Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Northlake Mall Has Been Sold, New Owner Sees "Tremendous Potential"

Suburban mall changes hands.

Northlake Mall near Tucker has been sold to Dallas, Texas based ATR Corinth Partners.

The two story mall, originally built in 1971, was for many years owned by mall powerhouse Simon Property Group.  In 2014, Northlake Mall and a host of other "underperforming assets" in Simon's portfolio were spun off into what was then a newly created REIT, Washington Prime Group.  Last year, Washington Prime Group completed its acquisition of Glimcher Realty Trust, forming WP Glimcher.  

WP Glimcher announced February 1st that it had sold Northlake Mall and Forest Mall in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to "private real estate investors" for $30 million. The release indicated that WP viewed both properties as Simon did before, referring to both as "non-core assets." 

Forest Mall, another former Simon mall, opened in 1973, and is anchored by Younkers, Kohl's, and Staples.

Northlake Mall is located off I-285, bordered by Briarcliff Road and Northlake Parkway,  and is today anchored by JCPenney, Sears, Kohl's and Macy's. 

Rather than publish a post with more questions than answers, I dug deeper and confirmed that ATR Corninth Partners has purchased both malls. Dallas, Texas based ATR is a real estate management and investment company with extensive experience in commercial real estate, but with no holdings previously in metro Atlanta.

I spoke to ATR's co-founder and partner Anthony "Tony" Ruggeri, who said that while his firm's plans for the mall are in their "infancy stage," he does see "tremendous potential" in the mall and its property.  Ruggeri said he and his team did "tons of research" in advance of their purchase and liked what they saw in both the demographics and the amenities of the surrounding Tucker/Northlake area.  

Additionally, Ruggeri expressed interest in knowing what the community would like to see happen to the mall.  While I can all but guarantee you that your comments will be read, suggesting things like Barnes & Noble, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods will likely not be taken seriously.  

Macy's (former Davison's) at Northlake Mall 
The Northlake area is in the midst of a resurgence of sorts with a number of projects either underway or recently completed.  Northlake Mall lies in area that would have been included in the ill-fated City of LaVista Hills.  Across I-285 on Northlake Parkway, within the newly created City of Tucker, "The Meridian at Tucker" has broken ground.  The 200,000 square foot shopping center will be anchored by Dick's Sporting Goods and Hobby Lobby and will also feature ROSS Dress For Less and DSW, among other tenants.  

A large apartment complex is under construction on Weems Road on the site of the former Siemens complex, while ALDI plans to open a new store in a portion of the current Best Buy in nearby Northlake Square shopping center. A new Pollo Tropical is planned for an outparcel of the Target at the corner of LaVista Road and Northlake Parkway, and an Home2 Suites by as yet undetermined Hilton hotel is planned for Northlake Parkway on the backside of the mall. (I previously reported this would be a Home2 Suites by Hilton but the Northlake overlay district prevents that as it is an extended stay hotel.)

Over the past few years, a number of quick-serve restaurants have opened in the area including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panda Express and Chick-fil-A.   

ATR currently owns and manages a number of malls and shopping centers across the country including West Manchester Mall in York, Pennsylvania and Spring Creek Village in College Station, Texas.  

One property Ruggeri was especially proud of was One Hundred Oaks, a mixed-use property in Nashville, Tennessee.

ATR acquired the two story property, then known as  "100 Oaks Mall," in 2006.  In severe decline with 45% occupancy, a 57 acre site to the south of the city and adjacent to I-65, the center was revitalized by redeveloping it into a mixed-use property. "Approximately 450,000 square feet of the second and third floors were reconfigured to provide space for 20 medical clinics and accounting, billing and other administrative offices for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. After construction of a new façade and other extensive site upgrades, including ingress/egress improvements and the addition of two pad sites for restaurants, the remaining space (approximately 441,000 square feet) was occupied by a mix of retail tenants. Occupancy of the property had been raised to more than 99% by the time it was sold" (in 2012).  

I recently visited Nashville and happened to visit One Hundred Oaks.  While I don't think Northlake Mall offers the same space or visibility as One Hundred Oaks, it definitely opened my eyes to the "out of the box" possibilities for Northlake.  
The two-level Sears at Northlake Mall 
One rumor that has been percolating in the Northlake area involves Kroger's interest in moving their existing store on LaVista Road to a portion of the current Sears at Northlake Mall.  I've heard this rumor for months, since shortly after the news of the similar plan at Cumberland Mall.  While the Cumberland Mall plan is indefinitely on hold due to a change in ownership of the store's real estate, the Northlake Sears offers a similarly attractive location and room for a Kroger fuel center thanks to its outparcel auto center. Kroger maintains a division office on Parkway Drive, less than a mile from Northlake Mall.  

As was the case at Cumberland, Sears owns their "box," or the property on which their store is located, and therefore could influence the plans ATR puts together.  Macy's also owns their "box," and utilizes the upper floor of their store for regional offices.  JCPenney and Kohl's, which opened in place of Parisian, lease their space from the mall.  JCPenney is an original tenant, while the former Parisian space was added to the mall in the early 90s, replacing a Piccadilly Cafeteria, among other tenants.   

Electric vehicle charging stations just outside Kohl's at Northlake Mall
The two level mall has suffered from decreased traffic, changing demographics and an overall shift to online purchasing.  The mall was once home to established chain retailers and restaurants including Gap, Old Navy, Arby's, Ruby Tuesday and Chick-fil-A, among others, but all have since closed.  

Northlake Festival, located near Northlake Mall, suffers from a similar decrease in traffic and productivity following the closures of  Toys Я Us, Haverty's, Bally Total Fitness and a host of other restaurants and retailers. 

I grew up in nearby Sagamore Hills and spent many days at Northlake Mall.  Whether it was at Gap, Stamp & Coin, the Georgia Power store, Waldenbooks, Sanrio Surprises, or Blockbuster Music, Northlake was the mall I visited most in my youth. 
Mall ownership seems to have simply given up on fixing this prominent sign 
A recent Bloomberg article on the sickness (and health) of malls compared the sales per square foot of Lenox Square and Northlake Mall, and you can imagine what the results were.  The article claims that Lenox Square (1.5 1.6 million square feet) generates just north of $1,000 per square foot, while Northlake (1 million square feet) generates $240 per square foot.  (A well placed source indicated that the reported sales figures were slightly low for Lenox and possibly slightly high for Northlake.)  

*The sales figures provided are likely exclusive of sales generated at each mall's anchor stores, sales figures traditionally counted separately from the main mall tenants.  

What would you like to see happen at Northlake Mall? What is your fondest memory of Northlake Mall?  If you live in the Northlake/Tucker area, where do you do most of your shopping?  

Please share your thoughts below.  

172 comments:

ImAndy said...

What I would like to see happen? Look toward Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines as an example. Similar built in the 50s and had two new competitors open in the last 10 years. They've kept very thriving anchor stores Yonkers Kohls etc and filled in one whole two story wing with a giant brewery restaurant and blowling alley (i think?) while taking the rest of the mall and opening it up to parking lot front entrance so you don't have to walk into the mall. Staples, Old Navy and Ulta to name a few. They also bulldozed one department store and built a new Target on one end. There is now only a small corridor of inside stores and the rest are all open to the front.

Anonymous said...

Man, I hope they don't mess with Kohl's. That's my place! There really aren't any other ones super close nearby, either. I live in Decatur but work in Duluth and there's a Kohl's there, but it always feels more cluttered and crowded.

The list of all those old shops at Northlake got me reminiscing. I loved Sanrio Surprises. You could get the surprise grab bags of stuff! There was also a Suncoast video store that always stocked a lot of anime, which preteen me was very happy about--it's that threading studio now, if I recall.

Anonymous said...

"Ruggeri expressed interest in knowing what the community would like to see happen to the mall. While I can all but guarantee you that your comments will be read, suggesting things like Barnes & Noble, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods will likely not be taken seriously."

WOW that was bold and at least honest!

Anonymous said...

I hope they add restaurants like Cumberland Mall has. The area only has two options for dinner: Red Lobster and Longhorn.

Anonymous said...

I would like to see the mall torn down completely and an open air, park in the middle mixed use development go in its place

Anonymous said...

There are several voids in the Tucker/Northlake area for restaurants, and specialty shopping. Homes in my Briarlake area sell for anywhere between $375k up to $1.2 million. A larger study needs to take place at the demographics of the area. Many CDC and Emory professionals all live in this area. More families are moving to this area, because of the quality built homes, large lots and proximity to Briarlake Forest (Dekalb county's newest acquisition, with "natural" hiking trails)
Upscale casual restaurants should be added....if you go to Marlow's Tavern any night of the week, they are busy with a wait at the door. There are no quality casual dining options in this area. There is plenty of fast food...but Toco Hill and Brookhaven are the closest options for good food.
The Northlake Mall could stand to be changed to be an open concept mall with access to the Northlake Lake behind the mall for hiking around the mall, and options to want to come to this great space.
A new movie theater, along with mid-range casual restaurants could be a huge upgrade to this area.
Cumberland could be a good study for how to change Northlake. Now that Macy's at North Dekalb Mall closed, the Northlake Macy's sure could use a product assortment "upgrade", since the modern Davidson's store is beautiful, and just needs some basic upgrades to make it feel welcoming again.
Suggestions of Popular Mid-range restaurants to add to Northlake:
Chilis, Tacqueria Del Sol, Macaroni Grill, Fresh 2 Go, Zoe's Kitchen, Figo Pasta, Yeah Burger, Six Feet Under, Tin Drum Asian Cafe, Flying Bisbuit.
With the resurgence of "Food Halls" in the intown market such as Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market, surely a lower-priced concept would draw people to this area...build something different and unique...people will come

Ham said...

I suppose Northlake does have to complete on a different level than Lenox or Perimeter. I doubt there’s anything they could do that would get me to go to Northlake instead of one of the previously mentioned malls. Maybe a movie theater and more restaurants might work, but would that be enough. An open air layout like the Forum in Peachtree Corners sounds good, but could they attract the necessary retailers to make that work.

Anonymous said...

Any idea if the Tucker-Northlake CID has any say or influence in how this evolves?

Denise Harris said...

Why not Trader Joes, Whole Foods or another major health food establishment? Why not Barnes & Nobles? Why are we limiting the area's potential or the diverse needs of its residents. This area is changing and so are the needs of the residents!

Watsonator said...

I was just in Nashville yesterday and the Oaks property is eye catching from the outside, but still a run down mall on the inside. I would like them to turn it into a Krog Street market type of location. Do something unique, dont just reface the exterior. My other suggestions would be to knock it down and start over. Create an open air mixed use feel with a farmers market on the weekends, small outdoor concerts, small spaces for upstart restaurant ideas. Make the upstairs office space and go straight to Emory and CDC to fill it. The Oaks worked, because Vanderbilt health is a HUGE tenant.

Anonymous said...

This is great news for Northlake. The residents in this area do have money to spend. Plus the convenience factor of being right off 285.

I agree we need restaurants. I try to avoid going to Lenox and Perimeter. Even now I do as much shopping at Northlake as possible.

Anonymous said...

Great reporting. Similar to someone above mentioning, the neighborhoods serving Briarlake, Oakgrove, and Sagamore Hills elementary are hot real estate. Knockdowns sell for $300k+ and new construction is over $800k. But the mall and the surrounding stores seem to cater to the lower income neighborhoods along lawrenceville highway and hugging 285. Simon let the mall run down and lost its best stores. The intown neighborhoods now have to go to Lenox if you want to find traditional mall stores instead of an "as seen on tv store".

If the buyer is willing to invest some money in the mall and get stores like Macy's and Sears to clean up their messy stores it would be a big improvement. I don't know who's responsibility it is, but Macy's has nasty dirty ceiling tiles and things like that.

Birdhouse Books said...

I hope the anchor stores at this mall (Sears, JCPenney, Kohl's, and Macy's) remain. I would love to see the mall revitalized with national chain stores and a nice food court again. There are too many no-name stores/food court restaurants here now. I typically go to the mall to shop at the anchor stores and then leave.

Anonymous said...

suggesting things like Barnes & Noble, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods will likely not be taken seriously
--------------------------

Move to an area that have these businesses, because they won't be coming to you. They have done their due diligence and research so there is no need to delve deeper into the 'special' demographics you 'think' are in your area. Its always fun to go on Facebook and read the Trader Joe's page and the onslaught of real and fake profiles begging them to come to your grass is greener utopia.

Anonymous said...

Residents have money to spend! Houses sell for 300K to over $1M!

Disposable incomes are going to continue to shrink and errode in all income demographics. What you see around you is not the reality of our fragile economy. Expect more recessions and less time good times between them. This country might be changing but our economy, and your money, is going to suffer for it.

Anonymous said...

we buy some things at Kohl's, Sears, JCP, but overall the mall's been going down the toilet for 20+ years pretty badly. Hard to believe that it used to have the same retail mix that you see at Lenox and Perimeter.

The food court is really weak, but I do like Cozy Burger.

The new owners will have their work cut out for them. I don't think that just throwing some good stores in there will magically cure it. If the good stores had been successful, they'd still be there.

I'd like to see most of N'lake Festival leveled, replaced with greenspace surrounded by townhouses, maybe some small detached houses. Dunwoody has done this type of thing in areas that otherwise were slated to just get more apartments. Looks like the N'lake area will just be getting more and more apartments.

~mindspringyahoo

Shelley Almgren said...

They need to add things that will bring people in, like a bowling alley and a theater. Maybe a Dave and Busters. They need a Golden Corral or Out
Back. They need to really clean up the outside and make the employees stop parking at the front parking spaces. They need enough security so people don't feel like they will be robbed. Better outside lighting is a must.

Unknown said...

Barnes and Nobles are closing stores left and right. They are concentrating more on online sales. Trader Joes and Whole foods won't come here we don't meet their demographic requirements.

Anonymous said...

Y'all should look at the marketing genius at Henry County & Atlanta's New South where a Goldmine awaits their arrival! Using trail blazing tag lines like .. upscale merchandise, fine Dining & top shelf services, shattered sales records, and affluent customers. Before you know it y'all will have those upscale retailers lined UP and ready to rake in the all the extra cash you have laying around your McMansions.

Anonymous said...

When Walmart starts closing down stores even though not in your area you know other retailers are going to be extra cautious about expansion and new markets.

Nancy said...

As someone said, Barnes & Noble is struggling in the stores they have. Aren't likely to open many new ones.

Interesting the comparison of Lenox & Nlake by the WSJ. I didn't see that. But, I would say, that is largely because there aren't stores at Northlake that we want to go to by and large. I knew when Simon purchased Northlake they weren't going to allow it to compete with Lenox & Phipps. And so they let it deteriorate. Many people in this area go to Lenox, Phipps & Perimeter to shop. I would love to have things more convenient and I can't help but believe I'm not the only person who feels that way.

I realize that the landscape is changing for bricks & mortar retail and don't know how easy it might be to get new stores to open in many places, but I can't imagine there isn't opportunity in this area that has been ignored. Partly because of Simon's ownership of that mall.

I can't imagine this sale isn't a great thing for this neighborhood. If someone really did something well there, this area would boom. We are convenient to so many things here. The scarey thing to me is that this area has so many militants who don't want ANYTHING to change. I just hope they don't hijack the process of improvement and they have done in the past.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with a lot of the comments here. I live in the Sagamore Hills area and I avoid Lenox Mall if I possibly can due to traffic and crowded stores. The current Northlake Mall has become run-down and needs a well designed refresh and new identity to attract customers. And, it needs offer customer concepts that are not already found in other malls. Make it a desirable destination, not just a mediocre mall.

crispo jones said...

Best memories of Northlake:
Candy counter at Sears (swedish fish)
McCrory's
Record Bar
Spencer Gifts
The cool fountains at either end of the mall
Farrells!
and as a teenager, throwing the frisbee in the parking lot on summer nights!



Anonymous said...

My husband works in Midtown. My neighbors are lawyers, doctors, and work at the CDC. My college-age children drive to Lenox to shop when home on break. My high-school son goes to the Forum and Oakgrove areas. I still shop at Northlake because I hate to get into traffic. I have no problem with the building, it just does not offer the stores/and /or the stores don't offer the merchandise I am looking for.
I would also welcome a Belks and a Ruby Tuesday.
Stay-at-home-mom

Anonymous said...

I don't care if they put a Nordstrom's at Northlake... I'm still not going to shop there when I feel like I'm going to be mugged (and neither will the highly touted Briarlake folks). Security should be the first priority.

Most malls are also shifting toward having more restaurants. We can shop online, but a couple of decent restaurants will make visiting the mall more of a habit, and people will shop after they eat. A lot of fast casual chains left the area during the recession, and it would be great to see them come back. Would love to see Chili's come back, Macaroni Grill (or other Italian), La Parilla.

Anonymous said...

I live less than a mile from Northlake, two young(ish) professionals with a young family. I'm excited something is happening to Northlake, it's clean and I feel pretty safe there alone (w/o my husband) with my child - in the day. We only go to the indoor playground in the mall or to maybe ride the train on a rainy day, we are not the demo for 90% of the stores in this mall, which is sad but a fact. My office is in Buckhead so any clothing/mall shopping happens there, but I would support a local option in a second! I think pretty much any improvement will be welcomed.

Anonymous said...

Given the real estate values surrounding Northlake, it would be nice to see the mall go up-market. Lord & Taylor, once at Phipps Plaza, is greatly missed in the area. And while I don't relish driving all the way to Perimeter or Lenox for better stores, I do.

luca & co. cosmetics said...

Would love to have an old navy, ulta, and I think the bowling idea is great! Really really would love to have a Trader Joes!! Even if it's a pipe dream, I can't pretend that that isn't top of my list.

Anonymous said...

Full sized ice rink on the main level and lots of medium to fine dining.

Anonymous said...

I work near the mall. The food court needs to be improved and additions made. At one time, it was very good. The stores especially Macys & Sears need to stock their stores and clean them up. They look dated. Cumberland was revamped some years ago and turned into a nice mall again.. Northlake needs that also. We need more restaurants in the area also. The home prices start in the $300,000 range and go up from there. The neighbors don't shop at Northlake because it's so run down and poorly stocked stores. What a shame.

I'm glad it sold and hope the new owner brings it up in standards and value.

LaVista Hills YES said...

We are eager to see this mall improved. It is sad to see that many people don't feel safe there. We have heard more complaints from folks who don't feel safe at Lenox, though, especially at night.

Some of our LVH study group folks were investigating improvements that could be made here, and they included everything from adding popular "destination" chain restaurants such as Maggiano's and Cheesecake Factory, to a total teardown and rebuild as a live/work/play complex with housing, park space, and retail and other commercial. Bring in businesses that attract folks with enough disposable income to shop and play at other establishments while they are here for dinner.

Our area's demographics must indicate that our area is in a decline, as we continue to see lower-end businesses move in. Dollar General is being replaced by a Dollar Tree over at Oak Grove? Goodwill is building another store and donation center on Lawrenceville Highway? Yet as mentioned in other comments, homes in the 200's are still being bought as tear downs and replaced by homes in the 900's. The undeveloped parcels that remained have seen densely packed homes starting in the 400's at the low end. This disconnect between incoming businesses and new residential construction is baffling. Does the influx of the 300 apartment units over in West Tucker affect the area in a negative manner?

Unknown said...

I really don't see how this area does not fit the Trader Joe's demographic. From 2005 to 2010 I took a job transfer from here to Boston. I lived in Salem, MA. Not exactly a well off area, but not a dump either. I tend to think the Decatur Briarciff area to be more well off. I had two Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods to shop at. Here in this part of Atlanta they are just too far to be practical for weekly shopping. We are the TJ's demographic and we want one.

Anonymous said...

Some nice restaurants would be welcome. We drive to Decatur, Buckhead, Midtown, West End, O4W, etc to eat out. Oh, and a couple of decent chains to buy women's clothing. I used to do a ton of shopping at Northlake many years ago. Now, I haven't been inside the mall in years and have to I buy my clothes in Buckhead. It would be nice if Northlake Mall went back to even making a mild attempt at drawing shoppers who live nearby. I'd shop there again. As it is now, there's nothing there I would want to buy.

Anonymous said...

How about a lifetime fitness?

Lyn C said...

Surprised no one has mentioned the Fork in the Road restaurant. Great food, service & atmosphere. Huge menu at ridiculous price for portions served. I hope the new owners don't price them out of their space next to the entrance.

Unknown said...

Where can we find good demographic data that might persuade better retailers to locate here? How do companies like Trader Joes or B&N make their decisions? It is not helpful to just say they have done their due diligence and leave it at that. What is their methodology and are there ways to show that maybe they have not really taken all the relevant factors into account? With traffic becoming heavier and heavier going to Buckhead or Perimeter, there is a real need to spread out the availability of quality merchandise to more areas. I personally do very little shopping online and still like the experience of being able to see and touch what I buy in three dimensions.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see it knocked down and a multi-use property developed. Similar to Brookhaven's new area on Dresden, or the open air shopping/restaurant concepts like the Forum. I am also baffled by the odd views of the demographics. The property values are not going down any time soon, due to the proximity to Emory and CDC. And if they develop something that is worth going to, I think the neighborhoods will support it.

Anonymous said...

I agree with several other comments.
Why not a Barnes and Noble? To want more upscale outlets and to hear they won't be taken seriously? The Northlake area has more than its share of fast food spots. Looking at the discount stores coming in - ALDI, Ross, DSW we don't need anymore of these either. I also go to Buckhead and Perimeter when I shop...it would be nice to want to shop at the Northlake mall and spend money in my own community.

Bird Watcher said...

I totally agree... Everybody I know in this neighborhood shops at Whole Foods and trader Joe's but hate that we have to travel so far to get to those stores!

Bird Watcher said...

I agree! Most of the people I know in this neighborhood are avid Whole Foods and Trader Joe's customers. We would love one closer to home!

jane said...

The area is becoming popular with artist/west atlanta hipster types... Getting some restaurants like Tacqueria Del Sol, Figo Pasta, Yeah Burger, Six Feet Under &, Flying Bisbuit would be a draw as well as an ice rink no or bowling alley. With so much online shopping it makes sense to have activities and resturants to draw people in.

Anonymous said...

Just tear it down and build something unique like The Forum or bring in name stores like Patagonia, Lord and Taylor, Trader Joes (yes), Ann Taylor Loft, gift shop with hand crafted items (like By Hand South, formerly in Decatur), more great neighorhood restaurants like Sprig, Napoleons, PeaRidge Kitchen and Bar, The Grove.

We can attract shoppers to this side of town with the right kinds of stores...Costco is coming to North DeKalb Mall, Walmart and Sprouts are redefining Surburban Plaza. How can we redefine Northlake? Please put on your thinking caps and get the job done!!!!

Anonymous said...

Would be nice to have there a good bakery/coffe place (similar to Alon's) and Talbots.

Atlantan99 said...

All:

The comments I made within this post regarding the unlikely opening of Barnes & Noble, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market were mine and mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of ATR or Mr. Ruggeri. These comments are based on my research into the above mentioned retailers and their statements as it relates to new store openings. Barnes & Noble has stated publicly they plan to close ten stores this year and nearly 200 over the next six years. No new stores are planned. Trader Joe's has repeatedly said that they have no interest in building any new stores in metro Atlanta anytime soon. Well placed sources indicate that the company is really only "pleased" with the performances of their Buckhead and Midtown locations with their other more suburban locations performing ok, just not amazingly well. Whole Foods has new locations in the works in Chamblee (near Brookhaven) , Kennesaw and Midtown and has not publicly said anything about other expansion in the market but I doubt that the Northlake area would be at the top of their list.

Thank you all for your comments ans readership. The powers that be are listening!

Unknown said...

This is such a family oriented neighborhood with so many good schools in the area. I would love to see the mall "themed" around family friendly stores and activities. Children's clothing stores / independently owned stores - giving it a Decatur type feel.

Anonymous said...

Have lived in the Northlake/Embry Hills area since 1969 and shopped all over the city. Shopped at Northlake for years and stopped about 10 years ago. Now travel to Perimeter, Brookhaven and the Forum. Would love to see some good restaurants open at Northlake, a Trader Joe's. Macy's store at Northlake is a disgrace. Store needs to update its look and sales personnel. Perhaps with Macy's North DeKalb closed the Northlake store can be approved. The parking areas and thoroughfares, ie. Northlake Parkway need to be landscaped so that people want to go into the mall.

Anonymous said...

Whatever the stores are, brand names or independent merchants, their merchandise has to meet a variety of demographics reflecting a diverse audience. Located on a major thoroughfare, next to an interstate, surrounded by stable neighborhoods with some very traditional residents and new residents, the mall has to include a mixture of styles and shopping experiences. The new shopping across 285 is an acknowledgement that more can be done with the existing audience.
Ideally, a new state of the art movie complex would be an anchor. We drive to other areas: Regal, Phipps, Brookhaven, Mall of GA, the movie tavern in Duluth?, to see films because they have amenities.
Types of stores:
A well-stocked book store with some music sales also[I travel to other malls or stores because there is NO bookstore near]. Books are among common gifts. A book store with story time could be a real service, also, to encourage reading. Offer some incentive or space for book clubs?
A children's store with better quality clothing
A toy store with some popular items and some more unusual offerings.
Belk
A needle work shop including knitting, quilting, etc. that also could offer classes and full supply. Hancock's is a great resource but the learning and sharing space is a good draw and I would bet there is an audience. Frequent requests for and new knitting groups starting.
Unique food offerings: old fashioned ice cream store? ragtime menu with music? Something!
I don't know that any cosmetic improvement in the facility will be sufficient to energize interest and sales. Other malls feature updated décor, attractive store fronts, environment enhancements like plantings and water features, indoor/outdoor access and views - how much is the new owner willing to spend to completely revamp the facility.
And then, how much will the new owners be willing to invest in marketing, community engagement, and how long will they be willing to wait for sales to build.
I would need some type of really visible, conceptual change to make me believe the mall was changing.
And, hopefully the new owners will be conscious of other areas like Northlake Festival - not to duplicate, take those businesses, etc. Too much to ask that they be concerned with the viability of the area?

Anonymous said...

I am one of the people who travels to Lenox and Perimeter to shop, and all over to dine. I would LOVE to see an open air mixed use concept at Northlake. I think it would be great to have a place like the Forum or Shoppes at Webb Gin. We have the demographics for some non-fast food (not specifically-chain) restaurants. How about a quaint (not dumpy like Brockett) pub, a decent Mexican place (like Verde or Taqueria del Sol), a good burger place (Yeah Burger, Grub), and some healthier options like Zoes. As it is now, we travel to go to all of those places and I would much prefer just going around the corner! And outdoor seating is a must. Look at what the Avalon is like. Yes, I recognize the demographics are different but our need for a great area to go to is high. Improve the atmosphere and vibe with some outdoor spaces, seating, coffee shop, ice cream shop (NOT brusters or carvel), and people will come.

We desperately need this and the convenience of the area is too obvious for something like this to be passed up!

Carl said...

Is the third floor of Macy's in use again? Those who did work there were relocated to the actual regional office (Perimeter, now Dunwoody) many years ago before being later laid off when the positions were consolidated with a site in another state. Aside from the highly disappointing merchandise mix, this is one season it seemed likely this store would close sooner than later.

Anonymous said...

I live less than a mile from there and haven't shopped at that Mall in 15 years. I gave it up when I was nearly mowed down walking inside the mall by a group of thugs who wouldn't move over to let me by. There is not one single store that appeals to me, so I gladly drive to Lenox, Perimeter or even the Forum, to shop where there are upscale stores and better clientele. That mall needs to be torn down, and start over with better stores. And why won't our suggestions for better stores and restaurants be taken seriously?? If the new owners hope to succeed, they had better listen to those of us who live here. I resent being told this area isn't good enough. My house is worth $500K and I have a very good income. Don't think for a minute that I'm going to accept and support low-end development. This whole article (and the new owner's attitude) makes me mad. I am also very disappointed that a Dollar store is coming to Oak Grove - just another sign that developers think our area is low-income.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see it torn down and replaced with a sewage treatment plant. It would certainly fit the demographics of the overly self-important types that have made comments so far. Seriously you people are crying like children over Whole Foods, Barnes and Noble and Trader Joes. Get over yourselves.

Anonymous said...

It'd be cool if we could get a card shop or a bookstore. .m. There's nowhere to actually relax at in the mall.

Anonymous said...

I love all the comments. Northlake area has a lot of potential. I agree - the Dollar Store at Oak Grove is a total waste of space. We already gave a Dollar Store at Henderson Mill. That Dollar General was a great store with a lot more variety than Dollar Tree.

Look at how great the restaurants do at Oak Grove. We need good restaurants!!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see it torn down and replaced with a sewage treatment plant. It would certainly fit the demographics of the overly self-important types that have made comments so far. Seriously you people are crying like children over Whole Foods, Barnes and Noble and Trader Joes. Get over yourselves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DITTO! Trader Joe's probably doesn't want to serve this WHINE and cheese crowd.

A few years back, Moonbeam bought Gwinnett Place from Simon. Moonbeam touted themselves as supposed experts with a proven track record in buying distressed malls and turning them back into desirable shopping destinations. Well Gwinnett is set to see the population explode in the coming years. So good luck Northlake with your overpriced underwater homes and your mythical disposable income dollars.

Anonymous said...

My house is worth $500K and I have a very good income.

Anonymous said...

My house is worth $500K and I have a very good income. Don't think for a minute that I'm going to accept and support low-end development.

Anonymous said...

northlake memmories: shipfeiffers, raffles icecream parlor where they had birthday parties that included a circus icecream bowl.

Anonymous said...

If Bernie becomes president, the government could give the mall back to "the people" and all the shops would offer their wares for 'free' and government would make the 1% pay for it. And maybe they could add a Dairy Queen there too. I think DQs are worth over $500K and they make a good income also.

Anonymous said...

Ah, memories of Northlake's glory days. I lived nearer Perimeter Mall, but I was among a group of sailboat dealers who had annual sailboat shows inside the mall on the lower level each spring for about three years in mid-70s. We always enjoyed the mall's business owners and the great customer traffic for the 10 days of each year's show. I hope the property can be revived in a way that satisfies locals, attracts visitors, and is good for everyone.

Anonymous said...

Chris Martin above has it down perfectly. Perhaps Model Brookhaven Village-ish I moved from Los Angeles and purchased a home on the area. It desperately needs a warm thriving town center with specialty resturants, upscale bar, hip wine shop, yogurt/artisan ice cream, artisan pizza, modern mexican, some kid friendly options. I could go on and on. Please! Bring some vibe and attract the young home buyers that can and will update and modernize the ranch style homes!!

SSB said...

I'd *love* to see an Apple Store. It's a giant pain in the rear to try to get a Genius Bar appointment at Lenox or Perimeter and fight through all that traffic after work hours. Also, I hope the new owners invest a little bit more in the power bill and turn up the lights at the mall; right now it's so dark in there, you feel like you're in a mausoleum. I congratulate the new owners on their purchase, and I look forward to seeing this "tremendous potential" come to fruition!

Anonymous said...

Also, some healthy lifestyle options like Barre, yoga, or pilates. Oh and screw it...TRADER JOES dang it

Anonymous said...

To everyone wanting a Whole Foods, note that the existing one at 2111 Briarcliff Road is (according to MapQuest) just 6.0 miles/12 minutes from Northlake Mall, and 2.8 miles/6 minutes from the Oak Grove area. During non-peak hours it's a really easy drive straight down LaVista Road.

Big W said...

Whole Foods is building a store in Chamblee across the street from Lowe's. Trader Joes looked at Northlake several years ago and passed.

Anonymous said...

Chris has some interesting ideas, worthy of consideration. We all want Northlake to revitalize. However, the idea about opening Northlake Lake to public access should be a nonstarter. The private community that built and maintains the lake would almost certainly take issue with that particular concept. Full disclosure: I am a resident of the HOA.

Anonymous said...

Home is 850K then why can't we have Trader Joe and Whole Food ???

Juliette said...

I'm a native Atlantan and Northlake Mall was my stomping ground since childhood. While I only visit Kohl's and Sears now, it's very sad to see it go. The end of an era. Nevertheless, what is really really needed is for developers to live in the area for 6 months, meet people and learn the demographic. Only then will their investment be sound. Research isn't just about property values or numbers like how many Asians live in the Tucker area, etc., it's about understanding the people and their daily habits. You can't do that without either living here or reaching out and talking to as many people as possible. I wish this area the best of luck. It was part of my life for so many years and I'd love to see good things happen there.

Anonymous said...

I always shop at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and would definitely frequent Trader Joe's if it were at Northlake Mall. Also, a bookstore would be a great addition! This area is in dire need of stores that reflect the shopping preferences of people that are earning $100,000+ annually. We need a Perimeter/Lenox shopping facility in the Northlake area!

jen petrich said...

ha ha... i read your comment and was about to say i wish there was a like button, and i looked who wrote it... howdy neighbor... totally agree with every you said... fingers crossed they go that way

:)

jen petrich said...

i think you misunderstood... the author cleared this up in a post just a few above yours...

"The comments I made within this post regarding the unlikely opening of Barnes & Noble, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market were mine and mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of ATR or Mr. Ruggeri. These comments are based on my research into the above mentioned retailers and their statements as it relates to new store openings. Barnes & Noble has stated publicly they plan to close ten stores this year and nearly 200 over the next six years. No new stores are planned. Trader Joe's has repeatedly said that they have no interest in building any new stores in metro Atlanta anytime soon. Well placed sources indicate that the company is really only "pleased" with the performances of their Buckhead and Midtown locations with their other more suburban locations performing ok, just not amazingly well. Whole Foods has new locations in the works in Chamblee (near Brookhaven) , Kennesaw and Midtown and has not publicly said anything about other expansion in the market but I doubt that the Northlake area would be at the top of their list.

Thank you all for your comments ans readership. The powers that be are listening! "

jen petrich said...

way to get in the mud with them :(

Attention New Owners: said...

TO THE DEVELOPERS:
Congrats on the purchase. The potential is indeed huge, and for more reasons than may be immediately apparent. As you can see, the high income residents that live here (Emory, CDC, Turner staff, doctors, professionals with families..) are hungry for a modern, upscale town environment with higher end amenities, shops and lifestyle activities. Build it and we will come. We want to feel a "sense of place" with an identity, and a new development here could be the cornerstone of that.

We all know how attractive this area is for families and professionals because of the schools and convenient location. But what is not completely known yet is that there has been a quiet, but massive influx of artists and musicians into the Northlake/Tucker area over the past decade. This is always a harbinger trend of hot real estate. You will be uniquely positioned to capture this crowd, and the shrewd money will meet the needs of this community.

Similarly, several movie studios are coming to the area, and thus is the natural bedroom community to capture that demographic as well. This is the most overt opportunity of all.

Think WALKABLE, HIP, SMALL TOWN, UPSCALE with a modern edge and you will not only improve the area but your investment will be returned in spades. Follow the trends of th West End which is championing this kind of revitalization with great success.

Anonymous said...

General observations about this thread and my agreements:

1. People in Northlake think they have expensive houses but have no idea what a house sells for in truly nice neighborhoods apparently. $500k??? really????
2. It is a fact that Marlows is busy. This is the point...Marlows...really!?
3. Macy's really does need to replace their urine stained ceiling times. just gross.
4. People upset about the foodcourt obviously have never eaten at Cozy Burger!

Anonymous said...

I also grew up in the Sagamore Hills area, and spent a good amount of time at the mall. I was even there the day it opened. I worked at the Kroger deli for a while as a teenager. I have not been back near there since my credit union, located in what was called "Northlake II", closed a few years ago.
Let's be honest, regardless of whether there are high-priced, high-value homes in the area, that region has gone downhill fast. I definitely would not feel safe in that area. In a way, the mall has been kind of a magnet for crime. Gwinnett Place has gone down the very same path, and faster.
I really don't know what would be best, short of tearing it down and starting over. There certainly is money in the area to support nice things.

Anonymous said...


ATTN NEW OWNERS
TO THE DEVELOPERS:

Congrats on the purchase in a GOLDMINE area. This is indeed huge GOLDMINE, and for more reasons than may be immediately apparent. As you can see, all residents are high income / filthy RICH, with ivy league degrees that live here (Emory, CDC, Turner staff, doctors, professionals with families..) are HUNGRY for a modern, upscale town environment with higher end amenities, shops and lifestyle activities - we demand all top shelf though!!! We will NOT TAKE ANY LOW CLASS stuff so if otherwise you can just TAKE IT ELSEWHERE! Build it and we will come as a GOLDMINE awaits you at the end of this rainBOW in wealthier that Buckhead NORTHLAKE. We want to feel a like the upscale high class folks WE ARE, with an identity, and a new development here could be the cornerstone of that.

We all know how attractive this area is for uber wealthy families and professionals because of the Dekalb schools and convenient location to Dunwoody. But what is not completely known yet is that there has been a quiet, but massive influx of up and coming to be Van Gough type artists and too famous to advertise musicians into the Northlake/Tucker area over the past decade. This is always a harbinger trend of hot real estate ( the agents don't lie for a sale) even if we are underwater and overpriced. You will be uniquely positioned to capture this wealthiest in the ATL crowd, and the piles of money to burn very one here obviously have. Please believe everything we are saying!

Think GOLDMINE, WALKABLE, HIP, SMALL TOWN, UPSCALE with a modern golden edge and you will not only improve the area but your investment will be returned in spades, shovels and dump trucks of $$$$. Follow the trends of Henry County and the New South which is championing this kind of revitalization with great success.

#RISEUPNORTHLAKE
#UPSCALEORGOHOME
#WEHAVE STOCKPILESOF$$$TOSPEND

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Goldmine...who remembers the old Northlake arcade bearing that name?!
I spent a lot of time at Northlake and the surrounding centers growing up. It's sad to see what it has become. But I am really surprised at the absence of restaurant options in the area. When I was in college, I waited tables at the Northlake Olive Garden. I believe Chili's was right next store. The was also a Bennigans near Northlake II that really used to do some business. All closed. The LA Fitness in old Service Merchandise location was a good addition though.

Just a couple observations after reading all the comments: 1) the new owners are not going to scrape the building and start over. That would be ridiculous. You think the dirt around Northlake is worth what they paid for the center?! My guess is they will slowly try to refresh, revitalize and innovate but would be surprised at any major sweeping projects; 2) All of you that want a Trader Joe's because you would rather not have to drive all the way to the one you go to now - since you already shop at TJs, if a new one opened near you, wouldn't the company just be cannibalizing itself? If you are willing to drive to a TJs already, then there probably isn't a need in your area; 3) If you really want to revitalize the area, you shouldn't have voted down cityhood. DeKalb doesn't care about you. You are the "rich folks" up north that pay the high taxes for the County to squander. There are some good elementary schools in that area. This about why - I'll bet its the high parental involvement in a smaller concentrated setting. So what happens in middle and high school? As things get bigger, it is harder to replicate. I currently live in Dunwoody. Since cityhood, the area has absolutely exploded with improvements, parks, sidewalks, etc. All things that make for a higher quality of life and make people want to live there. I think the Lavista Hills area really failed themselves on that decision.

Anonymous said...

This area is in dire need of stores that reflect the shopping preferences of people that are earning $100,000+++ annually. We need a Perimeter/Lenox shopping facility in the Northlake area! Trader Joe and Whole Paycheck should be here NOW. Its raining cash in uber wealthy Northlake!

Anonymous said...

everyone should study the trulia 'heat map' of Atlanta. Regarding anonymous "February 5, 2016 at 9:53 AM", there is a definite area around northlake (predominantly in 30345) that is very much comparable to Dunwoody--but there is no denying that the vast majority of areas around the mall are not high rent at all. Seems like the mall, probably through natural evolution, has had to pander to the low rent areas to stay afloat.

What's wrong with Marlow's?? I think of them as a really solid and sort of higher end chain. Clearly the area can support such restaurants, but I'd agree that a place like Rathbun's, Baccanalia, etc would not last here.

I think the area could support a place like Logan's Road House, which has no nearby locations. If we didn't already have Ikea, Northlake would be a great location for such a thing (but there are no cities with Ikeas close to each other). If anyone has ideas for restaurant/store/*something* that is sparsely available and thus people would come to Northlake for it, that could be good to ponder.

There exist plans that show part of the sears area turned into green space. IMO, green space, a playground, something that seems more walkable would be attractive.

Anonymous said...

anonymous 11:12am good points. You hit the nail on the head with " If you really want to revitalize the area, you shouldn't have voted down cityhood."

I can already tell though that the people that were FOR cityhood are the ones that desperately want to revitalize the area.

The cheerleaders for distant Dekalb politicians, totally opposed to self-rule, are the ones here making fun of the Northlake area for wanting a better mall, and more attractive experience.

If the local residents get involved in the Tucker CID, maybe it can alleviate not achieving cityhood. But the group may still be hamstrung by having local taxes flowing mostly to other parts of the county.

~mindspringyahoo

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the new owners would consider having one or more manufacturers of Drones create the first retail store. There is plenty of room behind the mall where folks can take the Drone for a trial run.

The new owners would have a retail spot that may be unique to any retail location today. They should start making calls now.

They should also find a scratch bakery that includes bagels in their product line. ( they need to be better than any bagel that is Atlanta today. Malls used to have one but they have all disappeared years ago.Glass Oven was one who tried. Macy's would also have one in some of their stores which had a basement.

Anonymous said...

I would love a Barnes and Noble. That's the one thing this area lacks, a bookstore.

Anonymous said...

This area definitely is seeing an influx of artistic types, and yes, some of them are famous. Rich? Not really. But that's why they bought in Tucker--you can live well on less there. Snarky "goldmine" dude above is clueless, obviously. It's these folks, and the movie workers who will be relocating here when the Doravile studios are underway, that will be a core demographic to cater to, along with families. This is a very good trend.

Anonymous said...

To the developers:

I'm glad that you purchased this mall and hope your plans to revitalize it are a boon to your company and to the community.

I have read the comments here and am writing as a normal, middle class person in the community. I have no interest in Ann Taylor, Talbots, or Phipps Plaza type stores. I would love to keep the current anchor stores and see normal suburban mall stores (like you might find at Mall of Georgia) return to Northlake -- The Gap, Old Navy, American Eagle, Hallmark, a bookstore, etc. It would be wonderful to see the food court full of familiar names again like Chik-Fil-A, Subway, Wendy's, etc.

I would love to see the mall revitalized, freshened up, with safety as a priority.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I think most of you are overlooking the obvious. There is too much retail in this area. From a retailer's point of view why would you open a new store in Northlake and cannibalize your existing stores in Buckhead and Perimeter. Both those areas are very close and as many of you have attested, you shop there already.

Perhaps the better use for the mall is something other than retail? The office market in Atlanta is not healthy enough to support new office space and this site doesn't make sense for industrial property. This leaves either housing or institutional/public uses.

Considering that the average house price in this area is significantly above the metro area's average, I would think for sale housing would easily be accepted by the market. Based on the reported sales price, the Mall sold for ~$15,000,000 (I assumed that each mall was equally priced). Assuming the Mall site is 40 acres that equates to a per acre price of $375,000. Further assuming that you put 5 lots per acre (.20 acre lots) that results in 200 lots and a cost of $75,000 per lot. You easily could put up a $500,000 house for that land cost and make a healthy profit (and $500,000 is significantly below the average new home price in this area).

Anne said...

I would love to see it converts to one of the "Village" concepts like Brookhaven Village, Emory Point, etc. Those are really nice, and have some great restaurants too. There is no good casual place to eat at Northlake. Marlowe's is OK, but it's in a crappy motel, Red Lobster is awful and horribly noisy, and there's nothing else. The old Chili's location has been two or three different things, none of which has succeeded. PLEASE bring us something like Maggiano's, Mimi's, etc - basically what they have around the Perimeter Mall area.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for allowing comments. I have shopped at Macy's (Rich's) since I was 18 and I'm now retired. I first shopped at Rich's in Smyrna, GA at Cobb Center. This was about 1962. In 1966 I married and lived in NE Atlanta for a few years. At this time I shopped at Lenox Square, Rich's. Then in 1974, we bought a house in DeKalb County, GA. I have shopped mostly at North DeKalb and Northlake Malls since then with Rich's/Macy's being my very favorite place to shop! Both of them are close by but North DeKalb has always be my favorite. THEY CLOSED MY MACY'S!! I really did feel like crying. Please don't close Macy's at Northlake!! I will have to drive to Lenox Square and the traffic is
terrible!
Thank you,

Unknown said...

As a commercial real estate professional of nearly 30 years, and a resident of the Northlake area for more than 40 years, I am dismayed by what has happened to Northlake Mall. Simon populated the mall with stores that serve neither the tastes nor needs of the local residents.

I feel that any new configuration should consider more upscale restaurants at the fringe of the parking area, which is seldom used. I would like to see a Seasons 52, Ruths Chris type steakhouse, On the Border, Houstons, for example. These could be spaced along both the front and back of the Mall. If indeed a Hilton is developed on Northlake Parkway property (the former Hilton now being a Doubletree), these would provide dining for the guests of the many hotels/motels in the area.

Perhaps the Mall could include development of some medical uses, to replace the numerous displaced doctors from the old office park now being redeveloped for shopping.

As has been repeated mentioned, there is a definitely a large amount of money in the surrounding area, that is going elsewhere in the city because the Northlake options are so scarce.

New owners, this can be a "Home Run" for both you and the community if it is well thought out and done right.

Anonymous said...

I'm so happy to see all the activity on this post! I agree with many previous comments and would reiterate: there are many of us in the Northlake area who defy whatever demographic data are being pulled. As Emory and CDC employees, we rented in Decatur and Candler Park for many years and bought a home in the 30084 zip code because it was more affordable (and you could get two baths instead of one in a starter home budget, but commute a few miles more). I often identify more with "Northlake" than Tucker, fwiw. Why *can't* we have more interesting and diverse restaurants and shops here? We're just outside Decatur... We desperately need restaurant choices beyond fast food and chains. Why not more locally owned restaurants and pubs? I do my best to shop at Northlake vs. Lenox for the traffic factor alone, but there isn't much left there. Also don't understand the proliferation of tire shops, fast food, dollar stores, and thrift stores that keep emerging here even now.

Anonymous said...

Residents who are feeling displaced over this news need look no further than a few miles south to Henry County where a shopping and restaurant mecca await. Also, the retailers who are currently at Northlake Mall are encouraged to consider relocating to Henry County. As any Restaurant & retailer will tell you if you are looking for success than you NEED to be in Henry. Henry County recently coined the phrase Atlanta's new south and it fits them to a tee. The residents of Henry County would welcome displaced Northlake retailers like Sears with open arms. Sears would quickly learn that there is an utaped goldmine upon their arrival. Henry County is underserved with 210,000 residents with money to spend driving long distances to shop & eat. Many of our residents say time after time they are tired of having to drive north for restaurants, upscale merchandise, fine Dining & top shelf services. The Zaxby's on Hudson Bridge Road recently shattered sales records for chicken restaurants located on that street. When affluent customers are asking for your services business should be lined up to come to Henry County & as you see they finally are! The biggest underestimation of Henry County is it's draw is far greater than 3-5 miles as shopper south of Macon & north to the city of Atlanta frequent Henry County! Henry County is indeed the place to be for new business success!

unknown said...

WE are all pretty tired of the same same restraunts. Please bring us some new joints and cool places to eat. Would love a town center like Brookhaven. New KRoger, I am for that. I have been emailing them for year about how crappy that store is and why they can't seem to get it cleaned up. Yuck the parking lot alone is disgusting. Move that Marta stand across the street down the road too. As for Northlake, Whole Foods aint coming and neither is trader joes, get over it. Now there is a Sprouts at NDecatur. That's a saturated market folks. Sorry. WE don't need the apartment element of town brookhaven though. Unless it is a senior development. THere is just no senior living anywhere in this town. I know they are planning a few units on NDecatur but we need more than a few units.

AREA - Atlanta Real Estate Advantage said...

I know that I am tire of driving to Buckhead to go shopping and eat at a nice restaurant. I'd love to see an Atlantic station type redevelopment. Make it a destination. I love the openness of Atlantic station. I feel like I'm downtown in a small city.

Anonymous said...

see what you can find out about the Wendy's near northlake. It seems to be closed. Don't know if it's permanent or maybe they're going to remodel.

Anonymous said...

Well, I guess adding higher end retail to Northlake will both make everyone happy as well as solve part of Atlanta's traffic problem - since all it's residents are driving to other parts of town!

Another poster hit the nail on the head - if you are driving to the Whole Foods already then Whole Foods has no incentive to build in your neighborhood. They would be interested in serving communities that gain new business - not redirecting business. Most retailers have a certain cannibalization tolerance, but I don't see the incentive from the retailer point of view.

As someone who did site selection for a retailer in a past life - I can tell you that the biggest issue that I see with Northlake is that there really is not an identity. $400-700k homes down the Briarcliff corridor / offset by a huge drop off as you get closer and past 285. Typically, you would pull a demographic radius of 1/3/5 miles around your center point - so you are pulling in all of the demographics OTP.

Even illustrated in the above comments - you have a percentage of posts calling for making Northlake 'hip' and another percentage wanting to turn Northlake into Norcross or worse, Gwinnett (with all the anytown America chain restaurants and retail). If I am driving through the community looking to open my new trendy business - Northlake does not scream 'loads of money not being spent'.

A lot of you are correct above - in order for a redevelopment of Northlake mall to be successful it will have to become a destination for people outside of Northlake, such as Tucker, N. Druid Hills, Chamblee, etc. Just be prepared for the more traffic that comes with it.

HappyGirl2 said...

Our area is in need of an ICE SKATING RINK! Please consider how far we need to drive now (Duluth and Marietta)....

Anonymous said...

Center Ice in Sandy Springs is 12 highway miles from Northlake.

Anonymous said...

I am a 32 year-old mergers and acquisitions lawyer who works in Midtown and owns a house within walking distance of Northlake Mall. I, like a large majority of my neighbors and members of the community (Briarcliff, Oak Grove, North Druid Hills, Northlake, Emory), avoid the Northlake area at all costs because of the lack of decent shopping and food choices. Like me, they drive to Lenox or Perimeter to shop and Decatur to eat. There is a lot of disposable income in the area that is not being spent in Northlake… Northlake as it exists today doesn’t reflect the local population because the local population doesn’t shop or eat there.

For sake of a comparison of what the area could use, and what would also be a draw from surrounding areas, I would suggest something similar in direction to the Avalon concept (http://www.experienceavalon.com/directory/) given the space and demographics. For those of you who haven’t been there because it is an hour away, it is a very good mix of urban feel in a suburban environment, with some in-town restaurants/chefs [Pizza Antico, Bocado Burger, The El Felix, etc.], good selection of stores and includes a grocery store (Whole Foods) and movie theater. I think mixed-use is key for the area: shopping, eating, and grocery shopping.

Some key factors to consider for development plans:
1) Northlake is not a “suburban” mall. Like the surrounding neighborhoods, it is in a location that benefits from having both urban and suburban elements. The space/acreage of the suburbs with the character/heart of being in town. The neighborhoods truly reflect this character; it would be great to see the same from commercial development. Build a place with character, not cookie-cutter stores and restaurants.

2) Lenox and Perimeter are very close. Don’t recreate the “mall.” We have two of them to which we drive willingly already. Understandable that some folks would appreciate closer shopping options, though, but we don’t need Sears, JC Penney, etc.

3) There is almost nowhere in Northlake to eat a decent meal. Marlow’s Tavern, and that’s it. Casual options have increased over the past couple of years (Chipotle, Panda Express, Jason’s Deli, Panera, a new Mellow Mushroom, and Chick-Fil-A). Oak Grove has a good selection of food (Napoleon’s, Sprig, Fellini’s, etc.), but this is still fairly limited (and limited by space).

4) Grocery options in the area are limited. Publix is a good stand-by, but Whole Foods at Briarcliff and LaVista is the closest specialty store in the area. Trader Joe’s would be a great compromise for folks who think that Whole Foods is too expensive.

5) Northlake has a lot of un-tapped consumers and regions. The immediate consumers should be coming from Briarcliff/Oak Grove, Tucker, Emory, Decatur, but think about the proximity to other markets that could be drawn – other wealthy and hip intown neighborhoods that are closer into town but not accessible to a large shopping center and are easily accessible via I-285: Avondale Estates, Kirkwood/Oakhurst, Virginia Highlands, Candler Park, Morningside, etc. Don’t merely think immediately local.
6) Tucker is changing quickly. Consider the near future demographics/income levels of Tucker. These are changing quickly. The demand for discount stores is waning.

It appears that the commercial development of the area is finally recognizing the residential economic development that has taken place in the area (specifically inside the Perimeter along Briarcliff and LaVista) over the past 15 years.
I am very excited about the possibilities. And I’m excited about the prospect of actually wanting to walk into Northlake.

ATR Corinth Partners and investors, you guys have made a great investment.

Anonymous said...

There's a meeting on the 24th at 1pm, we should all go to that and be HEARD!

Anonymous said...

Where is the meeting on the 24th, and who is holding the meeting?

Unknown said...

Agree,agree, agree!

We don't need cookie cutter, fast food or more apartments. I'm not exactly young and hip - just a wannabe. Northlake needs some good anchors (a well maintained Macy's is fine or a Dillard's) and some upscale urban stores to draw all living in the area (the older, well established to the young professionals.) And, I do miss the Old Navy. Some better restaurants - Another Broken Egg or a similar all-day breakfast place and some fun funky eateries. I'd LOVE a Season's 52, but I'm also realistic. BTW, I eat at Marlow's often enough to quickly fill up my frequent lunch card. It is always busy at lunch time and most evenings as it's good and not much around compares, and I've NEVER felt unsafe there. Just as anywhere else, don't leave anything of value visible in your car. I'd love to see some more similar choices like Marlow's.

As to driving to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods - for years I did my weekly trip to Whole Foods, but got tired of it and found okay replacement products at other places. So they did lose me as a regular customer spending no less than $150 each week. If they were closer I'm sure I'd spend more. I have to assume that there are more, like me, that would shop and spend more money if they were closer. So I don't necessarily agree that a new store would take away that many customers from another store. I DO understand that Whole Foods ain't gonna happen. Thank goodness for Farmer's Markets!

The money is here and if they build it, they will come.

Anonymous said...

The money is here and if they build it, they will come.

GOLDMINE

Unknown said...

Hasta la vista, babee!

Anonymous said...

They would do well to make a part of it similar to Ponce City Market as far as the food and feel of it go. The whole place needs a face lift and security could be better. Over the years most of the mall has become pretty ghetto. Please, no more stores with a "z" at the end of the name. I remember when there was an Eddie Bauer, Structures and J Riggins as well as a Bombay Company. Good times. A nice theater will help draw people in. I'm tired of driving up to Duluth to go to the Studio Movie Grill there. Unlike what another poster said, please don't add an Golden Corral. We want to trend upwards demographically. Although it would be nice to have a Sprouts there, I'm happy with the Cheshire Bridge location being opened. I think the trouble that Trader Joe's has at the Buckhead location is that it is a b*tch to get in and out of that area. Also, there isn't enough parking.

Anonymous said...

Unlike what another poster said, please don't add an Golden Corral. We want to trend upwards demographically

////////////////

LOL that demographic bullseye for attracting businesses goes in ALL directions, not just towards those that perceive themselves as wealthy. Wannabes seem to think they live in some isolated enclave and their WANTS are more important than the NEEDS of the rest of the normal population.

The plethora of posters here are in for a rude awakening when their perceptions are not the developers REALITY.

Anonymous said...

As anybody voted for a Costco?

Anonymous said...

I hear that a Sprouts is going in at Tucker Meridian, just around the corner from the mall (the new development with Dick's Sports, Hobby Lobby, etc.). Not sure if that is official or not - it wouldn't hurt to go on the Sprouts website (https://sprouts.service-now.com/contact_us.do) and select "New Location Suggestion" in the contact topic box and add a suggestion.

You can mention that you'd like a Northlake location, and that you hear that a location is going in at Tucker Meridian, and that you are excited about the news. Good to provide some encouragement to their decision, if it isn't official yet.

Anonymous said...

This is great news - make more efficient use of all of the parking lot space by "urbanizing" the development like Avalon and similar outdoor centers.

Restaurants are key to draw visitors - and residents, alike, who currently avoid the mall like the plague but will pay $100 for a good dinner in Decatur.

At the same time, well conceived local restaurants that are more casual (see Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market) would add more draw for quicker eats, but more character than fast casual chains.

To summarize - this development needs to draw the wealthy residents in the surrounding neighborhoods as well as the trendy younger families living in neighborhoods towards Decatur. Tucker is also drawing young "hipsters" who are starting families who want to live close in but don't want to pay $800K for a 3/2 in Decatur.

Northlake's location is pretty amazing - not sure how it hasn't been taken advantage of yet. Good thing, though - if this had been done in the 90s or early 2000s, we would end up with a bigger, bulkier mall. Now we have the opportunity to have something unique with character and draw that can really be the pride of the community.

"Build it and they will come" would be a good mantra - but we're already here in the neighborhoods surrounding the mall. Customers are built-in to the community already. We just need a reason to visit.


Anonymous said...

Great location - lots of disposable income in Briarlake/Oak Grove, Emory, CDC, Decatur, and Tucker is really improving and property values are on the rise.

Think Buckhead meets Decatur as far as taste, with a twist of an outdoor mall/city streets like Avalon. More practical/casual than Buckhead, but with the hip culture of Decatur (e.g., Ford Fry-type restaurants, craft beer pubs, bookstores, outdoor greenspaces). More cultured restaurants than the cookie-cutter chain fare that litter Decatur. We need something different, not more of the same (e.g., no craft stores, discount stores, etc.).

No one from the surrounding areas goes to Northlake. They all go to Buckhead (shopping) and Decatur (food). Give them a reason to stay, and add something unique to draw others.

P.S. If bringing in office space, maybe make some type of tech-incubator type office space (maybe in coordination with local universities [Emory or Georgia Tech]). Or a small office tower that would provide an instant customer base, similar to a miniature Atlantic Station. So close to the highway that traffic really wouldn't be an issue.

CJ said...

I'm half of yet another young professional couple with a good income, nice home...blah blah blah. We're off of Briarcliff just down from Northlake and really only go to the Northlake area for a couple of things:

(1) Publix - what can is say? It's a Publix.
(2) Movie Tavern - sure it isn't particularly upscale, but I enjoy the concept, cheap mugs of beer, and even the food is ok. It's the only thing that my friends who live in Decatur, Toco Hills, Brookhaven, etc. will actually agree to come to Northlake for. I guess they enjoy being able to both drink at a movie and pay less than $13+ for a ticket. Who knew?

That said, I would love nothing more than to see that change. I am really sick of driving to other areas for decent food and entertainment. I've owned my current home for three years now and if Northlake doesn't start improving a least a tiny bit in the next several years, my wife and have decided that we would like to move back over near Cumberland/Vinings ( we had a townhome near there for years prior to moving to Briarcliff and we loved it there). Athough many people have mocked it in these comments, I do think there is potential here and I really hope the new owners of Northlake Mall at least attempt to think outside the box concerning what they do with it and try to change things up with some new businesses. Nowhere needs that many "Urban Fashion" stores.

While we do most of out shopping online (I work in Buckhead beside both Lenox and Phipps and rarely go to either), I do really care about retail side of what happens to Northlake because of the effect it has on the nearby restaurants and entertainment. Currently for everyday dining, we either go to to Oak Grove, North Druid Hills, downtown Tucker or sometimes Decatur and even Westside, the Prado, or Midtown. Basically anywhere but Northlake. We love Bambinellis and order delivery frequently, but rarely dine-in because its a bit dated and seems to cater to a generally older clientele. We enjoy Marlowe's sometimes too, but parking is typically awful. We even tried going to the Hudson Grille a few times back when it first opened. I was initially hopeful based on how much I liked the one in Brookhaven, but at Northlake the atmosphere, service, and even the food seemed to go downhill quickly, even though they still seemed to stay reasonably busy.

I guess more than anything, I would love to see a mixed-use development along with more options like Napoleons, Sprig, Local 7, Slice & Pint, Ormsby's, Six Feet Under, etc., but the consensus seems to be that that would only be catering to the demographic on one side of Northlake (as I think a previous poster put it). At the moment though, it seems to be one-sided anyway, just in the opposite direction, so I'd be willing to settle for something that at least seems to be an average of the demographics, and not fully dismissing one of them. I really don't even care about a Whole Foods and I rarely even feel like driving the one down Briarcliff. Just please oh please, no more generic chain places like Red Lobster, Applebees, Olive Garden, etc.

I guess my point is I think many of the people here are right, there is certainly the potential to have a nice area with some better dining, retail, and entertainment options. If the developers do not reach the same conclusion and give us more of the same, I will just spend my money (and eventually move) elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

Bless your hearts. There are lots of elitist attitudes reflected in these comments. I feel sorry for the developer having to listen to all these lofty demands knowing full well the DEMOGRAPHICS are not place to support such stores and restaurants.

"If the developers do not reach the same conclusion and give us more of the same, I will just spend my money (and eventually move) elsewhere."

Buh Bye!

Anonymous said...

More Doctors, preferably Psychiatrists and/or Psychologists to deal with the narcissistic personality disorders that are rampant in this area!

Chris said...

I would love to see a Fresh2Order or Newks restaurant. Also a Cold Stone Creamery, Zoe's Kitchen, Sweet Tomato, Costco, Marshall's, Ollies, and or a Sprouts.

Anonymous said...

For the majority of residents of the area who have money to spend and want more cultured choices, this is great news.

For those who like more simple choices, I think you can all get excited about the significant increase in local property values that this development is going to create. Simple, discount choices are what currently exist in and around Northlake, and they aren't working. There is no draw to the area, and lower end chains will not create that draw.

We need something that will draw young professionals (like myself) with disposable income, professionals from Emory and the CDC (doctors, surgeons, professors, wealthy students), young families (think open areas for kids and families to walk around, like the urban feel of Atlantic Station/Avalon, maybe with a playground/park area for kids - i.e., something higher-end and cultured, but that also appeals to families. There is a wide-range of higher-end consumers in the area that are untapped by the current "options."

Based on my discussions with a Buckhead commercial real estate investment partner, Northlake is on the list of top targets for investors - sounds like they are expecting the area to boom given the significant gap between crappy commercial options and large amounts of disposable income.

I think we can all agree that the area and demographics have changed significantly towards the wealthy and younger families. The commercial development of the area has a lot of catching-up to do, but the demographics are definitely there (and Tucker is getting better, too).

Anonymous said...

Not sure who the poster is who thinks the demographics aren't there - where do you live? There is A LOT of money in the area. Perhaps you live further north in Tucker, but there is a lot of money (including a lot of younger-middle aged families that are established), and, even better, a lot of young professionals who are making $200K per household (like my family) and just getting started in their careers.

Anonymous said...

Yes! Hopefully there will finally be a reason to go to Northlake! I've less than a mile away for 2.5 years and went there once - what a dump. So much demand in the area for higher-end food and shopping.

Anonymous said...

Tear it down and start over with an open-air concept (Avalon is probably the best example, like a prior poster noted).

Would like better grocery options, too - Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Who wouldn't want a Trader Joe's? Everyone shops there - wealthy, middle class, and young professionals. Anyone who thinks that Trader Joe's is too expensive has never been to a Trader Joe's. Anyway, the Northlake Publix is gross. We drive to Toco Hills.

And more good restaurants - think food hall like Krog Street. Lots of offices in the nearby area, so would have support during the workweek.

The people who go to Northlake now don't live in the area. It's a joke to the local residents. Kind of blows our mind that the place is still standing - no reason to go there.

Anonymous said...

Demographics in the area are excellent if you look at the numbers (not to mention the houses and cars).

The area is already a huge draw and property values have been high for a while and continuing to increase rapidly - demographics will be even better once the area has good amenities and cultured choices.

The surrounding neighborhoods are so nice already; imagine what they'll be like when Northlake is actually a destination.

Anonymous said...

Agree - I currently avoid the mall like the plague. I can't tell you how many tens of thousands of dollars I have spent in Buckhead or Decatur because there is nowhere to eat or shop in my own neighborhood.

I could walk (it would be a mile or so) to the mall from my house. I'd love to spend money there if there was a reason do do so (i.e., if the mall didn't exist and instead there were good restaurants and welcoming shops - outdoors store, J Crew, Trader Joe's, etc.).

Anonymous said...

Would be nice for us folks in Decatur to have a nice place to shop - Buckhead/Lenox is really far from Decatur. No reason for us to go to Northlake now, but there definitely could be in the future.

Folks in Tucker need to realize that the area could draw a lot more than their local elderly neighbors - could be a really nice place. Also, the area just south of the mall is REALLY nice - not sure why those folks haven't been louder about needing more food/shopping; sounds like they drive to Buckhead or downtown Decatur.

I've also heard that Tucker is really trending younger and wealthier - great to hear, and I'm sure it will improve even more significantly with city-hood.

Anonymous said...

"Demographics in the area are excellent if you look at the numbers (not to mention the houses and cars)."

More delusions of grandeur.

"Would like better grocery options, too - Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Who wouldn't want a Trader Joe's?"

Even more people that cannot read and comprehend

These comments are very comical!



Anonymous said...

It will be great to get some shops and groceries that fit the residents' preferences.

I'd sign a petition for a Trader Joes. Also would like to see a Barnes and Noble, good coffee shops, and pubs. Real restaurants would be nice - no more sub-par chains.

Who is the poster who hasn't driven south of 285? They clearly live in a bubble north of town if they haven't seen the economic prosperity of the Oak Grove/North Briarcliff/North Decatur area. That seems to be spreading to the Tucker area, too, north of 285.

Anonymous said...

Agreed with the earlier poster - carbon copy of Avalon, though maybe a slight bit less high end for the poster above who doesn't like to live near nice things.

Avalon is great - I'd love a smaller version of that. Live/Work/Eat type of place.

Anonymous said...

You can't get a 3/2 house in the Northlake neighborhood for less than $300,000 (and that's unrenovated), yet there isn't a drive-through Starbucks. Blows my mind.

The laundry list of desires for the location is pretty long, but I think the folks above have hit on some good needs. Restaurants by local chefs, bookstore, mid-range clothing (like J Crew), desirable groceries (Trader Joe's or Whole Foods), areas to walk (maybe a "central park" like Atlantic Station), and pleasing aesthetics (please just tear the place down and start over).

And who is the one person who doesn't want a Trader Joe's? Seems pretty realistic to me. We live in a capitalist market - if Trader Joe's or similar sees a demand, they'll meet the demand. Based on the posts above, and on the folks I know in the area, there is clearly huge demand.

Anonymous said...

I'm another vote for Trader Joe's.

Anonymous said...

Please tear down the mall and start over. The place is an embarrassment to the area.

Anonymous said...

A few years ago when Trader Joe's looked, they passed because the area was too old - there were too many elderly residents to make it viable. That has changed SIGNIFICANTLY in the past few years. Folks thinking the idea of a Trader Joe's or other organic market isn't viable are basing their position on old data. And the area is only getting wealthier and younger (see Exhibit A - all of the new $1 million+ homes being built in Oak Grove and Exhibit B - all of the new young couples with baby strollers).

Retired and elderly residents skew the income demographics because they are on limited/fixed income without a salary (pension/social security, etc.). Not that they wouldn't be able to afford to shop at Trader Joe's, but the economic data that investors rely on wouldn't support that (hence "skew").

The more recent numbers are much, much better - obviously so given the investment by ATR Corinth (and the fact that they see huge potential).

Anonymous said...

Town Brookhaven is maybe a good example of what I'd like to see, but on a bigger scale with more walkable areas and fewer parking lots.

Anonymous said...

READ THE ARTICLE:

One property Ruggeri was especially proud of was One Hundred Oaks, a mixed-use property in Nashville, Tennessee.

ATR acquired the two story property, then known as "100 Oaks Mall," in 2006. In severe decline with 45% occupancy, a 57 acre site to the south of the city and adjacent to I-65, the center was revitalized by redeveloping it into a mixed-use property. "Approximately 450,000 square feet of the second and third floors were reconfigured to provide space for 20 medical clinics and accounting, billing and other administrative offices for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. After construction of a new façade and other extensive site upgrades, including ingress/egress improvements and the addition of two pad sites for restaurants, the remaining space (approximately 441,000 square feet) was occupied by a mix of retail tenants. Occupancy of the property had been raised to more than 99% by the time it was sold" (in 2012).

^ Mixed Use with mostly Medical Offices is what he believes to be successful from his vantage point. Other properties they have purchased make mention of Kohls, Macy's, Walmart, Regal Cinemas. Nothing upscale. Medical Offices are what he is most proud of.

Unknown said...

I live on "the other side of the tracks," known as Tucker, and I can tell you that there are plenty of young AND old professionals that want to see more upscale shops and restaurants in the area. Just because someone lives in a 300K home instead of an 800K home doesn't mean they don't have disposable income. They may have more since they pay a lot less on their mortgage and are probably putting more in the bank. Some people are just not as flashy as others. I know many people living in Tucker that could just as easily purchase a home in Oak Grove, Dunwoody, or Brookhaven but choose Tucker because of the sense of community. It would be great to see both sides of 285 work together instead of trashing each other. Just think out great the area could become...and maybe we'd get that Whole Foods. :)

Unknown said...

I live on "the other side of the tracks," known as Tucker, and I can tell you that there are plenty of young AND old professionals that want to see more upscale shops and restaurants in the area. Just because someone lives in a 300K home instead of an 800K home doesn't mean they don't have disposable income. They may have more since they pay a lot less on their mortgage and are probably putting more in the bank. Some people are just not as flashy as others. I know many people living in Tucker that could just as easily purchase a home in Oak Grove, Dunwoody, or Brookhaven but choose Tucker because of the sense of community. It would be great to see both sides of 285 work together instead of trashing each other. Just think out great the area could become...and maybe we'd get that Whole Foods. :)

Unknown said...

I live on "the other side of the tracks," known as Tucker, and I can tell you that there are plenty of young AND old professionals that want to see more upscale shops and restaurants in the area. Just because someone lives in a 300K home instead of an 800K home doesn't mean they don't have disposable income. They may have more since they pay a lot less on their mortgage and are probably putting more in the bank. Some people are just not as flashy as others. I know many people living in Tucker that could just as easily purchase a home in Oak Grove, Dunwoody, or Brookhaven but choose Tucker because of the sense of community. It would be great to see both sides of 285 work together instead of trashing each other. Just think out great the area could become...and maybe we'd get that Whole Foods. :)

Anonymous said...

I thought all comments were supposed to be reviewed by the moderator before they appear. How, then, did the above "triple" posting get through?

Anonymous said...

I agree, Spot Wood. We live in Oak Grove, but have a lot of friends in Tucker who are younger and have plenty of disposable income - they just wanted a larger house for the money. Tucker is definitely becoming younger and wealthier - lots of younger folks and young families taking advantage of the proximity to jobs downtown/midtown/buckhead (but who want a safe, clean environment that isn't as common in places like Kirkwood/Oakhurst, East Lake, etc.

And these folks are just as granola as the folks inside the perimeter, and just as willing to pay premium prices for organic groceries and quality upscale restaurants.

Anonymous said...

You actually discuss the amount of disposable income you possess with your neighbors?

Anonymous said...

It's pretty obvious when you discuss all of the Buckhead/Decatur locations frequented with your neighbors that they have money to spend but spend it elsewhere. And when you know where they work/what they do.

Lots of money being spent by Northlake, Oak Grove, Tucker residents in Decatur, Buckhead, and Perimeter. We need a way to keep that spending local.

Good catch, though.

Anonymous said...

I had to go to Alpharetta this weekend and went to Avalon - great concept that could be tweaked for Northlake. Combines all of the good things about Town Brookhaven, Ponce City Market, and Atlantic Station. Plenty of real estate at Northlake to build something similar.



Anonymous said...

"It's pretty obvious" is not dollar amount. Do these discussions involve copious amounts of alcohol? Have you seen receipts as to how much is actually spent? Deposits showing how much they net in earnings? What are their mortgage payments? How much equity is in their homes? Automobile payments and are they leased or owned? FICO scores? Income to DEBT ratios?

Nice to know you have honest, truthful neighbors and the subject of money and how y'all are all rolling in it is no longer a taboo subject.

All these dirty details add up ... or they don't.

Good try, though.

Anonymous said...

Every household on our lane here in the Hills can well afford to shop anywhere we want. The IRS includes us annually as members of their exclusive AMT club. So yes indeed, we most certainly deserve something on par with Buckhead. LaVista sounds much more sophisticate than Northlake so an upbranding is in order as well. I hope plans for a gated entry are included to keep anyone below standards out.

Respectfully,
LWH

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see a location that brings together ALL of the surrounding communities with an open-air mall like Avalon. Draw folks from Emory, Tucker, Decatur, Northlake, Brookhaven, Kirkwood/Oakhurst/Eastlake, Chamblee, etc. Trader Joe's would be a HUGE draw, in addition to walking areas, good restaurants, better shopping options, etc.

Northlake isn't just Oak Grove and Tucker - let's think even larger than that. But I do agree with above posters - both Oak Grove and Tucker can easily support MUCH better options. But we can expand our horizons further and make this a destination.

Anonymous said...

Trader Joe's!

Anonymous said...

OMG all these comments read like they are from the same few IP addresses. NO Whole Foods. NO to Trader Joe's either. Reading is fundamental and if you READ the article it refers heavily that it will be like the TN mall with mainly medical offices. So to the person that has been wasting their time the past week demanding shopping venues and stores that are NOT going to come, thank you so very much for making us look like snobby fools. The days of build it and they will come don't exist anymore. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are not adding stores it has been stated several times they are not doing all that great here in Atlanta anyways.

Anonymous said...

There's a Sprouts coming in at Tucker Meridian. Not sure if that would keep Trader Joes or Whole Foods out of the area or encourage them to enter the market. Anyway, great to have a Sprouts!

Anonymous said...

Mega Church so we can pray about what to do with all the cash we have laying around!

Atlantan99 said...

@All RE: Sprouts coming to Meridan project,

A Sprouts Farmers Market IS being proposed at this project but it is not done nor has a lease been signed. I will update the blog as soon as I get confirmation that the lease has been executed. All indications are that this should happen in a few weeks, if not less.

Thanks for your comments and readership.

Anonymous said...

My most fond memory of Northlake Mall was tripping on acid and having sex with my girlfriend on the roof way back in '73.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update, Atlantan99. Great news about the Sprouts proposal; hopefully that comes to fruition. It will definitely be nice to have an organic grocery in the area.

Anonymous said...

Family Dollar!

Anonymous said...

LOL on Family Dollar; guessing that was sarcastic. Trying to improve the mall, not make it worse. Though Family Dollar is probably better than what is currently there, sadly...

Just a comment to some of the naysayers: "build it and they will come," you are correct, doesn't apply to one-off store locations (e.g., a Whole Foods in Northlake Festival). But it does apply to mega-mixed-use projects (e.g., a large mixed-use development in Chamblee with a Whole Foods, Yeah Burger, etc., the most recent of many examples of revitalization in town). And the "they" are already within 1, 3, and 5 miles.

Honestly, I'm not sure why people are quibbling on here - anywhere inside the Perimeter north of I-20 is a solid investment with development, commercial or residential. Limited supply, quickly growing demand. Can the couple of folks who are bashing all of the requests for better choices explain why they don't want the area to get nicer?

Anonymous said...

Nice to have the Sprouts on the way.

To those trying to figure out where the mall is headed, here's a more detailed quote regarding intentions for Northlake. Still vague, but it doesn't sound like this is going to be a carbon copy of the Nashville mall.

Given this concept of "pent-up demand" that he notes, it sounds like they see income/purchasing power and taste as not being aligned with what Northlake currently offers, so we can be hopeful for a vast improvement.

“We will look at all mixed-use. Is there a residential play, is there restaurant, retail? We feel like there's a pent-up demand in the area,” he tells us.

Read more at: https://www.bisnow.com/atlanta/news/mixed-use/northlake-malls-new-owner-readying-major-redo-55692?utm_source=CopyShare&utm_medium=Browser

Anonymous said...

Q: Honestly, I'm not sure why people are quibbling on here - anywhere inside the Perimeter north of I-20 is a solid investment with development, commercial or residential. Limited supply, quickly growing demand. Can the couple of folks who are bashing all of the requests for better choices explain why they don't want the area to get nicer?"

A: Speaking for myself, it is not that better choices are not wanted & needed, it is simply the reality of the situation. From a commercial real estate and (re)development perspective most of these requests are just simply not going to happen. Period. The main factor is the overall economy is still volatile. I am not trying to be rude or evasive but the "won't take no for an answer" hubris on this makes any objective attempt at an explanation pointless.

First World Problems

cj said...

heres a link to an update on Northlake Mall 2/19th:
The addition “will be designed to include home furnishings, full service and express restaurants as well as entertainment concepts and services,” said Scott Wolstein, Starwood Retail Partners CEO, in a statement.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/development/article61311827.html

What surprises me most is all the posts about Wholefoods, Sprouts, and Trader Joes. If you have never been, I suggest going to Your Dekalb Farmers Market (YDMF) which is only 5.5 miles from Northlake. They sell organic and non-organic and all of their produce ships straight from farms which results in fresh quality, huge variety and reasonable prices. My husbands passion is as a chef and YDMF his 1st choice. Saturdays & Sundays are extremely crowded. So, I suggest going during the the week or right when they open and bring a sweater or jacket because the warehouse is refrigerated. A large expansion is currently underway. I suppose that is one of the reason the food retailers mentioned in this blog are not coming to Northlake.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34895-d1171834-Reviews-Your_Dekalb_Farmers_Market-Decatur_Georgia.html

Atlantan99 said...

@CJ,

Thank you for your readership and comments. One correction to make. The link you provide relates to the Northlake Mall in Charlotte,NC not the Northlake Mall in Atlanta.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I totally agree! It will never happen, though. Corruption in DeKalb County--the zoning czars who are under the thumbs of developers and property management-- along with our relative lack of representation, means that our overloaded thoroughfares will keep getting worse. Junk-food joints will keep being built.Parking will get even more random & dangerous. This is why I see it as a tragedy (or comedy) that the vote for LaVista Hills cityhood failed to pass. It would have given us some influence and more self determination.

Unknown said...

Amen. I was disappointed that Cityhood did not pass -and by such a narrow margin at that. Went to the town hall meeting regarding annexation to Chamblee (don't want that, if it has to happen, I would prefer annexation to Brookhaven). There was a good turnout, and I was surprised (shocked?) at the number OK with the idea. The real surprise was from the Chamblee citizens who attended. They really don't want us?! They are tired of the growth of their City.

Anonymous said...

You must be elderly. This is 2016, not 1986. Bricks and mortar bookstores are dying quickly. I doubt there are enough knitters in the area to warrant a shop with teachable spaces.

The safety comments are interesting. Why particularly would you feel like you were going to be mugged at northlake? Is it perhaps because the vast majority of customers who go to northlake now are people of color? The stores in the mall now are almost exclusively aimed at the African American community, and the not the high net worth AAs in Stonecrest or Buckhead

Anonymous said...

To poster February 23, 2016 at 3:43 PM ...

So when did the AA's that frequent Stonecrest become high net worth? With all of that high net worth income then why are the Stoncrest mall area stores and restaurants closing and or in decline? Why has the home foreclosure rate been so high in Lithonia? So Northlake is predominately a AA customer mall and the community reflects that? Why do you dislike the elderly? Do you not know that knitting is a popular hobby making a comeback in the white middle income minority demographic in Northlake?

Anonymous said...

To those who don't live in the area, the demographic that shops at Northlake is not the demographic that lives in the area - it's just a function of the stores to which the mall has resorted to remain occupied. Locals, for the most part, don't shop at the mall. There's no need to examine that point and get political (or worse). Let's keep the discussion civil.

Anonymous said...

To poster February 24, 2016 at 10:56 PM

So you want us and developers to believe that the people that shop at Northlake live no where that mall and drive miles to get there? LMAO that is so crazy I am just SMH at how you except anyone to believe that. Political or worse? Why post the foolishness that you did and say there is no further need for discussion? You posted what you did to stir the pot! Reality is the demographic that shops Northlake lives close by and we all know it. You people can't ignore the demographics you don't like to get what you want these developers are not stupid! LQQK around you in all directions not just to your debunked Lavista Hills! SMH

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm so like Gwinett Place mall the shopper doesn't match the residents that live close by. Asian mall with asian people living all around it. Y'all be cray over there in Beverly -- oh my bad Lavista Hills.

Anonymous said...

Better grocery options would be great.

Anonymous said...

Better grocery options would be great.

Anonymous said...

Hooka or Vape store

Anonymous said...

Whole Foods may be going in not too far from Northlake - in Decatur at North Decatur and Church streets: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/real_talk/2016/03/whole-foods-market-eyed-for-decatur.html

A Whole Foods 365 (the new, cheaper Whole Foods Concept) might be a good option for Northlake. Health conscious yet practical residents.

I add my vote to the better grocery options tally. Though we'll need more than good groceries to draw to Northlake. And Sprouts at Tucker Meridian should fill some small amount of that grocery gap, if that ends up going through.

Unique restaurants and areas to walk would be a big draw. That would get folks from other neighborhoods and areas of Atlanta who wouldn't otherwise have a reason to come to Northlake.

Anonymous said...

Along with restaurant and shopping options, I think it would be great to have some options for young people. There's really not much for kids to do once they outgrow the bounce houses (like Hippo Hop and Leapin' Lizards). I think a skating ring and/or bowling facility would be fantastic in this area. I have elementary-aged kids and there's not a lot for them to do nearby on a rainy or cold day. And a skating rink or bowling facility would likely get a lot of business as birthday party venues. As for shopping, I'd like to see Bed, Bath & Beyond and Ulta. Those are the two stories I continually find myself going to Buckhead or Perimeter to visit.

Anonymous said...

What about something like Ponce or Krog City Markets - let's get a bit more modern here people! There are so many great options and to continue with the same ideas and the old big box stores, is just so boring.

Anonymous said...

"What about something like Ponce or Krog City Markets - let's get a bit more modern here people!"

Um, NO - not going to happen - not even close! Medical offices are what is in store for Northlake.

Anonymous said...

Green space/walking paths and more restaurants. Would be great to work with DeKalb and get more pedestrian walkways connecting Briarcliff, LaVista, etc. to the former mall. Definitely open-air shopping/eating, though.

Bacchus said...

I believe the Mall, Northlake Festival, and other ancillary retail property in the area is saturated with unused space and some should be razed and redeveloped. The area developed in the 70s and 80s, whereas now we are in an e-commerce dominated world. Thus no need for all that brick and mortar anymore. Rather, turn it into attractive park space, or redevelop into more limited outdoor retail & dining like the Forum as opposed to low-rent retail for cheap trinket shops like Gwinnett Mall. The Northlake area is devoid of any decent local dining and the crowds at Marlow's and Local 7 in Tucker causing 1-2hr waits CLEARLY indicate the demand for it. I would love to keep my dining dollars in my local community, but usually we go to Decatur, Brookhaven, Buford Hwy, or Buckhead because there is more unique stuff on offer and we can get a table quickly. Bottom line- take some of the unused retail space offline, replace empty parking areas with some attractive green space, attract some dining options that will pay the rents that dead retail currently is not paying. That will make the area a destination again- and an especially walkable one, given the number of neighborhoods already connected by sidewalks to the area.

bloggersms said...

I agree with all of the comments about living w/in walking distance to Northlake mall and shopping at Perimeter, Lenox and Phipps. The only think I shop for at Northlake is Lands' End. I'd love to either see more high end retail (Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, Anne Taylor, Gap, etc), grocery (e.g. Whole Foods and/or Trader Joes) and nicer restaurants (e.g. Maggianos and that ilk... not so high end but better than what we have). Other ideas are to put in high end (very high end) outlet mall shops for the couture -- there's a town like this in Vermont. Every brand has an outlet shop -- very high end, name brands. It could be very unique and bring life back- along with restaurants and grocery. Final idea: kill the indoor mall, make it an outdoor mall (akin to Lincoln Road in Miami Beach or the area near UVA's campus and put in a variety of these types of stores with a food truck area and walking paths and a way to make it live/work/play with an area for entertainment and hanging out.

Unknown said...

I grew up going to this mall and I have seen it hit ROCK BOTTOM!!!!
Just the other day I stop by to run into Macy's to pay a bill and by the time I come back out of the store my car had been broken in to and two bags of cloths I had just purchased for my mom had been taken. They were not in sight they were in the back under one of the seats in my Tahoe.
They MUST do something about the security at this mall!!!!
I have had had my car broken into two other times at this mall, but I parked around the back side of the mall. This time I parked in the front door by Lens Crafters and it still happened. When I called the police to make the report the officer said "yeah, that is a high crime lot. We get about 4 calls a week about a car brake in". That IS NOT okay.
I don't care what they do to the mall, if they don't do something about the security people won't come any way!!!

Unknown said...

The end is near - this mall will be torn down .Multi use development is replacing US malls.

Anonymous said...

Ahhh ,,memories galore in the 1970's of a youth spent shopping (and loitering) in and around Northlake Mall, Northlake Mall II and the Village. Spencers, Gold Mine arcade, Orange Julius, Oshmans Sporting Goods, McCrory's, Record Bar, Fredriks of Hollywood ;-), Tinder Box, Farrell's (where I had my first job), Camping out for Concert Tickets outside Sears!! Would hate to see it bulldozed down!

N McKinnon said...

Has Northlake changed hands again??
The ATR Corinth site no longer lists it in their portfolio.
The Shopping Center site, who had published redevelopment information, no longer lists either and link to redevelopment says page not found??
Thanks for any info you can provide

A Northlake Neighbor

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...