COVER STORY
STEPPING OUT Johnny’s Hideaway draws fans of classic dance tunes Birmingham in Michigan, not the one in Alabama. It’s 611 miles away, as the crow flies. “We flew down today to come here because it’s the one and only 50s, 60s and 70s dance place that I know of in America. It’s one of a kind and very special for us,” Voss said as the couple prepared for a foray onto the dance area. It was their first visit since the pandemic’s onset. “We always have a good time and can relive memories of the past,” he said, lamenting that even metro Detroit—rich with Motown Sharon Siegler and music heritage-has nothing similar. That’s an apt tribute to a club whose atmosphere can seem encased in amber—not that that’s a bad thing. Johnny’s debuted in 1979 courtesy of the bigger-than-life tavernkeeper Johnny Esposito and has long been a favorite of the 40-and-over crowd. The watering hole tucked away in an unpretentious Buckhead strip center had skewed younger in recent years, while burnishing its retro vibe. Then came the pandemic. Older adults hit the pause button
for more than a year. “The older folks are starting to trickle back in but it’s still only about 25% of what we had for happy-hour pre-COVID,” said current owner Chris D’Auria. A recent weekday afternoon found him musing on the rollercoaster from March of 2020 until now. After a several-week shutdown, he said, Johnny’s Hideaway carefully reopened while following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gradually increasing capacity, hiring a specialized deepcleaning company and installing a high-end air filtration system have seemingly reassured more than a few older patrons. From happy hour into a recent Wednesday late evening, mature adults were wellrepresented at the club, chatting amiably at the bar, working the crowd and bobbing and weaving on the dance floor. But don’t necessarily expect them to be in evidence when the house lights brighten at 3 a.m. There’s a noticeable turnover around 9-10 p.m., with the
“Everyone can dance. It doesn’t matter what age you are. I don’t want to have children with you. I don’t want to marry you. I just want a dance partner for a while.”
Jeanne and Richard Voss
By Mark Woolsey Never let it be said that longtime Atlanta nightspot Johnny’s Hideaway doesn’t gather in a dedicated and wideranging mixture of fans. A recent Wednesday night found Richard Voss, 78, and
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his wife circulating and reconnecting with friends. Energetic and genial, Richard Voss related how the couple would come from Birmingham and descend on Johnny’s three or four times a year. That would be the
JULY 2021 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com
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