The corner of North Highland and Virginia Avenue has two neighbors that share a back alley. One is Murphy's, at 1002 Virginia Avenue NE. The other is 1006 North Highland Avenue NE, where Taco Mac opened its first restaurant in 1979. As of this month, the second building has a new tenant again. Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint opened there on November 2, its first location in Georgia, just in time for the four weeks when Virginia-Highland is busiest.
The season ahead is put on by the neighborhood itself, and the new arrival came through the same channels. Virginia-Highland's civic association signed off on how the new business would treat the alley it shares with Murphy's. A month later, that same association and the district's business group put on Winterfest, and the ticket money goes back into the neighborhood's parks.
Forty-Five Years, Then Seventeen Months
Buffalo natives Greg Wakeham and Lou Chambers started Taco Mac on this corner in 1979, as Rough Draft Atlanta reported when the original location closed in May 2025. The company described the closure as part of its long-term strategy and investment in new markets. It also offered the affected staff jobs at its other metro Atlanta restaurants. The AJC noted that the restaurant had been open for more than 45 years.
Jack Brown's announced plans for the space in June 2025. According to Tomorrow's News Today Atlanta, the opening was first expected in fall 2025 and then slipped more than once before landing on November 2, 2026. All told, the corner sat for about seventeen and a half months between restaurants. Rough Draft's November 5 roundup listed Jack Brown's among the week's openings.
The Terms Came Before the Grand Opening
Opening a bar on this corner meant going through the neighborhood first. In October 2025, the Virginia-Highland Civic Association voted unanimously to recommend approval of Jack Brown's alcohol license application. Neighborhood Planning Unit F then voted 9 to 0 in favor. The details in the NPU-F minutes are about living next door:
- The board discussed limiting trash collection times to keep pickups out of the early morning.
- The operator would coordinate with Murphy's, its neighbor across the alley.
- No guests or music would be allowed on the rear deck facing the alley.
The company says it plans to keep acting like a neighbor. Florida-based Green Shoot Brands announced on October 26 that it had acquired Jack Brown's. Founders Aaron Ludwig and Mike Sabin and president Jason Owenby stay on to run the company. Green Shoot CEO Mike Evans gave this statement for the Virginia Highland District's welcome feature:
"We want to be a good neighbor on North Highland: showing up for Virginia-Highland, not just serving it."
Evans also said general manager Ryan Blake will run the Virginia-Highland location with a crew hired in Atlanta, and that the taps will feature Atlanta and Georgia breweries.
What Fills the Old Taco Mac Room Now
Sabin and Ludwig started Jack Brown's as a basement bar in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 2009, and the chain now has 22 locations across the Southeast. Inside the Virginia-Highland room you'll find antiques, a glittery disco ball, a giant boat and a collection of vintage beer cans. The menu centers on American Wagyu smashburgers. The Greg Brady comes with barbecue potato chips and macaroni, and the Cobra Kai comes with jalapeño jelly and cream cheese. On Freestyle Saturdays, each location makes up its own toppings, so this one will serve burgers no other Jack Brown's does. Fried Oreos are on the dessert menu.
The bar is built around 24 rotating craft taps and the Notch Club, which keeps count of every new beer a regular tries. At 100 beers you earn "Notch" status, and at 1,000 you become a "Saint." Hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday and Monday, and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Across the Alley, the Season Starts December 3
Murphy's lights its outdoor Christmas tree on Thursday, December 3, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with the Georgia Boy Choir caroling. This year the crowd will gather a few steps from a building that was dark last December.
The district's Elf Scavenger Hunt is already running by then. From December 1 to 12, holiday elves hide in businesses around the district. Each stop gives out a sticker, and a finished card turned in at Winterfest enters you in a raffle. Families spend the first two weeks of December walking into district shops, and the hunt ends on the day the whole neighborhood gathers.
The Weekend the Neighborhood Puts On Itself
The Virginia Highland District Association and the Virginia-Highland Civic Association present Winterfest & Tour of Homes together on December 12 and 13. In order, the full season looks like this:
- December 1 to 12: Elf Scavenger Hunt in district businesses.
- Thursday, December 3, 5:30 p.m.: Tree lighting at Murphy's with the Georgia Boy Choir.
- Friday, December 11, 8 p.m.: Ho Ho Hoedown at Neighbors, $50 with a welcome drink.
- Saturday, December 12, 8 a.m.: Jingle Jog 5K. Costumes are encouraged, every runner gets a long-sleeve tee, and the free Elf Dash for runners under 12 follows right after. Registration is required for the Elf Dash.
- Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Gift Market with 80 vendors and 20 young entrepreneurs, plus performances by Ztunes, Tutu School and the Atlanta Vocal Project men's choir.
- Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Kids Corner with crafts, face painting and bounce houses.
- Saturday noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.: Tour of Homes.
The Jingle Jog's race listing gives the event address as 1017 Los Angeles Avenue. Registration is $35 for runners 13 and older and $25 for runners 12 and under, and prices go up December 1.
Inside the Tour of Homes
This year's tour has eight homes on streets including Reeder Circle, Elmwood Drive, Kentucky Avenue, Adair, Barnett, St. Charles Place and St. Charles Avenue. One home is open Sunday only. The organizers describe the homes as ranging from historic bungalows to revival styles, all decorated for the holidays. Proceeds support the Virginia-Highland Civic Association's work on local parks, preservation and neighborhood programs. The same group that weighed in on the new bar's deck also raises the money for the parks, using one December weekend to do it.
| Ticket | When | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tour, early bird | Through November 13 | $35 |
| Tour, general online | Through December 5 | $40 |
| Tour, day of | December 12 and 13 | $50 |
| Children under 10 | Tour weekend | Free |
| Ho Ho Hoedown at Neighbors | Friday, December 11, 8 p.m. | $50 |
| Mistletoe, Martinis + Maki | Saturday, December 12, 7 p.m. | $150 |
| Sleigh, Queens! at the Bellisimos' | Sunday, December 13, noon | $100 |
| Tour plus Mistletoe, Martinis + Maki | Tour weekend | $180 |
Early-bird pricing ends Friday, November 13. Tickets are sold through the Virginia-Highland Tour of Homes site, and the tour's app handles check-in and directions to each home. The district is also looking for Winterfest volunteers, who get a long-sleeve tee and a free drink ticket.
Our team keeps up with how Virginia-Highland's corners change hands and who fills them next, from the old Taco Mac building to the storefronts in this year's Elf Scavenger Hunt. If you're curious about what's changing on your street, or which houses made the tour this year, The Katie McGuirk Team is always glad to talk it through. Contact Us.
