‘Old-school but upscale bodega’ to open July, 2012.
UPDATE (Oct. 15, 2012): Mamanoes brown bags its things, vanishes
Entrepernuer Antonio Boyd is bringing his small Downtown Birmingham grocery store to Atlanta.
Boyd will open his second Mamanoes Grocery Shop, at 10th and Peachtree Streets, this July, according to The Birmingham News.
Boyd first opened his “old-school but upscale bodega” Downtown Birmingham just two years ago, in 2010, the report notes.
“The Atlanta location is in a more monied neighborhood,” Boyd told The Birmingham News. “There are plenty of office towers and high-end condos within blocks. The Loews Atlanta Hotel and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta are nearby.”
Boyd said he’d like to open 50 to 100 grocery stores eventually.
Antonio Boyd was not immediately available for comment. For more details, read the rest of The Birmingham News’ report here.
36 Responses
Hey so where exactly is this going? Jamestown’s 999?
hi christie, i believe it’s dewberry’s space across the street. the exact space has not been confirmed.
–cjs
I actually stopped in the Birmingham store on a daytrip over there a few months ago – I was impressed. They were carrying virtually all the necessities for a small grocery, plus a lot of more specialized items (natural foods, organic stuff, fancy snacks, curries and stuff that you can only find on Buford Hwy here). Pretty amazing for a small grocery and certainly better than what we typically have here.
I heard that the location where Mamanoes is considering used to be the old location of Blakes (also Jocks and Jills). When they started building 999 Peachtree and other commercial developments in that area good ole Mr. Dewberry (that owns the land at 10th and Peachtree) yanked the lease from Blakes as to not have a gay bar (gasp!) right in the middle of their developments.
Norma – Blake’s is presently in it’s original location. Blake’s was never located any place other that where it is today.
Jocks N Jills was in the corner of commercial spot for many years at 10th and Peachtree.
That corner WAS to be redeveloped into a high rise condo until the housing bubble burst.
Wrong Jason.
Blakes actually did start out in the old Jocks and Jills spot that you are referring too. That was in the late 80’s, early 90’s. Then Blakes moved to its present spot.
This is awesome news. Another step in the right direction of adding daily service needs and functions to Midtown without it having to be another chain. It will be another element to enhance walkability and fill in the gaps.
Maybe Mr Boyd can bring the Kool Korners guy back here with him since he relocated to Birmingham.
And Norma, quit whining, no one is going after the bars.
I’m really excited that we’re getting a convenient neighborhood shop for those in-between-grocery-shopping needs. However, it’s a little disheartening knowing that this is just a temporary filler until Dewberry decides to develop that corner. If Midtown embraces the place and they do gangbusters, what happens when it’s time to tear it down?
Funny how time seems to cover up things. I mean it *seems* like Blake’s has always been where it is.
Soooooo the first time I went to Blake’s was in 1989…I was 18.
Yes, I was under age but that is another topic.
Blake’s was located in 1989 at the VERY same spot it is today in 2012.
Wanna keep on debating this?
Let’s do.
Blake’s was in the Jock’s and Jill’s spot. You entered from the rear (parking lot, gutter minds) and went up stairs into the bar. The same parking lot served the Illusions drag bar.
Maybe Blake’s had a different name before it moved to the present location?
Weekends and The Bar on Peachtree were across Peachtree where the Fed is now. I mean , I know I messed up my mind a lot back then but I remember certain things pretty well.
Can any of you other gay geezers help me out?
Jason, Blakes actually was located originally at 10th and Peachtree in the old Jocks nd Jills…just a little before your time I guess.
it will be great to have something in the old Jocks and Jills space. It’s such an eyesore. At least they closed in the patio to keep the homeless people off the property.
I dont ever remember Blakes being in the Jocks and Jills spot… maybe it was… but in the early 90s it was for sure where it is now………
As far as Mamanoes goes…. I live in Birmingham now.. and its not all that…. wine selection sucks… I think he goes to walmart and buys all their stuff and marks up the price alot…. its convient when I am at a friends loft across the street…. and we need an extra bottle of wine or ice… but selection is not that great….. didnt even have soda water on a recent visit…..
Chad it’s kinda funny how negative you are , but just say jealous. What difference does it make where he gets product from. You are a hypocrite. If the place sucks so bad, why bother going in there for anything. You said it you are visiting a friend across the street. It looks to me that you are a wanna be that can’t afford to stay downtown. Suggestion!!! Invite your friends to your place where you can walk across the street for a better wine selection. Better yet put a spot on the other corner. I was just at Urban Standard the other day and there is a vacant spot on the other corner. Also you are wrong about the soda water it sits right at the front door on the wooden rack as you walk in the store. There is also cold ones in the coolers. Chad for the record please get a life and not knock men with real balls.
Thank GOD something is finally going there and thank GOD its not another restaurant. I love th restaurants in Midtown, but we need some variety. Need some boutique shops, some more national chains, a bakery, ice cream shop, etc. This will be an excellent addition. Just hope the prices are reasonable (not cheap, just reasonable). Can’t wait.
Please remove all sharp objects from lu lu’s reach.
Blurbanist – since you are so hardcore on facts then simply state in the early 80’s Blake’s was located at 10th & Peachtree….
Cause “Late 80’s and early 90’s” is what you wrote.
Weekends was located on Peachtree, you are correct…but that is before my time by about 4 years.
Yer such a geezer.
“Blurbanist – since you are so hardcore on facts then simply state in the early 80′s Blake’s was located at 10th & Peachtree….
Cause “Late 80′s and early 90′s” is what you wrote.”
I wrote “late 80’s, early 90’s” (there was no ‘and’ in my original statement – you need to learn how to quote correctly) because I am uncertain as to the exact date that Blake’s moved to it’s present location.
But one thing is certain; it was not the early 80’s as I did not start going to gay bars until 1983 when I came out and Blake’s opened several years after I started my partying days. So it was most likely in the 1986-1990 range (which would make it the late 80’s.)
I hope those facts don’t blow up your pea-brain. And you are not that much younger than me so get over yourself.
I was going to try and look up some Yelp comments about Mamanoes but apparently Alabama hasn’t gotten Yelp yet.
Blurbanist….I am telling YOU and everyone reading this thread Blakes was located in it present day spot as of 1989…I only know this cause I was there.
Any other location of Blake’s is before my time.
Would you like to discuss the location of the 688 club, the metro, the cove….Club Centaur…Velvet, Sweet Gum Head. lol
How about the color box in Virgina Highlands, do you remember “meet a man Mondays?” lol
I’ll just quote from your original post Jason,
“Norma – Blake’s is presently in it’s original location. Blake’s was never located any place other that where it is today.”
I remember all those places except Club Centaur – WTH? And I have heard of Sweet Gum Head but I think that was before my time. The Color Box was fun too. I bet we rubbed shoulders back in the day.
I’ll stop giving you a hard time now.
Well, someone needs a cocktail at Blakes anyway!
20 something posts about the location of a gay bar 20+ years ago…intellectual discourse in Atlanta.
“20 something posts about the location of a gay bar 20+ years ago…intellectual discourse in Atlanta.”
Yes, we all know that your fat lurking ass can’t stand not to f*ck up a pleasant conversation.
Colorbox was before my time, so was the Centaur and 688 Club ….but I read and know where they were.
Lotta books on local history…
Hey, does anyone happen to know where Blake’s is?
Commenting on “intectuall discourse” = priceless.
lu lu…..
a. I am quite happy where I live….. I do have friends downtown so I visit them….
b. Mamanoes is NOT UPSCALE …….
c. Jeleous hardly……
d. The last time I went to get SODA water… he didnt have ANY AT ALL.. TONIC YES….SODA NO…….
Jason,
Is it at all possible that there was a gay bar called Blake’s PRIOR to 1989? Sheesh!
Blake’s was ORIGINALLY in the old Jocks&Jills location at 10th & Peachtree. It closed after a short time there, then later reopened in its present location. So, to the guy saying it has always been where it is now, sorry, you are incorrect. It may have been there for a long while, but not “always” as you stated.
Hey foks – I will state this one last time:
Blake’s has been in it’s present location since 1989 – I know this cause I am 41 years old and I was ‘there’ in 1989.
If Blake’s was at any other location before 1989 it is unknown to me.
Discuss.
Sissy argument thread……………..why don’t you all just get a room and roll around in Crisco.
Has anybody stopped in here yet? I was pretty excited for it to open and stopped in the other day. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed by what I saw. somebody mentioned above “natural foods, organic stuff, fancy snacks, curries and stuff that you can only find on Buford Hwy here”. I didn’t see anything at all like that in there…was all the same normal stuff you’d find at any gas station or the Midtown Market down the street. I’m hoping their still getting things sorted out since they just opened, but if that’s all they’re going to have, this place is not going to do very well…
Unfortunately it appears Mamanoes wasn’t able or willing to making the changes necessary to meet the neighborhood’s expectations/needs, and it’s now closed, the sign removed. The building has already been repainted (it does look much better in white) and has a Dewberry For Lease sign.
This seems like a real failure to understand the local market or to establish a relationship with the community that could have contributed to its improvement through critical feedback, and perhaps a lack of sufficient funding that would have allowed it to more easily adjust and improve.