Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The tavern in Avondale Estates has changed its name several times recently.
The Avondale Estates bar that kept changing its name -- from James Joyce Irish Pub to the Hail Mary to the Avondale Arms and finally the Brewhouse Cafe Avondale -- is closing its doors on April 28. Ashley Wheldon, one of the managers, said Wednesday afternoon, that financial problems brought down the bar on East College Avenue in Avondale Estates. She said all dozen employees have been offered work at the Brewhouse Cafe in Little Five Points, the other bar owned by Denise and Michael Gerard. The bar may not have drawn enough customers, but it got attention because of its identity crisis. The James Joyce opened in 2002 and developed a loyal following. It closed in late September and reopened a few days later as The Hail Mary, a sports bar …
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Avondale Estates bar has changed names four times in four months.
For the fourth time in four months, the sign and the name have changed for a popular bar in Avondale Estates. It's now, officially, the Brewhouse Cafe Avondale. Most people around here remember the place as the James Joyce Irish Pub, which opened in 2002. The name changed last October to the Hail Mary Sports Bar when new management took over. That deal fell through after a few months. Owner Denise Gerard stepped back in, adopted the name Avondale Arms for a brief period and changed the sign again. The new name, Brewhouse Cafe Avondale, is a nod to her other bar, the Brewhouse Cafe at Little Five Points.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Owner decides on the name for the Avondale Estates watering hole.
The name game is ending for a popular Avondale Estates watering hole. Denise Gerard confirmd Monday that she has settled on Brewhouse Cafe Avondale as the name for the bar on East College Avenue. In the last three and a half months, it's been called the James Joyce Irish Pub, the Hail Mary Sports Bar and, most recently, the Avondale Arms. The Brewhouse Cafe Avondale will be a non-smoking, family sports bar, she said in an email. "We are just working on our new signs hope to have them up by next week," she said. How did one bar end up with four names in less than four months? The James Joyce opened in 2002 and developed a loyal following. It had an Irish theme, with dark wood booths and framed posters celebrating Irish sports and culture …
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The pub will soon become the Brewhouse Cafe in Avondale Estates -- or something like that, the owner says.
Avondale Estates' most popular watering hole is having an identity crisis. The establishment known for years as the James Joyce Pub and for the last two-and-half months as The Hail Mary sports bar started calling itself the Avondale Arms last weekend. That won't last long, owner Denise Gerard said Sunday night. Gerard, who also owns the popular Brewhouse Cafe in Little Five Points, said the Avondale pub will adopt a similar name soon. It will keep elements of a sports bar, such as multiple television sets, she said. What happened? The James Joyce opened in 2002 and had a loyal following. It stopped operating under that name in late September, with the final night marked by a mock funeral for the bar. It opened a few days later as The Hail …
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A few full-service restaurants will be operating on Thanksgiving in Decatur and Avondale Estates.
Thanksgiving is the American holiday dedicated to serious eating, yet most full-service restaurants are closed that day. Decatur and Avondale Estates are no exception. If you're not interested in cooking but still want turkey and dressing, here are a few places in the area that will serve that day: If you want to eat but don't demand turkey, some other places will be open. Taco Mac will operate from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The Hail Mary sports pub in Avondale Estates opens from 5 p.m. to midnight. And of course, McDonald's in Decatur will be open if you crave a Big Mac or a McRib.
Lucinda
1:16 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
I loved the old James Joyce. I enjoyed meeting friends there, and had several parties there, and the owners were so kind and helpful. I hope it finds new owners soon...who will return it to the neighborhood pub it once was. more ›