Photograph by Artur Sagat
Enter a door between Big Softie and Colette Bread & Bakeshop on North Highland Avenue, and head down the hallway and staircase in what was once the cellar of a 19th-century grocery. It is now the home of one of Atlanta’s largest arts spaces. Willow Goldstein—a local artist and entrepreneur who also founded the arts nonprofit The Bakery—drew from that history to name her newest venture, The Supermarket, which hosts exhibitions and performances, art workshops, and private rentals in a 12,500-square-foot space.
The venue, which opened fully in September 2024, is part of a larger refresh of the Poncey-Highland block between Ponce de Leon and North avenues spearheaded by local developer Canvas Companies, which transformed the historic Highland Inn into Otto’s Apartment Hotel and brought in new restaurants and retail.
The space boasts two art galleries, two performance rooms, and a main event space, The Sunroom. The Supermarket’s sheer size means creative programming ideas have ample room to flourish. “We are doing something that no one else is, seven days a week,” explains Amanda Norris, programming and partnerships director at The Supermarket.
The space is punctuated by fanciful decor, such as an LED installation by artist Jordan Graves and an arch made of coffee filters left over from a holiday party. In The Blue Venue, festooned with hanging lights made from PVC pipes, an elevated stage with a dedicated sound technician hosts full bands, drag puppet shows, and the monthly Kids ‘N’ Crafts workshop.
The Sunroom, named for its natural light, is The Supermarket’s most transformable space. “One day we started with a sold-out 35-person yoga class,” says Goldstein, who also serves as The Supermarket’s creative director. “Then we flipped to a 75-person Atlanta Journal Club crafting event and closed with a 100-person comedy show. That was one day, in one room.”
Renowned magician Kyle Littleton, who appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, rents The Sunroom for his monthly Secret Aisle: Magic & Comedy Show. “I don’t have to do any setup—it already feels like a wonderland,” Littleton says. “It’s the dream place for me.”
Goldstein’s for-profit business is intentional about accessibility for artists and the public. The Supermarket hosts programming conducted by its nonprofit sibling organization, The Bakery Atlanta, which curates opportunities for emerging artists to present their work.
To subsidize these creative endeavors, Goldstein has found innovative ways to draw more visitors through the door. Come to one of the Bakery’s BYO-art parties for $5 admission; cowork for free at The Supermarket on weekday afternoons, or for $50, reserve a room for a book club meetup rather than scrambling for coffee shop seats. Private rentals for birthday parties and corporate events further help to offset costs. “Most see supporting the arts ecosystem as a value add,” Norris says.
From November 14 to 15, The Supermarket’s entire space will host The Bakery’s Common Circuits festival, which will feature DIY workshops for music techies by day and musical performances by night.
“We are such fan girls of Willow and Amanda,” says Molly Hurd-Lorenz of the group AvantBeetle; she and her husband and cocreator, Eric Lorenz, will mount a video game installation at Common Circuits. “They are welcoming, visionary, and exceptional with logistics and communications.” With many events happening at the festival simultaneously, Eric adds, “We get more eyes on ours.”
The Supermarket has more creative plans in store, including hosting an on-site cafe slated for 2026. “We are always changing for the better,” Goldstein says. “That’s the only thing for certain.”
This article appears in our November 2025 issue.
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Joe Reisigl
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