Manuel's Tavern will close for remodeling on December 27, 2015 | Eastern North Carolina Now

    How will the regulars be able to cope with the possibility of being a homeless drinker?

    This post is a personal tribute to a famous watering hole in Atlanta. I wrote this for a diary that I am creating for my family called "Grandpa Diaries". I though it may be of interest to some of the readers who may have wandered into Manuel's Tavern during their visits to Atlanta.    Manuel's Tavern website
    Manuel's Tavern on 602 Highland Ave, Atlanta, Georgia has been a legend since 1956. It was arguably the first local tavern in Atlanta. Unlike the north where there is a neighborhood tavern on every block, the south does not have a rich history of local watering holes close to home.

    That all changed in 1956 when Manuel Maloof bought a local sandwich shop / bar in what was then the provincial town of Atlanta. The bar quickly became a hangout for various locals from the working class neighborhood of Little Five Points and North Highland.

    "Manuel obtained the main bar itself from his fatherGibran Maloof who owned the Tip Top Billiard Parlor on Pryor Street. It was barely saved from a fire at the Parlor and then moved to Manuel's. That bar, which is now the centerpiece of the Tavern, is over a century old. It is dotted with plaques bearing the names of Manuel's regulars who have passed."

    I was only eleven years old in 1956, but I was aware of Manuel's Tavern. It was a local hangout for politicians, police and firemen. They even have reserved parking for clergy and I am not kidding. You had better not be caught parking there and a certificate from some internet site is not accepted as proof.
    My dad was not a bar drinker and I have no memory of being in the tavern as a kid. One of my dad's fellow firemen was a regular at the bar. Frank Cooper could be found at the end of the bar on almost any off day sipping his beer.

    Manuel Maloof was of Lebanese heritage and he had a vision of the bars he frequented while stationed in England during World War II. The link above will give a history of the tavern and Manuel Maloof.
    Manuel was a fiercely partisan Democrat and the bar is loaded with pictures of his favorite politicians from FDR to JFK. Manuel was also a brash and outspoken hothead who never let a chance pass to tell you what he thought. Naturally, underneath the brash exterior was the heart of gold who would often help those in need. To get a flavor of this "the profane, hot-tempered and big-hearted barkeep who rose from obscurity to head one of metro Atlanta's largest governments" read his Obituary here from 2004.    Manuel Maloof Obituary

    I began going to Manuel's when I was about eighteen. The allure of childhood memories of what went on in that granite front building was too magnetic to pass up. I think I had my first bar beer there without benefit of legal ID, but you were okay if you didn't cause a problem It was then and still is today a family bar but I am sure the relaxed rules are no longer in play.

    Manuel eventually became the CEO of Dekalb County Commission and his brother Robert took over the running of the bar. Robert was more laid back and easy going. When he asked you how it was going, he really meant it and would listen to your answer. They eventually opened up two other locations, one of which was just one mile from my dad's house in Stone Mountain. After my mom passed in 1999, my brother and I would take him to Manuel's Memorial Drive location. He would always order the same thing; A grilled cheese sandwich and ice tea. Jim and I would split a pitcher of beer. They eventually closed that location due to changing neighborhood demographics.

    After Manuel and later his brother Robert passed, Manuel's son Brian took over the ownership of the bar and building. Brian was a Senior Paramedic for Dekalb County for ten years prior to taking over the helm at the bar. He installed a chicken coop on the roof where the staff can harvest fresh eggs for the Breakfast specials.

    The Highland area has changed much over the years and Brian has done a great job of catering to the new clientele that have purchase homes in the area. Today I think you could say the Millennials have taken over the area but the old regulars are still welcome there. In December 2014 the bar turned into a nonsmoking bar which would have been a sacrilege in the old days, but you must change with the times. They even added four charging stations for the electric cars that frequent the bar.
    My old High School still has monthly meetings there to reminisce about the good old days. William A. Bass High School is now converted to rental lofts, which are much in demand.

    Atlanta is not known as a city that respects old historical buildings. My theory is that our history was restarted when a Yankee came through the town in 1865 and apparently had too many matches. He burnt down almost everything in the town as well as most of the area from Atlanta to Savannah. As a native Atlanta resident, I always try to welcome Yankees when I meet them with the admonition that "you are welcome here, you can marry our daughters and sisters, you can take our jobs, and you can even tell us how you did it back north if you want, but whatever you do DON'T BURN ANYTHING DOWN, cause Delta is ready when you are".

    In February 2015, the announcement of the sale of the property caused a major firestorm in the community. The news media reported the sale but left the impression that the bar would be closing and the building renovated for venues that are more modern. Eventually, Brian posted on the face book page that the renovation was to upgrade the infrastructure of the building but Manuel's Tavern would reopen after the renovation. They even had photographers and historical committees come into document the bar and the artifacts. The expectation is that the after the building has been brought up to current standards with new plumbing, electrical and Air Conditioning they will reinstall the bar and all the old pictures.     Manuels is closing for renovation

    There is an over and under bet by bookies in the area on whether the bar will ever reopen. I don't know the odds but my money is on "Yes"! That of course did not preclude me from making several final visits to the establishment to savor the history.

    I realize that this article is too long and convoluted for the non-Atlanta resident to follow. I also realize that there are numerous articles written by professional writers that will far surpass my meager attempts to memorialize this institution. However, I felt it necessary for me to comment on this and hopefully update next year with a revisit when the bar reopens under the same management and with the same ambiance.

    Earlier in the article, I mentioned my dad's friend Frank Cooper. As is the custom, there is a plaque under the bar honoring many of the regulars who have passed on. Frank Cooper has his place at the bar. My next door neighbor from the old neighborhood, Mike "Doodle" Alexander was also a fixture there. Doodle has passed as well and his picture is currently on the wall at one of the many events sponsored by the bar.

    The memories and names pop to mind readily when I think of the history. Doddle, Frank, Little Red, the bartenders Curtis and Pat who spent 30 years there before retirement. I was never a regular there and there will never be a plaque with my name on it, but I will always have memories that extend over fifty years of a place where people could gather and feel welcome. Hell, they even allow Republicans there if you are careful to keep it low key. After all Manuel's ashes are stillresting on behind the bar and he was known to throw people out if they got to rowdy.

    His favorite saying is on the Menu:

"Anybody don't like this life is crazy" Manuel Maloof

   Here is a picture of the bar with all the memorabilia on display. This is courtesy of the Fancey Box feature of BCN. Click on bar picture for an enlarged version.




Don't chalk my Brother Jim and I up as crazy.

Update January 2016