Five years ago, an aging, underused courtyard tucked into Dunwoody Village was just another tired retail corner. Today it's known as Funwoody, a five-concept dining and entertainment hub at 5521 Chamblee Dunwoody Road that's become, in the words of its own project leaders, the heart of Dunwoody and a favorite community gathering space. The node celebrates its five-year anniversary in October with a Halloween-themed party set for October 30.
The transformation traces back to Atlanta restaurateur David Abes, founder of DASH Hospitality, who began developing the Funwoody concept in Dunwoody Village in 2019, according to Urbanize Atlanta. Abes worked with landlord Regency Centers and City of Dunwoody officials to reimagine the space, and the site's growth unfolded in stages: Bar{n} Booze {n} Bites opened first in October 2021, followed by Morty's Meat & Supply in December 2022, seafood concept Message in a Bottle in November 2023, and {S}table Comfort Food {n} Cocktails, which took over the former Steak & Grace space, in April 2026, per a timeline reported by AJC.com. Rounding out the lineup is Good Vibes Ice Cream Shop & Soda Pop, giving the courtyard four restaurants and a dessert concept clustered around a shared outdoor space.
Abes has framed the restaurants as more than a business play. He has said the concepts became infrastructure for a community that lacked a central gathering place, and that the goal was to create an approachable spot for families to gather and socialize. He has also suggested the Funwoody model could serve as a template for restaurant-anchored retail revivals elsewhere around metro Atlanta.
How City Policy Cleared the Way
None of this would have been possible without groundwork laid by Dunwoody's own government. In March 2020, the Dunwoody City Council unanimously approved an ordinance creating the Dunwoody Village Entertainment District, the city's first open-container zone, allowing patrons at participating licensed venues to carry drinks in clear plastic cups through public plazas and outdoor seating areas until midnight, according to The Champion Newspaper. That November, the City of Dunwoody adopted an updated Dunwoody Village Master Plan. New Dunwoody Village zoning was adopted in September 2021.
Before founding DASH Hospitality, Abes spent nearly three decades in Atlanta's restaurant industry, including a stint as general manager of the Atlanta Fish Market during the 1996 Olympics, 14 years as director of operations for Here To Serve Restaurants, and a run as chief operating officer for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. The courtyard itself sits within the broader Dunwoody Village shopping center, owned by Jacksonville, Florida-based Regency Centers Corporation, a real estate investment trust that operates more than 400 grocery-anchored shopping centers nationwide, per the company's Form 10-K filing.
A Courtyard Built for Gathering
The physical upgrades reflect that same community-first ambition. The courtyard now features expanded retail patios, a live performance stage, a custom 12-by-6-foot LED screen, outdoor seating, and decorative tree lighting. Those additions have supported a steady stream of programming, including Morty's Meat & Supply's dueling piano bar concept, which Hoodline reported launched in early 2026 to pair live piano performances with the venue's barbecue and deli menu.
DASH Hospitality has also used food trucks in the courtyard for Morty's and Cuco's Cantina. The courtyard's growth has unfolded one concept, one lease, one season at a time, rather than through a single large-scale buildout.
What's Next for the Corridor
Funwoody's rise coincides with a broader infrastructure push in the surrounding corridor. The City of Dunwoody is advancing the Village Crossing Project, a $7.85 million streetscape initiative along Chamblee Dunwoody Road intended to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular access through the commercial district. The project has secured $6 million in federal construction funds, with work anticipated by 2029, Hoodline previously reported in its piece on the project's open house.
The commercial evolution stands in contrast to Dunwoody Village's original character. Development in the area dates to the 1970s, when a Colonial Williamsburg architectural style governed the shopping center. That design code shaped the district for decades. Funwoody now represents a walkable, open-air format. Dunwoody itself, incorporated as a city in DeKalb County in December 2008, had grown to a population of 51,683 by the 2020 Census.
Funwoody will mark its five years in business with a Halloween-themed anniversary party on October 30, featuring live music, a courtyard-wide celebration, and prizes for the best costumes. The party starts at 7 p.m.
