A staple of gay Atlanta nightlife is soon to be no more. Jungle is closing its doors in November.
The announcement was made Thursday by owner Richard Cherskov, who says new development is to blame.
“I’ve tried everything to convince our new building owners to renew our lease, but the fact remains that they feel our business is not compatible with the new apartments they are building next door,” Cherskov said in a Facebook post. “Curiously, they have decided not to give us an extension during construction. I understand developers have a right to develop, but it still stings.”
The news is sure to heighten the anxiety among Atlanta’s LGBT community about parts of the culture being wiped out due to new development.
Another bar at risk is The Model T, located at the Ford Factory Lofts building on Ponce de Leon Avenue. Owner Jill Darmer told Georgia Voice that skyrocketing rent is putting her business in jeopardy. And the Ponce City Market development has led to traffic issues in the area that Friends On Ponce manager Lewis Covington said is affecting their business and ability for customers to park without getting booted.
Jungle’s final bow will be on Nov. 11. See the schedule posted by Cherskov below:
Coming up:
09/23 – R4H Main Event – Blacklow
09/30 – Wussy Mag – Pearl
10/07 – Angel X – DreamTeam
10/11 – Randy Rainbow (Lost N Found Youth)
10/13 – Pride Friday – Drew G & Evah Destruction (host)
10/14 – Pride Saturday – Joe Gauthreux
10/21 – Wacked Out Black Out
10/27 – Secret Partys Halloween
10/28 – Halloween: The End is Near – Cindel
11/04 – Angel X – DreamTeam
11/11 – Abel (with GA Boy Productions)
And of course our weekly shows:
Monday 11:00 PM – Stars of the Century
Friday 9:00 PM – The Other Show
Saturday 9:00 PM – Fantasy Girls
And here is the full text of Cherskov’s statement.
Sadly, the time has come to announce that Jungle will be closing in mid-November. I’ve tried everything to convince our new building owners to renew our lease, but the fact remains that they feel our business is not compatible with the new apartments they are building next door. Curiously, they have decided not to give us an extension during construction. I understand developers have a right to develop, but it still stings.
For me, these past seven years running Jungle Atlanta have been fun, challenging, frustrating, exhausting, and rewarding. Nightlife has changed so much in such a short time, but some things remain comfortingly familiar: the pounding music, the vibrant performers, and the thrill of the chase. I hope you’ll continue to support Atlanta nightlife in all its various forms.
My focus remains on the future – some of our biggest events are still ahead of us. I hope you’ll join us as we pay tribute to those that have supported us through the years. To all of our team members, DJs, performers, promoters, customers, and superfans:
THANK YOU FOR A FANTASTIC 13 YEARS!
-Richard