Various distinguished Atlantans braved the buzz saws and the clusters of construction workers hammering away for the first look inside the new Meehan’s Public House downtown Thursday afternoon.
And then Dish showed up, donned a hardhat and peeked in for a looksee too.
Leading the tour was 101 Concepts partner Chris Segal, who’s understandably excited to bring the company’s third Meehan’s location to 180 Peachtree Street.
The building is the site of the late, lamented Macy’s building.
Walking across a 100-year-old heartpine floor acquired from an old cotton mill in Thomaston, Segal told the tour: “We tried to recycle as many things as possible to make this as green as we could.”
The mens room entrance, for example, is a former front door (complete with mail slot) discovered at the Scott Antique Market.
Vintage chairs, an old courtroom table and even a shoeshine booth are awaiting installation in the 180-seat eatery.
Segal said he had to sell his 101 Concepts partners on the idea of venturing downtown with the Meehan’s concept.
“When you visit downtown areas in other cities, there’s a vibrancy there that Atlanta is still working on,” he explained. “We wanted to add something new for the downtown visitor in addition to Hooters and Hard Rock Cafe. We wanted to bring the friendliness of an Irish pub to Peachtree.”
Well, a traditional Irish pub with LED flat screen TVs, free WiFi and a private dining room with a breath-taking stained glass sky light scored in Augusta.
While Meehan’s menu mainstays like the famous Guinness battered fish and chips will have a prominent place on the menu downtown, chef Jordan Wakefield will also be bringing his love for the farm-to-table concept to the new Meehan’s as well.
“I’ve already got local organic produce purveyors set up and locally caught seafood as well,” Wakefield told Dish. “I’m also looking at adding things like prime rib to cater to the downtown crowd. I want to take something simple and improve on it.”
Wilma Sothern, Central Atlanta Progress vice-president for marketing, was impressed by what she saw on the tour.
“It’s going to make a terrific addition to downtown,” she said. “And the original integrity of the building remains too. It was great to walk down Peachtree recently and walk right up an Irish pub. They took great strides to work the pub into the building’s facade.”
With the build out continuing 24/7 on the space, Meehan’s fans can look forward to an early March opening.
Just between us?
The doors just might swing open as early as next week for a soft opening. . . 
