Is this only bike shop with a crystal chandelier? Loose Nuts Cycles had their grand opening party last night. The Architecture Tourist was there.Loose Nuts is in one of Atlanta's oldest and greatest buildings that you've never seen: Grant Park Lodge #604. The lodge has anchored the coziest corner in Grant Park, maybe the coziest in Atlanta, for nearly 100 years. Chris (more on Chris later) said that this is the first lodge the masons built in Atlanta after the Civil War. Happily, masonic lodges are handsome, sturdy, and flexible. Think the Fox Theater, Smith's Old Bar, Pythagoras Masonic Lodge across from the old Decatur Courthouse.
This is a totally rocking entrance for a Yoga Studio, huh?
The Grant Park Lodge now houses, Nirvana Yoga, Adams Realtors, a Dakota Blue Restaurant, and Loose Nuts Cycles.
I asked Chris about the chandelier. He said that the last 3 tenants were salons. Looks good with punky logos too. You can just see another chandelier on the left.
How does a 100 year old neo-classical lodge manage a hot Atlanta evening with 100's of skinny, perspiring cyclists? Perfectly. This is the psychedelic version of hanging on the street with bikers, local neighbors out to eat, and strolling families. New Urban Heaven.
Here is Chris Tavel (glasses), Chris and Kareem Shehab own and operate the store. The are also big bike trick bicyclists. I don't even know what that is but I've seen the video.
Thanks,
Terry
P.S. Trees keep me from photographing the front of the building. I'll try again this fall. But real Architecture Tourists enjoy the back of buildings too.
