ATLANTA — A famous Atlanta pub and bar is struggling to stay open as it fights back against an economic storm impacting businesses far and wide.
Manuel's Tavern, a popular neighborhood pub off North Highland Avenue in northeast Atlanta, was opened in 1956 and has a longtime storied history.
The owner of the tavern posted on social media yesterday saying he would have to raise the prices for customers in order to keep paying employees as he and the business attempt to weather the current economic landscape.
In the post, owner Brian Maloof said the changes are out of "absolute necessity" as he alters practices previously done by his grandfather, father and uncle. He said increasing the prices "feels like rewriting the Constitution."
The post was received extraordinarily well by the community, as it received over 1,800 thousand reactions, predominantly positive, and so far 266 comments with those in the community backing the decision entirely out of understanding.
You can read the full Facebook post here
The tavern was opened by the late Manuel Maloof, the current owner's grandfather 67 years ago. It is a place of great stories in a city that doesn't have many iconic taverns.
Over the years, Manuel's Tavern has also served as a place for those seeking and holding public office. From President Jimmy Carter, to President Bill Clinton and even to President Barack Obama, the history of Manuel's since 1956 is really a political history of not only Atlanta, but Georgia as well.
Maloof ended his post with a glimmer of hope, saying: "Thank you for reading this and for being our valued customer. I hope this letter provides clarity on our upcoming price changes and our current situation. It is my hope that inflation will ease, and prices will return to pre-Covid levels. If that happens, we will adjust our prices accordingly."