Gilbert's Cafe and Bar, the gay-friendly restaurant, is ready to take over the space at 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue where former gay landmark Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse was once located.

On the Facebook page named Gilbert's Expansion — 10th and Piedmont, Gilbert's owners Gilbert and Sean lay out their future plans, including honoring the space — long dubbed the corner of gay and gay — that has been an iconic location for LGBT Atlanta for more than a decade.

"The corner of 10th and Piedmont has been a beacon of progressive attitudes, acceptance and respect, we wish to continue that legacy as the city matures and welcomes an ever increasing diversity and a growing respect for general human rights," said owners Sean and Gilbert in a Facebook posting made yesterday.

The expansion into the former Outwrite space will be a different vibe than what the restaurant currently has, the owners add, and will, of course, be a place to eat and sip on cocktails.

The entire Facebook posting:

Dear Gilbert’s friends and family,

It is Official! We are very excited to announce the expansion of Gilbert’s, and wish to convey our thanks to the property owner for selecting Gilbert’s in front of many strong, established National “big-name” firms. Permitting process has begun to make this exciting new room a reality with unprecedented service to the midtown community.

We want to share our vision with you, so you can provide feedback, and contribute to shaping this project:

Our Vision:
We understand the importance of this location and the role it played in our community since the 1990s. Our intention will be to thoughtfully continue this legacy and tradition of service to the community. During the last 12 years, Gilbert's has been blessed with a thriving business from the midtown neighborhood. We created an environment with great hospitality, food and entertainment. We welcome everybody and have a deep respect for the diversity that has made Midtown so unique. The corner of 10th and Piedmont has been a beacon of progressive attitudes, acceptance and respect, we wish to continue that legacy as the city matures and welcomes an ever increasing diversity and a growing respect for general human rights.

More about the project:
In a nut shell, we are expanding Gilbert's by creating a second "room". The cozy aspect of Gilbert's will remain the same as we recognize it is a major aspect of its ambiance. Also, we will NOT be expanding the same product to next door, this would be boring and we don't want that. Instead, we envision a room that has a unique and exciting feeling. You will be able to visit Gilbert's or this new and exciting room, under one roof, without having to venture outside. Actual design is still in progress and we don’t want to give too much away at this stage. Of course, the new room will be serving delicious cocktails and food.

We will be posting regular updates on this FB page as things develop, so check back often! We will post pictures, ask questions and solicit your opinions.

Thank you for your interest, and taking your time to read this.
We appreciate your support every day.

Gilbert and Sean

Outwrite closed Jan. 26 after years of financial struggle and also filed for bankruptcy.