James “Mr. V” Virgil: The Atlanta Entrepreneur Who Built a Legacy of Entertainment, Restaurants and Opportunity
James “Mr. V” Virgil: The Atlanta Entrepreneur Who Built a Legacy of Entertainment, Restaurants and Opportunity
By Mr. V’s Restaurant Equipment
September 8, 2026
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
James L. “Mr. V” Virgil, the Atlanta entrepreneur, restaurateur, nightclub owner, mentor and founder of Mr. V’s Restaurant Equipment, has died at 85, leaving behind a legacy that spans entertainment, restaurants, entrepreneurship and community service.
For decades, Mr. V was a familiar and influential figure in Atlanta’s business and entertainment communities. His story stretched from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, to Chicago and ultimately Atlanta, where he built businesses and gathering places that became part of the city’s cultural history.
He was best known for creating Mr. V’s Figure 8, operating V’s on Peachtree, and later building Mr. V’s Restaurant Equipment, a business that became a resource for restaurant owners, food-truck operators and entrepreneurs throughout Atlanta.
His life was defined not simply by the businesses he owned, but by the opportunities he created for other people.
From Mississippi to Chicago to Atlanta
Born in 1940 and raised in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, James Virgil eventually moved to Chicago before making Atlanta his home.
His early experiences in Chicago helped shape his understanding of nightlife, hospitality and entertainment. When he arrived in Atlanta, he brought that experience with him and began building businesses that would connect him to generations of Atlanta residents.
That entrepreneurial journey eventually led to the creation of the Figure 8 on Campbellton Road.
The Figure 8 Became an Atlanta Institution
Located at 3131 Campbellton Road SW, Mr. V’s Figure 8 operated from approximately 1978 to 1987, becoming one of Atlanta’s notable nightlife destinations during the disco era.
The club attracted young Black professionals, entertainers, athletes, political figures and business leaders. At its peak, thousands of people could pass through the club over the course of a weekend.
The Figure 8 also became a place where different parts of Atlanta's social and cultural landscape came together.
Among the prominent figures associated with the club was Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr., Atlanta's first Black mayor. Mr. V and Mayor Jackson developed a close friendship, and Jackson was often a welcomed presence at the Figure 8.
The relationship reflected the unique position the club held in Atlanta—a place where entertainment, politics, business and community life could intersect.
The Figure 8's history has been documented by Atlanta cultural historians and publications. The Living Legends Foundation has described the club as a major gathering place for Atlanta's Black professionals, celebrities, political figures and athletes.
A Meeting Place for Entertainment, Sports and Culture
The Figure 8 attracted a remarkable range of personalities during its years of operation.
Among the entertainers, athletes and public figures associated with the club were names such as The Commodores, Millie Jackson, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, Rick James, Evander Holyfield, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others.
The club's reputation extended beyond Atlanta.
It became part of the larger story of Black entertainment and nightlife in the American South during a period when Atlanta was rapidly establishing itself as a major center for Black business, culture and entertainment.
Mr. V understood the importance of creating an experience.
That understanding would eventually become central to the philosophy he carried into the restaurant industry.
From Nightlife to Restaurant Entrepreneurship
After his years in entertainment, Mr. V continued building businesses.
In 2003, he founded Mr. V’s Restaurant Equipment, bringing his experience as a restaurant owner and operator into the business of helping other entrepreneurs build their own food-service operations.
The company became known for restaurant equipment, food trucks, parts, installation, repairs and other services needed by restaurant operators.
His approach was different from simply selling equipment.
Mr. V understood what it meant to operate a restaurant.
He knew the pressures of opening a business, purchasing equipment, managing a kitchen and creating an experience that would bring customers back.
That experience became part of what he offered to the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Helping Entrepreneurs Build Their Businesses
Mr. V's influence extended beyond his own businesses.
He became known as a mentor and resource for restaurant entrepreneurs and helped provide equipment and guidance to businesses at different stages of development.
His work has been associated with entrepreneurs and restaurant businesses including Slutty Vegan, Big Daddy’s, This Is It!, Old Lady Gang and many others.
Atlanta Magazine previously profiled Mr. V and described his restaurant-equipment operation and his involvement in building custom food trucks, including a food truck associated with the launch of Slutty Vegan.
For Mr. V, helping another entrepreneur open a restaurant was more than a transaction.
It was an opportunity to pass knowledge forward.
“The Restaurant Industry Is the Entertainment Industry”
One of Mr. V's most memorable philosophies was his belief that the restaurant business and entertainment business were closely connected.
He taught that:
“The restaurant industry is like the entertainment industry.”
His philosophy was that people go to restaurants because they want an experience. They want food, service, energy and a moment worth remembering.
In his view, restaurant employees were entertainers.
They needed to be trained, prepared and equipped to create that experience for the customer.
That philosophy reflected the lessons Mr. V had learned throughout his years in nightlife and hospitality.
He understood that successful businesses do not simply sell products.
They create experiences.
A Businessman Who Believed in Community
Mr. V's legacy also extended into the communities where he lived and worked.
He supported Atlanta's police and fire departments through annual donations and provided employment opportunities to people in the Vine City area through his business.
His work reflected a belief that businesses should play an active role in their communities.
For Mr. V, entrepreneurship was not only about personal success.
It was about creating opportunities for others.
A Life Recognized by Atlanta and Beyond
Throughout his career, Mr. V received recognition for his contributions to business, community and service.
Among the honors associated with his career were:
- 1980 — Key to the City of Atlanta, presented by Mayor Maynard Jackson on June 24, 1980, with the proclamation of James L. Virgil Day.
- 1983 — Distinguished Supporter Award
- 1983 — Recognition for Outstanding Service in the Cause of Peace and Justice, associated with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
- 1986 — V-103 FM Outstanding Service to the Greater Atlanta Community
- 2014 — Recognized by the Soul Food Museum among its Top 100 in America and the World
- 2019 — Heritage Award, Georgia Minority Business Awards
These recognitions represented different chapters of a career that crossed entertainment, business and community service.
More Than a Restaurant Equipment Dealer
To many people, Mr. V was the man behind the restaurant equipment store.
To others, he was the owner of the Figure 8.
To entrepreneurs, he was a mentor.
To longtime Atlantans, he was part of the city's history.
And to the generations of people who worked with him, learned from him or crossed paths with him, he was simply Mr. V.
His story represents a particular chapter in Atlanta's development—one in which Black entrepreneurs created businesses, entertainment spaces and economic opportunities while helping shape the city's emerging identity.
A Legacy That Continues
James L. “Mr. V” Virgil leaves behind more than businesses and memories.
He leaves behind a philosophy of entrepreneurship:
Build something. Create opportunity. Take care of your community. Teach the next person what you learned.
The businesses he created helped generations of people pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams.
The Figure 8 remains part of Atlanta's entertainment history.
And Mr. V's Restaurant Equipment continues the practical side of his legacy: helping people turn restaurant ideas into operating businesses.
His life demonstrated that entrepreneurship can be both a business and a form of service.
James L. “Mr. V” Virgil — 1940–2026.
His legacy lives on through the people, businesses and communities he helped build.
Candlelight Ceremony in Memory of James L. “Mr. V” Virgil
A candlelight ceremony honoring Mr. V's life will be held:
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
7:00 PM
Mr. V's Figure 8
3131 Campbellton Road SW
Atlanta, Georgia
Westgate Shopping Center
Hosted by Casual Cal
Family, friends, members of Atlanta's entertainment community, restaurant industry, business community and longtime supporters are invited to gather and honor Mr. V's life and legacy.
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