The Last Call: 5 Shocking Facts About The Closure And Legacy Of Five Paces Inn Buckhead
For nearly 70 years, Five Paces Inn was an undeniable fixture of Atlanta’s elite Buckhead neighborhood, a gritty, beloved dive bar that stood as a defiant counterpoint to the area’s ever-increasing luxury. As of late December 2025, however, the historic tavern is permanently closed, its fate sealed by the relentless wave of redevelopment sweeping through the Buckhead Village. The story of its final days is a compelling tale of old Atlanta giving way to the new, marked by a high-profile sale, ambitious new plans for the site, and the end of one of the city's most authentic nightlife institutions.
The closure of Five Paces Inn, or "5P" as regulars affectionately called it, represents more than just a business shutting its doors; it signifies the passing of a particular era in Atlanta's social history. This article dives into the definitive facts surrounding its demise, the tumultuous events that preceded its last call, and the future of the coveted real estate at 41 Irby Avenue NW.
The Definitive Biography of a Buckhead Legend (1955–2020s)
While Five Paces Inn was a bar, its history is a rich biography of Atlanta nightlife itself, making it a crucial entity in the city's cultural landscape. It was one of the longest-running, continuously operating bars in Buckhead, and perhaps all of Atlanta.
- Full Name: Five Paces Inn (also known as 5 Paces Tavern, or "5P")
- Location: 41 Irby Avenue NW, Atlanta, GA 30305, in the heart of Buckhead Village.
- Opened: 1955.
- Type: Classic Dive Bar / Tavern.
- Known For: Cheap drinks, cash-only transactions, a dimly lit, "wood-ringed hallway" atmosphere, and a clientele that mixed "just-out-of-college-20-somethings" with authentic local hipsters and neighborhood regulars.
- Significance: It stood as a vestige of the "old party scene" of Buckhead, a stubborn survivor of the neighborhood's transition from a wild nightlife district to a high-end luxury destination.
- Closure Event: Listed for sale and subsequently sold by The Shumacher Group, represented by Steve Josovitz.
- Current Status (Late 2025): Permanently Closed.
Fact 1: The Sale Was a Long-Awaited Victory for Buckhead Redevelopment
The mere existence of Five Paces Inn was a decades-long anomaly. Situated on prime real estate in the rapidly gentrifying Buckhead Village, the small, low-rise building was surrounded by multi-million dollar developments and luxury retail spaces.
The bar was listed for sale, a clear sign that the owners had finally decided to cash in on the property’s immense land value. The sale was handled by Steve Josovitz of The Shumacher Group, Inc., who specializes in the sale of restaurants and bars. The transaction marked a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of Irby Avenue, which has seen massive investment and the demolition of many older structures.
The closure was not a result of poor business—the bar remained popular until its last days—but rather the inevitable conclusion of a classic Atlanta land-use battle. The property itself, a nearly 70-year-old establishment, simply became too valuable to remain a single-story dive bar in a neighborhood dominated by high-rise mixed-use projects. The sale of 5P effectively removed the final major obstacle to a completely modernized Buckhead Village nightlife scene.
Fact 2: The Controversial Shooting That Preceded the End
Before its final closure, Five Paces Inn was unfortunately the site of a tragic and controversial incident that drew significant public attention and scrutiny to the bar and the surrounding area.
- In a high-profile case, an off-duty Atlanta police officer was involved in a fatal shooting outside the bar.
- The victim, 44-year-old Linton Blackwell, was shot and killed outside the establishment in October of an unspecified year, though the widespread coverage suggests it was a recent event that contributed to the bar's tumultuous final chapter.
- This event, along with the general shift in the neighborhood's focus from rowdy nightlife to upscale dining and shopping, put immense pressure on the remaining old-guard establishments like 5P.
While the bar's eventual sale was driven by real estate economics, the heightened media and police focus following the incident undoubtedly contributed to the atmosphere of change and the inevitable end of the historic tavern's run. It served as a stark reminder of the "wild days" of Buckhead that the new developers and residents were eager to leave behind.
Fact 3: The Successor Tavern and the Irby Avenue Legacy
Following the sale, the question immediately became: what would replace the iconic Five Paces Inn? Initial reports suggested that the owners of 5P were planning to open a new concept in the same location, or at least a temporary one, known as The Village Tap.
However, the permanent status of the property at 41 Irby Avenue NW remains a point of speculation in late 2025, with commercial listings still referencing the site as the former "5 Paces Tavern Buckhead Village." This ambiguity is common in Buckhead Village as massive, multi-year redevelopment projects are underway, often involving rezoning and complex mixed-use construction. The larger trend on Irby Avenue is toward new, modern concepts that align with the adjacent luxury retail district.
The closure of 5P highlights the dwindling number of authentic, historic Atlanta dive bars. Establishments like the Northside Tavern, the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club in Little Five Points, or the Elliott Street Deli and Pub are now viewed as the torchbearers of the city's gritty, authentic bar scene, a title Five Paces Inn once proudly held.
Fact 4: The Five Paces Inn Was a Cultural Anomaly
The true legacy of 5P lies in its cultural defiance. In a neighborhood where the average cocktail price soared and dress codes became mandatory, 5P was a place where you could still walk in wearing shorts and a t-shirt and pay cash for a cheap beer. It was a true melting pot, a rarity in a city increasingly defined by social segregation.
- The Anti-Buckhead Vibe: It was proudly a "wooden hallway dive" bar that resisted the "hoity-toity" reputation of its surroundings.
- A Social Mixer: Unlike the velvet-rope clubs, 5P was known for bringing together a diverse crowd, from students and service industry workers to wealthy Buckhead residents looking for a no-frills drink.
- A Time Capsule: The interior and atmosphere remained largely unchanged for decades, offering a genuine glimpse into the old Atlanta that existed before the massive influx of corporate and luxury development.
Its closing is viewed by many long-time Atlantans as a significant cultural loss, a casualty of the relentless march of progress and gentrification that is reshaping the city’s identity.
Fact 5: The Future of the Real Estate
The final, most compelling fact about the Five Paces Inn property is its future. The land at 41 Irby Avenue NW is a key parcel in the ongoing Buckhead Village redevelopment efforts. While a specific, final plan for the exact building is not universally confirmed in late 2025, the overall trajectory of the area is clear: high-density, mixed-use development.
The Buckhead Village project, which involves major entities like Jamestown, is focused on creating a walkable, luxury destination with retail, restaurants, and high-end residential units. The former 5P site is expected to be integrated into this larger vision, likely resulting in a multi-story structure that maximizes the property’s value. The era of the single-story dive bar on Irby Avenue is definitively over, replaced by the promise of new retail, dining, and potentially residential space that will forever change the skyline and social fabric of this historic Atlanta corner.
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