In the early 1980s, Michael Barney and his wife left his hometown of Camden, N.J., and relocated in Atlanta, where he started working in telecommunications and earned the nickname “Mr. Magic” from colleagues. One night out with friends at a popular strip club, he got the inspiration for what would become a cultural hotspot in the heart of the city. Soon enough, Barney signed the lease for a defunct print shop, repurposed the building and named it “Magic City.” The club opened in 1985 with just one dancer.

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