisemakers at Plaza Fiesta,which features frequent events as well asshopping and dining. Photo by JASON GETZ
Above, left and right, the family-friendly Huntley Hills neighborhood offers affordable homes inside the I-285 perimeter. Photos by JASON GETZ
88 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
a naval air station and flight trainingcenter. The site also housed LawsonVeterans Hospital, where Harold Rus-sell, who would go on to win the BestSupporting Actor Oscar for “The BestYears of Our Lives,” learned to use hisprosthetic hooks.
After World War II, the area was de-fined by manufacturing growth, fea-turing large facilities for Frito-Lay, Ko-dak and General Electric, as well asthe General Motors plant in neighbor-ing Doraville. The central thorough-fare was not named “Peachtree-Indus-trial Boulevard” for nothing. Whenthe plants began to close in the 1980s,blue-collar workers sought work else-
where, but immigrants moving intothe area helped support the economy.In his 1998 Atlanta-set novel “A Manin Full,” TomWolfe named a chapter
“Chambodia” after a nickname for thearea’s Asian influx.
Chamblee’s recent expansion in-cludes the addition of the HuntleyHills neighborhood in 2010 and theeight neighborhoods along the easternend of Dresden Drive with the 2013referendum.
The annual Taste of Chamblee festivalshowcases the wares of numerous localvendors. Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
»
insider TIP » Going underPeachtree-Industrial, the Chamblee RailTrail links the Chamblee MARTA Stationto Keswick Park and offers a convenientroute from the ball fields to nearby foodjoints like Pig-n-Chik BBQ. The paved trailalso offers an escape route for peoplewho want to attend the park’s Fourth of Ju-ly fireworks and avoid the traffic afterward.
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COMMUNITYBefore the additions, the 2010 U.S. Census found that
Chamblee had a population of more than 15,000, with19.4 percent under 18 years old and 4.9 percent 65 andover. The population is 58.5 percent Hispanic or Latino,18.9 percent Caucasian, 8 percent Asian and 7 percentAfrican-American. From 2007-11, the median householdincome was $54,819 and the estimated median house orcondo value was $236,907.
South of Dunwoody, I-285 forms Chamblee’s North-ern border. Doraville bounds Chamblee to the east andBrookhaven to the west, with Chamblee-DunwoodyRoad forming a northeastern border. With the 2013 an-nexation, Chamblee extends south in a wedge betweenClairmont Road and I-85 until they meet.
Chamblee has been gradually gentrifying, with twonew developments promising significant additions. InNovember 2014, Chamblee officials and representativesof Cocke Finkelstein property management firm brokeground on a 283-unit mixed-use development calledThe Olmstead near the Chamblee MARTA station, in-tended as “gateway” to the city’s historic downtown.In addition, Trinity Development Group is reviving
ins ider ’s guide || chamblee
Above, every fall the Taste of Chamblee features entries from20-30 local restaurants. Above right, a signpost points the wayto the festival’s activities. Photos by JENNI GIRTMAN770.952.8300 • 800.326.4971
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167,000-square-foot Chamblee Plaza as a new shoppingcenter to be called “The Blee on Peachtree.”
HIGHLIGHTSAntique Row
The corner of Peachtree Road and Broad Street, homeof Rust N’ Dust Antiques, looks scarcely changed over thedecades, and Chamblee’s Antique Row lends the city’shistoric business district its quaint, small-town feel. TheChamblee Antique Dealers Association reports havingmore than 200 members, and you could devote days tobrowsing the row for castoffs and collectibles. Biggar An-tiques particularly deserves attention for its kitschy sig-nage and statuary. With Atlanta being a popular locationfor film and television production, Chamblee’s AntiqueRow has become a go-to source of period props.
5486 Peachtree Road. 770-458-1614. antiquerow.com
insider TIP » A few blocks fromChamblee’s An-tique Row, the Frosty Caboose serves ice cream from a refur-bished train car and offers a convenient spot for a cold treatwhile watching the passing choo-choos.
Plaza FiestaWith more than 140 small vendors as well as larg-
er anchor tenants, Plaza Fiesta offers a dizzying arrayof choices beyond quinceañera dresses, western wear »
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and unusual piñatas. Parts of the plazahave been remodeled to evoke a Mex-ican village, while the familiar mallfootprint has been altered to supporta flea market-like network of smallshops and food counters. During spe-cial events like Mexican IndependenceDay, Plaza Fiesta practically overflowswith visitors, but even on quiet week-days it feels abuzz with activity, thesweet scent of baked churros fillingthe air.
4166 Buford Highway. 404-982-9138.www.plazafiesta.net
Peachtree DeKalb AirportNicknamed “PDK,” this hub of light
aircraft occupies the former site ofCamp Gordon and makes an inter-esting place to visit even if you don’thave a pilot’s license. The “Doc” Man-get Memorial Aviation Park featuresa playground for kids, picnic tablesunder a Quonset hut and a concreteviewing platform for watching theplanes take off and land, which can of-fer a soothing getaway during a busyday’s lunch hour. You can also en-
joy some planespotting over drinks atPDK’s Downwind Lounge or the near-by 57th Fighter Group restaurant. PDKhas held neighborhood appreciation
airshows in spring, but the one for2015 has not yet been scheduled.
2000 Airport Road. 770-936-5440.www.pdkairport.org
The swingset at Peachtree DeKalb Airport’s playground gives 2-year-old Ethan Post a primespot to view small aircraft taxi down the runway. Photo by JASON GETZ
ins ider ’s guide || chamblee
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FOODAND DRINKCo’m Vietnamese Grill
Buford Highway seems to havecountless pho houses, but this sim-ple, elegant restaurant offers easily thearea’s best Vietnamese cuisine. Basilspring rolls and cool vermicelli noodlesprovide refreshing dishes during hotweather, but are delicious year round.
4005 Buford Highway. 404-320-0405. www.comgrillrestaurant.com
PurnimaOn the occasions when I’ve got to
have some goat curry, I favor this Ban-gladeshi eatery at the corner of theVietnamese Center strip mall. Thesmall dining room provides mealswith big, spicy flavors, including Purn-ima’s rich, signature butter chick-en, fragrant curry dishes, the cool butkicky hari chutney and the samosa-like shingara pastries.
4646 Buford Highway. 770-609-8587.www.purnimabangladeshi.com
SouthboundAs Chamblee’s historic business dis-
trict grows increasingly spiffy, new-comer Southbound may be its bestdestination restaurant to date. Underexecutive chef Ryan Smith, the lav-ishly restored yet homey restaurant
serves a tasty take on New South cui-sine, including fried green tomatoes,Nashville-style hot chicken and fanci-er versions of traditional fare.
5394 Peachtree Road. 678-580-5579.www.southboundatlanta.com■
insider TIP » Galla’s Pizza onPeachtree Road hasmy favorite crust ofany pie in Atlanta, lightly crisped and chewywhile still being firm enough that the slicedoesn’t flop around when you pick it up.
Southbound restaurant, situated in a ren-ovated Masonic Lodge, features polishedAmish apple butter pots wired to illuminatethe bar. Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
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Atlantans are notorious for being fans of the newestand latest, especially regarding their buildings. May-be the rebuilding days after the Civil War cultivated amindset that prefers razing to rehabbing. Fortunate-
ly, a number of original structures still stand, though — likePonce City Market — they’re not used for their original pur-pose. Living Intown looks at the history behind 10 local land-marks that have found new lives as adapted buildings.
3. Margaret Mitchell HouseThe author of “Gone with the Wind” disparagingly called
it “the Dump.” But Margaret Mitchell was referring specifi-cally to the cramped basement apartment she and her hus-band shared. In 1899, the three-story Tudor at 10th andPeachtree streets was an elegant single-family home. In 1919it was carved into apartments, and it stayed that way un-til it closed in 1978. Seven years later, residents launched aneffort to save and restore the structure, named a city land-mark in 1989. Before the work was completed, the houseburned twice, but it finally opened in 1997. Only Mitchell’sapartment has been restored as living quarters. The rest ofthe building displays a wealth of memorabilia about the au-thor and her award-winning work.
990 Peachtree St. 404.249.7015.www.atlantahistorycenter.com/mmh
Courtesy of Atlanta Preservation Center
(above) and VINOWONG (right)
bui lding tour || rediscover at lanta
Story by H.M. CAULEYMap by ELIZABETH LANDT
1. White Provision Co.The railroad helped shape the history of this 1910 brick build-
ing (right) erected byWilliamWhite Jr. on theWestside. Its po-sition on the Southern Railway line provided themeans for dis-tributing goods produced in the area, particularly the city’s firstmeat packing plant and the nearby Miller Union Stockyards. Thebuilding fell into disrepair in the 1960s as businesses left the ar-ea. It briefly housed a U-Haul center, then the loft craze of the1990s turnedmuch of the building into residences, with retailand dining venues arriving in the past decade. The restaurantAbattoir takes its name from the structure’s original purpose.
1100Howell Mill Road. 404-853-5379. www.westsidepd.com
2. The BiltmoreIn 1924, the city’s elite min-
gled with visiting celebritiesat this 11-story hotel designedby architect Philip Schutze.Two soaring radio masts onthe roof were adorned withlighted letters that spelledout the building’s name andserved as landmarks. It be-came the Sheraton-Biltmorein 1967, but was sold twice af-ter that — first to an invest-ment firm and then to a com-pany that operated the Bilt-more Suites Hotel. Despitebeing named to the Nation-al Register in 1980, it closedtwo years later. After almost20 years of neglect, the prop-erty was transformed intoa mix of offices, shops, spe-cial event spaces and condo-miniums in 1999. The mar-ble floors, Palladian windowsand plaster relief ceilingswere all retained.
817 W. Peachtree St.www.biltmorehouse.org
Newlives forlocal landmarks
Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
94 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
5. StudioplexLong before the artists arrived, this building in the Old
Fourth Ward neighborhood was a hub of activity. In 1905,it opened as the Southeastern Cotton Warehouse and is be-lieved to be the oldest concrete building in the city. After anextensive renovation in 1999, the complex became a mixed-use center of residences, businesses, artists’ studios and gal-leries, as well as the restaurant Serpas. Its free First Fridayartwalks also make it a popular destination.
659 Auburn Ave. 678-408-2437. www.studioplexlofts.com
6. Bass LoftsIn the 1920s, this three-story brick building was the lo-
cal junior high for the surrounding neighborhoods. In 1947,it became a high school and remained so until it closed in1990. The structure was repurposed in 1998 as loft apart-ments, many of which retain original elements such as over-sized windows and blackboards. A year after opening, it washonored with a Georgia Trust Preservation Award.
1080 Euclid Ave. 866-791-0887. www.basslofts.com
Photo by CHRISTOPHER OQUENDO Courtesy of Atlanta Preservation Center
»
4. Ivy HallThe elegant Queen Anne-Vic-
torian house (not pictured) withits intricate latticework porch-es, provides an eye-catching anchorat Ponce de Leon and Piedmont ave-nues. Its exterior looks much as it didin 1883 when the Edward Peters fami-ly moved in and dubbed it Ivy Hall. Thehouse stayed in the family until 1970 when itwas turned into a popular destination restau-rant, The Mansion. When it closed in the mid-1990s, the property fell into disrepair. The Sa-vannah College of Art and Design Atlanta savedthe property in 2007 and embarked on a metic-ulous renovation, honored with a Georgia TrustPreservation Award for Excellence in Restoration.Now the school’s writing center, the house was list-ed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
179 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-253-3466.www.scad.edu/life/buildings-and-facilities/ivy-hall
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 95
8. H. Harper StationThe platform and loading dock that were part of this Reyn-
oldstown train depot evoke the days when railroads were At-lanta’s chief transportation option. Built in the late 1920s,the building stood on the edge of the Atlanta BeltLine Rail-road, a spur of the Atlanta and West Point line. The freightdepot supported the shipping needs of area industries, butclosed in the 1950s when the companies moved. After an ex-tensive renovation in 2010, the depot reopened as H. Harp-er Station, a casual eatery named for owner Jerry Slater’sgrandfather Harold Harper, a veteran railroad engineer.
904 Memorial Drive. 678-732-0415.www.hharperstation.com
9. Fulton Cotton Mill LoftsIn 1881, the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills opened for busi-
ness in the Cabbagetown community. The enterprise, housedin a warren of red-brick structures, turned out cotton and pa-per bags, and in its heyday employed about 200 people, in-cluding children. By the 1970s, demand for themills’ prod-ucts evaporated, and operations ended in 1978. In 1997, thebuildings were refurbished into loft apartments. In the early2000s, some of the rentals were converted to condos and re-named The Stacks in honor of the mills’ surviving smokestacks.In 2008, a tornado tore through downtown, tearing off TheStacks’ roof and collapsing several floors. No one was injured.
170 Boulevard. 404-522-5638, www.livefultoncottonmill.com
10. Augustine’sBy 1952, the traffic along Memorial Drive had grown enough
to support a gas station. The Standard Oil Station had a one-sto-ry structure, featuring two work bays with glass garage doorsand amain office shaded by aluminum awnings. The area’s de-cline led to the closing of the station, until it was repurposedin themid-2000s as The Standard restaurant. After a bartend-er was shot and killed in 2009, the owners moved on; one yearlater, it reopened as another eatery, Augustine’s. The conve-nient location and cool neighborhood vibe havemade it a drawfor residents of Grant Park and surrounding communities.
327 Memorial Drive. 404-681-3344.www.augustinesatlanta.com■
7. Wrecking Bar BrewpubThis distinctive Inman Park structure, with its rounded
front porch and white columns, was built in 1900 for the Krieg-shaber family, who lived there until 1925. It became proper-ty of a Methodist church andmorphed into a dance studio in1940. By 1970, the building was slated for demolition but wassaved by a local preservationist who turned it intoWreckingBar Architectural Antiques, a repository for crystal doorknobsand carved Victorian fireplace mantels. When the store closedin 2005, the property fell into disrepair but was reclaimed fiveyears later and transformed into a brewpub and events facility.
292Moreland Ave. 404-221-2600.www.wreckingbarbrewpub.com
bui lding tour || rediscover at lanta
Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
Courtesy of Atlanta Preservation Center
Photo by JENNI GIRTMAN
96 LIVING INTOWN ! Jan. - Feb. 2015
where in at lanta am i?
EACH ISSUE OF LIVING INTOWNwraps upby taking a look at some of the quirky localesthat shape Atlanta’s character andmight beright under your nose. Some readers have
evenmade party games out of it, testing theirknowledge of the city’s little details and
lesser-known places.
Can you identify them all? We’ll reveal thelocations in the next issue, but if you can’t
wait that long to find out, email us [email protected].
Photos by JENNI GIRTMAN
1. A sign reading “THIS USED TO BE AFOREST” stands on Moreland Avenue inEast Atlanta between Big AJ’s shoppingstrip and a private residence.
2. Graffiti adorns the north side ofHodgepodge Coffeehouse and Galleryat 720 Moreland Ave.
Answers to “Where in Atlanta am I?” from page 113 of the previous issue:
3. The Art of the Atlanta BeltLine’sannual Lantern Parade featured morethan 20,000 attendees at the Eastsidetrail on Sept. 6, 2014.
Jan. - Feb. 2015 ! LIVING INTOWN 97
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