Oxford American takes an intimate look at Birmingham’s Atomic Lounge

What is it like to hangout at Birmingham’s Atomic Lounge around 1:34 in the morning?

The acclaimed southern literary magazine, Oxford American, answers that question, with an intimate story about Atomic Lounge and owners Feizal Valli and Rachael Roberts, titled “Social Engineering.”

Published in the Summer 2019 edition, Oxford American writer John Edge provides a colorful glimpse into one of the Magic City’s most popular and quirkiest cocktail lounges.

Edge delves into the meaning of all the costumes:  the famous Sgt, Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band Album cover -like mural of prominent Birmingham citizens, the Hollywood Squares–style assemblage of Warhol-inspired portraits of Atomic’s regulars, and the customer inspired cocktails.

Personal Story of Feizal and Rachael

In addition to the stories about the atmosphere inside the Lounge, Edge provides readers a glimpse into the passion and joy married owners Feizal and Rachael, bring to Atomic Lounge everyday.

An excerpt from the Oxford American story that captures the passion:

“When they married (Feizal and Rachael) in Las Vegas in 2016, he dressed as Elvis. And she dressed as Priscilla. After the ceremony, Rachael and Feizal walked the streets, high-fiving strangers. When they opened a bar together, they bought costumes for their customers to wear. It wasn’t a goof. It was an extension of their aesthetic.

Costumes transform their bar into a theatrical production, Feizal said to me that day in the jungle room. “You watch someone put on a Big Bird suit and then you ask, what will the Big Bird do? You give two banana costumes to two guys and then stand back to watch what happens. Pretty soon the dude at the bar in the banana costume sees the dude in the booth in the banana costume. They hug. And they start buying each other drinks.”

On Newsstands

Atomic Lounge is no stranger to national recognition.  For two years running, the place has been named a James Beard semi-finalist for best bar program.

We highly recommend Oxford American which can be found at newsstands at all the local Books-a-Million stores in the Birmingham area.

A fantastic magazine with southern flair – once again, don’t miss their feature about Atomic Lounge in the Summer 2019 edition.