Some Prankster Floated a Fake Rendering of a Revamped 'Manny's Tavern'

With Manuel's Tavern temporarily closed for refurbishment, and with a mixed-use development planned to go up around the building, sentimental Atlantans have worried the iconic watering hole will change for the worse. It seems a clever jokester with an eye for graphic design and marketing has capitalized on those fears and created this rendering of "Manny's Tavern." Fortunately, Creative Loafing reports the rendering and its corresponding press release are an elaborate hoax.

"They steered carefully away from using any of the trademarked elements of Manuel's but still it pisses me off that bunches of people may take this seriously," Manuel's spokesperson Angelo Fuster told CL. "Why would anyone do this? I wonder."

Thank heavens it isn't true. The accompanying release mentions "Eastern European inspired tastings," a craft cocktail list (the horror), iOS and Android apps, and the "Atlanta Tech Village Stage," hosting all-star bands from around the country. Basically, everything that's great about Manuel's would become terrible if this terrifying redesign were to come true.

While none of this is actually in the works (hopefully), Manuel's will be getting a new patio and losing space on the North Avenue side of the building as part of the project. Developers hope to have the bar back in business early this year.

See the bogus rendering and press release below.