The Vortex
878 Peachtree Street. NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
(Between 7th and 8th Streets)
Phone: (404) 875-1667
Website
Three Sibblings Open A Bar
For Vortex fans that are interested in learning a little bit about our history, we offer this super-condensed version of how The Vortex came into existence. In 1991, Michael Benoit was working as an artist in his hometown of Los Angeles when he realized it was time for a change. Taking a two-week driving tour of the Southeast, he visited Atlanta for the first time. Back in those days, Atlanta was a young, affordable city with a spectacularly thriving nightlife. "Last-call" was made at 4:00 am, and just in case you still weren’t ready to go home, there were a few 24-hour clubs operating around town. It also seemed like there was a strip club on every corner. Michael was sold. He went back to L.A., packed up all his belongings and hit the road for Georgia. He was soon followed by his brother, Hank, and sister, Suzanne, who were also ready to bid farewell to Southern California.
Since all three siblings were looking for a change and wanted to create a little fun for themselves in their newly adopted city, they decided to pool their meager resources and open a bar. After all, what could be more fun than hanging out in a bar every day, right? They eventually found a little pub for rent on the corner of West Peachtree and 11th Street in the Midtown neighborhood of Atlanta. At that time, many locals advised them that this area was somewhat “undesirable,” but the trio forged ahead anyway.
They opened the original location of The Vortex Bar & Grill on April 20, 1992. The space was tiny, and they filled it to the brim with kooky, eclectic décor. They opened the doors and personally welcomed each and every customer. Since none of them had any experience in the bar business, they employed the “learn-as-you-burn” philosophy, working long hours from opening until close every day, performing every chore necessary to keep the bar running. This included waiting tables, bartending, and even cooking in a pinch. They also bussed tables, washed dishes and performed all the janitorial duties, which unfortunately included a fair amount of vomit remediation and toilet unclogging.
They didn’t mind the hard work, but since their goal was to have fun, the siblings refused to put up with any rude or demanding customers, declaring The Vortex to be an “Official Idiot-Free Zone.” People who annoyed them were regularly tossed out, often physically, which garnered the siblings a certain degree of notoriety for their unconventional approach to customer service. They had succeeded in creating a cool, secret hideout for themselves. Their big personalities and offbeat sense of humor quickly became hallmarks of this hip new neighborhood bar, and the business prospered.
