ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — Next month, Funwoody Restaurants will celebrate its five-year anniversary as a major community hub in Dunwoody, the hospitality group announced this week.

The concept began in 2019 in Dunwoody Village, where a drab courtyard sat unused thanks to longtime vacancies in the commercial development, according to a news release. David Abes, founder of DASH hospitality and Funwoody, saw its potential as a community gathering place.

The project began with a renovation of the development’s courtyard, adding outdoor seating, a huge outdoor video screen and a live performance stage. In 2021, the first Funwoody restaurant opened: Barn Booze N Bites, which served flatbreads, charcuterie, cocktails and more. Morty’s Meat & Supply came next, combining Southern barbecue and New York deli themes in one space. Message in a Bottle, an upscale seafood restaurant inspired by the famous beach destinations on Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A, expanded the group’s range, followed by the ice cream and soda shop Good Vibes.

Earlier this year, Funwoody took over the former Steak & Grace space to introduce Stable Comfort Food N Cocktails. Over the course of five years, these five restaurant concepts have transformed the once-sleepy Dunwoody Village.

“In many ways, the restaurants have become the infrastructure for a community that didn’t previously have a central gathering place,” Abes said in a statement. “We were trying to create a place where people could come together in an approachable way with their kids and enjoy socializing again. But what has happened since my original thought has been bigger than myself and my team could have ever imagined. The restaurants are notable, but the real success is seeing the community make this place its own.”

Funwoody will celebrate its milestone anniversary with a Halloween-themed party with live music, costumes and drink specials, beginning Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. [MORE]