An entertainment and culinary concept featuring pop-up dining, live music and its own hydroponic farm is coming to Chamblee.
Block & Drum is slated for a full opening in spring 2024, but visitors can get a preview when the cafe aspect serving third-wave specialty coffee and select brunch items opens to customers this December, along with the micro-distillery and hydroponic botanic farm.
“What we grow in there will be used in our spirits, as well as in the food that the vendors will be selling at container kitchens,” founder and creative director Justin Staples told What Now Atlanta.
Tenants for those container kitchens will be filled through short-term leases, allowing for a rotating lineup of established and budding local chefs – a twofold mission.
“It’s great for our entrepreneurs in that it allows them to keep their risk low, meanwhile it gives them a great audience,” he said. “It allows our patrons a fresh lineup of menus that turns over regularly. It keeps things fresh and exciting.”
The aesthetic of the 14,000-square-foot property promises to be unique, with the venue being fashioned from repurposed shipping containers and a refurbished industrial property. It will be centered around the distillery and a tasting room that doubles as a vinyl listening lounge. There will also be a a rainwater harvesting system to further reduce the venue’s carbon footprint.
An outdoor courtyard and main stage offers possibilities for an array of live performances, from music to comedy.
Staples got the idea for a concept like Block & Drum through his experience in the corporate world, specializing in consulting with large spirits companies and in the tech innovation space.
He wondered: “How can I apply some of those things that are unique and innovative around food and beverage in the Atlanta area, that connects people from the plant all the way to the end product in the bottle or the incredible food item they have on their plate, and do that in a condensed space that is fun and exciting and entertaining to be at?”
Staples said the venue’s location along the Chamblee Rail Trail offers potential for Block & Drum to be an easily accessible destination.
“It’s an exciting space for folks to walk to or bike to and be a destination, to come and hang out, whether you’re out for a late-night walk with your girlfriend or on a family bike ride,” he said.
