The Rusty Nail, an Atlanta mainstay for nearly five decades, is closing. The pub, located at 2900 Buford Highway, will have a "Last Call" Saturday September 23, before closing for the final time. Located in what is today part of the City of Brookhaven, the dive bar opened in 1974 and became a landmark, in part due to the 18 foot (smoking) gun out front.
The Rusty Nail is typically open until 1 AM on Saturdays but we are told the sendoff party might go a little later!
Occupying a onetime KFC, The Rusty Nail added a second outpost along Roswell Road in Sandy Springs in 1978. The Sandy Springs location closed last August, at which time it was understood that owner Nick Cardellino would shift his focus to the Buford Highway outpost.
Unlike the Sandy Springs property which Cardellino owned, on Buford Highway he was a tenant and was reportedly recently informed by his landlord of their intention to sell. For his part, Cardellino was reportedly offered the opportunity to purchase, but given the age of the building and current cost of commercial land in Brookhaven, opted to close.
DeKalb County tax records indicate that the .7 acre property is owned by Bradbury Investment Partners, LP, an Atlanta-based entity. The property is currently zoned C3 and has for at least the past seven years been valued by the county at $456,000 ($326,800 for the land and $129,200 for the building.)
There is reportedly a chance that Cardellino reopens The Rusty Nail somewhere at some point but it's unlikely to be anywhere near Brookhaven.
What is your favorite dive bar in metro Atlanta? What former Atlanta area dive bar do you miss most? Other than a bank, car wash, Mattress Firm or Take 5 Oil Change, what would you like to see open in place of The Rusty Nail in Brookhaven?
Please share your thoughts below.
25 comments:
I suppose in some way it is sad, but only went there once and that was twenty years ago. It seems anything that isn't corporate owned or a franchise is closing and sadly making Atlanta into just another bland city. Not sure what makes something a "Dive Bar", but it is hard not to include the Clermont Lounge on any list.
this is the old location of 'Sandy's Drive-In'. But I'm not sure it was a drive-in theater. It may have been a car repair shop. Maybe some old-timer can chime in.
Wow, the Rusty Nail was the first Atlanta area bar I ever visited back in early 1996. Was visiting from out of town to scope out potential apartments with a friend while staying at a hotel near the Rusty Nail. We stopped by the Rusty Nail every night and saw the same friendly regulars each night. I'm sad to see it go.
Would Trader Joes build here?
sawdust on the floor
🤣🤣🤣 What an Atlanta answer…
Correct in that it was a "Sandy's Drive-in", but it was a fast food hamburger place. Way before any McDonald's was anywhere close.
ps I'm NOT an ol timer (At least I don't think I am)
Definitely sad it's the end for the Rusty Nail. Not surprised though....I knew with that prime location this was going to happen at some point. The Rusty Nail on Roswell was the one I was attached to and was very sad when that one closed last summer. Both locations had a great run....Goodbye Rusty Nail.
Lots of memories of Rusty Nail before, during, and after my drinking days. I was a manager at Copperfield's for several years and I knew the staff and regulars at RN, Fuzzys, Applebee's, Witchburners, etc. There was also TGIFriday,s/Dalts/and whatever it was named during the years the former NFL player operated that building.
The food was good at RN. In the mid-70s, I was in the sailboat business. I would visit a competitor who operated a sailboat dealership directly across the street from RN, and we would often have lunch at RN. RN also had a location in Clarkston in the early-mid 80s. I seem to remember the Clarkston location was operated by a former partner of the Buford Hwy location.
And who remembers BAI (Bavarian Alpine Inn)? It was a jumping pickup spot across from Green's. BAI closed to make room for widening of I-85.
In early 2000s I was working in business communication publications. Our offices were in Lenox Pointe near RN. Groups of us would lunch at RN once a month or so. Good stuff.
pigfish, Excellent! The old ads for Sandy's made it difficult to determine what it was. I wish I could go back in time and dine at Shrimpboat, Sandy's, and chase it with a shake from Dari Delight.
Keep it and change the name to the Corroded Bolt
@ham Clermont Lounge has become the exact opposite of a dive bar. It's a tourist trap. Maybe 25 years ago Clermont Lounge was a dive bar, but those times are long gone. Sounds like you dont get out much or ever got out much.
I heard the Rusty Trombone will be replacing the Rusty Nail.
Further evidence that Atlanta has become a corporate strip mall. Get out while you still can!
It was originally called The Rusty Trombone.
Badoop bomp!
To the Anon who mentioned Bavarian Alpine Inn, there's a Chinese restaurant named Peking Garden on South Cobb drive in Smyrna that's in a former Bavarian Alpine Inn. It still retains the exterior of a BAI and still has the carpeting of the original BAI inside with the logo printed on it. That carpeting must be over 40 years old....LOL
Sandy's was a hamburger and milkshake joint
It was called C W Shaw's not C W Shawn. A great rock and roll bar back in the day that we all used to hang out at
Does anyone know what is happening to the Monterey Mexican restaurant on 2300 Holcomb Bridge road in Roswell? There was a sign on the front of the place that said "Under New Management" but everytime I have gone past there in the early evening it appears to be closed the parking lot empty even though the lights are still on in the place.
trader joes 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
The dive bar I miss is Famous at Toco Hills.
They already have Supermercado
No business really wants to be inside 285. … ghettos ayn fun mayhgn!!!
This person is having a stroke again. Please help them get to a hospital.
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