Poncey-Highland Sports Bar Dugan’s closes in Ponce and moves to Northlake in DeKalb County

Dugan’s, a popular Poncey-Highland sports bar known for its wings, will move by the end of the year from its current location on Ponce to what was once Northlake Mall, now being redeveloped in DeKalb County.

Steve Webb of commercial real estate firm Ackerman and Co., the company representing the Northlake resort, said Dugan’s on Ponce is expected to close later this fall. The original Dugan’s opened in 1985 next to the current Clermont on Ponce Hotel.

Once opened at the new Northlake complex, Dugan’s will occupy a large space towards the property’s main entrance on Briarcliff Road. The menu is expected to be similar to Ponce’s, serving a variety of pub fare, including ten flavors of wings, burgers, and loaded nachos.

projects for the redevelopment of the Northlake complex call to a mix of restaurants, a coffee shop, brewery, retail and office space, as well as Emory Healthcare and CDC Credit Union locations.

In 2016, rumors swirled around the city that Dugan’s would soon be replaced by a Chick-fil-A, when an advertisement listing the Ponce property for sale appeared on commercial real estate website LoopNet. Restaurant employees and establishment owner Louis Chambers strongly denied the rumours, accusing a “very aggressive broker”. However, Chambers said at the time that he would consider selling the property “if the [right] the price has come.

According to Urbanize ATL last August, Chick-fil-A then offered replacement of a Texaco station just up the road on the corner of Ponce and Boulevard with a restaurant with drive-thru and ample parking. The proposal again sparked controversy, with area residents citing traffic problems and accusing Chick-fil-A and Atlanta city officials of giving priority to cars over pedestrians.

Then, in October 2021, Urbanize plans not covered ATL for what appears to be a second Chick-fil-A four blocks east of the proposed restaurant, placing it on the site where Dugan’s currently resides. This would include parking, but no drive-thru window.

As of February 2022, the property located at 777 Ponce De Leon Avenue is still for sale on LoopNet for the suggested price of $7 million, with renders indicating a possible takeover of the site by Chick-fil-A.

The opening of Dugan’s in Northlake also marks another milestone for the longtime Atlanta sports bar: the launch of franchise Opportunities.

4800 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta. dugansbar.com.