From Clippers to Cocktails: Atlanta Barbershop Duo Opens La Cueva Speakeasy at Ponce City Market

The owners of The Commodore barbershops are swapping razors for mezcal — and Atlanta’s nightlife scene is about to get a lot smoother.

Robert Hopper and Peter Terrones, the team behind one of the city’s most beloved barbershops, are getting ready to launch La Cueva, a 2,700-square-foot speakeasy and listening lounge tucked away on the second floor of Ponce City Market. It’s their first foray into the bar and restaurant business, and it already sounds like one of the city’s most intriguing openings of the year.

A Barbershop’s Backroom Fantasy, Realized

This isn’t a gimmick. It’s not a bar with a chair in the corner or a haircut that comes with a cocktail. Hopper and Terrones are keeping the experiences separate — and that’s the point.

The new Commodore barbershop will sit next door to La Cueva, connected by little more than proximity and philosophy. Hopper says the original idea for the speakeasy came from Terrones, but it wasn’t love at first pitch. “At first, I didn’t want to do it,” Hopper admits. “Then we saw this space… and it just clicked.”

There’s a window porthole that allows bar guests to peek into the barbershop — but not the other way around.

One sentence here: privacy matters, even when the drinks are flowing.

Maison Maulee, the Atlanta-based design firm, is bringing La Cueva to life with curvaceous architecture, low lights, and rich textures that practically hum with cool energy. Plush seating wraps around intimate tables, and a small stage near the back promises everything from DJ sets to live jazz.

Mezcal, Mojitos, and Mole

Hopper’s beverage roots run surprisingly deep — just not in the traditional way. A former youth pastor and guitarist in a Christian alt-rock band, he admits a passion for Trappist beers and a serious love for mojitos.

Those two worlds will collide on La Cueva’s menu, alongside a full mezcal program, craft cocktails, and a tight but flavorful list of wines and beer. It won’t be a massive menu, but Hopper wants every item to have a story.

Helping shape that story is Luis Damian, the consulting chef and rising star who already helped put Casa Balam on the culinary map in Decatur. Damian’s resume includes Oaxaca in Chamblee, El Valle in Midtown, and a second El Valle location due in Brookhaven this August.

The menu will lean heavily on botanas — Mexican-style snacks — and feature inventive spins on regional fare. Here’s a small taste of what’s coming:

• Octopus tostadas

• Halibut ceviche

• Chicken mole wraps

• Larger dinner plates for deeper appetites

Yes, that’s ambitious. But it’s clear they’re not doing this halfway.

From Hair Clients to Investors

Some of Hopper’s haircut clients believed in him so much, they literally bought in.

He says that over nearly a decade of owning The Commodore, many of the shop’s regulars became trusted friends. And when the bar idea finally took shape, those friends — and their checkbooks — followed.

“Some of my clients are investors now,” Hopper says, smiling. “It’s wild. It really feels like we’re building this with the community.”

One-sentence paragraph? You got it. It’s a bar built on trust.

And it doesn’t stop there. Hopper says he plans to reserve a few bar seats at all times for Commodore customers — a subtle nod to the shop’s roots and the relationships it fostered.

A Welcome Addition to Ponce City Market’s Revamp

La Cueva arrives during a busy stretch for PCM. In June, three new Asian-inspired stalls opened at Market East: Boom Boom Bao, Lime Tiger, and Uwu Asian Dessert Co. And this July, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream made its Georgia debut on site.

The vibe is shifting at Ponce. What was once a food hall haven is becoming something more mature — and more eclectic.

The nighttime crowd, especially, has been begging for something different. Not a club. Not a dive. Not just another brewery. La Cueva seems poised to fill that gap — with cocktails, conversation, and curated sound.

And yes, it’ll only open evenings. Six nights a week. No haircuts after hours, just hi-fi beats and mezcal dreams.

Here’s what guests can expect from the space:

The Beat Behind the Bar

This isn’t just about food and drinks. La Cueva is a listening room too.

That means music isn’t background noise here — it’s part of the identity. DJs will spin curated sets. There’ll be live jazz, open mic nights, and even comedy shows. No karaoke. No Top 40. Think vinyl over vibes.

But one thing’s for sure: Hopper’s guitar is staying in the attic.

When asked if he’ll ever take the stage again, he laughs. “Absolutely not. I do not want to drive the guests away.”