The Whitaker Group’s upcoming mixed-use building in Old Fourth Ward is going to be anchored by A Ma Maniére and its EATS restaurant and lounge, Owner James Whitner, who also happens to be behind The Whitaker Group, confirmed Tuesday with What Now Atlanta.
A Ma Maniére is a lot more than just a fashion boutique, Whitner said, explaining how his retail concept takes pride in giving back to the Black community in general. On top of that, A Ma Maniére runs quite a few flagship programs designed to build a better community in general with “a laser-sharp focus.” Its planned home — a four-story mid-rise with restaurant, retail, residential, and a rooftop deck — is set to rise adjacent to the now-shuttered The Sound Table which will soon reopen as Edgewood Dynasty.
A brief visit to A Ma Maniére’s Instagram reveals apparel, healthy food tutorials branded “A Ma Maniére EATS” — which will be incorporated into the property as a restaurant lounge and rooftop — and posts aiming at voter education. Whitner hopes for A Ma Maniére to impact political education, financial literacy, health, and wellness, amongst many other things through its programs.
“Located in the Edgewood Corridor one block from Martin Luther King’s Home, the building is designed to be historic in nature on the Edgewood Ave side and more modern on the Boulevard Ave side, to connect to a future project,” A Ma Maniére writes of the project on its Instagram.
The A Ma Maniére owner declined to discuss an opening timeline for his flagship store popping up at 479 Edgewood Avenue SE. With locations in Washington DC, Houston, and Harlem, A Ma Maniére’s Old Fourth Ward store will have the entire retail experience while putting everything they do for the community into one flagship space. Whitner also runs several other companies like Social Status, A.P.B., Prosper, and Family Enterprises LLC.
Who is going to tell them there is already an established EATS in Atlanta?
My first thought as well. And Eats is only a short distance away in Midtown near O4W.
I was initially excited that this might be a 2nd location of the real Eats, but alas …