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Sweet Charlie's Hopes Atlanta Will "Just Roll With It"

February 9, 2017, 10:14 am
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Rolled ice cream is headed to Buckhead   

Sweet Charlie’s, a Philadelphia-based rolled ice cream and yogurt franchise, has signed a lease for a new location in Atlanta.  The new 1,300 square foot shop will open at Buckhead Court on Roswell Road, adjacent to Superica in north Buckhead.  Sweet Charlie's will open in the current home of Stellar Bodies, a fitness boutique, which is shifting to the former Peachtree Gymnastics, a 2,100 square foot space in the same center.     

After watching a video about the overseas trend of Thai-inspired rolled ice cream, 19-year-old entrepreneur Kyle Billig teamed up with his older brother Jacob and figured out a way to duplicate and Americanize the fascinating treat.  The first   Sweet Charlie's location opened last summer in the Washington Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.      

"It starts with a base of either premium ice cream, nonfat yogurt or Nada-Moo,  the company’s vegan [coconut milk base] option. Customers then select a cup or one of Sweet Charlie’s signature oven-baked glazed donuts as an ice cream-carrying container and finally, one of Sweet Charlie’s signature flavors and toppings.  Each ice cream or frozen yogurt at Sweet Charlie’s is made to order on a super-cold surface that is below 20 degrees. Because the surface is so cold, very small ice crystals are formed quickly, eliminating the need to add stabilizers, emulsifiers and preservatives."     

The company's online menu indicates that a standard order, either in a cup or in an oven baked donut, costs $7, with unlimited toppings and indcluding tax.     

Another Sweet Charlie's is planned for nearby Rittenhouse Square in in Philadephia the coming months.  According to the company’s website, they also operate a seasonal location at Rehoboth Beach, DE.  The website also indicates there is another franchised unit coming to Cherry Hill, NJ later this spring.      

Sweet Charlie's Atlanta, which will be among the first franchised units, is expected to open early summer.    

Long a popular dessert in Thailand,  rolled ice cream has become trendy stateside with many businesses popping up offering the Instagram-ready treats.     

8 Fahrenheit Ice Cream has locations open in Doraville, Duluth and Cumming with locations coming soon to Carrollton and Houston, Texas as well as Sacramento, California.    (A location planned for Barrrett Parkway in Kennesaw was to open last summer but never did and is not mentioned on the company's website.)  

I-CE NY, based in Thailand but with U.S. headquarters in New York, opened its first location New York's Greenwich Village in 2015 followed by additional locations in Doraville on Buford Highway, Delray Beach, Florida, Philadelphia and others in the works.     

Roll It Up Ice Cream, another "me-too" operator, plans to open soon in Asian Square on Buford Highway, home to the original Sweet Hut.     

Are you excited for rolled ice cream to be coming to Buckhead?  Have you ever tried rolled ice cream?  Where else would you like to see Sweet Charlie's open in metro Atlanta?   
Please share your thoughts below.    
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Goodwill Takes Advantage of Vacant Ingles in Tucker

February 9, 2017, 10:55 am
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Goodwill in Powder Springs occupies a converted Kroger grocery store 
Thrift store to open soon

A Goodwill thrift store is expected to open in the coming months in the former Ingles in Tucker Station shopping center.  The center, built in 1987, is located at the corner of Lawrenceville Highway and Hugh Howell Road in Tucker was anchored by an Ingles until July 2014.  

Work is currently underway to renovate 34,000 square feet of the former grocery store to suit the needs of the thrift store. About 12,000 square feet of the former Ingles reportedly remains available and is actively being marketed for lease.

A representative from Goodwill informed me that the company does not yet have an expected opening but hopes to have a confirmed date "soon." 


Goodwill of North Georgia, the branch of Goodwill Industries that is opening the Tucker store, operates a 45 county district in Georgia.  In total, the branch operates about 60 stores and 60 donation centers in its territory.  

Former grocery stores serve as ideal sites for Goodwill stores given they are often well located and reduce the company's upfront expenses. Elsewhere in the greater metro Atlanta area, Goodwill operates out of former Kroger, Publix and Winn-Dixie stores as well as converted Stein Mart, kmart, Staples and Best Buy stores, among others.  

As previously reported on this site, Goodwill of North Georgia moved its headquarters from downtown Atlanta to Decatur last year.  The support center, career center and thrift store occupy the former Cub Foods space and adjacent suites in the North DeKalb Square shopping center on Lawrenceville Highway near North Druid Hills Road. 

In addition to the upcoming Tucker location, Goodwill already operates a number of nearby locations including the aforementioned Decatur location as well as stores near Northlake Mall and on Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn.  

Last month Goodwill broke ground on what will be a newly constructed store in Tyrone.  

Are you pleased that Goodwill  is opening in Tucker?  Were you hoping for something more "exciting" than a Goodwill store?  With all the new developments in Tucker, what opening are you most excited about?

Please share your thoughts below.  

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Bonus Bits & Bites

February 10, 2017, 11:36 am
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New York-based The Shoe Box  plans to take over the existing Vince Camuto store on the first floor of Lenox Square in Buckhead.  Store employees are referring to the change as a "conversion" due to the fact that there is some licensing/ownership/franchise relationship between the Camuto Group and The Shoe Box. Vince Camuto opened at Lenox Square in 2014.  As a brand, The Shoe Box dates to 1954, but it had not had a retail presence in a number of years before opening six boutiques last fall, including at least one in a "converted" Vince Camuto at Town Center at Boca Raton in Florida.  Sources say the Lenox Square conversion is due to be completed sometime next month with in-stock Vince Camuto merchandise being liquidated at 70% off retail.  When The Shoe Box reopens, the store will carry a variety of luxury brands including Stuart Weitzman, Jil Sander, Rebecca Minkoff, Proenza Schouler, Sam Edelman, See by Chloe and others.  The boutique will also carry Kendall+Kylie, the label from Kendall and Kylie Kardashian.  Interestingly, the Shoe Box will reportedly no longer carry Vince Camuto merchandise. Given the brands that will be carried, and the boutique feel of the store, I, as well as many retail observers with whom I spoke, believe The Shoe Box will in some way be the Lenox version of Phipps Plaza's Jeffrey.

G-Star RAW plans to relocate to a larger space at Lenox Square in the coming months. The trendy apparel store will join Hammer Made in occupying the remaining portion of the former Oakley store on the mall's second floor.  The current G-Star is 700 square feet, while its new location is about 1,800 square feet.  In its current space, G-Star shares space with Standard, both owned by Farshad Arshid.  Sources say Standard will not expand into the G-Star space and that a wall will be built between the two with plans to re-lease the G-Star space once they relocate.   

Half Moon Outfitters plans to close its Atlanta location Valentine's night.  The store, located on Virginia Avenue in Virginia-Highland, faced mounting competition from Mountain High Outfitters, which opened in late 2015 at Ponce City Market, as well as High Country Outfitters and chains REI and Dick's Sporting Goods, among others.  

MAC plans to open a new store at Cumberland Mall.  The cosmetics retailer will occupy a 1,171 square foot space on the mall's first floor, adjacent to Apple and close to Macy's.  

Atlanta-based RaceTrac continues to renovate existing locations in an effort to better compete with arch-rival QuikTrip.  In the coming months, RaceTrac plans to renovate the following locations:

444 West Pike Street - Lawrenceville
5700 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard - Norcross
3980 Mundy Mill Road - Oakwood

Speedway plans to begin construction soon on a new 20-pump gas station with a nearly 4,000 square foot convenience store in Lawrenceville.  The new location will be built at 3120 Sugarloaf Parkway and is will be the third in metro Atlanta for the Enon, Ohio-based company. Speedway, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation, previously had many locations in metro Atlanta, but they all closed or were converted years ago. In addition to the Lawrenceville location, last year Speedway opened new locations on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Norcross and on McFarland Parkway in Alpharetta.  

Columbus Ohio based Vernacular, a women's apparel and gift retailer, plans to open in the former Stanton Home Furnishings store in Virginia Highland next month.  The retailer, which currently operates three locations in the greater Columbus area, also has new stores coming soon to Cleveland, OH and Dallas,TX.  

My friends at The Carrollton Menuconfirmed today that Carrollton will soon get a second Chick-fil-A restaurant. With one Chick-fil-A already open on South Highway 27, a second freestanding restaurant will open on Bankhead Highway.  The new Chick-fil-A will open in place of Ryan's Buffet, which abruptly closed early last year following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.  News of the upcoming Chick-fil-A was met with tremendous excitement and mixed emotion on The Carrollton Menu's facebook page.  Some readers expressed disappointment in Ryan's replacement not being a Golden Corral, while others wished that its replacement would have been a Chipotle Mexican Grill. Readers who were in favor of Chick-fil-A were hopeful that it would open as a "Dwarf House," the restaurant's hybrid fast-food/full-service concept.   Unfortunately a source at Chick-fil-A indicated to me that no new Dwarf Houses are being built.  There are currently twelve Dwarf House locations including one in Newnan, not far from Carrollton.  David Daniels, who currently operates the existing Carrollton Chick-fil-A, has been selected to operate the new freestanding unit, too. The new Chick-fil-A Carrollton is slated to open late this year.  

Chuy's plans to open its new location at Akers Mill Square by Cumberland Mall Tuesday, February 28th. I broke news of the planned opening this past October. The new restaurant will be the Austin-based chain's third in metro Atlanta following locations in Dunwoody and Kennesaw.   

The Fish Hawk, a Peachtre Road mainstay for many years, will be moving to a new location next month.  Another victim of the apartment onslaught, The Fish Hawk plans to reopen early next month at 764 Miami Circle, not far from the Painted Pin.  
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Don't Call it Hokey, Plenty More Poke Parlors Planned

February 12, 2017, 9:10 pm
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The existing Poké Bar in Sandy Springs 
Plenty of poke planned for Atlanta 

Poké Bar, the Los Angeles based poke restaurant that opened their first Atlanta area restaurant last year, reportedly plans to open two new locations later this spring.  On the heels of the initial location on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, Poké Bar plans to open new locations in Atlanta and Alpharetta.

The Atlanta location will open in the Edgewood Retail District on Moreland Avenue in place of what was most recently Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint (and before that, a Caribou Coffee).  The Alpharetta location will reportedly open in The Atwater, a new center on Old Milton Parkway across from Avalon.

The existing location in Abernathy Square is 1,479 square feet and occupies the former Seven Hens eatery.  The Edgewood location is 1,801 square feet, while the likely space in The Atwater is 1,475 square feet.  The other available space in The Atwater is the recently vacated Pieology space, but it is 2,800 square feet, surely larger than Poké Bar needs. 

I broke news last month that Poké Perfect, another poke eatery with U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, plans to open its first domestic location later this spring in Decatur.  The growing chain plans to subsequently expand to other intown locations such as the westside and Inman Park near the BeltLine. 

In addition to  Poké Bar and  Poké Perfect, Bull Gogi, which took over the Decatur location of Seven Hens, has become poke focused in their menu, a pivot from their Korean focused original location in Peachtree Corners. 

In addition, Kale Me Crazy, the juice and smoothie joint, shared an image on their official Instagram page earlier this month saying "Coming soon... #pokebowl." Kale Me Crazy has eight locations open from Inman Park to Roswell, with a ninth coming soon to The Avenue East Cobb.  Roi Shlomo, the founder of Kale Me Crazy, previously started Yogli Mogli, a frozen yogurt chain that he has since sold.  While there is definitely still interest in juicing, Shlomo is clearly doing the best he can to capitalize on the latest food craze.  

What are your thoughts on the current poke craze?  Where would you like to see the next poke shop open?  Do you think it's weird that Kale Me Crazy added poke to its menu?

Please share your thoughts below.  
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Starbucks Sees Green in Former Wendy's

February 13, 2017, 11:10 am
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Work underway to convert the  former Wendy's in Brookwood Hills to a Starbucks 
Starbucks planning multiple new Atlanta area locations

Starbucks, the Seattle-based coffee juggernaut with about 25,000 locations globally, plans to open at least two new Atlanta area locations in former Wendy's restaurants.

Starbucks is in the progress of renovating the former Wendy's at 1861 Peachtree Road in Brookwood Hills.  I first reported on this plan last May with renovations only now starting to take shape.

Over in Sandy Springs, Starbucks is currently in the process of obtaining permits to convert another former Wendy's at 6350 Powers Ferry Road, just off 1-285.  The location has been vacant for years and it is rather surprising it took so long for anyone to pursue the space.  

Local residents started a petition in early 2015 urging Starbucks to open in the space.  While it is hard to say whether the petition had an effect on the company's plans, the new Braves stadium being built a few miles away surely helped their case.  Powers Ferry Road is likely to see a significant increase in traffic from fans going to and from SunTrust Park from Sandy Springs, and the new Starbucks is perfectly situated to capitalize on this.  

In both cases, Starbucks will take advantage of the existing drive-thru windows but will strip the buildings to reflect the Starbucks branding.  Starbucks has found drive-thru windows to be of great importance to the company as it continues to open new locations.  

In early 2013, Starbucks announced that 60% of the 1,500 new U.S. locations that the chain planned to open through early 2018 would have drive-thru windows.

In addition to the two Wendy's conversions, Starbucks has a new drive-thru unit coming soon to Peachtree Station in Chamblee and is believed to be relocating an existing Sandy Springs location to a new development nearby.  A proposed Starbucks on Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta is reportedly "not dead, but also far from done." 

Starbucks is also still moving forward with their planned relocation near Chastain Park but the time frame is now been pushed to "late summer 2017." 

Are you excited for the new Starbucks in Atlanta?  If it is even possible, where in Atlanta is still without a Starbucks that needs one? What is your favorite place to get coffee in Atlanta?  

Please share your thoughts below.
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UPDATE: Sprouts to Open Next Month at Decatur Crossing + Much More!

February 14, 2017, 10:40 am
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New development nears completion... of phase 1

Decatur Crossing, the new development coming to the corner of Scott Boulevard and North Decatur Roads should see its first openings within the next couple of weeks. 

Sprouts Farmers Market, the Phoenix, AZ-based grocer that has stormed the Atlanta market with over a dozen locations, plans to open March 1st. (Another Sprouts is slated to open April 26th in Tucker.)  Sprouts will anchor phase one of the three phase Decatur development.  

In addition to Sprouts, Decatur Crossing will also welcome a host of new new restaurants and service providers.  

Among the confirmed tenants are Banfield Pet Hospital, Dunkin' Donuts, Great Clips, Luxury Nails, Pacific Dental, SunTrust Bank, Verizon Wireless, Zoës Kitchen, Massage Heights, Tiff's Treats First Watch and City Barbecue.  

The Decatur location will be the first in Georgia for Dublin, Ohio-based City Barbecue which started in 1999.  The casual barbecue eatery plans to open in "mid August." For those fearing this may be just another chain barbecue joint, their posted "BBQ Facts" should ease those concerns.  

"Do you plan to Build More City Barbeque Locations? Only if we can replicate the quality and service levels that we demand and you expect. We won’t do it at the expense of these two requirements. We currently do not franchise."

Bradenton, Florida based First Watch, has expanded its Georgia footprint since entering the market in 2013. First Watch purchased two (corporately owned)  J. Christopher's  restaurants (Johns Creek and Smyrna) in late 2012 and reopened them as First Watch restaurants in January of 2013.  Today First Watch operates seven other locations in Georgia including Kennesaw, Snellville, Alpharetta, Johns Creek Dunwoody, Smyrna and Columbus.  As of now First Watch plans to be open in Decatur by the end of April.
First Watch under construction 
The Tiff's Treats in Decatur Crossing will be the Austin, TX-based chains fourth in metro Atlanta following recent openings in Alpharetta, midtown and Sandy Springs.  Tiff's Treats Decatur is currently projected to open sometime later this summer.  

Overall the Fuqua Development project will welcome "hundreds" of new apartments. (It's unclear what the total number of apartments between the three phases truly is). Decatur Crossing will also welcome a senior housing complex in phase three.  

Sources indicate that phase three will also include a six-story Cubesmart climate controlled storage facility as well as both an Aldi grocery store and a Chick-fil-A restaurant.   

What are your thoughts on all the businesses coming to Decatur Crossing?  What new opening are you most excited about?  What restaurant or retailer are you most excited to see open in Decatur Crossing?

Please share your thoughts below.  
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Takorea and Gusto! Among New Tenants Coming to North Decatur Square

February 14, 2017, 11:15 am
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New center to begin construction later this year 

North Decatur Square, the new development coming to the corner of Church Street and North Decatur Road near DeKalb Medical Center has signed its first tenants.

Joining the 35,096 square foot 365 by Whole Foods Market will be Hollywood Feed, Takorea, Gusto!, Sage Dental and Avalon Nails & Spa.  

It may be a race to the finish to see who opens first but the Decatur 365 may be the first in Atlanta for the growing concept from Whole Foods Market.  While the Decatur location was announced first, a Buckhead location is also now in the works with both projecting "fall 2018" openings.  

Hollywood Feed, a "natural & holistic" pet food store will open in a 2,800 square foot space on the Church Street side of the development.  The Memphis based retailer sells only dog and cat pet food and recently opened their first Atlanta area location in Roswell Corners shopping center in Roswell.  Other Hollywood Feed locations are planned for Peachtree Station in Chamblee and Tucker Meridian in Tucker.   

Takorea will open in a 2,200 square foot space adjacent to Hollywood Feed. The Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant currently has locations in midtown, Dunwoody and Athens and is the evolution of Hankook Taqueria which continues to operate on Collier Road.  

Gusto! will open in a 2,400 square foot space along North Decatur Road.  The Decatur location will be the third for the growing chain started by Nate Hybl in 2014. The first Gusto! is on Peachtree Road across from Piedmont Hospital, the second is on Ponce de Leon Avenue, not far from Ponce City Market.  

Sage Dental will occupy a 3,200 square foot space adjacent to Gusto!.  Boca Raton-based Sage Dental is appearing on a lot of property site plans these days as they work to penetrate the Atlanta market and compete not only with traditional private practice dental offices but also Irvine,CA based Pacific Dental Services, which is already rapidly expanding its Atlanta presence.  

Avalon Nails & Spa will occupy a 3,500 square foot space in the rear of the center.  

The approximately 18 acre property will also have a four-story, approximately 300-unit apartment complex.  

As I discussed in previous posts related to the opening of the new 365 in Buckhead, the grocer is likely to open with a "featured friend," a mini quick serve restaurant that would open within the store.  This feature could prevent certain concepts from opening their own eateries within the center. 

A siteplan for the project includes a number of "available" spaces but also five "at lease" spaces.  I would not be shocked to see concepts like Newk's Eatery, Tropical Smoothie Cafe or Tin Drum Asian Kitchen appear in the center. 

A source close to the project confirmed to me that a Mattress Firm will NOT be part of the project, hallelujah! 

According to Jeff Garrison, partner at S.J. Collins Enterprise, the developer of the project, demolition of the existing buildings on the property (various former Nalley auto dealerships) is expected to begin March 15th.  Garrison also indicated that the project which had first announced a "Summer 2018" completion, is now tracking for "fall 2018." 

The firms other active Atlanta area project, Peachtree Station in Chamblee was first announced as Peachtree Crossing but subsequently changed its name for undisclosed reasons.  One would think a similar change is in store in Decatur given a large Kroger anchored center exists less than a mile away and already has the name North Decatur Square.  

What other tenants would you like to see open in North Decatur Square?  Are you excited for Takorea and Gusto! to be opening in the project?  Where else would you like to see a 365 by Whole Foods Market open in Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below.  
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Hasta La Vista! Schoenbaum Fails in Rio Bravo Reboot

February 15, 2017, 12:46 pm
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Rio Bravo shuts its doors...again

Ray Schoenbaum has pulled the plug on his Rio Bravo relaunch, less than two years after debuting the new concept.  
The [now deleted] Ray's Rio Bravo facebook page posted this closure announcement earlier today:

"Effective February 15th, Ray’s Rio Bravo will be closed. We are incredibly appreciative of the support of our guests and the hard work of our staff. We hope to see you at our other restaurants, including Ray’s in the City, Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek. We are excited to continue to offer our fresh & fun catering menu, so please contact us at Ray’s on the River for information. Additionally, the restaurant will be available as a venue for any private events!"

The post seems to suggest that Ray's Rio Bravo catering will continue and that Schoenbaum will continue to control the Rio Bravo building for the foreseeable future.

Schoenbaum, who opened the first Rio Bravo in Buckhead in 1984, eventually grew the chain to a regional success before selling it to Applebee's in 1995.  The restaurant was sold a second time in 1999 to Chevy's, a similar Tex-Mex restaurant, before expansion and mis-management resulted in all locations closing by 2002.

In late 2014 I revealed that Schoenbaum planned to re-launched the brand, this time as "Ray's Rio Bravo." The restaurant, which was located not far from another Schoenbaum concept, Ray's on the River, was slated to open May 5th 2015.  After a few delays the restaurant finally opened in early August 2015.

While many had hoped that the return of Rio Bravo would be a return to the good ol' days, that seemed never to materialize.  Despite that fact that Schoenbaum. 70, has nearly six decades of restaurant experience and operates a number of successful Atlanta area restaurants, Ray's Rio Bravo never lived up to its expectations.

Ray's Rio Bravo has 166 reviews on Yelp.com with a cumulative rating of 2.5 stars.

In my brief search I could find only one review from 2017... and it's wasn't good.

Yelp member Annmarie D. writes:

"Worst service and ruined birthday celebration.  I should have known by the difficulty just trying to make a reservation for 10.  Drinks took over 30 minutes to be served including water. Server never asked if we wanted anything.  We had to literally call her over if we expected to be served. Cleared our own table after apps to make room for dinner. We sat without drinks or food for well over an hour. I don't care if you comp the check, the evening is ruined. Not worth it. Food ain't great either."

Freeelance journalist Frank Reddy penned a puff piece on  Schoenbaum this past fall where the restaurateur noted how different the restaurant industry was today, and how people's tastes in Mexican food has changed.  Schoenbaum also noted how important social media is in today's world.

“In our business, you can’t goof up very often,” he said. “One customer will tell ten other customers about their bad experience. Social media is unbelievably influential now. It’s crazy. Used to be I could tell six months to a year before a restaurant was going to get better or worse with their sales. Now, with social media and everybody hearing things so fast, it’s about a month or two. That’s the difference in the expanse of time.”

With mediocre food and disappointing service, I guess the only question that remains is why the restaurant stayed open as long as it did.

Were you a fan of Ray's Rio Bravo?  Are you surprised the restaurant closed?  What do you think went wrong in Schoenbaum Rio Bravo reboot?

Please share your thoughts below.
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Kaiser Collaborates with Rathbun to Open Inaugural OTP Restaurant

February 15, 2017, 1:44 pm
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Upscale chophouse to open on Roswell Road

Peter Kaiser, most recently the Executive Chef at Buckhead's now defunct Twist restaurant, plans to open Kaiser's Chophouse later this spring in Hammond Springs shopping  center at the corner of Roswell Road and Hammond Drive in Sandy Springs.  I first heard rumors of this restaurant last summer, but those involved kept their plans rather close to the vest until recently. (The restaurant's name was registered with the Secretary of State of Georgia April 14th, 2016).    The new chophouse will open in place of Jason's Deli, which closed in late 2014.

In Kaiser's Chophouse, Kaiser is "fulfilling the lifelong dream of opening a restaurant with his own namesake."  Kaiser is collaborating with friend, fellow Buckhead Life Restaurant Group alum and Iron Chef winner Kevin Rathbun in opening the new restaurant.

Peter Kaiser, who grew up in Liechtenstein, honed his culinary skills in Europe before coming to Atlanta in 1986.  After enrolling in classes to learn English, Kaiser's sister, who was already in Atlanta, introduced him to chefs Paul Albrecht and Pano Karatassos of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group. Soon thereafter, he was hired by the group as a sous chef at Capriccio Ristorante (now Pricci). A short time later, Kaiser was promoted to executive sous chef at Pano’s and Paul’s. In 1995, Kaiser took over as executive chef at the Buckhead Diner.  He returned to Pano’s and Paul’s as executive chef in 1998.  Kaiser’s next venture was with Here to Serve Restaurant Group as executive chef of Goldfish. Once Goldfish took off, Here to Serve's Tom Catherall chose Kaiser to establish and open Twist at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead, and eventually take the helm as executive corporate chef.
Rendering of Kaiser's Chophouse courtesy of The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry 

Kaiser's Chophouse is being designed by The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry, the firm responsible for many of the Atlanta's most well known fine dining restaurants.  The Johnson Studio, which was acquired by Cooper Carry early last year, previously designed the interiors of Atlas at the St. Regis Buckhead, Polaris at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Blue Pointe, Bistro Niko, Ecco, Two Urban Licks
One Midtown Kitchen and Nan Thai Fine Dining, among others.

The newly updated Kaiser's Chophouse website describes the restaurant's interior as follows:

"The modern, chic interiors are both luxurious and inviting. The bar is cozy with large, oversized chairs welcoming guests in for a cocktail. Spherical chandeliers dimly light the dining room with a classic ambiance, and wooden tables and booths fill the space. The space is filled with elegant finishing touches, from the flowing curtains to modern wall art. The beautiful interiors make the restaurant the place to see and be seen. Kaiser’s Chophouse provides a convivial atmosphere that entices guests to stay, enjoy and come back time and again. Kaiser’s Chophouse offers guests private and semi-private dining options for parties of any size."

Progress inside Kaiser's Chophouse earlier this week 

The website further describes the restaurant by saying it will "bring guests an elevated dining experience with quality cuts of meats, superior ingredients and a boutique wine and cocktail program.”

Information on the Kaiser's Chophouse website suggests that Tim Stevens is also associated in some way with the project, but despite multiple calls and emails to the restaurant, my questions remain unanswered. (Suggestion: If you are going to provide an email and phone to be reached, respond when contacted.) P.S., they misspelled the restaurant's name in the stated email address on their website.

Note to self: Don't misspell company name on company website 
It can be assumed that Stevens will be involved in a managerial/partnership capacity, which would seem logical given he, too, is a Buckhead Life alum.  Stevens is also involved in another project in Roswell.  Stevens, with support from  Kevin McNerney, co-founder of SweetWater Brewing, plans to open "From the Earth Brewing Company," later this summer.  The enterprise will offer "Chef driven food, craft cocktails and world class beers brewed in house."

Stevens' previous restaurant experience includes time as General Manager at Cook Hall Atlanta, later Market at the W Atlanta - Buckhead,  Owner Cahaba Restaurant Inc, a trio of three restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama, and General Manager Nava Chops and The Club at Chops.

Kaiser's joins a growing roster of restaurants that have opened or are opening soon in Sandy Springs. Il Giallo Osteria & Bar, an Italian restaurant in the Parkside Shops center on Roswell Road, opened in late 2015 by Buckhead Life alums Leonardo Moura and Chef Jamie Adams.

Just north on Roswell Road, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken expects to open what will be its second Atlanta area location later this month.  Additionally, growing pizza chain Rize Artisan Pizza & Salads plans to opens its second Atlanta area location late this month in the street level retail of One City Walk, a new apartment complex, also at the corner of Hammond Drive and Roswell Road.

Clay's Sports Cafe, which was displaced by the upcoming Gus's, announced this past December it was targeting a late March reopening in Hammond Springs. The popular dive bar promised "build out pics" to its many Facebook fans, but has yet to upload any, leading many to surmise it may be delayed.

Sandy Springs residents will surely be excited to welcome another local dining option following the closure of Double Zero Napoletana this past summer and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in 2014.

Are you excited for the addition of a chef-driven local steakhouse to Sandy Springs?  Is it just me or did you think pigs would fly before you saw Kevin Rathbun involved in an OTP restaurant?  What other type of restaurants would you like to see open in Sandy Springs?

Please share your thoughts below.
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Bits & Bites

February 15, 2017, 8:59 pm
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Interior of the Social Status store in Greensboro, NC
A new store called Social Status is slated to open in the coming months at Inman Quarter in Inman Park.  The nearly 1,600 square foot store will open on Elizabeth Street, adjacent to Bread & Butterfly.  Social Status is a lifestyle clothing and footwear boutique that specializes in rare and limited release sneakers and apparel.  The store carries products from such lines as Billionaire Boys Club, Nudie Jeans, Jordan, Kenzo, Adidas, Nike, Roc Nation and Neighborhood, among others. James Whitner opened the first Social Status store in Charlotte in 2005 and has since expanded to Greensboro and Raleigh NC and stores in Downtown and East Liberty Pittsburgh, PA. Social Status is the sibling store of A Ma Maniére, which opened on the Westside in late 2014. 

Indoor gun range QuickShot plans to open its third Atlanta area location later this year in west midtown.  Details are still being ironed out, but if all goes well, the new location would be located at 1130 Chattahoochee Avenue, an existing warehouse building.  Property records indicate the building is 5,000 square feet. QuickShot operates existing Atlanta area locations off Briarcliff Road near Emory University and on Buford Highway near Green's liquor store.  In addition to the Atlanta outposts, QuickShot operates other locations in Savannah and Charleston.  On the Westside, QuickShot would compete with Stoddard's Range & Guns, presently in business on Bishop Street near IKEA. 

Home decor, accessories and furnishings retailer Kirkland's plans to open a new store soon in Smyrna.  The Brentwood, TN based chain will open in the approximately 10,000 square foot former Anna's Linens at Heritage Pavilion on Cobb Parkway.

Figo Pasta plans to relocate its "Buckhead" location to an existing space nearby.  The casual pasta eatery is currently located at 1170 Collier Road, but will reportedly move to the Shops at Collier Hills at 2080 Defoor Avenue, less than a half mile away, in the coming months. Figo previously moved their westside location from Westside Provisions District to a standalone two-story building a short distance away on Marietta Street.  

World of Beer is reportedly not happening at Perimeter Place. The beer-centric establishment was to replace the long vacant Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant. Cheeseburger in Paradise closed in late 2012, claiming at the time it was remodeling and would reopen later that year.  In early 2013, Los Angeles based Mad Bull's Tavern announced it would open in the space but that never happened.  World of Beer confirmed their plans to open in the space in late 2015.  A ToNeTo Atlanta reader communicated with Sembler Company, the property's owner, on Twitter, noting that "Cheeseburger in Paradise falling apart and an eye sore."        Sembler responded by saying  "A deal we had for the space fell through. We are seeking new tenants and will turn the space around :)"  Strangely, the "coming soon" World of Beer Dunwoody website is still active and a representative from the company's Tampa headquarters claims that the location is "on hold." 

at&t plans to open soon in the former Starbucks at Georgetown Shopping Center. Starbucks relocated earlier this year to a space on Chamblee-Duwnoody Road that allows the coffee shop to operate a drive-thru.  

Otter's Chicken plans to open a new location at Kennesaw Marketplace later this spring.  The new quick serve chicken restaurant, which will be located adjacent to Nothing Bundt Cakes on the Cobb Parkway side of the project, is expected to open May 1st according to owner Will Peterson.  Peterson also operates Otter's locations on Dallas Highway in West Cobb and on Cobb Parkway near Parkway Pointe shopping center. 

My friends at Scoop OTP report that Dunkin' Donuts, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Newk's Eatery are all signed to join HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby and Planet Fitness, among others, at the new Canton Exchange shopping center on Cumming Highway in Cherokee county. 

ONE ROOSTER mongolian bar opened earlier today on the Westside in the former Real Chow Baby space.  

A new children's clothing and gift boutique called King & Bear is to open later this month in the former Festivity boutique space at Powers Ferry Square on Roswell Road in north Buckhead. 

Tiff's Treats plans to open two new Atlanta area locations this summer.  The first, is the previously announced location at Fuqua Development's Decatur Crossing shopping center.  A second location will open in a former Quiznos Sub space at The Crossings at Akers Mill center on Akers Mill Road across from Sears at Cumberland Mall.  The small center is anchored by Jos. A. Bank.  Austin, TX based Tiff's Treats entered the Atlanta market last year with locations in Alpharetta, Midtown and Sandy Springs. 

Both Gus's World Famous Fried Chickenand Rize Artisan Pizza & Salads plan to open their upcoming Sandy Springs locations Monday, February 27th.  

Edit: Rize is now targeting a March 6th opening 

A local developer is proposing replacing a Dunwoody Village Chevron gas station with new locations of Chipotle Mexican Grilland Mattress Firm. 

Outdoors retailer Gander Mountain is said to be considering  Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The St. Paul, MN based retailer began as a catalog business in Wilmot, WI in 1960 and had grown steadily until a tremendous growth spurt over the past few years. Today the retailer operates 162 stores including six in Georgia:Albany, Augusta, Snellville, McDonough, Newnan & Valdosta.  The Snellville store, on Scenic Highway in the new Snellville Exchange shopping center, opened duringfall 2015.  Gander Mountain competes in a crowded and competitive retail segment that also includes Dick's Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, as well as online retailers.  (Bass Pro Shops agreed to pay $5.5 billion to purchase Cabela's this past fall, but as of earlier this month, the deal was not complete and was in serious jeopardy.)  

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, the popular fast food chicken chain headquartered in Dunwoody, has reportedly been approached by the owners of Burger King about a possible acquisition.  Restaurant Brands International, the owner of both Burger King and Tim Horton's, has expressed interest in acquiring other brands, but has thus far not commented on the industry rumor.  

Kirby Liu, President of local gourmet Mexican ice cream shop La Michoacana Del Tío Tino, announced earlier today that his company's four Atlanta area stores will not open tomorrow in observance of "A Day Without Immigrants." Liu, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, will participate in support of his "customers, friends, families, and employees, many whom are immigrants." Liu is also President of Bistro Fresco, a panini restaurant at the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta in Woodstock.  All five businesses will offer patrons who show this message on their phone a "buy one, get one free" menu item February 17-24th as a token of their appreciation and understanding for their support.  Organizers of the recently announced holiday are encouraging immigrants to miss class, miss work and not shop on Thursday as a way to show the country how important they are to America’s economy and way of life.  La Michoacana Del Tío Tino operates locations in Georgia Square Mall in Athens, Gwinnett Place Mall in Gwinnett, Sugarloaf Mills in Duluth and Northlake Mall in Tucker.   Well known chef José Andrés and his five D.C. area restaurants will all close Thursday in observance of the holiday.  Countless other restaurants and related hospitality establishments nationwide are also opting to close to tomorrow in solidarity with the movement. Organizers created the holiday in response to President Trump's executive order to increase ICE raids nationwide. Trump, of course, also plans to make good on his promise to build a Mexican border wall.   

Don't forget, ToNeTo Atlanta is now on Instagram with IG exclusive progress and event pictures.  @tonetoatl 
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Buckhead, Tucker and Emory Restaurants: AVAILABLE

February 16, 2017, 12:02 pm
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Local restaurant & real estate brokerage The Shumacher Group consistently has restaurants for sale in and around Atlanta and the southeast.   Below are three current listings for Atlanta area restaurants for sale and my take on each.  

CABO Cantina (closed) 264 Pharr Road (street level of Eclipse Condo building)
CABO opened last year in place of what has been a number of restaurants.  It is located at the corner of Pharr Road and Fulton Drive, close to both The Shops Buckhead Atlanta and Shops at Pharr, an adjacent center undergoing an extensive renovation and re-leasing effort. Parking has always been a challenge for the space, given it is dependent on a valet deck, but its proximity to all the "action" of Buckhead could make it an appealing space for someone. The fact that it's a second generation restaurant space also could make it attractive to an operator looking to limit their upfront expenses.    

Aqua Bistro, a Pan Asian eatery, was the longest running tenant to find success in the space but gave way to the ill-fated Bonehead's which closed less than six months later.  The space later became Buckhead Tavern, which in turn failed and became CABO.  

The sales listing indicates the 3,480 square foot restaurant provides seating for 150 with full service bar, outdoor patio and private dining room. "All in" monthly rent is $14,800 with four years left on the lease with a seven year option to renew.

CABO closed a few days ago and is offered at $225,000.  


Papi's Cuban & Caribbean Grill 4349 Lawrenceville Hwy (Cofer Crossing)
The local chain restaurant occupies a former Buffalo's Cafe in the Kroger/Walmart-anchored Cofer Crossing shopping center in the heart of Tucker.  Papi's recently opened a new location at Emory Point in the former Bonefish Grill and apparently sees their Tucker location as expendable.  The 4,200 square foot restaurant features seating for 120 plus an outdoor patio that seats over 30 and a bar that seats 14.

Cofer Crossing is heavily trafficked, well leased center that could be a good location for a new or expanding restaurant.  Papi's is located on an endcap space, providing extra visibility.  While Tucker has seen an increase in locally owned restaurants such as Magnolia Room Cafeteria, M572, and The Greater Good BBQ, I feel there is still unmet demand for quality, casual restaurants.  

The sales listing indicates that the restaurant's monthly rent of $7800 "all in." The restaurant is being offered at "$150,000 OBOwith very generous owner financing options to financially strong buyer."


Marcello's 1540 Avenue Place - Emory Point (phase 1)
Brothers Julian and Marcello Najm opened Marcello's last February at Emory Point in what had most recently been La Tagliatella, a failed Italian chain restaurant.  Marcello's has been a popular Chastain Park area eatery for many years and perhaps it should have stayed that way.  The Najms took on and renovated a space almost twive the size of their current Buckhead space, which had itself relocated and expanded previously.  The 4,400 square feet does offer great visibility on Clifton Road facing the CDC, but its distance from parking and upscale setting made it an infrequent choice for Emory Point residents and others nearby.  

Marcello's seats 150 plus bar seating for 14 and an outdoor patio that seats 54.  

The restaurant's monthly rent is $13,500 "all in" with nine years remaining on the initial lease with a ten year option to renew.

The sales listing indicates that the business is offered as  "keep concept or convert." "Owner is not showing books other then expenses, lease and equipment list.  Key money at $185,000 which includes all seller owned asset package and rights to lease.  Disclaimer: Majority of equipment package is landlord owned but free to use under lease."
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Without a Whimper, Which Wich Shutters at Lenox Square

February 17, 2017, 9:56 am
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Sandwich joint shutters 

Which Wich"Superior Sandwiches" has shuttered its Lenox Square location in the mall's Fashion Cafe (aka the food court).  The restaurant reportedly closed earlier this week with the Lenox Square location already gone from the Which Wich website and its phone number disconnected.  Which Wich opened in 2011 in place of what had most recently been The Wafflery, a sketchy Belgian waffle joint.   Before The Wafflery, the space was occupied by Cinnabon.  

Dallas, TX based  Which Wich operates eighteen locations in the greater metro Atlanta area according to its website. Franchisee Gary Birnberg operates eight locations in metro Atlanta including Which Wich stores in Brookhaven at Town Brookhaven, Cumming at The Avenue Forsyth, Emory at Emory Point and  Norcross at The Forum.  Birnberg did not operate the Lenox Square location. 

I have thus far been unable to obtain a comment on either its closure or planned replacement from Brave PR, who represents Lenox Square locally.  It's entirely possible there is not yet a replacement confirmed.

Cinnabon would seem to be an ideal candidate for the space given they prefer mall-based locations (they know this space well) and are without much of a presence in intown Atlanta. The Atlanta based company does operate locations within Cumberland, Town Center, Perimeter and North Point Malls, as well as other Atlanta area locations.  

Yesterday, Sweet Hut, the popular Asian bakery cafe, officially filed plans with the City of Atlanta for their new location within the Fashion Cafe.  The new shop, expected to open later this spring, will occupy a space near the old movie theater entrance where an independent sock retailer most recently operated.  

What would you like to see open in place of Which Wich at Lenox Square?  Would you like to see Cinnabon return to their old space?  When you eat at Lenox, where do you eat?

Please share your thoughts below  
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Chai Yo! New Thai Concept Planned for Buckhead

February 19, 2017, 9:01 pm
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New Thai eatery planned for Buckhead


DeeDee Niyomkul, a popular Atlanta Thai chef, has plans to open a new eatery later this year.  Sources say that Niyomkul recently signed a lease to open her new concept in Two Buckhead Plaza. The new eatery will reportedly be called "Chai Yo", which means "cheers" in Thai.

Chai Yo will occupy the former J. Christopher's, which closed last February.  At the time, J. Christopher's indicated they would reopen "soon" in the former Paul's restaurant in Peachtree Hills; Though they have yet to do so, J. Christopher's claims they still intend to.  

While similar in sound, Chai Yo is not the same as or related to JaiHo, a restaurant slated to open later this month in Midtown.

Chai Yo will be the fourth Thai eatery in Atlanta for the Niyomkul family.  Charlie and Nan Niyomkul established themselves as Atlantan's choice for upscale Thai cuisine with both Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro and Nan Thai Fine Dining.  The Niyomkuls, along with their daughter and Executive Chef DeeDee, opened Tuk Tuk ThaiFood Loft in late 2009 in south Buckhead.

The Niyomkul's new restaurant will join Umi, a high end sushi restaurant and Himitsu, a trendy lounge from the owners of Umi, as unique offerings in the center.

Sources say that Chai Yo will feature "modern Thai" cuisine with the menu focusing on small plates and craft cocktails.  

Plans call for renovations of the space to begin soon and for Chai Yo to make its debut later this fall.  

In Buckhead, Chai Yo will be the third Thai restaurant and second to open in just the past couple of years.  Bangkok Station, an upscale Thai eatery, opened in the 550 Pharr building in April of 2015.  Annie's Thai Castle, located on Roswell Road, has been serving Atlanta for over 25 years but is a little more "hole in the wall" and casual than Bangkok Station and likely Chai Yo will be.  

Are you excited for the Niyomkuls to be opening a new eatery in Buckhead?  What is your favorite place to get Thai food in Atlanta?  What type of cuisine is missing from Buckhead that you would like to see offered?

Please share your thoughts below.   
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Bits & Bites

February 21, 2017, 9:01 pm
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The first brick & mortar location of Select Shades, a new independent sunglass retailer, recently opened at Inman Quarter. The business, which also hosts corporate gifting outings has a second location in the works for The Battery Atlanta. The Inman Quarter store will celebrate its grand opening Saturday March 18th with   complimentary wine, food, and live music. The store will be awarding gifts and promotional giveaways from their favorite brands.

The second location of Smoke & Duck Sauce opened this past weekend in Suburban Plaza. The Asian fusion barbecue restaurant features a number of unique offerings, chief among them a brisket fried rice, my personal favorite.  The original Smoke & Duck Sauce opened this past fall on Powers Ferry Road near the Wildwood office park.  

Poké Perfect, with European headquarters in Amsterdam and U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, has officially signed a lease on its second Atlanta area location.  The new Poké Perfect will open this summer in West Midtown's Westside Provisions District, in the former Yoforia space.   Poké Perfect will feature  a variety of signature and create-your-own Poké bowls utilizing fresh ingredients such as salmon, ahi tuna, avocado and a variety of toppings. In addition to serving the Hawaiian-inspired raw fish and sushirittos, Poké Perfect will expand its menu in Atlanta to offer cooked proteins to fill the colorful bowls. As I was first to report, Poké Perfect will open its first Atlanta location in Decatur in April, followed by the Westside Provisions District site later this summer.  Poké Perfect also plans to open a third Atlanta location in Inman Park "winter 2017."

The Sonny's BBQ on Buford Drive in Buford will soon begin renovations that will bring the restaurant up to date with the brand's updated logo and branding.  

Legacy Ventures Restaurants plans to bring Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria OTP for its second location.  The pizzeria, with one location in the Luckie Marietta District downtown, has signed on to take over the short-lived Varasano's Pizzeria at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody. Concentrics Hospitality Solutions (now Concentrics restaurants) conceptualized and operated the original Max's from inception in June 2009 until April 2010, when Concentrics and Legacy Ventures dissolved their partnership. The new location will be larger than the downtown restaurant at just over 5,000 square feet and is expected to open "early summer." 

Shortly after reports surfaced that a previously announced Popeyes acquisition was dead, the suitor, Restaurant Brands International announced it had, in fact, purchased the chicken chain.  Restaurant Brands, the Canadian parent of Burger King and Tim Hortons, announced Tuesday that it is buying Atlanta based Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for $1.8 billion.

A new McDonald's restaurant is planned for Buford Drive at Old Peachtree Road in Lawrenceville.  The new freestanding McDonald's will be built at 2370 Buford Drive, in an outparcel of the Publix at Old Peachtree shopping center.  The new, nearly 4,000 square foot restaurant will be built in place of a former Peoples Bank & Trust branch which is being demolished.  The new McDonald's should be open by early summer.  

Goodwill of North Georgia plans to relocate its Roswell store on Alpharetta Highway to a former Office Depot store nearby.  The new store would anchor the 10779 Alpharetta Highway shopping center and is expected to open "later this summer." In addition, the previously announced new Goodwill planned for a portion of the former Ingles Supermarket in Tucker, is also slated to open "later this summer."    


Metro Diner is planning a number of new Georgia locations in the coming months.  The Jacksonville, FL based eatery entered the Atlanta market this past fall with a location in Roswell. A previously announced location in Athens is no longer happening but locations are expected to open in Pooler (Savannah) in April, Macon in June and in Augusta later this year.   The Pooler location will be at the new Tanger Outlets complex, while the Macon restaurant will occupy a former bank on Northside Drive.  


A new bubble tea & waffle joint called Boba Bee recently opened in the former Bambu that was also a bubble tea place in Asian Square.

Atlanta Brunch Fest is returning for a second year, this time at Atlantic Station.  The event will take place on Saturday March 11th from 12-5 pm (VIP entry at 11 am).   The event will feature over 30 restaurants, including Buttermilk Kitchen, Einstein’s, and Hampton and Hudson providing samples of brunch items. Tickets are now on sale.  VIP tickets are $65 in advance and $75 after March 2nd. No VIP day-of event tickets will be available. General Admission is $15 in advance, $20 after March 2nd and $25 day-of. Sales tax and ticket fees will be added.  More details and the link to ticket sales can be found here. 

Pho King opened its second location today at Plaza Midtown. The new pho restaurant replaces Dressed, a failed salad joint, and joins the existing Pho King on Peachtree Road in south Buckhead.  

Hopstix, a new pan-Asian eatery and brewpub will offically celebrate its grand opening next Saturday March 4th.  The restaurant is located at 3404 Pierce Drive in downtown Chamblee, just off Peachtree Road. The concept, from award-winning homebrewer Andy Tan, combines elements of sushi and beer bars with the experience of a chef-driven restaurant.  

Taco Bell plans to significantly demolish its existing restaurant at 429 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue and rebuild it.  The new restaurant is expected to be slightly larger and will sport the brand's latest logo and design elements.  

A new indoor trampoline gym called Adventure Air Sports is planning to open at Town Center Plaza, on Barrett Parkway across from Town Center at Cobb, in Kennesaw.  The gym will open on the backside of the center, in space 3500 which was most recently home to Worship with Wonders Church.  The space is about 38,000 square feet and is behind and below Marshalls. Tennessee resident Chris Brown is developing the project and has reportedly developed similar parks around the southeast.  The business will sell "adventure time" by the hour and will offer patrons Dodge Ball, Foam Pit, Balance Beam, Trapeze Bar, Ninja Course, Performance Trampoline and Performance Wall, among other offerings.  Brown and his contractors have been hard at work turning the space into the activity complex.  Before it was a church, the property was a gym and part of the renovation process included filling in the large pool that had most recently been used by a scuba diving school. Brown tells me he is committed to opening March 31st.  

Pita Mediterranean Street Food plans to open a number of new locations in the coming months. The quick serve Mediterranean eatery with five locations currently open plans to add new locations in Duluth, Johns Creek, Columbus and Sharpsburg.  The Columbus Pita will be located on  Whittlesey Boulevard at Columbus Park Crossing. The Sharpsburg Pita restaurant will be located in the Kroger anchored Thomas Crossroads shopping center and will occupy the former "the mix" frozen yogurt space.  Locations planned for Duluth and Johns Creek are labeled only as "coming soon." Pita currently has locations in Peachtree City, Newnan, Dunwoody, Roswell and Marietta.  The Johns Creek and Duluth locations may very well be labeled as coming soon due there being franchise agreements in place for those territories but locations not yet been secured.   

Juice joint Kale Me Crazy is officially going regional with new location planned for Cary, North Carolina.  The new Kale Me Crazy will open at Waverly Place, a Whole Foods Market anchored outdoor lifestyle center.  There are currently eight Kale Me Crazy locations open in the greater Atlanta area with a ninth planned for The Avenue East Cobb.  

Marshalls plans to close its existing store at Brookwood Square in Austell this Sunday, February 26th.  The Austell store will "reopen" March 2nd at Parkside West Cobb, a new center on Dallas Highway, adjacent to the Avenue West Cobb.  Marshalls is also expected to open a new store in the Kroger Marketplace anchored Dawson Marketplace shopping center in Dawsonville March 2nd.  


A new Asian eatery calleed Nova Sushi Bar & Asian Bistro plans to open later this year at Buckhead Triangle in Buckhead.  The restaurant will occupy the former Dr. Tattoff clinic between hhgregg and FedEx Office in the popular Buckhead center.  The nearly 2,600 square foot space, which before being Dr. Tattoff, was part of FedEx Office, will have to be built out for use as a restaurant which may take a few months.  The restaurant has filed one permit with the City of Atlanta which indicates it plans to spend at least $180,000 to convert the space. 


A loyal reader sent me the following video which includes a limited, yet entertaining, look inside Lenox Mall Square in 1989.  It's amazing to see how much open space the mall once had in comparison to the Lenox Square of today.  
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Toco Hills Coin Laundry Washed Out at Toco Hills

February 23, 2017, 12:37 pm
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Longtime Toco Hills laundromat latest business to announce closure

Toco Hills Coin Laundry, which has operated at Toco Hills shopping center for decades, will be closing in the coming weeks.  The business was reportedly not offered a lease renewal by Edens, the Columbia, SC based developer who signed a 35 year ground lease on the property in late 2015.  

The 2,000 square foot Toco Hills Coin Laundry is located in an outparcel of the center and is adjacent to Toco Giant Package Store, a store that is reportedly remanining in the center.  

Following Toco Hills Coin Laundry's closure, the next closest laundromat would be Atomic Coin Laundry on Briarcliff Road, near Clairmont Road.  

As I previously reported, The Nearly New Shop, a service of the Junior League of Atlanta, is also closing at Toco Hills.  According to JLA president Deanna Anderson, the decison to close the store was not due to the center's change in direction, but was instead due to the store no longer being a "sustainable fundraising model." The store is currently offering at least 50% off all merchandise with plans to close for good April 30th.  

In addition to The Nearly New Shop and Toco Hills Coin Laundry, a number of other longstanding Toco Hills businesses have closed or relocated in the past year or so.  

The Shoe Center was the first to close.  The popular footwear retailer operated out of Toco Hills for 14 years before closing last summer. Famous Pub, which opened at Toco Hills in 1986, closed this past December.  Last month, I confirmed that Hudson Grille has leased the former Famous Pub space with plans to open later this fall.  

Petite Auberge, a Toco Hills mainstay since 1974, closed at Toco Hills at the end of last year, and "merged" with Violette on Clairmont Road.  

Young Chefs Academy, a popular childrens cooking class franchise, "moved" its popular Toco Hills location to Buckhead's Howell Mill Village.  According to the business' facebook page which strangely refers to the location as "Atlanta Midtown," the new Young Chefs Academy is slated to celebrate its Grand Opening Saturday, March 4th.  

The Georgia Department of Labor has confirmed they are leaving the center, but it remains unclear when and where they will move.  The DOL occupies a 20,000 square foot space that is likely to be leased to a single anchor tenant but could be divided into smaller spaces.  

In addition to the tenant changes, Edens has also rerouted and repaved the entire parking lot and redone many of the sidewalks and islands around the center.  Easily the oddest and seemingly most unnecessary change at the center was the installation of outdoor ceiling fans along the center's covered walkway.   

Along with Hudson Grille, Spiller Park Coffee is the only other confirmed new tenant in the center.  I'm working a few leads on possible new tenants and hope to confirm at least one of them by weeks end.

Will you miss Toco Hills Coin Laundry?  What are your thoughts on the changes at Toco Hills? What restaurant, retailer or other business would you like to see open at Toco Hills?  

Please share your thoughts below.  
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MOD Pizza Secures Space in Hopes of Getting Slice of Kennesaw Market

February 24, 2017, 12:04 pm
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New-to-market pizza joint destined for Kennesaw 

MOD Pizza, an industry leader in the "create your own pizza" segment, has signed its first Atlanta area lease.  MOD Pizza will open in Kennesaw at Kennesaw Marketplace, at the corner of Cobb and Barrett Parkways. The pizza joint will occupy a 2,390 square foot space, originally leased to competitor Pie Five Pizza. Pie Five retreated from the Atlanta market last year and abandoned their plans to develop a number of locations while still keeping open existing restaurants in Newnan and McDonough.  

MOD, which stands for "made on demand," was founded in Seattle in 2008 by husband and wife Scott & Ally Svenson* and today includes about 200 locations across 20 states and a few in the United Kingdom.  

Last month, MOD Pizza announced it had signed its ninth franchisee: Southern Pie, LLC.   The franchise group, led by Robbie Hill and his daughter, Kimberly Hill Hayden, will develop MOD stores in Georgia and Alabama.  The Hills are multi-industry entrepreneurs who have built and operated successful construction and healthcare companies, and also operate a number of Bojangles’ franchises in the southeast. 

Sources say that Southern Pie may open as many as three MOD Pizza restaurants in the coming months but that the Kennesaw restaurant will likely be the first to open.  

Other possible MOD locations could include Fuqua Development's Peachtree Corners Town Center across from The Forum in Norcross or Decatur Square from developer  S. J. Collins Enterprises.   

An 11 inch pie is the standard, and most commonly ordered size of pizza at MOD.  While the exact price differs slightly by location, the standard pie is often about eight bucks and comes with unlimited toppings.  

MOD enters the Atlanta market at a time when competitor Blaze Pizza is preparing its local debut with a location in Decatur and competitor Pieology recently closed its only area location in Alpharetta.  

MOD and Pasadena, California based Blaze are the two largest players in the "create your own" quick serve pizza industry, each with about 200 locations.  Rancho Santa Margarita, California based Pieology is a close third with over 130 locations.  Last summer Pieology acquired Carlsbad, California based Project Pie, a competing concept started by James Markham. Markham has played a major role in the entire industry, having co-founded MOD (2008)* and later co-founded Pieology (2011), before starting Project Pie (2012.) 

Athens based Your Pie started in 2008, and according to its website, has 39 locations, with 11 more "coming soon." 

Although not listed on the website, a Kennesaw location of Your Pie is in the works.  

Brothers Jacob and Justin Patterson took over the Roswell Your Pie in 2015 and have said they plan to open a number of new locations in the coming years, including one in Kennesaw.  

Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint, started by Moe's Southwest Grill co-founder Matt Andrew, already has a Kennesaw location on Chastain Road.  Uncle Maddio's started at Toco Hills in 2009 and began franchising in 2010.  Unlike Blaze, Pieology, Your Pie and MOD, Uncle Maddio's has seen numerous franchise failures with reports of at least 18 closures, and 27 active units.  

Are you excited for the opening of MOD Pizza in Kennesaw?  Have you been to MOD Pizza before?  Where else would you like to see MOD Pizza open?

Please share your thoughts below.  
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Bonus Bits & Bites

February 24, 2017, 1:42 pm
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4Rivers Smokehouse sponsored a post on facebook earlier this week announcing that construction of their first Atlanta area restaurant is underway.  Last year, I was first to report the restaurant's plans to open in the former fire station No. 16, a two story building on Marietta Street, that dates to 1920.  There is still no word on when the restaurant is expected to open, other than it will be before the end of the year.  

The existing Burger King on Main Street East at Wisteria Drive in Snellville will soon undergo an extensive renovation. The renovation is likely to result in the restaurant's temporary closure.  The restaurant will receive the brand's most up to date branding and logo and follows similar renovations of Burger King restaurants on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth and Memorial Drive in Decatur.  

A new Dollar General store is planned for the intersection of Mableton Parkway and Queens Mill Road in Mableton. The new freestanding store will be built on a vacant piece of land adjacent to the Impact Worship Center. 

Framingham, MA based TJX Companies, the parent of T. J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, is planning to launch a new store this year.  TJX told investors on Wednesday that it will open a new line of home furnishings stores this year. The concept is intended to be complementary to its existing HomeGoods chain which sells furniture, kitchenware and lamps, among other things.  On a call with analysts outlining its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report, TJX CEO Ernie Herrman said the company will open four U. S. stores under its new nameplate this fiscal year.  The company's strategy will be to encourage customers to shop at both the new stores and existing HomeGoods locations. While this may sound silly, that strategy is similar to the approach it's taken with T. J. Maxx and Marshalls, both of which perform quite well, in some cases in the same shopping centers as each other. 

A new Your Pie pizza restaurant is coming to Grant Park. Existing husband & wife franchisees Morgan & Lisa Maclellan plan to open the new restaurant later this summer.  The Grant Park Your Pie will be located in the street level retail space of The George, a new apartment building currently under construction on Memorial Drive at Hill Street.  The George will include a total of 11,500 square feet of retail/restaurant space of which Your Pie will occupy 2,200.  The Maclellans opened their first Your Pie in the Perimeter Mall area in 2014.  

Family Christian Stores, the Grand Rapids, MI chain of Christian books and related merchandise, announced earlier today that they will close all 240 stores nationwide.  The retailer had been struggling for years, and filed for bankruptcy in 2015.  The chain, which employed more than 3,000 people chain-wide, blamed the closures on “changing consumer behavior and declining sales.”  The chain has no current representation inside the perimeter of Atlanta, but does operate locations near North Point Mall in Alpharetta, near Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth and near Town Center at Cobb in Kennesaw, among others.  

Struggling department store JCPenney today announced plans to close "as many as 140 stores."   The closings should take place by the end of June with specific locations expected to be revealed by mid-March. JCPenney will also close two distribution centers. Locally, JCPenney operates a number of stores including locations at Northlake Mall in Tucker, North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Mall of Georgia in Buford, Town Center at Cobb in Kennesaw and The Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia.  

DICK'S Sporting Goods plans to open what will be its 20th store in Georgia (679th overall) in Hinesville, southwest of Savannah.  The new store will celebrate its grand opening Friday March 1oth through Sunday March 12th.  In the coming months, DICK'S plans to open additional Atlanta area locations in Tucker, Sandy Springs and Cumberland.  

Atlanta's second Black Walnut Cafe is currently targeting an "April" opening on Peachtree Parkway in Norcross.  The Woodlands, TX based casual eatery opened their first Atlanta area location last year in Alpharetta but abandoned their planned Dunwoody location after they determined their parcel was not large enough to support the restaurant.  

Following news that designer brand BCBG Max Azria was having financial troubles and had gone through a series of corporate layoffs this past fall, comes word that the retailer is shuttering most its retail network.  BCBGMAXAZRIA, which also owns the couture label Herve Leger, will reportedly close over a hundred stores by April.  In Atlanta, BCBG stores at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody and Avalon in Alpharetta are both closing with sales already underway. Both stores are offering 50% off all full price merchandise and an additional 30% off all clearance merchandise, for total savings of 70% or more.  The Herve Leger store at Phipps Plaza (which not long ago relocated from Lenox Square) is also closing, with 50% off full price merchandise, and 60-70% off everything else in stock.  The BCBG store at Lenox Square will reportedly be the only store locally remaining open.  The labels will reportedly continue to be sold in Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's.  
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Tom + Chee Shutters Second Site in Atlanta

February 26, 2017, 9:01 pm
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Former Tom + Chee in Alpharetta
Grilled cheese eatery closes second Atlanta area location

Tom + Chee, the Cincinnati, OH based grilled cheese and tomato soup restaurant, has closed its  Alpharetta franchise.  ToNeTo Atlanta readers report that the restaurant closed this past weekend.

A Yelp.com user left a review this past Friday indicated that they enjoyed their meal that day.  A reviewer on Saturday reported they tried to go to Tom + Chee for lunch around 1pm but found the restaurant closed.

The 2,342 square foot Tom + Chee in Alpharetta opened in February 2015 and was located in Stone Walk, a small strip center on North Point Drive near North Point Mall.  The center is anchored by an approximately 12,000 square foot Guitar Center and is also home to Piece of Cake, Chicken Salad Chick and Salon Lofts, among other tenants.

The Alpharetta closing comes on the heels of the last month's closure of the Tom + Chee on Howell Mill Road in West Midtown.  The Buford franchise, owned by the same group as the West Midtown restaurant, gets my vote for next to close with the Kennesaw location likely to be the last one standing locally.  

After receiving an equity investment from "shark" Barbara Corcoran on ABC's Shark Tank in 2013, Tom + Chee began to rapidly expand, growing from three locations to upwards of 50 with reportedly "over 25,000 franchise requests." 

Franchised  Tom + Chee  restaurants in O’Fallon, MO, Lexington, KY and Louisville, KY closed last month as well. 

Overall, franchisees have closed over a dozen Tom + Chee locations over the past couple of years including one in Carrboro, NC that closed last year after six months in business.

The former Tom + Chee in West Midtown is expected to reopen later this year as Holler & Dash, a new breakfast and lunch restaurant. There is no word yet on what may take the space of Tom + Chee in Alpharetta.   

Are you surprised to see Tom + Chee struggling so much?  Were you a patron of Tom + Chee in Alpharetta?  What would you like to see open in place of Tom + Chee in Alpharetta?

Please share your thoughts below.  
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BurgerFi Goes Silent at Emory Point

March 2, 2017, 8:33 am
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"Healthy" burger joint a bust at Emory Point 

North Palm Beach, Florida based BurgerFi has closed its restaurant at Emory Point.  The approximately 2,600 square foot eatery opened in the spring of 2013 and was situated between Which Wich and Fresh To Order, facing Clifton Road and the CDC. Sources indicate the restaurant closed after dinner service this past Tuesday.  

Interestingly, BurgerFi's page on the Emory Point website has been removed but the restaurant is still listed as open on the BurgerFi website. 

BurgerFi differentiates themselves from others in the crowded "better burger" restaurant segment by offering hormone-free and antibiotic-free beef and "eco friendly practices," but of course these are fast becoming standard in the segment.  Leading the pack in quality and eco friendliness is none other than Decatur's Farm Burger.  

On the whole, restaurants have struggled in Emory Point with BurgerFi's closure likely not be the last we will see. Since Emory Point businesses started to open in late 2012, La Tagliatella, a full service Italian restaurant closed, replaced last year with Marcello's, which is currently for sale.  Bonefish Grill also closed and was replaced last month by Papi's, a local Cuban restaurant.  Sweet Monkey, a local frozen yogurt shop, also closed with its place now home to TGM Bread, the bakery expansion of The General Muir next door, the "Jewish style" deli and easily the most popular eatery in the complex.  

Following the closure of BurgerFi's Emory Point location, the company has five locations remaining in metro Atlanta: Midtown, Downtown (CNN Center), Kennesaw, Alpharetta and Lawrenceville.  A location I reported in 2012 in the works at TOWN Brookhaven never materialized.  

Why do you think so many restaurants struggle at Emory Point?  What is your favorite restaurant at Emory Point? What would you like to see open in place of BurgerFi at Emory Point?

Please share your thoughts below.  
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Less Fear of Better Options: hhgregg to Close 40% of Stores

March 2, 2017, 11:35 am
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hhgregg to shutter stores

Struggling appliance and electronics retailer hhgregg today announced it will close 88 stores including four in metro Atlanta.  

"We are strategically exiting markets and stores that are not financially profitable for us," said Robert J. Riesbeck, hhgregg's President and CEO, in a prepared statement. 

The stores closures represent about 40% of the chain's current store count.  

"This is a proactive decision to streamline our store footprint in the markets where we have been, and will continue to be, important to our customers, vendor partners and communities. We feel strongly that the markets we will remain in are the right ones for our customers and our business model. Our team is dedicated to moving forward and being a profitable 132 store, multi-regional chain where we will continue to be a dominant force in appliances, electronics and home furnishings." 

“We have determined that the economics of the affected locations will not allow us to achieve our overall goal of becoming a profitable company again,” Riesbeck said. “After scrutinizing our real estate portfolio, we have identified a number of underperforming stores, as well as store locations that are no longer strong shopping destinations due to changes in the local retail shopping landscape.” 

The Atlanta closures include the hhgregg store in Buckhead at Buckhead Triangle.  The Buckhead store opened in October 2012 in a space that had previously housed Circuit City before their 2009 bankruptcy.  

Hhgregg will also shutter their stores on Pleasant Hill Road near Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth, in Lithonia near The Mall at Stonecrest, and in Morrow on Mount Zion Road not far from Southlake Mall.   

A store representative indicated to me that liquidation sales will begin at all stores tomorrow with all in-stock merchandise on sale.  Sales are expected to continue for six weeks or until all stock is sold, which ever happens first. 

According to the company's website, hhgregg will continue to operate nine other stores in the greater metro Atlanta area including locations in Alpharetta, Smyrna, Snellville and Buford.  

The full announcement and store closure list can be found here.  

The other stores slated to close are in Alabama (2 stores), Delaware (3), Florida (15), Illinois (6), Louisiana (3), Maryland (11), New Jersey (2), North Carolina (4), Ohio (4), Pennsylvania (15), Virginia (16), Tennessee (1), Missouri (1) and West Virginia (1).  

Hhgregg will also close distribution centers in Miami, Brandywine, Maryland, and Philadelphia.  

In total, the closings will result in the elimination of approximately 1,500 jobs.

Indianapolis based Hhgregg announced February 15th that it was pursuing a range of  "strategic and financial options" with the help of third party financial advisers, to improve the company’s financial condition. Bloomberg reported February 23rd that the 61 year-old retailer was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, potentially as soon this month. 

Hhgregg, which currently operates 220 stores in 19 states, took a $58.3 million loss in its most recently completed fiscal quarter, with revenue plummeting 24%.

As recently as 2013, hhgregg's stock (HGG) was trading in the $20 range. Today, the stock, which was recently de-listed from the NYSE, trades at about 20 cents.  The stock was UP to 21 cents midday today, a 57+% increase over its 13 cent close yesterday.  

Hhgregg's store closure announcement follows announcements from Family Christian Stores, kmart, Sears and The Children's Place, all of whom have announced plans to close significant numbers of retail stores.  (Family Christian will close all 240 of their retail stores.)  

Are you surprised that hhgregg is closing so many stores? Where do you shop for appliances and electronics? What would you like to see open in place of the soon-to-close hhgregg stores in metro Atlanta?  

Please share your thoughts below.  
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