Talk of the Town - Too drunk to drive? July 31 2003

Sober Lakewood residents can help

It’s out with the new and in with the old at a loft on the border of south Atlanta and Lakewood. Antique dealers, real estate entrepreneurs and loft owners Robert and Rebecca Nichals have turned a desolated warehouse into a haven for both antiques and neighbors. The three-story loft offers a rooftop view of the city, 14-foot ceilings and piles of vintage furniture. The couple came to Atlanta’s inner city to help reorient a community in need of food, clothes and designated drivers. The Nichals pride themselves on seeing the treasure in another’s trash so much so that it has become their way of life.

Creative Loafing:What was the building’s state when you first found it?

Robert: It was a war zone and only a few weeks away from being condemned. We cleared out everything besides the four walls, one ceiling beam and the floor.

What makes this space unique?

Robert: Everything is for sale here. You could come back in a month and it would be completely different. We appreciate chipped paint and cracked leather and don’t try to refinish things. Also, when the building was first built, the walls were lined with newspaper. We discovered this during our renovation and left some of it exposed. There is an ad for $3 false teeth in the kitchen.

Do you have any favorite pieces?

Rebecca: We use [8-foot tall iron candelabra shaped like a tree] as our Christmas tree. We hang red balls on it and light the candles. It is really beautiful. We’ve only ever seen three of these — we have one, we bought one for our friend and another friend of ours has the third.

What appeals to you enough about this area to live here?

Robert: This is a two-block street that dead ends in a park and is lined with Victorian bungalows. We were also looking for a neighborhood to invest in, to help build up. There used to be a liquor store right across the street. When this building was abandoned, people would congregate in its shade and drink. Since we’ve lived here, that liquor store has closed and it feels safer.

Did this area’s crime and loitering make you nervous at all?

Robert: We came here as inner-city missionaries. We wanted to live in an area where we could involve ourselves in the community rather than simply volunteering once a week to pass out sandwiches.

What have you accomplished since living here?

Rebecca: For a while, when we first moved in, we were constantly giving out food and clothes to locals. People were waiting for us when we got home or always hitting our mail slot — we don’t have a doorbell — to see what we were up to. Now the demand seems to have subsided. Sometimes it can be inconvenient and you have to draw the line. One time, it was 10:30 p.m. and we got a knock on our door from someone who was drunk and needed a ride. Robert agreed but told him this was the only time it would happen. We also had some college students living with us for a while and they helped us run an after-school program. It’s still going on but has been relocated.

Any plans for the future?

Robert: We are beginning to think it’s time to move on and find a new place. We have the best neighbors ever here but we are beginning to look for new projects. Know anybody who needs a great loft?

cityhomes@creativeloafing.com