Exclusive: Chef Paul Luna shares vision for ‘Tu Sueño Community Market’

Atlanta’s ‘future Mayor’ unveils plans for new market in Capital View

Atlanta restaurateur and owner of Lunacy Black Market, Paul Luna, made an offer today to purchase a property in the Capitol View area for a community “mercado.”

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Chef Paul Luna and wife Cynthia Thomet, shared with What Now Atlanta on a trip to the restaurant Thursday, plans for this market.

“Chef’s vision is to open a market in a low income community that would benefit directly from the community’s own contribution to the project” said Thomet.

Luna and Thomet have been developing an investment group to open Tu Sueño Community Market (The Dream Community Market).

The name “Tu Sueño” is tentative and was actually revealed to Thomet during the interview who reacted positively with, “it’s a lovely name.”

Luna’s community market will be comprised of “vendor stands” operated by members of the community.

Stressing “sustainability,” Luna said his market will be the first of its kind in Atlanta: the opportunity to own the shop you work at in the neighborhood you live in.

“We spoke to a woman who lives in the area and bakes gluten free pastries. She could open and own her own vendor stand versus slaving away for Kroger,” Luna told What Now Atlanta. “Imagine the best fried chicken, gluten free pastries, bread, pizza, restaurant and market all under one roof.”

There will also be an art gallery featuring local artists, live entertainment from local musicians, a 30 to 40 seat restaurant in the center with a full bar, and besides acting as investor for the market, Luna would “love to cook there.”

“It’s my opportunity to control chaos.”

In addition to planning his community market, Luna’s busy  promoting his candidacy for the Mayor of Atlanta.

“Mark my words, I will be the mayor of Atlanta in 2013.”

To promote his campaign, Luna said a friend is putting out shirts that will say, “Chef Luna for Mayor. Not just another, Dumb Mother Fu*ker.”

No time frame has been identified for the community market but as Thomet put it, “the future mayor has spoken.”

(Photo credit: The Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

6 Responses

  1. Not a good campaign slogan. Your friend is setting you up for failure. The mayors of Atlanta for the last 30+ years has been minority, not saying there’s racist undertone, but you are walking a fine line, if you are expecting full support of the 30310 community.
    Talk to Mary Norwood’s campaign manager her loss was because she did not have support in this area, why because she did not campaign, call, or place a flier with the minority voters whom she needed in her corner to win, low income or not.

    There are plenty of mid-class educated minorities in the 30310 that will not support your business, and word of mouth especially with type of attitude travels quickly. The hood has not transitioned to the point where you can survive on a particular client-el. The slogan is not welcoming at all. This is not Cobb county, Sandy Springs or Kirkwood for that matter. You are going to have challenges selling vegetables in a low-income area in addition to gluten free fresh baked bread. Why would you place something that low-class on a shirt? Tell your friend thanks, but no thanks.

    People will continue to drive to Dekalb Farmers Market. The low-income will continue going to Kroger’s and Big Bear if that slogan is a true diction of what you stand for. I am insulted having gone to your event in Capital View, maybe you should have tested that slogan out on your questioner. “There goes the neighborhood,” a Mother Fu*ker named Paul Luna is coming. See, it just doesn’t sound good. Does it?

  2. As a ten-year resident of the area, my husband & I were delighted to hear of Paul’s vision for this building. I thought it would be more like Sevananda, but happy to read here that it will have a touch of Irwin Street Market in there too. Even though I live a 10-minute walk from a MARTA train, it is very difficult to get to a supermarket in this area on public transit. I wish Paul and his wife the best of luck in realizing their vision. I certainly will be supporting the store when it opens.

  3. Well it looks like this won’t be happening in CV…cuz some political corruption is probably in play…wonder who? And corruption and the Dumb Mother Fu*kers is what has run this city to utter incompetence! Mainly Shirley FUc*K Up Franklin cuz she overrode a permit to asshole Perkins even though he was partially responsible for polluting our creek. Gotta heavy ghetto purse there hey Shirl? Let’s move to creepy crook Bill Cu*T Campbell. Nothing more need be said there. And Cammy darling, Ms Mary had a open house in SW Atlanta by the way and lots of black peeps showed and didn’t hid their heads. She walked the streets talking to people here but when the Reed Ghetto Posse sped down Deckner Ave blaring shit crap rap it drowned out intelligent and thoughtful conversations with neighborhoods. Bye bye ghetto!!!!

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