MJQ to Take Up Residence at Underground Atlanta by Early 2024

The highly anticipated news follows an announcement made last December that 2023 would be the esteemed night club’s final year at its Ponce de Leon location, leading to much speculation and rumor-churning.
MJQ to Take Up Residence at Underground Atlanta by Early 2024
Photo: Official

MJQ, the esteemed night club that’s been operating in Ponce de Leon for the past 25 years, finally revealed its post-2023 fate, which involves relocating to the former home of Dante’s Down the Hatch in Underground Atlanta at 50 Upper Alabama St – a move that is set to take place late this year or early next.

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“We’re lucky and really excited about the changes that are happening at Underground,” co-owner Ryan Purcell tells What Now Atlanta. “We’re very glad to be part of that.” 

Purcell goes on to say, “I think the one thing that people are most worried about, and that we would like to comment on as much as possible, is that MJQ is still going to have all the core values that we have here – obviously, inclusivity, and that kind of unique and weird vibe that we’ve always had.”

Given its distinction as one of the city’s fastest-growing hubs of nightlife and entertainment, the folks at Underground were eager to bring MJQ into the fold. Likewise, Purcell and co-owner Ryan Murphy were equally as thrilled with the prospect. Nevertheless, in order to preserve MJQ’s reputation as a bastion of equitability, accessibility, and inclusion, there were a number of points that remained non-negotiable. 

“Part of our negotiation was to make sure that we could still provide people with free cover on Wednesdays, a $10 door,  $3 PBRs. It’s what’s important to the people that come here, because the people that come here are what makes the space, and we definitely wanted to make it to where any hardships that we incurred, we did not push those off onto the people that come here.”

With three rooms at their disposal, Purcell says that the current MJQ location hopefully won’t have to close as the new Underground location gets up and running, adding that if they do close, it won’t be for very long.

“The goal is to keep it as minimal as possible, for obvious reasons of trying not to disrupt people wanting to come here and go out, and for our employees as well,” says Purcell.

Meanwhile, after some two and a half decades in operation, MJQ has doubtlessly carved a niche for itself, a trusted formula that, despite being in a new space, Purcell and Murphy don’t want to mess with. 

“Honestly, [we’re] trying to limit the amount of change as much as possible,” says Purcell. “People adjusting to the new location is going to be a pretty large change, and aside from trying to keep our sound, our values, and everything that MJQ is – we’ll still hold on to all of that.”

In fact, some of the only changes that will be implemented include the adoption of credit cards – though Purcell says that’s something they’re currently working on in Ponce de Leon – and extended hours which would see one type of “experience” that kicks off around 6:00 or 7:00 in the evening, with the classic MJQ dance party taking over around 11:00.

At the end of the day, however, Purcell says the MJQ family is “just trying to carry on the ideas, the vibe, [and] the values that we have here,” adding, “That’s the most important to us to let people know.”

This article was corrected on Mar 7, 2023. A previous version included an incorrect address.

Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock is an independent contributor covering various markets across What Now's portfolio. He’s an avid record collector, amateur chef, compulsive estate sale shopper, and “Antiques Roadshow” binge watcher. Originally from Los Angeles, Drew now lives in El Paso, TX with his wife and their two cats.
Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock is an independent contributor covering various markets across What Now's portfolio. He’s an avid record collector, amateur chef, compulsive estate sale shopper, and “Antiques Roadshow” binge watcher. Originally from Los Angeles, Drew now lives in El Paso, TX with his wife and their two cats.

2 Responses

  1. So clearly written by someone with no clue about Atlanta. 3380 Peachtree Road is in Buckhead. Peachtree “Road” is in Buckhead. Peachtree STREET is in downtown Atlanta. Where Underground is located. Also, the street address numbers in downtown start in the single digits and don’t exceed three digits. There would never be a 3380 Peachtree Street downtown even if they got the name correct.

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