In 1992, Eddie Owen opened Eddie’s Attic along North McDonough Street in downtown Decatur. A year later he got married there.

In 2002, he sold the business to Jennifer Nettles ex-husband, Todd Van Sickle. In 2005, Van Sickle sold it to Bob Ephlin, who brought Owen back to his namesake “attic” to book the talent.

And on Friday, Owen will depart again.

Taking his talents to Duluth, GA as early as next Tuesday, Owen is excited about the possibilities of a “turnkey ready” 250 seat theater with “killer sound and lights”, a green room, catering kitchen, rehearsal space, and office area. Though there’s currently “no contract in place, no launch date, no artists booked”, Owen already as plans for workshops and lessons to be a key part of this new concept. Says Owen, “I’m diving out on a limb, yet I’m more excited about this than I’ve been about anything since my marriage… and then the birth of my 3 children.”

Attic owner Bob Ephlin is supportive of Owen’s move and thankful for his years of service. “He’s been a great mentor to the Attic staff.”, Ephlin recalls.

As for the Attic itself, perched up in Decatur’s lower atmosphere, Ephlin says that he’s still getting a plan in place for the transition, and that he’ll stand in for Owen for the time-being while he assesses the Attic’s options in finding a replacement.

As for the longer term future of the Attic, “We have a great staff in place.” Ephlin points out. He reassures the Decatur community that Eddie’s Attic will continue to be about the listening room experience and the relationship between the artist and the audience. Ephlin says the Attic is already completely booked for the remainder of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, and will continue with its weekly radio show, which is now over 50 markets.

So life goes on for both parties.

But it doesn’t sound like Decatur has seen the last of Eddie Owen. He’ll be back in town next week for the sold-out Eddie & Agnes Civil Wars concerts and all signs point to that partnership continuing into the future.

We at DM wish all the best both to Eddie Owen and Eddie’s Attic as they move into their new phases of life.

h/t: Carl

Disclosure: Eddie’s Attic is a DM sponsor

From the Emory Wheel…

“If Bob Elphin has his way, Decatur could be a household name. Last month Elphin, the owner of Eddie’s Attic, a small music venue based in this Atlanta suburb, teamed up with Crawford Communications, an Atlanta production and broadcast company, and began work on a TV pilot that the two hope will convince media outlets to back the creation of a syndicated television show featuring live performances at the Attic.

For the Attic’s first foray into television, Elphin began by reaching out to regular venue performers like Shawn Mullins, Caroline Herring and Kitty Snyder, Telegram and the Everybody Fields, asking them to play a filmed performance for the pilot. Although these artists may not be big names, Elphin said in an interview with the Wheel that they have “a real understanding of [what] Eddie’s Attic is and have a real desire to help us be successful.”

According to the article, owner Bob Elphin is also working with Georgia Public Broadcasting to put together a monthly radio show from the Attic, in addition to looking at the possibilities of internet radio.