ATLANTA — One of Atlanta's most historic gay bars is making a comeback.
Atlanta Eagle, the famed bar that opened in the late 80s and was one of the early venues to host Ru Paul drag performances, will be reopening later this month.
Owner and operator Richard Ramey announced in a Facebook post earlier this week that the bar will be moving about two miles north from its original location on Ponce De Leon Ave. to 1492 Piedmont Ave.
The Piedmont Ave. building had housed Midnight Moon for the last few years, with that bar now folding into Atlanta Eagle.
The bar had closed during the pandemic and then tried to work to return to its original building. Ramey said in his Facebook announcement that he had "desperately tried to get back in touch with the landlord to maybe let us come back to that location" but that the efforts were not successful.
The original building on Ponce was declared a historic site by former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in late 2020, a designation they hoped at the time would allow Atlanta Eagle to reopen there.
At the time, it became the first recognized and protected LGBTQ landmark in the Deep South.
According to Historic Atlanta, its 1987 opening "marked Atlanta’s place in the family of independently owned gay bars that operate under the 'Eagle' name. 'Eagle' bars began in New York City after the Stonewall riots 1969."
Ramey said on Facebook that the last night of Midnight Moon would be Sept. 24.
"We are ready to move forward and we are officially announcing tonight we will be open before Pride, so we'll have Pride here at the Atlanta Eagle this year and I can't wait to welcome everyone to the new Atlanta Eagle," he said. "Raise yuour drinks and toast to the new Atlanta Eagle."