In 1934, a prizefighter named Charlie "Red" Herren opened what would become an Atlanta landmark: Herren's Restaurant. Known as "Atlanta's Place to Meet," the Lucky Street hotspot changed hands in the 1940s, coming under the ownership of the Negri family. Its fame grew in 1962 as it became the first restaurant in downtown Atlanta to voluntarily desegregate. But the city changed and the restaurant closed, standing empty until two leaders of a local theatre company had an idea.

The Theatrical Outfit – a non-profit organization focused on performing a variety of plays and musicals revolving around Southern culture – needed a home. Its President Bill Blazer and his wife Peg, a Theatrical Outfit board member, thought Herren's was just the place for the troupe, and made the lead donation by buying the space. The result is the Balzer Theater at Herren's, 200-seat and a state-of-the-art energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive theatre. Check out this season's schedule and learn more about the theatre and the company at the Outfit's website.