Midtown Flashback: The Crazy Moon Fun at Loca Luna
While the dilapidated former Loca Luna building along 6th Street is currently being demolished, let your mind wander back a decade or so when the Latin-inspired Midtown restaurant was among Atlanta's most popular nighttime spots.
There was a time not long ago that when the moon rose, crazy good times ensued at Loca Luna’s original Midtown location at 836 Juniper Street.
The moon set several years on the Loca Luna party and the building that once housed one of Atlanta’s earliest tapas restaurants is almost a memory. An Atlanta favorite, Loca Luna was forced closed on Juniper in 2006 and moved to the Amsterdam Walk district as Novare Group moved in to erect its nearby condo tower, Viewpoint.
Now the dilapidated former Loca Luna building along 6th Street between Peachtree and Juniper streets is currently in the process of being demolished to make way for another Novare and Batson-Cook Development Company project, a 23-story 320-unit luxury apartment tower known as 100 6th Street.
But before the original Local Luna structure is history, see our Midtown Pictures of the Day and let your mind wander back to the early 2000s, when Latin music filled the air at Loca Luna. Surly you remember salsa dancing there? Oh the dancing that Loca Luna was home to every night!
Remember the palms, the cloud-covered ceilings, and the tropical-themed décor? Maybe you dined on cheap eats and exotic drinks in the brick-walled courtyard complete with a fountain and wrought iron chairs?
There’s no doubt, that for a certain stretch of time, the Loca Luna on Juniper was one of the top spots for nightlife fun in Midtown and Atlanta. You remember, right?
Patrick
6:19 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
I'll bet a lot of folks fondly remember The Armory even more than Loca Luna, right guys?
It was a Midtown institution for many years.
Hunt Archbold
6:25 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
Yes, Patrick, The Armory was a Midtown favorite, too. Thanks!
Jim
10:05 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
Loca Luna? Oh puh-leeze. That space will forever be remembered as The Armory.
Brad
1:21 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
The armory had the "HIV" bounce around like it was cool lol - glad our kids can walk around and grow up here now without having to worry
Patrick
8:07 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Ummm... Your kids could have walked around the neighborhood THEN and not have had to worry about getting HIV.
Classy comment, Brad. Nice.
But wait,
7:58 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
oh i thought the new building was called Skyhouse 2.0 since apparently Novare can't build buildings that don't look IDENTICAL!
i must be too young for this Armory you all speak of... but i did love the old loca luna. i remember the first time i experienced it shortly after moving to Atlanta and thinking, "i've never seen a place like this before!"
Richard Kelley
9:15 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
I agree with Jim and Hunt....that space will forever be known as the Armory and the Prince George Restaurant! One would go to the Armory for drinks before going walking across the parking lot to Backstreet. The Armory had cheap good drinks, one could watch the Falcons, and make new friends. When the AIDs crisis raised its ugly head, bartender Greg Troia started a fun drag group affectionately known as "The Armorettes " for fundraising events. Many good people my age (57-63) aren't here now due to the epidermic. So there's good and sad memories of that era.
For more info: http://armorettes.com/?page_id=4
Tyler Blazer
9:28 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
While Novare's buildings aren't anything to write home about they could be at least considered background buildings for bigger (not necessarily in size) and better buildings for Atlanta's future.
Hunt Archbold
9:45 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Thanks for the memories and link, Richard. I'm going to share the link with our Facebook followers, too.
Steven Braden
3:38 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
Anyone remember, before Loca Luna, when the space was The Prince George Inn?