Joystick Gamebar’s next chapter begins this fall in East Atlanta Village

Edgewood Avenue cocktail bar and gaming lounge Joystick Gamebar will relocate to East Atlanta Village (EAV) later this fall.

The bar, which includes old-school arcade and pinball games, and regularly hosts gaming clubs and game nights, pulled up stakes on Edgewood after 14 years there.

Joystick will take over the former East Side Lounge space across from The Earl in the heart of EAV and will feature new games, updated food menu, and the addition of a third partner in the business. 

Why relocate?

Co-owner Johnny Martinez said the decision to close on Edgewood and relocate wasn’t one he and Joystick partner Brandon Ley took lightly. The decision was a slow burn over several years that factored in a pandemic shakeup, rising and unforeseen costs like a doubling power bill and hiring security, and a capacity cap that often restricted earning potential for the Edgewood Avenue bar. 

“We never really recovered from the pandemic. Our sales never got above 85% of where we were before it,” Martinez told Rough Draft. “There are limits to what a small business can absorb. Joystick only has an occupancy of 98 people. No matter how busy we are, there’s a ceiling on what we can earn. But there hasn’t been the same ceiling on our expenses.”

While large crowds from unpermitted street parties sometimes turned Edgewood into a parking lot, and a handful of recent shootings caused challenges, Martinez said those issues had little to do with the final decision to move Joystick further east. With the bar’s lease up in February, the timing felt right.

“We love Edgewood. We wouldn’t have spent 14 years here if we didn’t. One thing I hope people understand is just how many people have worked incredibly hard to keep this street alive,” Martinez said of businesses like his, including Our Bar, Church, Lore, Pisces, and Edgewood Pizza. 

He personally served on the city’s Edgewood Security Task Force to represent the interests of the corridor’s small business owners. 

But now Martinez and Ley are focused on the future and the next iteration of Joystick Gamebar. Like the neighborhoods surrounding Edgewood Avenue, Martinez said, EAV is full of people who care about where they live and support local businesses. 

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What to expect in EAV

Not much will change in terms of the design or the vibe at Joystick in EAV.

People can still expect to find a mix of classic arcade games and pinball machines, including the possible return of a pinball cult classic: Dolly Parton. Gaming consoles will become permanent fixtures at the bar, along with gaming tournaments and events co-hosted with businesses like True Fire Tactics.

“We’re still going to focus on quality beer, wine, and spirits, along with creative cocktails. We’ll be bringing back some of the cocktail favorites we’ve created over the years,” Martinez said.

Kysha Cyrus will join Martinez and Ley as a partner and help oversee the food at Joystick in EAV. Cyrus worked behind the bar at Joystick for years, before opening cocktail bar Mambo Zombi with Martinez and Ley above their Edgewood Avenue beer bar, Georgia Beer Garden. (Both Georgia Beer Garden and Mambo Zombi have since closed.)

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“Our priority is getting the doors open as quickly as possible, and because our permanent grease trap won’t be installed until later, we won’t be opening with a fryer,” Martinez said. 

Rather than seeing the kitchen’s temporary limitations as a problem, Martinez said Cyrus got creative with the food menu. Think potato chips with melted blue cheese and grilled cheese waffle sandwiches with condiments like bacon jam. Once the grease trap is installed, Cyrus will expand the food menu to include dishes requiring a fryer.

Leaving Edgewood Avenue after all these years is bittersweet, but Martinez said he and Ley are optimistic about its future. 

“Look at what Church has built over the years. Look at Lore and the incredible community they’ve created,” Martinez explained. “Pisces continues to bring new people to the neighborhood with lines down their block. Our Bar is one of the hardest-working businesses in Atlanta. Edgewood Pizza has become a neighborhood institution.”

“You’re seeing renovated apartment buildings, new retail, and more people choosing to invest in the corridor. There are a lot of people betting on Edgewood’s future,” he added.

Joystick Gamebar, 485 Flat Shoals Ave., East Atlanta Village. Opening fall 2026. Anticipated hours: Monday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. 

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