Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
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Udpate: The “Atlanta Black Panther Movie Festival” will take place on Thursday, February 15, 2018, at Regal Cinemas located at Atlantic Station 261 19th Street NW Atlanta, GA at 7:00 pm. Doors open at 6 pm with activities for photos and award ceremony.
“Black Panther” is the biggest cultural in entertainment event of 2018, and Atlanta, which is where the majority of the film was produced, is front and center.
Celebrities have already held an exclusive screening of the Marvel film in Midtown but what about the people? How can the regular Joes and Janes and Jamals see the movie? Well, it’s selling out everywhere fast. But there are still some tickets to grab.
Rapper T.I. is giving away tickets on Monday evening at a local Walmart. The free screening will be at an undisclosed location.
According to the AJC: T.I. will join associates at the Walmart at 1105 Research Center Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30331 (off Cascade Road )at 5 p.m. Monday to give away tickets, in the toy aisle. While you’re there, check out Walmart’s selection of exclusive “Black Panther” action figures, toys, merchandise, and apparel and take a selfie with the “Black Panther” signage.
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Actor Chadwick Boseman is living high off the hog these days thanks to his recent movie credits, including a star turn as James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and now “Black Panther.”
The actor said that when he stayed down South to film (largely in the Atlanta area) he was reminded of the progress the nation has made — and the lack thereof. He told culture website Mr. Porter that he witnessed firsthand a gathering of the Ku Klux Klan as he drove home to visit family in South Carolina.
“When I was shooting Black Panther in Atlanta, I used to drive back on off-days to go see my family in Anderson. It’s about two hours,” he told the website.
“And I would see the Klan holding rallies in a Walmart car park,” he added. “So it’s like we’re going forwards and backwards at the same time. People don’t want to experience change, they just want to wake up and it’s different. But this — shooting Black Panther and then driving past the Klan —that’s what change feels like.”
“Black Panther” has gotten super reviews since it screened for celebrities last week on the big screen. The film debuts Feb. 13 in select markets and opens up nationwide two days later.
During a special screening on Tuesday, Feb. 6 in Atlanta, MPAA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said that the film’s production has generated $83.9 Million to Georgia’s economy, according to Deadline.
At the 2018 Chicago Auto Show, a Lexus exec crushed over the fact that the automaker’s new LC 500 model is featured prominently in the movie.
“There is one scene I’m not happy about. There’s a scene when [King T’Challa] slid across the hood and left a huge scratch on the car,” said Koji Sato, the executive general manager of the Lexus LC 500, according to Thedrive.com. “What is wrong with you, that’s my baby! Why would you do that? You are crazy!”
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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms preached unity as she addressed a room of influential Wednesday, Jan. 31 at the Buckhead Coalition’s annual meeting.
“We now that when Buckhead is strong, we know that the South Side is strong. We know that when the South Side is strong, we know that the North Side is strong.”
“I am committed to making sure that we continue to work together to make sure that our entire city is as strong as it can possibly be,” she said to a room packed with Atlanta’s elite. “It’s so incredibly important that we remember we really are one Atlanta,”
The theme of the invitation-only event was “Atlanta Together.”
Bottoms’ speech was a salve for business leaders looking for guidance from the new mayor as the city courts Amazon for arguably its biggest power move since the Olympics. Bottoms said that she was all on-board to lure Amazon, but cautioned that there were smaller players she had to cater to as well.
After the event, she tweeted: “t was my pleasure to deliver the keynote address at the 2018 #BuckheadCoalition Annual Luncheon. A reminder that we need all of our diverse communities to come together and move forward as #oneAtlanta to ensure our collective success. Thank you for having me.”
Led by former Mayor Sam Massell, the Buckhead Coalition is a powerful business group made up of the region’s movers and shakers.
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tlanta Falcons wideout Julio Jones is opening a car dealership in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Tuesday, according to at AL.com.
Jones prepped at Foley High School in Foley, Alabama, where he starred in football, basketball and track. He is opening the doors of a new Mazda and a Kia dealership, with help from another company which will run it day-to-day.
Jones is expected to be at the grand opening in Alabama on Tuesday.
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Atlanta’s Fort McPherson has been undergoing redevelopment since being sold in 2011 to filmmaker Tyler Perry, who plans to make a film and TV studio. The former military installation is being developed by Macauley Investments, who is charged with developing about 145 acres of the land, according to the AJC.
The project has been met with significant community resistance by some who say that the city of Atlanta undervalued the property in its sale to Perry. After getting input from local residents, the redevelopment authority is ready to offer a “sneak peak” of the master plan, the AJC reports.
The project is the result of the Oakland City/Fort McPherson Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study update and master plan, which came about after extensive community outreach.
Fort Mac LRA will reveal some of the details at a community engagement subcommittee meeting Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1794 Walker Ave. SW.
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Big-time white collar jobs are coming to the Atlanta area as AtlantaFi has learned that Fulton County is getting a new world headquarters. Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced plans Tuesday for Groupe PSA, the French automaker that brought the world the Peugeot and Opel, to build its new North American headquarters in Fulton County.
“We are thrilled that Groupe PSA, the second-largest carmaker in Europe and one of the top mobility providers in the world, has picked Atlanta for its new North American home,” said Deal. “Groupe PSA joins a growing family of innovative automotive manufacturers and suppliers operating here in Georgia. This announcement is a great win for our state and yet another testament to the strength of our business environment and infrastructure.”
Groupe PSA, known for its prestigious line of cars and motorcycles, is the second-largest automaker in Europe.
“We looked at every aspect of the Atlanta community and found it to be the most suitable location for us,” said Larry Dominique, president of PSA North America. “While the overall business environment, tandard of living and university system played an important part in our decision, our unique needs in terms of technology, mobility innovation and car culture ultimately identified Atlanta as our perfect choice.”
The move comes as Atlanta recently made the shortlist for Amazon’s second world headquarters.
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This week Chick-fil-A is opening a new restaurant on North Decatur Road in Decatur and giving customers a chance to win free food for a year. The new location at 650 Decatur Village Way will bring about 90 jobs to the corridor and join a thriving food scene anchored by strong retail development just off Interstate 285.
To celebrate, all participating Atlanta-area Chick-fil-A restaurants are giving away a free chicken biscuit during breakfast hours up to 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 23. There is no purchase necessary, one per customer.
At the new Decatur location, the first 100 eligible adults in line when the doors open on Thursday, Jan. 25 will win free Chick-fil-A — 52 meals made up of a Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries and a medium drink — for a whole year. The new eatery is the brainchild of franchise owner Rodney Johnson, who will also ask that patrons donate children’s books to a local youth organization during the festivities.
The location is expecting people to arrive a day or so in advance, so they are providing organized games, prizes, and a block party in the evening with lip sync battle and more activities.
The North Decatur Chick-fil-A restaurant is the last of four local locations to open in the first month o f 2018. On Jan. 11, the North Druid Hills restaurant reopened, along with Braselton’s first location and just last week on Jan. 18, a Vine City location opened near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Combined, the four restaurants awarded to customers more than $120,000 in free food and have brought upwards of 400 new jobs to the metro area.
In February, a Northridge restaurant is going to reopen as well. The expansion is part of an effort to build 140 stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurants around the United States.
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If you’re looking for a new place to down some brews and spirits, City Tap Kitchen & Craft is set to open in Midtown on Sunday, Feb. 3 2019, AtlantaFi has learned.
The much-anticipated gastropub located in Midtown at 848 Peachtreet St NE will host a Super 53 watch party in collaboration with NFL Hall of Fame Players, and NFL Hall of Fame Players and NFL Legends will be there to mix, mingle and talk football with guests throughout the game.
Read more: 53 Atlanta events happening for Super Bowl 53
City Tap will open in the former space of Gordon Biersch, which closed in 2017. The address is 848 Peachtree St. NE.
City Tap brewery coming to Midtown Atlanta
City Tap is a national brand that sprang up in Philadelphia in 2010. Today City Tap has breweries in Philadelphia’s University City and Logan Square, Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter and Dupont developments, Boston’s Fort Point and Nashville’s Sobro location.
In addition to the new Atlanta location, a City Tap Kitchen & Craft is also slated for Chicago’s Fulton district in 2019.
“To properly represent the evolution of craft beer, we use our taps to show just how diverse craft beer can be, highlighting strong local brews, celebrating the success of long-standing regional partners, and enjoying centuries-old European traditions as well,” Andy Farrell, brand director at City Tap, said in a press release. “It’s fun to see the story of craft unfold across a dynamic beer list.”
Gettles to serve as executive chef at City Tap
Executive Chef Greg Gettles will helm City Tap, overseeing a food menu full of tempting dishes, like Elote “Street Corn” Dip with jalapeño, chili powder, cotija, cilantro, and chips; Ten-Spice Wings with blue cheese ranch and crisp vegetables; Corn and Crab Hushpuppies with citrus remoulade and honey-thyme butter.
City Tap’s formula for success lies in its wide, open bar, a huge selection of taps, a readable draft list and an unintimidating cuisine that appeals to local tastes.
When it comes to its brew list, City Tap says this: “Every beer is categorized by style and given a detailed flavor description so you know exactly what you’re drinking. We also provide you with the beer’s brewery of origin and proper pour size.”
Read more: The essential bars in Little 5 Points
Food & drink specials: How to eat for cheap in Atlanta EVERY DAY
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Hodgepodge Coffeehouse, a popular East Atlanta establishment, has announced plans to open a second location in the Summerhill neighborhood near downtown Atlanta.
The coffee shop will be located on Georgia Avenue near area landmarks such as the Atlanta Zoo and the Georgia State University stadium. The shop will also be a hub for community artists, it said in a press release.
“Along with serving coffee, one of the major focuses of Hodgepodge coffee is to promote local artists by providing them with a clean, well-lit space to display their work,” according to area developer Carter.
The Summerhill area is the site of intense development since Turner Field’s redevelopment, which has made way for a slew of GSU properties.
opening a concept at the Summerhill redevelopment called Wood’s Chapel BBQ. It’ll take 5,200 square feet in the 85 Georgia Avenue slot, with a goal of opening later this year.
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A new furniture store is opening in Atlanta. BoConcept is set to open its doors on January 31, 2018 on East Paces Ferry Road. The store is the brand name of Denmark’s biggest furniture chain.
Around the world, the store has wmore than 250 stores in 60 countries.
“We offer customized, coordinated and affordable design furniture and accessories. Customized because our products can be fitted to the needs and dreams of our customers,” the store says.