The Five Spot had long been a fixture of the Little Five Points landscape for twelve years it served the area. The intimate 200-capacity music room was a haven for local artists to showcase their considerable talents. In addition to bountiful music, The Five Spot showcased various comedy acts and even let down its hair for the occasional burlesque pageant. It contributed to the unique vibe that is all things Little Five. Its owner, Bryan Aust, announced the venue’s closure back in March, but the wheels were already in motion to bring music back to the unique space. New owners (Richard Edge, Brian Deerfield and Nick Weinberg) locked down the venue shortly there after and have teamed with local promoters Reverb Entertainment who have handled the talent for such venues at Terminal West and Athen’s Georgia Theatre. The trio plan to reopen the venue under the Aisle 5 moniker while welcoming local artists back to the stage. The whole joint is getting a makeover from the air conditioning units all the way to the general floor plan. Obviously, this makeover isn’t a cheap endeavor so they are asking the community to throw a couple dollars in the offering plate. They’ve tapped into the crowdfunding talents of Kickstarter to create a campaign to raise funds for the project. What do you get in exchange for your hard earned dollar? Backer packages stretch from $5 to $10,0000 and include perks like having a sandwich named after you, getting a spot on the permanent guest list and various other Aisle 5-stamped apparel and goodies. The campaign still have 46 days to go.and has currently raised $9820. The goal is to have the doors reopen before St Patty’s Day in 2014. Yes less than three short months from now. The owners seem confident the various permits, inspections and construction will be wrapped up before that date. It seems they hit a bit of resistance from local residences at the idea of returning as a music venue. After many...
read more
438 Moreland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA | (404) 688-1828 | thevortexbarandgrill.com Vortex Bar and Grill at Little 5 Points is quite a conspicuous place to begin with. From the massive skull display lingering at the entrance to the somewhat over-the-top colors used in the place’s exterior, it seems like the place is literally inviting you in – and it might be a bad idea not to. Oh, and they are also claiming to have “Atlanta’s Best Burger” — now how can you miss that? In contrast to the exterior, Vortex’s interior is a bit more laid back. You can either see bricks or blacks inside the bar. The interior may give you the impression that it speaks only to vintage, country and biker crowds. But it really isn’t. People who come into the place are from all walks of life, regardless of color or job, or whether a local or tourist, the place caters to everyone. The place is spacious and there is a lot of room to move around even when the place is fully packed. Some even take the time to sample new beverages like New Belgium Brewing’s Fat Tire Amber Ale which is both light and good. The menu is simple and can satisfy anyone’s tastes. They have burger and sides that are cooked the way you want it. The zucchini chips are cooked to perfection – battered up yet crispy, thin sliced, and perfect with or without a ranch dressing. They also serve a plateful of nachos which is very appetizing. Their Ragin’ Cajun burger is indeed raging with spicy pepper sauce, plus the patty is half pound and the sandwich stacks about four inches high, which says a lot about a raging burger. Plus the burger’s price is very reasonable for a burger that juicy and thick. Indeed, they do have a shot for the city’s “best burger” title. The ambiance is relaxing especially with the live music being played. The guitar performance was decent, not like in some...
read more
464 Moreland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA | (404) 577-3188 | thejunkmansdaughter.com Junkman’s Daughter is difficult not to notice when you drive or pass by Moreland Avenue in Atlanta GA. You have definitely seen the establishment at one point or another — huge, multi-colored store with shimmering and sparkling mannequin displays. The exterior and even the name “Junkman’s Daughter” might just raise more questions than it answers — “what in the world is in there?” Junkman’s Daughter is a testament to the diversity that Little 5 Points represent, and the interesting part is, this shop is one of the oldest in the community, and yet it is not an antique or vintage shop – well, not entirely at least, it has everything for every generation. It has anything and everything that you may or may not need but you may find it interesting because it simply is or maybe because it is one those things that you encounter very rarely and it would be a treasure to simply have it. So instead of simply laying out for you what or what not to expect, how about do not expect anything and simply be open to anything that you will find in it. As overwhelming as the exterior of the store may be, think of it as a preview of what else you could find inside. You can find collectibles, fetish items, novelty items and even some necessities like wardrobes, accessories and stuff that may come in interesting and creative forms. Prepping for Halloween? Then you have come to the right place for rare and original Halloween costumes. The place becomes jam-packed during the season so if you come in late, you’ll be left with nothing but leftover costumes. Simply put, open your mind, do not set any expectations, and do not bring a shopping list because remember, Junkman’s Daughter is not a supermarket nor a department store. But it is also more than a gift shop or a junk shop. You can literally find anything...
read more
