Friday, July 19, 2013

Popeyes Bringing "Louisiana Fast" to Northlake

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 year after opening.
The 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 unrelated and unsuccessful eateries 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.
***This story has been edited to correct a previosuly reported error. 
Will you patronize either of these upcoming Popeyes locations?  Is Popeyes building too many new locations?  Do you even care what Popeyes does? Where is your favorite place for fried chicken?  Please share your thoughts below.

4 comments:

djm said...

Was the issue of the drive-thru window for the Peachtree Boulevard location ever resolved with Chamblee?

Atlantan99 said...

@djm,

According to someone I spoke to at the city of Chamblee, they are meeting with Popeyes in the next week or so and hope tho have a resolution soon.

Thanks for your comments and for reading the site.

Anonymous said...

Are any of these going to be corporate stores? The corporate stores I've visited are okay. Franchises have unfriendly staff, don't offer kids drinks, and often charge more than the posted menu price. I also think they are overpriced for the small portions you get. As such I tend to avoid them.

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon,

According to Popeyes HQ, this location and any others that open in Atlanta will be franchised locations.

Thanks for the comments and for your readership.

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