Editorial
Collin Kelley
Executive Editor
Beth McKibben
Editor-in-Chief
Sr. Editor Food & Dining
Cathy Cobbs
Managing Editor, Reporter Newspapers
Sammie Purcell
Associate Editor
Staff Writers
Katie Burkholder, Bob Pepalis, Logan C. Ritchie, Sarra Sedghi
Contributors
Sarah Carpenter, Denise K. James, Isadora Pennington, Laura Scholz
Keith Pepper Publisher keith@roughdraftatlanta.com
Neal Maziar Chief Revenue Officer neal@roughdraftatlanta.com
Rico Figliolini Creative Director
Circulation
Suzanne
When Mayor Andre Dickens announced the return of the “Pothole Posse” – created by Mayor Shirley Franklin – in 2022, there was hope that the holes and dips that crater Atlanta’s streets would soon be fixed.
During his annual State of the City address in February, Dickens boasted that 30,000 potholes had been filled since the revival of the Posse. But what about the other 30,000?
Frankly, Atlanta’s streets are still a mess.
Many of the potholes – some covered by metal plates – are connected to the city’s unending cycle of building construction.
Midtown, especially, is filled with steering wheel-clenching, teethjarring craters and bumps.
It would take a battalion of Pothole Posses to fix the issues with Atlanta’s crumbling streets ahead of the 2026 World Cup matches, expected to bring hundreds of thousands of soccer lovers to the city.
There’s been a hole pouring water – now sorta covered by a ubiquitous plate – at the corner of West Peachtree and 6th Street for a year. At least. Other sections of West Peachtree – especially between North Avenue and 5th Street –are cratered with potholes.
At West Peachtree and 10th, the divider lines have faded away so you
never know quite which lane you’re in before you hit the rocky patches caused by the construction of 1072 West Peachtree.
Spring Street is awash in steel plates as water line repairs and replacements continue, while parts of Juniper Street look war-torn thanks to the ongoing construction of The Juniper and The Reserve towers.
And while construction is partly to blame, there are countless other welltraveled streets also pockmarked and plated awaiting repair.
Highland Avenue, next door to the former Atlanta Medical Center, is in desperate need of attention, and so are stretches of Piedmont Avenue and Courtland Street. The latter two recently got an injection of $6 million approved by the Atlanta City Council for muchneeded repairs and upgrades.
Of course, my dream is to see every Atlanta street given as much love as 5th Street, which is in the final stages of a “Complete Street” transformation. From Myrtle to the Georgia Tech campus, the street now has barrier-protected bike lanes and got a full repave in 2024. The city continues to urge residents to call 311 to alert the Atlanta Department of Transportation’s Pothole Posse. You can also claim damages to your vehicle by filling out forms on the atlantaga.gov website. From mid-2023 to mid-2024, the city paid more than $70,000 in damages from potholes.
Let’s hope the $23 million the city is investing in addressing our crumbling streets gets spent pronto!
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By Collin Kelley
The Decatur Downtown Development Authority (DDA) announced the start of an $8.5 million project to reshape Decatur Square.
First hatched in early 2022, the plan includes expanding both the size of the Square and its green space, replacing the large bandstand by the Swanton Way MARTA entrance with a performing arts stage, expanding open spaces, creating a new children’s play area, and adding permanent public restrooms.
“While the current version of Decatur Square has been a fixture in our city for nearly 30 years, the needs of our community have evolved,” said Angela Threadgill, the City of Decatur’s Assistant City Manager for Community & Economic Development.
“After extensive conversations with our residents and local business owners, it
became clear changes were necessary to support the type of programming that keeps Downtown Decatur vibrant.”
The changes are a key component of Decatur’s Town Center Plan 2.0, which was officially adopted by the City Commission in 2023 to address the changing needs of its downtown district. The project will be financed by SPLOST II funds through DeKalb County and is expected to take 10 months to complete, with the goal of a full reopening prior to the FIFA World Cup in June 2026.
“When considering this project alongside some of the other initiatives undertaken by the City – especially our small business improvement grants – we hope it sends a clear message that we aren’t resting on our laurels when it comes to making Decatur the best it can be for all stakeholders,” added Threadgill.
Access to the Square and all the
surrounding businesses will remain open to the public, with only specific portions of the Square closed during construction. As project elements are completed, access to those areas will be reopened. Though no timeline has been established, Phase 2 of the rejuvenation of Decatur Square is expected to include an outdoor pavilion, splash pad and additional seating and amenities.
For more information on the project and its impact on access to Decatur Square, visit SquareShakeUp.com.
By Collin Kelley
Nonprofit Livable Buckhead has released findings from its 2024 State of Buckhead Survey, providing a fresh look at how residents, businesses, and employees view the community now compared to previous years.
Conducted between September and November 2024, the survey builds on data collected in 2020 and 2022 to identify trends in the community.
According to executive director Denise Starling, two key findings in the survey were improved safety perceptions and a surge in concern about traffic issues.
Concerns about crime remain, but the percentage of people who feel safe in Buckhead has increased significantly since 2022, Starling said, continuing a steady improvement since 2020. This year, 48 percent of respondents report feeling “safe” or “very safe,” a notable increase from 41 percent in 2022 and 28 percent in 2020.
While crime remains the most important issue to survey respondents, it declined by 10 points since 2022 and 26 points since 2020.
“[The Atlanta Police Department] has done a fantastic job in crime reduction in Buckhead,” Starling said. “APD has much more of a presence in the community, and Simon Property Group has also done a fantastic job with increasing security at Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza.”
Starling said she believed another reason for the crime reduction is that more APD officers are now living in Buckhead and there has been an effort by leaders to combat “fearmongering” videos and false information spread on social media.
Meanwhile, traffic congestion has surged in importance, increasing by 10 points since 2022.
Starling said Buckhead’s traffic woes are
rooted in the challenge of affordable housing in the district. “Rents and home prices don’t match what people in Buckhead can afford,” Starling said.
She said a new pilot employer-assisted housing program has been implemented with some local companies offering an incentive to workers who earn $41,000 to $62,000 to live in the community where they work.
As more workers are returning to offices following the pandemic, Livable Buckhead is encouraging commuters to use MARTA and the Buc Shuttle Service. “People are returning to work, but not returning to transit,” Starling said. “That’s a problem we have to work on.”
Also on the minds of residents was more connectivity and greenspace in Buckhead. Starling said the Lenox Road boardwalk alongside the mall is well underway. The project is creating a linear park between the Lenox MARTA station and Peachtree Road.
HUB 404 – a park project that would cap a portion of GA 400 – is still in the design phase, while PATH 400 will be opening a new section of trail between Wieuca Road and Loridons Drive this summer.
For more details and to view the full survey findings, visit livablebuckhead.org.
How the last five years of Porchfest have changed the Virginia Highland neighborhood for the better
Virginia Highland Porchfest returns for its fifth year on May 17, a highly anticipated day where front porches become stages, streets turn into dance floors, and neighbors come together in a way that few events can inspire. Attendees can look forward to enjoying 100 bands performing on 60 porches, along with a diverse offering of 27 food trucks and 50 artist and maker vendors, all within an atmosphere expected to draw thousands of people to the neighborhood.
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Beyond the good vibes and great tunes, Porchfest delivers a significant and real impact. Last year’s event generated over $739,000 for the local economy and raised $90,000 to support neighborhood beautification, public safety, and marketing efforts to uplift local small businesses. It’s not just a good time, it’s an investment in the community’s long-term vitality.
This year promises to be even more vibrant, with a full day of activities planned. The festival will kick off at 10:30 AM with the Rock n Relay, a music-filled fun-run inviting solo runners and teams of up to four to take on half-mile laps around the neighborhood. At 11 AM, the Kids Corner will open at John Howell Park with boombox bounce houses, crafts, and games. Around the same time, food trucks will begin serving, the art market will open, and the first notes of live music from local youth performers will fill the air.
The peak hours of Porchfest, from 11 AM to 6 PM, will feature performances by more than 100 bands across 60 porches, with free admission. Local businesses on North Highland Avenue will join the celebration with their own festivities, including additional live music performances, food, and shopping nearby. Attendees are advised to walk, bike, or rideshare as parking will be limited. A detailed map and performance schedule will be available before the event.
Special thanks to our sponsors United Distributors, Rough Draft Atlanta, Hammers Law Firm, Atlanta United FC, You've Got Mehl, Audi Atlanta, Bubba Burger, Atlanta Falcons, Highland Mortgage, EVER.PARTY, Sweetgreen, and Contour Pilates for helping bring this community celebration to life.
Whether you’re here for the music, the memories, or the magic, Porchfest is a reminder of what makes Virginia Highland so special.
By Isadora Pennington
In East Point, the ArtsXchange Southeast Community Cultural Center is getting a green facelift. Thanks to a partnership with Shades of Green Permaculture, the quarter acre of land in front of the ArtsXchange building will soon be home to a regenerative community greenspace for artists.
During the pandemic, the land was useful for performances, concerts, and other activations. In 2023, ArtsXchange removed all the grass and big bushes that were threatening the foundation and crowding the front wall of the building. The land has since sat empty, waiting for new life. And now, thanks to the efforts and wisdom of the team at Shades of Green Permaculture, it will soon spring back to life.
I recently sat down with Alice Lovelace, Founder of ArtsXchange, and Brandy Hall, Founder and CEO of Shades of Green Permaculture, to discuss the project.
“Beauty in a community shows how much you value the community,” said Lovelace. “To create something beautiful not just for our neighbors but for anyone who encounters it, it becomes a place of peace and contemplation.”
In 2023, Charity Hamidullah was brought in to create a new mural along the front facade of the building. “Community of Cultivation” is a colorful and vibrant work that visually tells the story of plants from seed to harvest. The mural will soon be complemented by a lush garden, thanks to Shades of Green Permaculture.
“We want all of our land to be useful; to produce more than grass,” Lovelace said.
Citing the steep decline in the bug and insect population, she said that it is part of their plan to surround ArtsXchange with medicinal and edible greenery. The completed garden will not only generate useful plants, but also allow for classes to take place outside, and hopefully inspire artists and community members to consider their place within a thriving ecosystem.
“Our work is not just about stewarding the landscapes and letting them flourish in their time, but also about guiding the stewards, getting people engaged, and helping them to slow down and notice nature around them,” Hall said. Slow and steady growth
Gardens need tending, maintenance, and love. It takes a concerted effort to not only establish a garden but also keep it healthy enough to produce fruit, flowers, and food. Sustainable gardening is truly a community effort, and luckily,
at ArtsXchange there’s no shortage of community members who will take the charge to support a sustainable and productive landscape.
“It’s not a surprise, but it has been very gratifying to see that a large number of our volunteers also come to our community garden,” Lovelace said.
Another key element of sustainable permaculture is the use and incorporation of rainwater systems.
“It goes back to the idea of maintenance as love,” Hall said. In a world where we are increasingly disconnected from the cycles of life, the Shades of Green team explores what it would be like to live in a closed loop, where all refuse, waste, and water stay within a system and enrich
it, rather than being flushed away.
“Permaculture is really about integrating human activities into the ecosystem that we inhabit,” Hall said.
For years, rainwater pouring off the roof of the ArtsXchange was causing damage to the structure. Over time, the flow of water cut away at the soil surrounding the building and even the foundation itself.
In a permaculture model, it’s not as simple as rerouting the rain away from the building and into the gutter – it’s important to capitalize on the water and use it for the land and its plants. This is achieved through rain gardens that help to disperse the water into the soil. Additional rainwater collection via 300-gallon tanks
is planned for the ArtsXchange property, which will be used to water the vegetable garden and orchards.
Hall called incorporating rainwater into a garden’s plan “dancing with it through the land.”
We discussed why it is important to work with rather than fight against rainwater, especially considering that water can wear away any man-made structure, and even cut through rock over time. “Municipalities and developers are catching on, if you deal with it higher up in the watershed on their own property it’s a lot less costly than trying to deal with it when it’s at the bottom.”
Lovelace agrees with this sentiment and highlighted that there are added benefits to incorporating a natural water system into a garden’s plan. “I don’t think people understand the importance of using that rainwater,” said Lovelace, noting the adverse effects of using chlorinated tap water for gardens, lawns, and the microbiome of the soil.
“I would call it a living environment – everything in it is either alive or contributes to keeping us alive,” Lovelace continued. “What does art mimic? Art mimics nature.”
Lovelace and her team at the ArtsXchange are working to construct a holistic ecology of plants surrounding the building, and explained that the benefits to artists go beyond growing edible and medicinal, useful plants. “[It’s] a natural way of inspiring not only the arts but also those who come to enjoy the arts, and to understand where art actually comes from. Art itself derives from nature.”
This project is almost entirely community-funded, with a GoFundMe seeking $85,000 in donations to complete this ambitious greenspace plan. The rest of the projected cost, coming in at over $20,000, is from the Shades of Green Community Giveback Program.
“One key component of this is that we are really trying to push home the idea that this is not just about one landscape, and one garden, but that this is a replicable model,” Hall explained.
If organizations like ArtsXchange can commit to enriching the local ecology through greenspace projects such as this, Hall hopes that it will inspire more to take up the charge and improve conditions for communities and their ecosystems far and wide.
The partnership between ArtsXChange and Shades of Green made national news on April 21, when Lovelace and Hall appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” to discuss the project as part of a segment on Earth Day.
By Isadora Pennington
Since 1995, the Delta Flight Museum has invited visitors to experience the history of aviation through interactive exhibits and experiences.
Located in two 1940s-era maintenance hangars used for servicing Delta aircraft, the sprawling 68,000-square-foot facility was designated a Historic Aerospace Site in 2011.
Over the years, the museum has undergone several transitions, adding comforts such as air conditioning and modernization to enhance the experience for visitors. The most recent large-scale renovation kicked off in December 2024 and was completed in March, reopening to the public on April 7. Delta is the first U.S. airline to celebrate its centennial, and this renovation seeks to honor the legacy of their first 100 years.
In April, I was invited to tour the Delta Flight Museum, a welcome respite from a dreary, drizzly day outside. Clever design choices greeted me before I even walked through the front doors, starting with landing gear used in place of pillars to hold up the patio roof at the entrance.
After checking in at the front desk, visitors are guided into an immersive waiting room where a short video projection highlights some of the history and values of Delta. At the end of the clip, doors open to reveal the first exhibition space of the museum.
In the Legacy Hangar, previously known as Hangar 1, I encountered a Delta Ship 41, a 1931 Travel Air 6000 passenger aircraft, a Huff-Daland Duster biplane replica, a 1936 Stinson Reliant SE trainer craft, and a Northwest Airlines Waco 125.
Additionally, there are a number of interactive and imaginative installations spread throughout the space, including a screen where you can move your body
to digitally paint on airplanes in flight, a racing challenge using a faux riveter, and a bean bag balance game atop an aircraft replica, among other elements.
Kids loved climbing into the small plane replica and pretending to pilot a flight, as well as clambering up a towering play structure nearby. Additional features in the Legacy Hangar such as a screening room, lounge, and historic displays add to the enhanced visitor experience.
To reach the Spirit Hangar, formerly referred to as Hangar 2, visitors walk through a glass-walled display that features spinning mobiles of small-scale aircraft replicas and a blue-lit tunnel that leads toward a mounted jet engine.
Once inside the Spirit Hangar, visitors are greeted by large, bright, artistic visuals that illustrate major stops in the airline’s catalog. This exhibition space is designed to highlight the history of Delta from the 1960s to today.
Uniforms and accessories worn by flight attendants and pilots are beautifully arranged in a rainbow configuration, positioned neatly in display cases along the walls. Free-standing displays include glasswalled luggage carts filled with branded suitcases that span the decades.
On a far wall, visitors can pose for a unique photo op by sitting inside of a large jet engine. A large stage offers a chance for visitors to virtually visit some of Delta’s destinations through compelling projections, as well as pose for photos that are sent via email following the experience.
Arguably, the central feature of the Spirit Hangar is the Spirit of Delta, a massive Boeing 767 Delta Ship 102. Visitors are invited to walk under and around the craft as they navigate the exhibition space.
Walking up some stairs leads to a flight simulator experience suitable for visitors aged 16+ and a long walkway in front of a monumental mural completed by SCAD student Jennifer Wee.
Inspired by Delta’s chosen theme, “Humanity Lifts Us,” the 13 ft. tall, 99 ft. long mural was created as part of a SCADpro challenge that inspired more than 20 students to compete for the final design, hailing from top degree programs that include painting, illustration, motion media, graphic design, interactive design, animation, and creative business leadership.
“Keep Climbing,” the winning design by Wee, was created in Adobe Illustrator
and features an interactive element wherein visitors can line up a letter on their ticket with the mural for a photo op.
“The mural combines Delta’s history and future through modern, abstract design,” explained Wee in a statement.
“The frames of the Delta letters represent Delta’s 100-year-strong foundation. Within the letter frames are small figures –workers, families, and travelers from different cultures –symbolizing Delta’s community.”
“The large-scale design allows viewing from multiple distances,” Wee continued. “I wanted to make sure that viewers could enjoy this mural both from afar and up close. Characters, sized to child height, create perfect photo opportunities from a close distance. Delta’s warm care, the spirit of continuing to pursue high ideals, and the people who make it all possible became my overall inspiration.”
At the end of that long walkway is a unique opportunity to get a glimpse inside the Spirit of Delta. Visitors are able to step into this historic aircraft, with opportunities to view the controls of the cockpit, sit in traditional airplane seats complete with tray tables and wired phones in headrests (a favorite detail for
children), and view various displays and videos situated throughout the craft.
The Spirit of Delta’s story is truly inspirational, and highlights the efforts of the people who have contributed to the legacy of Delta.
To understand the significance of this craft, you have to go back in time to spring of 1982. At the time, the airline industry was facing difficulties posed by a weakened economy, deregulation, and high fuel prices. It was the airline’s first year to experience a net loss, and in reaction to these circumstances, it was Delta employees who stepped up to bridge the gap.
Three flight attendants led the charge on “Project 767,” seeking to raise money to purchase Delta’s first Boeing 767. Their successful efforts resulted in a whopping $30 million gathered from employees, retirees, and friends. In 1982, over 7,000 employees, friends, and media attended the Technical Operations Center to present the craft to the airline. Immediately following the dedication ceremony, Spirit embarked on its inaugural flight to Tampa, FL.
For more than 23 years, Spirit flew as an ambassador of Delta, and was painted in special liveries to celebrate key moments in history such as the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Delta’s 75th Anniversary in 2004. It was eventually retired from service in 2006 and repainted in its original 1982 livery, after which it made a 12-stop cross-
country farewell tour, before finding its final resting place inside the Delta Flight Museum.
“The Delta Flight Museum is widely known to our employees and the community as Delta’s true home,” said Kelley Moore, Executive Director of Delta Flight Museum, in a statement posted on Delta’s website.
“While the museum always offered a close-up look at our aircraft and artifacts, the newly reimagined experience and interactive exhibits allow us to truly showcase the humanity of Delta and the people who made it all possible.”
Overall I was impressed by the museum’s ability to captivate visitors both young and old, and how the displays incorporate modern technological advances and historical artifacts to tell the story of Delta throughout its 100-year history.
Outside, four aircraft sit in place of pride, including a Boeing 757 that has been transformed into an exhibition where you can enter and walk along the wings. This fleet of airlines serves as a visual welcome to all who enter the property.
The Delta Flight Museum experience is fun, interactive, and will surely inspire the next generation to consider careers as pilots, mechanics, engineers, flight attendants, and more.
Learn more about the Delta Flight Museum, purchase tickets, and plan your visit at deltamuseum.org.
By Katie Burkholder
A new record store from Moods Music owner Darryl Harris opened in Downtown Atlanta on Easter weekend.
Located on Historic Hotel Row at 215 Mitchell St., Crates ATL offers an inventory of new and vintage records, speakers, turntables, plants, and more.
Moods Music has been an Atlanta staple for 25 years, bringing vinyl and CDs spanning genres like Neo Soul, Afro-Cuban, and Acid Jazz to Little Five Points. Crates displays Harris’ established music knowledge and effortless cool with a
selection of records primarily highlighting Black artists and genres like jazz, hip-hop, funk, soul, and R&B — making it the “dopest vinyl shop in the ATL.”
The record store is the newest addition to the recently revitalized Hotel Row, thanks to the South Downtown venture from entrepreneurs David Cummings and Jon Birdsong, joining Spiller Park Coffee, Tyde Tate Kitchen, and the forthcoming Delilah’s Everyday Soul.
“When [Cummings and Birdsong] came in, we championed Crates and what Darryl was bringing to the neighborhood, and they embraced it full force,” April
Stammel, the head of Marketing and Community Engagement for South Atlanta Downtown, told Rough Draft when the store was first announced in 2024.
“I see the vision,” Harris said. “Being a part of the revitalization of Downtown — I want to be a part of that.”
To keep up, follow them on Instagram @cratesatl.
By Sammie Purcell
The 1996 Atlanta Olympics have been extensively covered by news media and historical documents alike. Whether that be coverage of amazing athletic feats, the terrible terrorist attack in Centennial Olympic Park, or activists’ opposition to the Games in Atlanta, numerous stories and perspectives have been shared over the years.
With “The Games in Black & White,” filmmakers Bob Judson and George Hirthler aim to shine a light on the partnership that brought the Olympic Games to Atlanta in the first place – that between businessman Billy Payne and Civil Rights icon Andrew Young.
aggressively started up the effort again.”
When all was said and done, the duo held roughly 40 interviews for the documentary, speaking with Atlanta figures like former Mayor Shirley Franklin and Martin Luther King III. Music producer
“We decided to do a comprehensive look at the bid, the Games, and the legacy in three parts,” Hirthler said. “And we realized right away that the best story of those Games was the untold story of the Billy Payne and Andy Young partnership and the friendship that endures to this day.”
Hirthler has made a career out of the Olympics, serving as an Olympic bid writer for multiple Games (including for Atlanta), and writing a book about the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, called “The Idealist.” It was through “The Idealist” that Hirthler was able to connect with Judson. The two had known each other since the 1980s, but when the film rights for his novel sold, Hirthler hadn’t spoken with Judson in a few years.
Hirthler called up Judson, a film producer, wanting to brush up on the finer points of film production. But the conversation led to something bigger. The two men founded Atlanta Story Partners in 2019 and decided to make the documentary “The Games in Black & White,” focusing on Payne and Young’s partnership as well as other social issues, such as how the 1996 Olympics expanded women athletes’ participation in the Games.
Hirthler had a previous relationship with both Young and Payne, so getting the two men on board was not difficult, he said. Once that duo was involved, they helped facilitate other interviews with people connected to the 1996 Games. They held their first interview on Jan. 7, 2020, and were able to fit in about 17 before the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on production.
“We, as everybody else did, hunkered down, and never put out of our minds that we wanted to do this film,” Judson said. “So when we all emerged from the stupor, we
Dallas Austin also contributed to the film, sitting for an interview and releasing an original song for the film called “City too Busy to Hate,” a reference to the city of Atlanta’s slogan during the Civil Rights movement.
“We had a good, solid story we wanted to tell, and it’s a linear story,” Judson said. “You’re going to develop characters and characterizations in these stories, and we selected the cast of characters that would support the story arcs in George’s script.”
The selection of Atlanta for the 1996 Olympic Games came as a bit of a shock. When Payne and Young first teamed up, it seemed like an impossible task. 1996 was the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games, which were first held in Athens, Greece in 1896. Returning to Athens seemed like the natural choice.
Hirthler said they made sure to bring in interviewees who didn’t think Payne and Young would succeed to enforce what exactly they achieved in bringing the Games to Atlanta.
“All of them said, ‘We didn’t think that they could possibly win,’” Hirthler said. “‘Because we didn’t think Andy and Billy would get along.’ Of course, they did.”
The documentary focuses heavily on the differences between Payne and Young, from their political beliefs to their races. Those differences parallel the documentary’s focus on the importance of Atlanta’s Civil Rights history in winning the big.
“Without our Civil Rights heritage, the Olympic bid would not have been as successful. We might have won, who knows?” Hirthler said. “But Billy and Andy – a white man and a Black man –embodied and were emblematic of Atlanta’s progressive race relations environment.”
By Beth McKibben
Did you know that in 1970, more than 30 states included laws prohibiting women from bartending?
Michigan, for example, prohibited women from being licensed bartenders in cities with 50,000 or more residents unless the businesses were owned by their fathers or husbands.
Bartender Valentine Goesaert challenged the Michigan law in 1948, stating that it violated her rights under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. While the case (Goesaert v. Cleary) landed in front of the Supreme Court, it was ultimately upheld.
The decision was finally overturned in 1976.
Up until the mid-1970s, everything from wildly outdated social constructs like the chivalric codes of the Middle Ages, puritanical viewpoints on gender roles, and indecency laws were cited as reasons to keep women from bartending or even entering taverns, saloons, and other morally compromising establishments unless accompanied by a man.
At the turn of the 20th century, women in Atlanta could be prosecuted for drinking in bars unchaperoned and were often surveilled by the police.
Bars that did allow women to enter without a man featured ladies’ entrances leading to a back room away from the main bar. Ladies’ entrances existed at bars across America well into the 1970s.
More “progressive” bars of the day included snugs or tight corner spaces with a tiny table and a couple of chairs walled off on three sides to keep imbibing women safe from prying eyes.
For nearly 100 years, women weren’t permitted to drink at the famous Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans – accompanied or not – except on Mardi Gras. That changed on September 26, 1949, when a group of local women pushed into the men-only hotel bar demanding equal treatment and to be served drinks.
The hotel eventually caved to their demands, and the event became known as the “storming of the Sazerac.” It’s celebrated annually at the Sazerac Bar as a victory and a milestone toward women’s social equality.
Barmaid versus Bartender
The term “bartender” was almost exclusively reserved for men. Instead, women in the same role were referred to as “barmaids,” considered a suitable title for women in a profession that many people felt walked a murky line between morality and making an honest living.
Ada Coleman, the most famous female bartender of all time – and the inventor of the classic cocktail, the Hanky Panky – stood out amongst her male colleagues for more than just her gender. Coleman was the head bartender of the famed American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London from 1903 to 1925, leading a team of men and one other woman bartender: Ruth Burgess.
Breaking with tradition, which saw women bartenders often working behind the scenes at the service bar, Coleman and Burgess mixed their cocktails standing front and center at the main bar within full view of hotel guests.
Despite her high-ranking position at the American Bar, however, Coleman couldn’t always escape being called a barmaid. And while she likely invented other drinks beyond the Hanky Panky, it’s the only cocktail fellow
American Bar bartender Harry Craddock credits to Coleman in his “The Savoy Cocktail Book,” published in 1930. Craddock took over as head bartender at the American Bar when Coleman left. Today, the Hanky Panky is as famous as the American Bar itself, and is recognized by the International Bartenders Association as one of the most requested cocktails of all time.
Boundary breakers like Coleman and Burgess and the women of the Sazerac Bar were hardly the first of their kind.
Stone tablets dating to 4,000 BC depict women making beer in Mesopotamia. Similar archeological evidence suggests women living in ancient Egypt were doing the same.
During the Middle Ages in the Netherlands, most of society believed women were superior brewers to men. In the mid15th century, women made up 30 percent of the brewers in London.
Martha Washington was famous for making cordials at Mount Vernon, like Cherry Bounce, a brandy-based drink made from fresh tart cherries popular in the 18th century.
As a hostess in Richmond, Virginia, Mary Randolph published “The Virginia Housewife” in 1824, a manual covering everything from curing meats and baking cakes to making currant wine and brewing spruce beer.
Mary Virginia Terhune is credited with being the first woman to write a cocktail book, published in 1904. It included instructions for mixing spirits, along with primers on wine and toasting at parties.
For centuries, women have been tavern owners, brewers, and distillers, making beer, cider, wine, and spirits to drink for pleasure and as medicinal remedies. Women were also moonshiners and bootleggers and instrumental in the repeal of the 18th Amendment and Prohibition. Witch! Witch! She’s a Witch!
Yet the perceived fragility of women’s bodies and minds and the belief that they were easily corrupted by temptation persisted well into the late 20th
century.
No matter how much success they achieved or the boundaries they broke to prove themselves, women couldn’t escape thousands of years of deeply rooted societal misogyny. Just as women have always been involved in the alcohol trade, they were also as maligned for producing and serving it over the centuries.
In Fred Minnick’s book, “Whiskey Women”, he notes in the very first chapter that the Greeks fervently disapproved of women drinking wine. The Romans punished women severely for drinking or simply being near wine, a horrific offense on the same level as committing adultery, punishable by death.
Women brewers called “brewsters” found themselves at the center of witch hunts throughout the Middle Ages in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Minnick mentions that one woman brewer living in 14thcentury West Yorkshire was branded an “ale witch” because she bypassed a law requiring ale to be tasted before selling.
Atlanta’s boundary breakers
Today, women like Atlanta bartender Kysha Cyrus continue breaking down long-held gender stereotypes when it comes to women working in the bar and alcohol industries. Cyrus is a 20-plus-year veteran of the Atlanta bar scene and partner in cocktail bar Mambo Zombi above Georgia Beer Garden on Edgewood Avenue.
She’s worked with some of the city’s most notable bartenders, including Greg Best and Regan Smith of Ticonderoga Club. She first met Smith when they worked together at Chef Emeril Lagasse’s now-defunct Atlanta restaurant.
“Regan was the only other woman there,
so when I came in, she was like ‘yes’! But there weren’t a lot of other female bartenders out there [when I started],” Cyrus said. “I applied to certain bars, and there were only guys there or older gentlemen. So if you were a younger woman and a young Black girl, they definitely thought I didn’t know anything.”
Cyrus explained that most of the female employees at the bars she worked at were servers or relegated to the service bar. Those experiences early in her bartending career pushed Cyrus to learn more about her craft and not be underestimated.
Cyrus would go on to work for Holeman & Finch alum Andy Minchow at Ration & Dram (now known as Dead End Drinks). Later, she landed at Joystick Gamebar on Edgewood Avenue, where she met her future Mambo Zombi business partners Johnny Martinez and Brandon Ley.
“You had to really prove yourself [as a woman bartender], so I think that’s why I kept learning. It gave me the push,” Cyrus
said. “I just kept reading and tasting and talking to the right people, and luckily I met the right people. [As a woman], you have to show people that you’re interested or nobody’s going to take you seriously.”
By this point in her career, and after watching some men with less experience rise to near-celebrity status as “startenders,” Cyrus admitted she had become too comfortable with playing a supporting role behind the bar. When Martinez and Ley offered her the opportunity to partner in Mambo Zombi, she didn’t hesitate.
At Mambo Zombi, Cyrus leans into her love for maximalist and Day of the Dead decor and her Jamaican and Caribbean heritages.
One of her most popular cocktails at Mambo Zombi is the Monkey Screwed made with spiced banana-infused Bounty rum, New Grove rum, coconut milk, and banana syrup with a fresh lime wedge set on fire.
Cyrus believes Atlanta has one of the
most progressive cocktail, beer, and wine scenes, evidenced by the many women and LGBTQ+ people found at every level in the industry here.
So, who are the women, trans women, and nonbinary people breaking boundaries on Atlanta’s drinks scene today?
Cyrus and Smith, along with the incomparable Tiffanie Barriere, made names for themselves in the early days of Atlanta’s craft cocktail movement, a time, nearly 15 years ago, when men dominated the spotlight behind the bar. There were others, too, including Keyatta Mincey Parker, Toki Sears, and Kellie Thorn, to name a few.
There are sommeliers like Sarah Pierre, the owner of 3 Parks Wine Shop, and cicerones Jen Blair, Jen Price, and LaTreace Harris.
All of these women helped lay the foundation for a new generation emerging on Atlanta’s drinks scene.
This year, Kursten Berry of Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours was one of
20 bartenders recognized by the James Beard Foundation as a semifinalist for its Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service award.
Mayim Williams, formerly of El Malo and Kimball House, will lead the bar program at award-winning pastry chef Claudia Martinez’s new dessert and cocktail spot Bar Ana.
Jett Kolarik will run the wine program at the upcoming Side Saddle Wine Saloon, which will center women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ wine and spirits producers on the menu.
There are three female-led cocktail pop-ups in Atlanta right now with Girl Bar, Kiddo’s No. 6, and Spirited Sistas, run by bartenders Melanie Evans and Kia Palmer.
And keep your eye on sommelier Jade Palmer, the general manager of Madeira Park, a new wine bar owned by Steven Satterfield and Neal McCarthy of Miller Union and Dive Wine founder Tim Willard.
Atlanta Village, the recently opened The Pub at EAV (eavpub.com) does occasional weekend drag brunches and a weekly Friday drag dinner, both hosted by drag performer Cora Nova.
“I’ve been a drag performer for a year and a half, but before that, I always went out to drag shows, and Atlanta has a deep history in drag,” said Cora Nova. “I like to switch the cast every month. Each brunch features different performers and themes selected by me and my partner, who is also a drag queen called Altina.”
The inaugural drag performance at Snooze in Midtown earlier this year – headlined by Mona Lott, with appearances from Alabama and Destiny Brooks – was packed. It’s the first Snooze location in Georgia to host a drag brunch, according to the breakfast chain’s marketing manager, Caroline King. Proceeds from these brunches benefit a different cause each month. That first performance benefited Atlanta Pride.
Outside the Atlanta city limits, Louisiana Bistreaux’s Perimeter Mall (louisianabistreaux.com) location hosts
City Winery relies on relationships with musicians and their managers.
“Our booking process relies heavily on relationships formed throughout time with artists and their management. We can catch wind of a certain artist, then work with their team to book them to play our stage,” said Carmody of booking the acts for City Winery.
The performers Cora Nova hires for drag brunches at The Pub at EAV are often the result of career connections.
“My day job is casting for film and TV,” she said. “I’ve worked in entertainment my whole life. I know how to put a cast together as far as diversity and different kinds of performances. There’s a mix of everything in our shows.”
But personal relationships also help fill brunch event calendars at Atlanta restaurants.
“I already knew the owner [Tremayne], and our wives turned out to be cousins,” said Clay of his ongoing performances at Perfect Note.
Mona Lott knew King because she attended various drag shows around town. “She’s the main reason we’re here today at Snooze,” Mona Lott explained of how she booked the regular performance gig at the Midtown brunch and breakfast restaurant.
jazz brunch every Sunday, from noon until 3 p.m., a tradition that started when the restaurant opened in 2023.
“Following thoughtful conversations with our guests during Sunday brunches, incorporating live music emerged as a natural progression to enhance the overall experience,” said Louisiana Bistreaux manager Robert Jackson.
At Perfect Note (perfectnoteliveatl. com), a Windy Hill Road restaurant centered on music, keyboardist Brian Clay headlines the Soulful Sunday series every first Sunday of the month. Other acts fill the rest of the monthly musical brunch schedule, like Rae Evans, Crystal Womack, and Erica Dawson.
For organizers of brunches with music and live performances, finding talent entails a multi-faceted search process.
For those who regularly attend restaurant-based live performances, these brunches have become a time to connect with the talent on stage and with other diners.
“I saw the drag brunch advertised on Facebook, and I haven’t seen Mona perform since October at Pride,” Khristi Harold told Rough Draft. “I know Alabama and Destiny, too, but I know Mona better.”
“Without our community, who would we entertain?” Lott added.
Antoine Gibson, a regular performer at City Winery, has played in multiple shows at the Ponce City Market live music venue and recently headlined his second event there. He particularly appreciates the weekend jazz brunches at City Winery.
“It has a whole different vibe from playing at night. It’s a day concert when the sun is still out and you can still do other stuff afterward,” he said. “At night, you just go home. But after a jazz brunch, you still have the rest of the day.”
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1
+ Bartok’s Third Piano Concerto with Marc-André Hamelin
An American in Paris
+
Oundjian Conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 7
+ Pianist Inon Barnatan performing Shostakovich
By Sarra Sedghi
A second location of acclaimed Atlanta soul food restaurant The Busy Bee Cafe will open next spring at Atlantic Station.
Owner Tracy Gates made the announcement in April via social media, stating that this location will feature indoor and outdoor seating, an expanded menu, and a full bar.
Some Atlanta restaurant institutions are woven into the very fabric of the city’s history and society. Such is the case with Busy Bee Cafe, opened in 1947 by Lucy Jackson.
Founded during segregation in the South, and famous for its fried chicken, the Busy Bee has been a cultural touchstone in Atlanta for nearly 80 years, patronized by everyone from Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King, Jr., John Lewis, and Hosea Williams to modern politicians and popular figures like former president Barack Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders, hip-hop duo Big Boi and André 3000 of Outkast, and Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey raved about the restaurant’s catfish.
In 1983, Tracy Gates’ father, Milton, purchased the restaurant bordering Vine City and Atlanta University Center. Gates began her tenure leading Busy Bee and its kitchen five years later. When she took over the restaurant from her father, Hosea Williams gave her one piece of advice: “If you keep this food consistent, people will come.”
It’s not just the style of food, but Gates’
commitment as caretaker of the culinary legacy left behind by Jackson and her father, and truly knowing the ingredients and recipes that continue to keep Busy Bee Cafe in business.
Then, of course, there are the accolades. In 2022, Busy Bee Cafe won an American Classics award from the James Beard Foundation. In 2023 and 2024, Michelin named the soul food restaurant a Bib Gourmand. And Gates was inducted into the Georgia Hospitality Hall of Fame two
years ago.
Gates said the Atlantic Station location is a “win-win,” as its current location resides in a well-established neighborhood near downtown Atlanta, and the second location will become part of another well-established area, sandwiched between neighborhoods to the west along Howell Mill Road and Midtown to the east.
Opening at Atlantic Station, Gates said, provides an opportunity for Busy Bee Cafe’s business to grow and have a broader reach.
“Atlanta has become this tourist town because every weekend there’s something going on and visitors are here,” Gates said. “So the opportunity to be in that particular space with that same dynamic … allows me to continue the growth of Busy Bee beyond just a sit-down restaurant because the demand is there.”
In return, Atlantic Station gets to bulk up its dining scene with an award-winning restaurant. Busy Bee Cafe marks the sprawling, 20-year-old retail and residential development’s first James Beard and Michelin-recognized restaurant.
“The way that it fits into the patchwork quilt of Atlantic Station is really, really ideal,” said Nick Garzia, senior director of Southeast retail for Hines, the company that owns Atlantic Station. “It’s a menu type and a cuisine type that we don’t have in the center, so it’s not stepping on anybody else’s toes.”
Garzia added that Busy Bee Cafe’s food and accolades speak for themselves, while its history brings a tremendous draw.
“[Hines has been] involved in Atlantic Station for a decade now,” Garzia said. “The success that we’ve had … makes it an easier argument to court operators of the caliber of Tracy and be able to make the case that James Beard, Michelin award-winning restaurants can do business here and that there’s an appeal here.”
The new location, unlike the restaurant on M.L.K. Jr. Drive to the west, will feature dine-in service, a patio, and a full bar. (While the original Busy Bee adopted a takeout-only model in 2020, Gates added picnic tables outside the restaurant for seating during warmer months.) Service style has yet to be determined for Atlantic Station, but Gates said this location will serve an expanded food menu to include lighter dishes and more seafood.
For those wondering about the planned location on Trinity Avenue in South Downtown, announced in 2018, Gates ultimately decided against opening there. It wasn’t the right place or time for Busy Bee Cafe, so Gates moved on to looking elsewhere. She’s been in talks with Atlantic Station and its partners for a year.
Gates likes the potential she’s seeing for the future of Busy Bee Cafe at Atlantic Station.
“Everybody’s excited about it [and we’re] able to spread [our] wings,” she said. “Being in a location like that, our customers will enjoy it because they’ve expressed great interest in the fact that we’re moving there.”
By Rough Draft Staff
Dill Dinkers indoor pickleball center is officially open in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood.
The facility, which underwent a major renovation of an old warehouse space by Ackerman & Co., is located at 1200 White St.
Additionally, Dill Dinkers will offer clinics, lessons, leagues, social events, business advertising, as well as event rentals for the public.
According to franchise operator and Chosewood resident Daniel Hardeman, the metro area has struggled to have enough court space for the rapidly growing
sport, with an estimated more than 1.1 million players currently in Atlanta.
“There’s a shortage of courts and lack of structure for skills progression, so players are turning to places like Dill Dinkers,” Hardeman said. “Add to that spring’s high pollen counts and pending hot weather, and we knew the demand would be high.”
The White Street facility will be the first of multiple locations planned for Fulton and surrounding areas, including DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett and Cherokee counties, owned by additional local franchisees.
For more information about the new Dill Dinkers West End location, visit dilldinkers.com/atlanta.
