WORDS Brent Rosen
I moved to Montgomery two years ago. In thinking about my two years living here - the new friends made, the new experiences had, the adjustments I’ve made to a new way of life - I realized that much of the Montgomery I now enjoy did not exist two years ago.
Central, True, Railyard, Chicken Salad Chick, Irish Bred Company, Wasabi, and countless Korean and Latin-American restaurants that, despite Dave Mowery’s best efforts, I still know too little about. Montgomery is no longer just fried foods and boiled vegetables; the best restaurants in Montgomery stand up to some of the best restaurants in the United States. In the coming months, we’ll add a Moe’s BBQ in Cloverdale and at least two food trucks humming around Montgomery’s streets.
Leroy, Aviator Bar, SandBar, the Barrah Hookah, a revamp of the Exchange at the Renaissance, the bar at the DoubleTree hotel. Entertainment districts that allow one to walk from bar to bar, drink in hand, without disobeying the law. Derk’s is now a craft beer haven, but even Winn-Dixie and Publix offer something different than old, reliable, delicious Coors Light. If you prefer making your own beer, Fairview Homebrew can help you with all the supplies you need. And those friendly folks at the package store above Sous La Terre - can’t forget them. I’m also looking forward to Graham Woods bringing a dose of the free market to Fairview Ave.
The Crampton Bowl upgrades, Boat Ramp Park, the West Fairview façade improvements, Wright Brothers Park, Development of the Atlanta Highway near Faulkner, and dozens of other city-led improvement projects have made Montgomery a better looking, more interesting, and safer place to live. Outdated hotels have been razed, dilapidated buildings have been torn down, and eyesores have been removed. More projects are on the way on Lower Dexter Avenue, at Questplex, and on Mobile Street in Cottage Hill. While I’ve been critical of the city in the past, the recent outlay for EAT South to finish its second and third phase of its Downtown Farm is a wonderful sign that our leaders at City Hall remain willing to invest our dollars in the sorts of projects that have made Montgomery a hub of civic innovation in the region.
Speaking of EAT South, the Downtown Farm, as well as Southern Makers, EatEasy, TedEx, the revived Montgomery Street Fair, the Cloverdale Playhouse, ASU’s new stadium, the Raycom Bowl that begat the Camellia Bowl, Better Block Mt. Meigs (which will lead to other “Better Block” parties in other Montgomery neighborhoods), Denied and Underexposed, Art in Concert, Huetopia, the Marathon and bike races - two years ago, these events and venues had never been heard of. Now, these events and venues bring diverse sections of Montgomery together on a regular basis, creating a sense of civic pride Montgomery so greatly needed.
This sense of entrepreneurialism and possibility that pervades Montgomery is personified by Mendel Brown. Brown has lived all over the world, but now calls Capitol Heights home. He wanted there to be a place in Montgomery where he could go and have a beer or a cup of coffee, a third-space to meet for conversation, relaxation, a break from work and home. Not seeing this sort of place in Montgomery, Brown decided he would open it himself. The future small plates restaurant/bar/coffee shop is named KRU, and will be located at 2118 Mt. Meigs Road.
The name KRU has an interesting history. On KRU’s Facebook page, Brown explains that “KRO/KROG is a very old Scandinavian word for a tavern found in smaller towns and villages (or neighborhoods). Traditionally situated on a main road with a distance of a half day’s walk, a KRO was located where thirsty and hungry travelers could easily discover the tavern and the local citizens within. Serving simple, traditional food and beverage to both travelers and locals, the KRO concept has been in Scandinavia since the 15th century and is common throughout Northern Europe.” In Montgomery, KRO becomes KRU, a blending of old and new, a welcoming place for Capitol Heights residents and Montgomerians from other neighborhoods to come together and unwind.
When I talked to Brown last week he laid out some of his big plans for his space. There will be multiple decks, lounge areas, and places where friends can gather and talk. He envisions the space bringing light and life to Mt. Meigs St., an area that is usually quite quiet after dark. KRU is the kind of place an entire neighborhood can be built around, and Brown hopes that once he shows people the possibilities of Mt. Meigs, that old commercial district can once again hustle and bustle.
Brown had a vision for what his Montgomery looked like, and then he went out and made it happen. He is just one of many over the past two years to look around, identify a need, and then take action. I am not only looking forward to spending time at KRU, but looking forward to all of the other new projects, investments, and happenings that will spring up around Montgomery in the next two years.