Sandy Springs-based Popeyes is planning to open two new locations in the Tucker area.
One new Popeyes is slated to open at 3900 LaVista Road, across from McDonald's, and adjacent to a Wendy's. Popeyes plans to demolish a portion of an existing shopping center and build a freestanding restaurant, with drive-thru, in its place. The back portion of the L shaped Northlake Plaza shopping center would remain.
The front, anchor like portion of the center is currently a package store (it's actually called Beer & Wine Plaza on the building itself) though it has also been an independent bagel shop, Uncle Vito's N.Y. Pizza, as well as an early location of The Loop Pizza Grill and a forgotten breakfast joint, Le Peep. Other tenants that would likely close or relocate include India Bazaar, custom sewing and alterations and Studio Sarita, salon & spa.
Northlake has seen a resurgence of interest in restaurants over the past few years with Chipotle Mexican Grill (former Pizza Hut), Chick-fil-A (former Taco Bell), Panda Express (parking lot) and a Krystal Too (former Alcove Coffee) having opened in recent years. All but the Krystal Too are freestanding restaurants, while Krystal Too was within a center and as such, struggled and closed less than a yearafter opening.
Another Popeyes is planned for a site adjacent to the new RaceTrac on Lawrenceville Highway, near Northlake Parkway. The Popeyes would be built at 3220 and 3336 Lawrenceville Highway. A portion of this land is currently vacant and listed for sale, the other portion is currently occupied by what appears to be a small home.
Each restaurant would be about 2000 square feet.
Popeyes closed a location at Buford Highway and Briarwood Roads in 2010 (it now operates as a Pollo Campero) and closed another at the corner of Sidney Marcus Boulevard & Piedmont Road around 2004 (now home to Lindbergh Vista apartments/Waffle House.)
They also abandoned their plans for a higher end concept, Tib's Grill, to be located in Buckhead. Though I'm told AFC Enterprises (Popeyes' parent company) still holds a long term lease on the space, a number of other unrelatedand unsuccessfuleateries have come and gone from the space over the past few years.
Recently however, the chicken chain has been aggressively expanding their presence in Atlanta and within intown markets, especially.
Popeyes plans to soon start construction on their new location on North Druid Hills Road near North DeKalb Mall. The chain also hopes to open a new location in place of a shuttered Checkers restaurant on Peachtree Boulevard in Chamblee. Another freestanding Popeyes is on the books to open in a shopping center near the North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville.
Popeyes also recently opened a new restaurant on Moreland Avenue, in place of a failed Huddle House.
Though they have yet to reach ITP, Bojangles' was recently ranked No. 1 for percentage unit growth in the chicken segment by market research firm Technomic. "Bojangles' showed 5.9 percent unit growth, a faster growth rate than competitors such as Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes and Zaxby's."
Will you patronize either of these upcoming Popeyes locations? Is Popeyes building too many new locations? Do you even care what Popeyes does? Maybe you're just waiting for a single freaking Bojangles' to open in metro Atlanta!? Please share your thoughts below.