A cocktail bar channeling the year 1989 is set to open early next year as part of the Politan Row at Ashford Lane food hall in Dunwoody.
Okay Anny’s — a reference to the refrain from the 1988 Michael Jackson song “Smooth Criminal — will combine “the feel of a classic 80s fern bar vibe with a bright, bombastic 90s color palette,” according to a news release, along with mirror blinds, vapor wave, and colored acrylic.
The bar, which will also feature music playlists from the era, will have a cocktail program highlighting martinis that were popular in the ‘90s as well as new twists on Kamikazes, Colorado Bulldogs “and more Cosmo riffs than a TGI Fridays in 1991,” according to the release.
“It excites me to work with a defined, creative parameter that implores deeper exploration into an era that, despite producing enduringly popular drinks, is looked at as ‘low-brow’ in many cocktail bars,” said Politan Row Director of Operations Benton Bourgeois in a prepared statement. “At Okay Anny’s, we get to remember these fun drinks with a deeper profile of craft spirits and present them to a more adventurous consumer.”
Okay Anny’s is considered the “sequel” to the ‘70s-themed Jojo’s Beloved, located behind the Politan Row at Colony Square food hall in Midtown, and will join nine food stalls and a full-service restaurant once the food hall debuts in January.
Jojo’s Beloved is in the process of expanding, along with the addition of the Roselight Room, an 800-square-foot private event space expected to open in early December.
The Politan Row at Ashford Lane food hall, located at 4500 Olde Perimeter Way in the Ashford Lane retail development, comes from Politan Group, the company behind the Politan Row at Colony Square food hall in Midtown and a forthcoming food hall at Forum Peachtree Corners.
Credit: Courtesy of Politan Group
Credit: Courtesy of Politan Group
Food vendors for the 17,000-square-foot Politan Row at Ashford Lane, which will be open daily for lunch and dinner, include Bucatini Ristorante, Delilah’s Everyday Soul, Chef Viet, Tandoori Pizza and Wings and Pretty Little Tacos. Mamacita’s Cuban Cantina will function as a full-service restaurant inside the space.
Politan Group CEO Will Donaldson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview in August that the company targeted local vendors who are seeking to expand and grow their brands. Seven of the eateries are women-owned, and 100% of the food businesses are owned by women, people of color, or both.
Politan Group has a growing portfolio of food halls around the country, with locations in New Orleans, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and Miami.
“All of our food halls are different, but when you walk into each one, you know it’s ours,” Donaldson said. While the Colony Square food hall has a mid-century modern vibe, the Dunwoody location will use design elements from the Regency era.
The Ashford Lane hall will also offer several private event options for 25-500 guests, with catering available from the hall’s vendors and bars.
Politan Row at Ashford Lane takes over the space vacated by the Hall at Ashford Lane, which closed in July after less than two months, with several former employees accusing the owners of failing to pay them, among other charges.
Other food and beverage concepts in the Ashford Lane development include Omakase by Yun, Grana, Hawkers, Superica, Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern and Brown Bag Seafood Co. Culinary Dropout is set to open in the coming weeks.
The Politan Row projects are part of an ongoing food hall boom in metro Atlanta that, in recent years, has included the opening of Chattahoochee Food Works, Ph’east, Market Hall at Halcyon and The Collective Food Hall at Coda, with several other food halls in development.
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