Tomorrow's News Today

Sprawling Henry county center to welcome numerous new restaurants.

South Point, a 700,000 square foot multi-phase development in McDonough, will soon welcome a host of new eateries. Already home to such popular national retailers as T.J. Maxx, Kohls, J.C. Penney and Academy Sports, new restaurants and likely new retailers are in the immediate pipeline. The center is located on Highway 20, just off I-75 in Henry county.

The first phase of the project opened in the fall of 2008 with JCPenney and Kohl's. Hobby Lobby and Hilton Garden Inn, a limited service, mid-priced hotel, joined the mix in 2009.

Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Five Guys, Pie Five Pizza Co., & Menchie's Frozen Yogurt are all under construction in the center. Most notable of the additions are Pie Five and Menchie's. Fort Worth, Texas-based Pie Five Pizza Co. has existing commitments in Newnan and Duluth, making this latest location just their third known lease in Georgia. Encino, California-based Menchie's has closed at least two metro Atlanta locations (Buckhead& Johns Creek) but apparently still sees growth opportunities in less competitive markets such as McDonough.

As I reported last year, Wichita, Kansas-based Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers opened a restaurant in the center last year. Freddy's, a direct competitor of Indianapolis-based Steak 'n Shake, marked its entrance into Georgia in McDonough and has since added a second location in Athens.

In addition to the restaurant openings at South Point, a number of other openings are planned for the area.

A few miles away from South Point, a new, nearly 9,500 square foot Wild Wing Café is planned for 36 Mill Road. Also on Mill Road, new hotels from Home2Suites, Hilton's extended stay chain (60 Mill Road) and La Quinta Inn & Suites (100 Mill Road) are both planned. The 92-room, all suite Home2Suites is about half done with plans to start La Quinta's construction when 100% complete. As I reported in 2013, Atlanta's first Home2Suites is located in a historic building on Walton Street in downtown Atlanta. Currently the downtown Atlanta Home2Suites in scheduled to open later this fall.

Popular pie shop now open

The new Pie Shop has officially opened next to Moe's & Joe's in Virginia Highland. The new retail outpost is slightly smaller than the original Pie Shop off Roswell Road in Buckhead, and has limited inside seating. When I first reported plans for the new location last May, shop owner Mims Bledsoe had hoped to be open "in a couple months." Sadly, City of Atlanta red tape and regulations derailed the time line in converting the former Honey Butter boutique.

Pie Shop offers over 100 different pies, some only available seasonally. Some of the more classic offerings are a "Classic Apple," Blueberry, Coconut Cream, Key Lime and Whole Chicken Pot Pie. Pie Shop also offers a rotating variety of quiches.

Bledsoe, who resides in Virginia-Highland, opened the first Pie Shop in 2011 in Buckhead. Located at 3210 Roswell Road, Pie Shop is hidden from view but is situated alongside dtox juice bar and Storico Fresco, a purveyor of fresh pasta. (As I've announced previously, both dtox and Storico Frescowill soon be moving to new Buckhead locations.)

In a September 2013 piece from the AJC, Bledsoe says the new location “will be all about service and creating atmosphere.” "The original location will remain the production facility, while the second will have both a pastry counter and comfortable seating. She hopes to create a warmer place for people to linger over a cup of coffee and thick wedges of pie."

According to the official Pie Shop facebook page, Bledsoe quietly opened the doors to the Virginia Highland outpost this past Tuesday.

Buckhead bar getting the boot at Phipps Plaza?

Yebo, a South African tapas restaurant & bar, will reportedly soon leave Phipps Plaza. Yebo opened at Phipps in late 2012, replacing the short-lived Latitude restaurant, which had replaced The Grape.

Sources say that when Yebo signed their lease with mall manager Simon Property Group that it was a short term lease. Yebo's lease was reportedly only meant to serve as a "place holder" for the mall.

SIMON is in the midst of a multi-million dollar overhaul of its Peachtree Road facing facade. It's believed that the Yebo space is being marketed to potential retailers seeking Peachtree Road visibility.

Yebo is the sibling restaurant of north Buckhead's 10 Degrees South, both owned by restaurateur Justin Anthony.

In addition to the planned relocation of Yebo, Anthony is also launching a new concept at Ponce City Market's Central Food Hall. "Biltong Bar" will offer counter-service and will serve gourmet pies, salads, craft beer, cocktails, and a full wine list. A retail shop will offer beef jerky and other specialty jerky meats.

It would not shock me to see Yebo close permanently to allow for Anthony to focus on 10 Degrees South and Biltong Bar.

What are your thoughts on Yebo? Do you think it will reopen? Have you been to Yebo, did you like it?

Please share your thoughts below.

HiFi Buys returning to Buckhead

Alan Jones, owner and CEO of Audio Alternative in Lilburn, is bringing HiFi Buys back to Buckhead.

The Lilburn store has closed to "move" to Buckhead under the new banner. According to the company's website, Audio Alternative had been in operation for 20 years.

The new HiFi Buys will be located at 3157 Peachtree Road, on the lower level of the center that also houses DXL (formerly known as Rochester Big & Tall.) The nearly 6,000 square foot store has a Peachtree Road address but is close to the intersection of Grandview Avenue and East Paces Ferry Road. The store is across the street from where I previously reported that Storico Fresco Alimentari Ristorante e Mercato, will open later this year.

The new HiFi Buys was for a number of years a showroom of Apex Supply, which was once a division of The Home Depot, but is now an independent company.

The new location is literally a stone's throw from the former location of HiFi Buys in Buckhead at the corner of Bolling Way and East Paces Ferry Road. After using the former HiFi Buys building as construction offices, Buckhead Atlanta developer OliverMcMillan plans to build a "mid-rise office tower" on the property in the coming months.

Clearly hoping to capitalize on the growing number of luxury residences, Jones made the decision to move his audio business to Buckhead. While the company still has great name recognition locally, there is already competition in the area. Evolution Home Theater is located at 3224 Peachtree Road and is celebrating 52 years in business. Evolution also operates a second location in Gwinnett on Pleasant Hill Road.

In addition to local competition, Best Buy operates "shop in shop" locations of their Magnolia Home Theater business in a number of their metro locations, including their store at Lindbergh Plaza in Buckhead.

HiFi Buys was started by entrepreneur Mel Silverman in 1973. By the early 1980s, the company was in financial trouble and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Jeff Snow initially purchased half the company, and eventually acquired the remainder of the business and brought it back from the brink.

In 1997 the HiFi Buys company, which at the time included about a dozen stores, was purchased by Boston-based Tweeter.

A HiFi Buys store in Nashville, Tennessee remains open and is unrelated to the new venture.

Although it seems Mel Silverman is involved at least in a some way with the new business, Jeff Snow is not.

The new HiFi Buys will celebrate its grand opening tomorrow, June 9th.

Are you excited for the return of HiFi Buys to Buckhead? Do you think the enw HiFi Buys will find success in Buckhead? What other defunct Atlanta business would you like to see resurrected?

Please share your thoughts below.

Signage from 2008 remains at the would-be hotel site

New hotel planned for Duluth

Duluth Hotel Partners, LLC. submitted plans last week to Gwinnett County for construction of a six story, 166 room Embassy Suites hotel on Satellite Boulevard in Duluth.

A 234-room, 10 floor Embassy Suites hotel was first announced in 2007 with a planned opening in 2008. When I reported on the project in 2009, the hotel was scheduled to open in 2011 with 250 guest rooms and a Shula's - America's Steak House.

Clearly the hotel has gone through some changes since first being announced.

The hotel will be located on about 4.5 acres at 2029 Satellite Boulevard near Sugarloaf Parkway, adjacent to the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Across the street from the proposed Embassy Suites sits a former PNC Bank that could perhaps become more appealing to prospects if the hotel is built soon.

Locally, Embassy Suites have typically had Ruth's Chris Steakhouse restaurants in their hotels: such is the case in Buckhead, downtown and Kennesaw. Sizzling Steak Concepts is the franchisee of those Ruth's Chris locations and many others around the southeast. I reached out to a representative from the group who indicated they will not be involved in the upcoming Duluth project. Existing site plans for the property indicate that there will be a "kitchen" / restaurant space. It's possible that a restaurant could be in talks for the project, but it seems unlikely at this point that it will be a Ruth's Chris.

The most recent Embassy Suites / Ruth's Chris Steak House in metro Atlanta opened in late 2009. The 192-unit Embassy Suites Atlanta - Kennesaw Town Center opened on Chastain Road in Kennesaw with a Ruth's Chris onsite.

I spoke to Dave Shula of Shula's Steak House who indicated that they were unaware that the project had started again, and that they are not currently involved.

Existing Residence Inn at left, upcoming Courtyard at right

In the years since the Embassy Suites Duluth was first proposed, a 112 room Residence Inn by Marriott opened in 2013 at 1940 Satellite Boulevard. Adjacent to the Residence Inn, a 115 room Courtyard by Marriott is under constructionwith a planned opening in the first quarter of 2016.

A new Denny's recently opened at 5368 North Henry Boulevard in Stockbridge. The building was most recently a combination Long John Silvers / A&W but had sat vacant for years. Denny's was able to convert the structure for their needs.

A new Bojangles' is expected to open in late August at 1390 Jonesboro Road in McDonough.

Another new Bojangles' is coming to Lafayette in northwest Georgia. The new freestanding restaurant will be built on Highway 27 near Lake Howard Road.

Starbucks will be opening a new location in a portion of the former MF Sushi / Amura at Terminus in Buckhead. The new Starbucks will occupy about 2,500 square feet of the nearly 6,000 square foot space. The space will also be further divided to allow for direct access from the Terminus office building to both Starbucks and the existing Chick-fil-A at the front of the building (Peachtree Road.) The access hallway will leave room for what will likely become office space. Starbucks had previously closed their nearby location within Atlanta Financial Center in 2009. Today the AFC space is home to Highland Bakery. While Starbucks has stated that they plan to open more locations with drive-thru options, the Terminus location is clearly appealing given its location and visibility. Sources indicate that the new Starbucks should be open early this fall.

A new Dreamland Bar-B-Que is planned for 3530 West Lawrenceville Street in Duluth. Dreamland previously closed their Peachtree Corners location following a fire in early 2013. At first, the restaurant announced plans to rebuild, but they later scrapped those plans. Today, the former Dreamland parcel in Peachtree Corners is being rebuilt as Noble Fin, a new restaurant from Jay Swift. The upcoming Dreamland restaurant will be the eighth overall for the Birmingham, Alabama-based chain and the second in Georgia.

Aldi opened their newest metro Atlanta location this past week in Suwanee. The new store opened in The Village at Noble Farms at the corner Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and McGinnis Ferry Road.

A new Walmart is coming to Adel, Georgia. Adel is a small community of about 5,000 located off I-75, between Tifton and Valdosta. The new Walmart will be located near I-75 and Alabama Road, not far from the Factory Stores at Adel.

New locations of Firehouse Subs, Spa Sydell and Mattress Firm are planned for 835 Ernest Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw. The former freestanding La-Z-Boy Furniture store was divided and re-leased to the new tenants.

New Vietnamese eatery Pho King has opened in south Buckhead on Peachtree Road. Pho King is located in The Shops of Buckhead (2221 Peachtree Road) in south Buckhead. The new restaurant replaces Sakana Sushi & Grill Japanese Restaurant.

South City Kitchen Updates

As I announced late last year, Atlanta-based Fifth Group Restaurants plans to open a Buckhead location of their popular South City Kitchen restaurant. The new, roughly 6,500 square foot South City Kitchen Buckhead will open in the lobby level of the 17-story One Capital City Plaza building. Built in 1989, the skyscraper, adjacent to the Buckhead MARTA station, is one of the oldest in Buckhead.

Current plans call for construction to begin in earnest within a week or so, with a planned opening late in the first quarter of next year. South City Kitchen Buckhead, previously in use with various non-food applications, is being designed by Atlanta architecture firm ASD, INC. The restaurant will also include an outdoor patio on Peachtree Road.

In other South City Kitchen news comes word that the flagship location in Midtown will close for a brief remodel in the coming weeks. Plans call for the midtown eatery located on Crescent Avenue to close June 22nd, and reopen July 6th. During the brief closure, management plans to update equipment, reconfigure the kitchen, and make better use of their limited space. The Midtown South City Kitchen opened in April 1993 and occupies what was originally a 1920s bungalow.

South City Kitchen Vinings, which opened on Cumberland Parkway in Smyrna in 2006, will remain open as normal.

Fifth Group also operates Ecco and Lure in midtown, Alma Cocina downtown, La Tavola and The Original El Taco in Virginia Highland, and catering company Bold American Events. Although managed by HMSHost, Fifth Group concepts The Original El Taco and Ecco each have a location at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

What is your favorite Fifth Group concept? Where would you like to see them open next? What is your favorite menu item at South City Kitchen?

Please share your thoughts below.

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From left, Alejandro Torio, Chef Jamie Lynch, Patrick Whalen and Ayman Kamel of 5Church

New restaurant coming to Colony Square

Charlotte, North Carolina-based 5Church plans to open an Atlanta location next year in midtown. The new restaurant will open in place of the former Shout restaurant at Colony Square on Peachtree Street in midtown.

Shout closed this past December after a ten year run.

Plans for the 11,000 square foot 5Chuch include making better use of the upstairs and downstairs patios, both with views of Peachtree Street.

This past year, Colony Square owner Tishman Speyer completed a $5 million renovation of the property. Colony Square was completed in the early 70s and had become stale inside and out. With 5Church committed and word that the former Goldberg's may soon get replaced, Colony Square is looking up.

The original 5Church is located at the corner of 5th and Church Streets in Charlotte, but has an address on North Tryon Street. The 5,000 square foot 5Church Charlotte opened in May 2012, and will soon be joined by a location in Charleston, South Carolina. The 5,500 square foot Charleston restaurant is located at Market & East Bay Streets in the city's historic downtown area. The Charleston restaurant, originally a church and most recently Mad River Bar & Grill, is currently projected to open in late August or early September.

5Church is the second Charlotte-based restaurant in just the past month to have plans to expand in Atlanta. Early last month, I broke news that The Cowfish Sushi Burger Barplans to open in the now-closed Goldfish restaurant at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody. Ironically, in both cases the Charlotte-based restaurants are replacing restaurants owned by Atlanta-based Here to Serve restaurants.

5Church describes themselves as a "New American Restaurant" and based on their Charlotte location's menu, offers a wide range of food seasonal options that blend traditional and contemporary cuisine.

If the Atlanta location follows the Charlotte model, expect lunch and dinner during the week, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

MAP Management Hospitality Group, which includes partners Patrick Whalen, Ayman Kamel and Alejandro Torio, owns and operates the restaurants. The group also owns and operates Nan and Byron’s restaurant in Charlotte’s South End.

A number of "large market" restaurants like Craft, Emeril's, AquaKnox, Il Mulino and Five Napkin Burger have had troubles in expanding to Atlanta with all closing in short order.

In midtown, Taco Diner, a concept from Texas-based M Crowd Restaurant Group, scrapped their plans to open altogether following disappointing sales from their existing midtown eatery, Mi Cocina.

Regional restaurant groups such as Indigo Road Hospitality have found success in the suburbs of Atlanta. The Charleston, South Carolina-based restaurant group opened Oak Steakhouse in Avalon in Alpharetta late last year, and later opened Italian restaurant Colletta earlier this year, also in Avalon. Sources indicate the two restaurants have been among the stronger performers in the new complex. The group's Asian eatery, O-Ku, is slated to open early next year in the Ironworks project on the Westside.

Without question, the most successful out of market import has been Barteca and their Barcelona Wine Bar and bartaco concepts. There are currently two bartaco locations open, with a third slated to open this summer in Inman Park. There is also a single Barcelona open in Inman Park with a second planned for the Ironworks project on the Westside early next year.

One of my favorite Charlotte area restaurants, Rooster's Wood Fired Kitchen, had previously expressed an interest in expanding to metro Atlanta, although I'm unaware of any current plans. The restaurant group has two locations in Charlotte, one in Winston Salem and will soon open a new location in Charleston.

A representative from 5Church indicated to me they hope to have the Atlanta restaurant open by early 2016 but (knowing how the City of Atlanta is), I suspect that may turn into mid-2016.

Have you been to 5Church in Charlotte?

Are you excited for a new restaurant in midtown?

Do you still miss Shout?

Please share your thoughts below.

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Click to enlarge

"Dine-In" Theater planned for Snellville

Columbus, Georgia-based Carmike Cinemas is (again) planning a new movie theater in Snellville. Originally announced in March 2013 as a thirteen screen movie theater, the project was "nixed" by November of the same year.

Now, documents obtained by ToNeTo Atlanta reveal plans are again underway to bring a new theater to the area. The new eleven screen "Ovation" cinema will offer a "Dine-In" experience. The new theater with have wait staff and feature luxury seating that will allow patrons to order from touch screen menus before or during the movie. The roughly 54,000 square foot theater will be built to the left of Hobby Lobby in the 1200 block of Scenic Highway at Snellville Exchange.

Carmike has been enhancing existing theaters and opening new ones that offer more food and beverage options in an effort to attract more moviegoers. Birmingham, Alabama-based Cobb Theatres and their CineBistro concept are seen by many in the industry as the benchmark operation in the "Dine-In" segment. CineBistro has seven locations including one in Atlanta at TOWN Brookhaven, and an eighth slated to open this summer in Cary, North Carolina.

A twelve screen theater that Carmike opened in 1999 in Athens closed last August. After remaining closed for months, work began earlier this year to convert the older theater to the company's new "Ovation" banner. Slated to open later this summer, the theater was completely gutted and rebuilt to include a higher quality movie experience as well as enhanced food and drink options. To allow for the enhancements and dine-in service, each auditorium became slightly smaller but the number of theaters will reportedly stay the same.

It's worth noting that Knoxville, Tennessee-based Regal Entertainment Group also operates in the area. About four miles from the new Carmike Cinemas, Regal operates their Regal Snellville Oaks 14 on East Main Street. Given its proximity to the upcoming theater, it's likely that they will be in a "split market" where they must share blockbuster films. Essentially, this policy prevents one theater from receiving every blockbuster film and instead sharing them on a rotation. For example, if Carmike were to get the latest Avengers film, perhaps Regal would receive the next Marvel film.

The new Snellville theater will likely lead to the eventual closure of nearby Carmike 12 in Presidential Markets shopping center. Representatives from both The Shopping Center Group, (who handles Presidential Markets leasing on behalf of owner Equity One) and Carmike Cinemas, deny closure is imminent, but industry sources believe it is likely. The most probable outcome would be one in which Carmike continues to operate the Presidential Markets theater but with "second run" films at reduced prices, if both theaters are open at the same time. When the lease expires at Presidential Markets, which reportedly will happen in less than three years, it's likely that will mark the end of Carmike at Presidential Markets unless a replacement tenant is found sooner to take over the lease.

Interestingly, AMC Theaters continues to operate two theaters off North Point Parkway in Alpharetta. One, AMC Mansell Crossing 14, operates in a stand alone building on North Point Parkway. The second, AMC North Point Mall 12, was added in 2013 and operates on mall property that was once the Parisian department store. With the closure of Regal's 8 screen theater across the street from the mall, AMC basically controls the market.

Current projections have Carmike Snellville "Ovation" 11 opening sometime in the first half of 2016.

In addition to the Carmike Cinemas, a 55,000 square foot Hobby Lobby is already open in Snellville Exchange. Currently under construction in the center are a 15,000 square foot La-Z-Boy store as well as a 52,000 square foot Gander Mountain sports and outdoors store.

Snellville Exchange is located slightly north of The Shoppes at Webb Gin (fka The Avenue Webb Gin) and the upcoming Scenic Promenade center.

The Fresh Market will open their 13th overall location in Atlanta July 8th at Brighten Park (fka Loehmann's Plaza.) "Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, and grand opening activities will include chef demonstrations, food sampling throughout the store, and drawings for The Fresh Market gift cards. A sample-sized bag of the company’s gourmet coffee and a reusable shopping bag will be free to the first 1,000 customers."

The new Hudson Grille on Cobb Place Lane in Kennesaw is officially open. The new sports bar is the seventh Hudson Grille for Atlanta-based Metrotainment Cafes.

Following recent news that Gap Inc. will close 175 stores in North America, sibling brand Banana Republic will receive a much needed makeover at Lenox Square. The two level store near Bloomingdale's is currently boarded up and will likely receive the brand's new look with a slate stone front. I first encountered this updated exterior at the chain's store at 900 North Michigan Shops in Chicago and later at The Grove in LA and at SouthPark Mall in Charlotte.

A new restaurant called Rice Mac will open soon in the former home of Pita House. The restaurant space occupies the corner space at North Decatur Center on the corner of Clairmont and North Decatur Roads. The center is also home to FedEx Office and Willy's Mexicana Grille.

Clifford "T.I." Harris has finally opened his Scales 925 restaurant for both lunch and dinner. After hosting a so- called "grand opening" celebration in late March, it was only last week that the restaurant actually opened for everyday meal service. Until last week, much to the dismay of would-be patrons, the restaurant seemed to serve as only a special event / party venue. The restaurant's facebook is littered with would-be guests irritated at the difficulty of confirming reservations or getting concrete information on the restaurant in general. Personally, I'm a fan of T.I.'s music and the menu sounds intriguing, but I think they need to get their act together, STAT.

Following the recent opening of Sprouts Farmers Market in Smyrna, the Phoenix-based grocery chain has announced another opening. With their Roswell store already scheduled to open August 5th, the chain has set September 2nd as the opening for their location at Gateway on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, just north of Buckhead. Other Sprouts are coming to Fuqua's Morningside Heights and to Providence Square shopping center on Roswell Road in East Cobb.

Chai Peking, the Kosher Chinese restaurant located within Kroger at Toco Hill, is for sale. The Glatt Kosher Chinese eatery first opened in "Kosher Kroger" in 1997, and has since developed quite the following. Serious "non tire-kickers" are encouraged to call 770-616-6891 for more information.

Photographer Drexel Mitchell is getting into the food-service business with Get Dinner To Go. Mitchell has secured a lease on the 2,000 square foot former Radio Shack in Cascade Crossing shopping center. According to Get Dinner To Go's website, the business will serve “high quality, semi-gourmet and comfort food meals with a three to five minute wait time and curbside pickup." The concept seems like a cheaper, less exciting version of Christophe's To Go, an existing take-out business with locations in Brookhaven, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs. Located in the Publix-anchored center in southwest Atlanta, the first Get Dinner To Go will serve as the launchpad for what Mitchell envisions as a multi-unit franchise.

Regional Tidbit

Burberry will soon close their store at SouthPark Mall in Charlotte.

Salad and sandwich shop returning to Vinings

Atlanta-based Doc Green's Gourmet Salad & Sandwich Bar will soon reopen in a familiar neighborhood. Previously located at the corner of Cumberland Boulevard and Cobb Parkway in Cumberland Pointe, the eatery closed this past February amidst a "landlord dispute." Although the restaurant's facebook page indicated the new location would open in April, its opening has been pushed to mid July.

Doc Green's will reopen in a roughly 3,300 square foot space previously occupied by Dez Persian Grill in Riverview Village shopping center. As seen in the photo above, the restaurant will sport a new logo seemingly devoid of the Kokopelli-like creature that used to be part of Doc Green's branding.

The Kroger-anchored center extends just north of the Kroger connected portion to the smaller portion, referred to by some as "Riverview Phase II." The portion where Doc Green's is opening is already home to local bakeshop Piece of Cake and to Supercuts. The Doc Green's portion will reportedly benefit from the creation of as many as sixty new parking spaces where currently there are trees.

The main portion of the center is home to C&S Seafood, Olive Bistro, Thai Diner and most recently, Crispina Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria which replaced the shuttered Taverna Fiorentina eatery.

(The approximately 42,000 square foot "Greenhouse Kroger" is said to be remaining open despite the fact that a new approximately 90,000 square foot Kroger is planned for a portion of Sears in nearby Cumberland Mall.)

Scott Rhee, originally a franchisee of the Doc Green's brand, now owns the concept. Among the new menu items, Rhee plans to offer acai bowls and fresh juices in addition to expanding the restaurant's salad and sandwich offerings.

Doc Green's was started by Raving Brands in 2005, and once had nearly a dozen locations in a handful of states. Locally, Doc Green's previously operated in Perimeter Place (now daVia Italian Market Eating) north Buckhead (later Tin Drum Asiacafe and now 521 Kitchen & Que) and on Ponce de Leon Avenue (now The Real Chow Baby). Doc Green's also operated in Atlantic Station (now BGR - The Burger Joint) and in Lawrenceville at The Shoppes at Webb Gin (later Urban Flats, and now Wild Wing Café).

The only other existing Doc Green's is located at The Shoppes of Powers Ferry on Powers Ferry Road near Windy Hill Road. This location has never closed, but has gone through at least two changes in ownership / management.

Do you think Doc Green's will find success in their new home? What is your favorite menu item at Doc Green's? What would you pay for an acai bowl or a fresh squeezed juice?

Please share your thoughts below.

The new Bojangles' in Brasleton

Bojangles' continues to expand in Georgia.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bojangles'is continuing their expansion into metro Atlanta with newly planned locations in Marietta and Lawrenceville.

The new freestanding restaurant in Marietta will be built in place of a one time Shoney's restaurant at 3101 Canton Highway. Most recently, the restaurant operated as Players Sports Bar & Cafe. The Marietta location is being opened by the same franchise group who this past May opened a new Bojangles' on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.

In Lawrenceville, Bojangles' will open a 3,800 square foot unit on 1065 Old Peachtree Road, adjacent to QuikTrip, on vacant land once home to a small gas station. Plans call for the corporately-owned restaurant to open in October.

Bojangles' seems to have an affinity for locating their restaurants within close proximity of QuikTrip or RaceTrac gas stations. The Lawrenceville location has the added benefit of being as close to the highway as a business is likely to be allowed.

A corporately owned Bojangles' opened this past Sunday at 5650 Green Street in Braselton. The location joins existing north Georgia locations in Gainesville, Buford, Dawsonville, Dacula, Cornelia, Jefferson and Commerce.

Bojangles' also has corporate stores planned for Doraville and Chamblee, both of which are progressing, but slower than anticipated. A well placed source indicates that the Doraville location is moving along well and could break ground within the next 60-90 days. The Chamblee location has yet to be fully approved by all necessary entities.

Another franchised unit is planned for Memorial Drive in Decatur. The freestanding restaurant will be built in place of an empty lot by the former Avondale/Columbia Mall (current Walmart Supercenter.)

Bojangles' went public last month and after shooting up about 40%, to nearly $28 mid-day, ended the day up 25%, at $23.75. Today, the stock is closer to its $19 IPO, opening this week at $23.51.

Customers celebrate a ride at the current Peachtree Bikes on Peachtree Road in Buckhead

Grand China to relocate, forcing Peachtree Bikes to do the same

Grand China Chinese restaurant will soon relocate from their current home in Buckhead to another nearby location. Currently located at 2975 Peachtree Road, the popular Chinese restaurant will soon move just a bit south to 2905 Peachtree Road, across from The Peach shopping center. Grand China has been in business since 1979. K.C. and Tse-Chih Chang already own the existing white brick building but leased it to Peachtree Bikes last year.

Peachtree Bikes ownership was reportedly blindsided by the news a few months ago, just two days after their one year anniversary in the new space. K.C. and Tse-Chih Chang informed Mike & Elexa Wagaman they had 90 days to vacate the space. Fortunately for the Buckhead biking community, Peachtree Bikes has again scored a prime, albeit smaller and less convenient, space in the heart of Buckhead. In the coming weeks, Peachtree Bikes will relocate to a vacant space to the left of the Buckhead Theatre on Roswell Road. Peachtree Bikes hopes to be open in the new space in a few months. Existing Peachtree Bikes locations in Sandy Springs on Hilderband Drive and at Serenbe will remain open, likely with greater staff, to serve the needs of the community.

Peachtree Bikes moved to their current home last year after an after-hours fire in late 2013 destroyed their previous space and others, at 2823 Peachtree Road.

Last year, apartment developer Terwilliger Pappas proposed a 20-story mixed-use development with some 300 apartment units, 470 parking spaces and 4,700 square feet of retail space on the site of Grand China and the adjacent Exxon. Word earlier this year was that the project had fallen apart as a deal could not be reached with the Exxon, but perhaps things have changed again. The local number for Terwilliger Pappas rings busy while an email for comment was not immediately returned.

In related news, the original home of Peachtree Bikes is also slated for redevelopment. Following the demolition of Garden Hills shopping center earlier this year, Brand Properties recently announced plans for an office/retail development at the site. The project will have boutique office space. Brand is also pursuing high-end specialty retail / restaurant users for the space as well as a "high-end" bank. The commercial element of the project will consist of 2 two story buildings fronting Peachtree Road, with the specialty retail on the right side and the bank element to the left side. Fellini's and La Fonda Latina are not involved in the redevelopment and will reportedly remain in place.

A new location of Wing Factory is coming soon to Dunwoody Village. The wing eatery has existing locations in Chamblee, North Buckhead and Smyrna. Plans call for the Dunwoody location to open in August.

Popular Westside men's boutique Sid Mashburn is expanding. Permits on file with the city of Atlanta indicate that the store will spend $220,000 to increase their square footage and add back-office meeting space. The permit states that the expansion will occur in "Suites P18 B & C, 2A & B." In addition the permit indicates there will be "interior renovation to existing space on separate levels." There will also be at least one "door relocation," as well as the addition of a "new office and conference room."

Krystal reopened its Buckhead location on Piedmont Road last week after a quick renovation.

Zaxby's plans to demolish and rebuild their existing location on Lawrenceville Highway and Cowan Road in Tucker. The existing restaurant was converted to a Zaxby's and no longer meets the needs of the restaurant.

A new Kale Me Crazy is planned for a new center on Peachtree Road in Brookhaven. Kale Me Crazy, along with Orangetheory Fitness and a nail salon, will open in the new center being built in place of a former Shell gas station. PNC Bank had previously expressed interest in the property, but has since abandoned their plans. Kale Me Crazy, owned by Yogli Mogli founder Roi Shlomo, opened their first location in Inman Park in 2013. A Decatur location opened this past April, while a midtown location at SkyHouse South, on 6th Street, is currently under construction. Another location is reportedly in the works for Sandy Springs.

Ford Fry's latest restaurant Marcel, a steakhouse, is slated to open next week at White Provisions. Marcel replaces Abbatoir, which closed this past March. The "beefsteak dinner-inspired steakhouse" gets its name from Marcellin “Marcel” Cerdan, a French boxer of the 1900s.

Asheville, North Carolina-based Earth Fare plans to open its newest Atlanta area location July 8th on Clifton Road at Emory Point. Rival grocer, The Fresh Market, previously announced that it will celebrate the grand opening of its latest Atlanta location at Brighten Park, also on July 8th.

A new location of Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint is slated to open July 10th in Smyrna.

Fort Worth, Texas-based Fuzzy's Taco Shop will soon open at The Shoppes at Webb Gin. The new Fuzzy's is opening in an endcap space across from the freestanding LongHorn Steakhouse. The chain has existing Georgia locations in Athens and Statesboro.

McDonald's at Lindbergh Drive and Cheshire Bridge Road in Lindbergh Crossing is renovating. The restaurant is closed for what appear to be heavy renovations that will give the restaurant the more modern look now found around town.

The former Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs is undergoing renovations to become a medical facility.

Parkside Shops in Sandy Springs, already home to Bishoku sushi, Egg Harbor Cafe, Tuesday Morning & Lefont Theaters will soon welcome a new restaurant. Veterans from midtown's recently-shuttered Veni Vidi Vici are opening an Italian restaurant called il Giallo Osteria & Bar at the center later this year. The 8200 square foot restaurant will be located near the rear of the center, close to Cliftwood Drive. VVV's former executive chef Jamie Adams, former pastry chef Libby Muldawer, and former general manager Leonardo Moura are all involved in the new restaurant. The menu will reportedly emphasize fresh made pastas. From a chef’s table, pasta will be made fresh based on need. The 140-seat restaurant, inclusive of a 12-seat bar, will serve lunch and dinner daily and offer items inspired by different regions of Italy. A 70-seat private dining area is in the works as well. The restaurant's name, “giallo” means “yellow” in Italian. When used with the pronoun, “il giallo” means “mystery.”

Herve Leger has vacated their space at Lenox Square and reopened in the former Versace space at Phipps Plaza. (The former Herve Leger at Lenox Square will be replaced by an Escada boutique.) The former Versace space will serve as their temporary home as they will eventually occupy the current Intermix at Phipps Plaza. Intermix plans to close in November at the end of their lease. Once rumored to be keeping open both stores, the recently opened Intermix at Buckhead Atlanta will serve as the chain's sole presence in Buckhead.

Subway has closed its location at Lenox Square's Fashion Cafe. According to mall management, the closure is permanent, but according to other restaurants in the Fashion Cafe, the closure is only temporary, for remodeling. I'm personally not a huge fan of Subway, but I think it did pretty well there.

Cheshire, Connecticut-based Wayback Burgers (fya Jake's Wayback Burgers) plans to open a new location in Brasleton later this fall. The new restaurant will open on Grand Hickory Drive in a space previously home to the short-lived Hometown Pizza & Pasta. Wayback Burgers was in the news recently for having launched two intriguing milkshakes, one with crickets, the other with jerky. Apparently there is a "growing trend in cricket consumption" as it, as well as jerky, is high in protein. There is one existing Wayback Burgers in Georgia, on Abercorn Street in Savannah.

Local restaurant abruptly shutters

The Georgia Pine, a full service restaurant located in the Shoppes at Webb Gin on Scenic Highway in Lawrenceville, has closed. Sources say the restaurant closed abruptly last week without warning or explanation, leaving employees confused and unemployed.

As of this past weekend, the restaurant's phone is disconnected, its website down, and facebook & twitter pages deleted.

Local personal injury attorney Gary Martin Hays opened the restaurant in 2013 in place of his previous endeavor, Gary's Bistro. Gary's Bistro opened in 2010, replacing Urban Flats, a failed casual dining restaurant based in Orlando.

Hays enlisted the expertise of Ben Bailey and Chris Collin of Lawrenceville's Local Republic restaurant. The duo served as "managing partners" of The Georgia Pine.

Essentially, the restaurant was an upscale "farm to table" eatery that was perhaps too high end for the area. According to Gary Martin Hays, the restaurant closure was due to a "lack of lunch time traffic" and "lack of cooperation from the landlord."

Did you ever dine at The Georgia Pine? Are you surprised it closed? What would you like to see open in its place?

Please share your thoughts below.

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An out of state J. Alexander's location

Casual chain flipping Norcross location

Nashville, Tennessee-based J. Alexander's will soon convert their existing restaurant in Norcross to Redlands Grill. Already referred to both by phone and on the website as "J. Alexander's - Redlands Grill," the restaurant is due to drop the J. Alexander's moniker entirely in the coming months.

In addition to their planned conversion in Norcross, J. Alexander's plans to re-brand as many as fifteen of their 29 locations nationwide by the end of the year. According to the J.Alexander's website, locations in Birmingham, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Memphis, and Nashville-West End are to be converted to Redlands Grill.

According to a J. Alexander's employee, the changes thus far have been small, with minor tweaks to the menu and interior signage. Plans call for Redlands Grill to be more feature driven, getting away from the static menu that made J.Alexander's what it is. Some classic dishes will remain, but the new menu will emphasize " farm-to-table ingredients" and feature seasonal menu selections that are likely to vary by region.

Maryville, Tennessee-based Ruby Tuesday tried to do something similar when they converted some of their existing locations to Marlin & Ray's, a casual seafood restaurant or to Truffles Grill, an upscale American eatery. In both cases, the conversions fell short of expectations and the restaurants are now closed. In Buckhead, the former Ruby Tuesday (Truffles Cafe / Grill) became Katana, a Japanese eatery.

According to the J. Alexander's website, the chain operates two locations in metro Atlanta: Dunwoody and Norcross. The Dunwoody unit is referred to simply as "J. Alexander's," and so it seems is safe from conversion, for now.

In addition to the current count of 29 J. Alexander's, the company also operates ten Stoney River Steakhouse & Grill restaurants (fka Stoney River Legendary Steaks). There are three Stoney River restaurants in metro Atlanta: in Smyrna at Cumberland Mall, in Duluth at the corner of State Bridge Road and GA 141, and in Roswell at the corner of Alpharetta Highway and Highway 92. There are no immediate plans to convert any of the Stoney River restaurants.

Last fall, the company filed plans to re-enter the public markets and have an IPO, but they abandoned those plans late last month. Company CFO Mark Parkey said of the decision, “The company has determined not to pursue the initial public offering because terms currently obtainable in the public marketplace are not sufficiently attractive to the company.”

Beverly Hills-based Houston's, seen as by many as a chief rival to J. Alexander's, performed an interesting internal conversion of their own. The Buckhead (Peachtree Road) location of Houston's was quietly re-named "Hillstone"over two years ago. The move, naming the restaurant after its parent, Hillstone Restaurant Group, has not significantly affected the menu or pricing.

Popular Buckhead bar moving to Midtown

Establishment, a popular Buckhead bar currently located at Buckhead Exchange, will soon relocate to Colony Square in midtown. Proprietor Brandon Lewis plans to close the bar's current Buckhead location Saturday July 26th.

Establishment previously expanded in their current space last year.

YEAH! Burger signed a lease earlier this spring to take over the Establishment space as the center undergoes an extensive renovation.

In Colony Square, Establishment will open in place of the former J.R. Crickets. The 3,500 square foot restaurant will be transformed to enhance the 14th Street access with stairs and a 2,000 square foot patio. The 14th street entrance will serve as the primary entryway for the restaurant with the interior access being de-emphasized.

With more space, more food and beverage options will be added to the menu. Lewis tells me that he has secured a popular local chef to helm the kitchen but could not divulge the name as the chef is still employed elsewhere.

Earlier this year, another Buckhead bar also relocated to midtown. Known in Buckhead as Buckhead Bottle Bar & Bistro, "Time Restaurant" opened in the former Straits restaurant on Juniper Street.

The new Establishment in midtown is slated to open in late September.

Colony Square owner Tishman Speyer spent $5 million last year renovating the property. Colony Square was completed in the early 70s and had become dated.

Last month I broke news that Charlotte, North Carolina-based 5Church plans to open at Colony Square next year. The new restaurant will open in place of the former Shout restaurant, fronting Peachtree Street. Shout closed this past Decemberafter a ten year run.

Healthy fast food joint reopening at Lenox Square

Freshii plans to reopen in Lenox Square's fashion cafe next week. The Toronto, Canada-based eatery first opened in the Fashion Cafe last March. In early August, a leak from above the restaurant's space caused the restaurant to close. (The leak was allegedly caused from something in California Pizza Kitchen, but that claim was never verified.) For months, a large trash can sat out in front of the restaurant while the restaurant remained intact but closed. This past fall, the restaurant was boarded up in black paneling.

Local operator Tamara Lukens retained the franchise agreement during the closure, but surely got some kind of allowance from Simon for the excessive delays in reopening. I was unable to obtain any official comment from a Simon representative as they were busy preparing for their 4th of July celebrations.

I continue to think that despite the chain's success in other cities, their location in the Fashion Cafe at Lenox Square will not serve them well. Their pricing structure, when previously open, priced them above nearly all similar eateries around them. The consumer who wants/can afford the type of food Freshii offers is more likely to go to True Food Kitchen, a full service restaurant at the front of the mall. Additionally, in their previous incarnation, Freshii offered burritos priced higher than those offered at Chipotle Mexican Grill, which already exists in the mall.

For Freshii to be successful in their return to Lenox Square, they should emphasize healthy breakfast options, juices, salads and yogurt. Offering these items at a reasonable price will make them a destination for health minded diners and breakfast diners seeking alternatives to Chick-fil-A biscuits.

In other Lenox Square Fashion Cafe news, La Creperie, a crepe eatery that previously replaced the shuttered Hovan Gourmet, abruptly closed yesterday. (I considered eating here once, but was turned off by the quality of the meats being used in the menu items.) La Creperie seemed like an even more amateurish version of the notorious Wafflery eatery. Subway, which closed last week and was reportedly going to renovate, is in fact closed for good. No word on what if any new restaurants are on the immediate horizon for these spaces.

Do you think Freshii will find success in their return to Lenox? What menu item should they add / take away? What would you like to see open in the vacant crepe shop and vacant Subway locations?

Please share your thoughts below.

Highland Bakery owner planning new concept

Stacy Eames, owner of Highland Bakery, plans to open a new, as yet unnamed concept in the former Aurora Coffee this fall. The space, located at 992 North Highland, at the corner of North Highland and Virginia Avenues, is the epicenter of Virginia Highland. Aurora Coffee, an area favorite, closed in the 1,638 square foot freestanding building in May, 2013.

Rumors have swirled for about a year about what would open in the prime space and while Eames has at times denied her involvement, I've confirmed it is she who will open in the space. Online permits filed with the City of Atlanta dating back to May of last year mention adding restrooms as well as assorted plumbing and electrical work. The most recent permit, filed on June 23rd: "Furnish and install one 5 ton Heat and Cooling Unit with 22 Vents and One Duct Alteration to existing unit."

All of the previous work was performed at the request of property owner "DLD HOLDINGS SIX LLC," likely in an attempt to secure what I understand is a freshly signed lease with Eames.

A well placed source indicates that the new concept will offer healthier fare with options such as fresh juices, wheatgrass shots, granola and milk alternatives like almond and cashew milk. Perhaps gluten free pastries too?

The running name of the business is "P & G Coffee and Pastry." A source close to the situation stated that the new concept should open in late September or early October.

In addition to the new concept, Eames is opening a Decatur outpost of Highland Bakery and adding second locations to the campuses of Emory and Georgia Tech. Currently there are Highland Bakery locations in the Old Fourth Ward, Midtown, Buckhead and on the campuses of Emory and Georgia Tech. In addition, Eames operates a food truck "Highland Bakery On Wheels."

This past April, Eames partnered with Mike Lassiter of Rising Roll in creating a strategic partnership between the two Atlanta-based businesses. Each brand will retain its own identity, with plans for both to benefit from each other’s expertise.

Are you excited about the new Highland Bakery concept? Are you more excited for the Highland Bakery coming to Decatur? What menu items would you like to see carried at either?

Please share your thoughts below.

New restaurant coming to former Woodfire Grill

Justin Anthony of 10 Degrees South, YEBO and the upcoming Biltong Bar at Ponce City Market has secured the former Woodfire Grill restaurant space on Cheshire Bridge Road. Woodfire Grill closed this past May after a thirteen year run. A lease for the 6,500 square foot freestanding building was finalized yesterday.

As I reported last month, Yebo is likely to close at Phipps Plaza soon, but this will be a new, different concept.

Cape Dutch, as I'm told the restaurant will be called, will feature coastal seafood and steaks and should open by the end of the year. Cape Dutch has many meanings; it can describe people native to the western Cape of South Africa, the early form of Afrikaans spoken at the Cape and also refers to a style of architectural design used in both residential and commercial buildings of the 17th and 18th centuries in the Cape.

Given what I would assume would be minimal structural work on the building, I'd think they could open by early fall.

The freestanding restaurant has seating for 170, a deck and a full bar. Although I doubt the restaurant will get much pedestrian traffic, the new Fuqua Development "Morningside Heights" project, with some 300 "luxury" apartments, is located nearby.

South Point Apparently THE Place For New Restaurants

Shut Your Pie Hole! The Pie Shop NOW OPEN in Virginia Highland

Yebo Reportedly Looking For New Home

Did You Hear? HiFi Buys is Back in Buckhead

New Embassy Suites Hotel May Finally Break Ground in Duluth

Bits & Bites

Fifth Group Plans Renovation in Midtown and Construction in Buckhead

Will New Restaurant be the Answer to Midtown's Prayers?

Carmike Double Feature Coming Soon to Snellville?

Bits & Bites

After A Brief Rehab, Doc Green's Is Coming Back to Cobb Parkway

Bojangles' Has Georgia on Its Mind

Food, Rather than Fire, Forces Peachtree Bikes to Again Relocate in Buckhead

Bits & Bites

Timber! The Georgia Pine Bites the Dust

What's in a Name? J. Alexander's Plans to Re-brand Multiple Units

Buckhead Bar to "Establish" New Home in Midtown

Déjà vu at Lenox Square: Freshii Reopening

A New Concept From the Highland Bakery Will Soon Rise in Virginia Highland

Former Woodfire Grill to Reopen as "Cape Dutch"