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| When rebuilt, it's likely the new Chick-fil-A will look like the new location outside Perimeter Mall |
The freestanding Chick-fil-A on Windy Hill Road in Marietta has closed. The restaurant first opened in August 1988, and was one of the first freestanding units built by the Atlanta-based chain that now counts nearly 2,000 locations. The restaurant will reportedly be demolished and completely rebuilt to make better use of their parcel, situated at the corner of South Park Place and Windy Hill Road. The restaurant is expected to reopen in June.
JP Atlanta, the new restaurant in the new Hotel Indigo at 230 Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, has opened. The restaurant gets its name from famed Atlanta architect John C. Portman Jr. and according to its website, serves “an exciting menu focused on classic cooking styles, but with modern elements and fresh local ingredients.” The restaurant is helmed by Executive Chef Julio Delgado, formerly of various The Ritz-Carlton properties and run by General Manager Phil Handley, formerly Director of Operations for Here to Serve Restaurants.
Pollo Tropical has opened its new location in Snellville on Scenic Highway. To celebrate the opening, the restaurant will provide free food to the first 100 people at the restaurant today, starting at 10:30 AM. There will also be other contests and giveaways all day. The freestanding restaurant, located in an outparcel of Lowe's Home Improvement, replaces Cabana Grill which closed this past summer. Both Pollo Tropical and Cabana Grill are owned by Addison, Texas-based Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc.
Smoothie King has closed its location at Midtown Place on Ponce de Leon Avenue. The smoothie shop was located between Olive Bistro and T.J. Maxx in the center, and is now reportedly available for lease.
Bon Glaze, a new gourmet doughnut shop, has opened the first of its two planned locations in Atlanta. Located within Brookleigh Marketplace on Johnson Ferry Road in Brookhaven, Bon Glaze serves a variety of doughnuts, coffees and even bacon from its shop and drive-thru. The second location, expected to open in the coming weeks, is located in Powers Ferry Square, adjacent to bartaco, in Buckhead.
A new store called BoxLunch is coming to Town Center at Cobb in Kennesaw. The nearly 2,000 square foot store will occupy a second floor space, adjacent to Macy's. BoxLunch sells a variety of novelty apparel, gifts and accessories via both online and brick & mortar channels. The company's "Get Some - Give Back" branding is explained on their website as follows: "BoxLunch is a civic-minded web based and brick and mortar specialty retailer offering a curated collection of licensed and non-licensed merchandise. With every $10 spent across the pop culture themed product offering of apparel, accessories, home goods, gift and novelty, and collectibles, BoxLunch will help provide a meal to a person in need through its partnership with Feeding America."
NARS Cosmetics plans to open a new 1,260 square foot location at 3025 Peachtree Road in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta project. The Buckhead Atlanta location will be brand's first NARS store in the city. NARS is a division of Japan-based Shiseido Group, and is already featured in multiple luxury department stores and assorted Sephora locations in metro Atlanta. In Buckhead alone, NARS is carried in four stores: Blue Mercury near Whole Foods Market, Sephora and Bloomingdale's in Lenox Square, and Saks Fifth Avenue in Phipps Plaza. While the company does feature "luxury" makeup products such an "Audacious Lipstick" for $32 and makeup removers for $25, I question the viability of a store peddling products so readily available elsewhere.
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe has once again pushed its planned openings in Decatur, Buckhead and Toco Hills. Currently, the Birmingham-based chain hopes to have its Decatur location open January 12th and its Buckhead location in Lenox Square's Fashion Cafe open January 19th. The Toco Hills location, replacing the shuttered Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint, is reportedly the furthest behind, without a projected opening in sight.