Friday, May 20, 2016

Bits & Bites

Sweet Cheats, a popular Cabbagetown bakery and coffee shop, is opening a new location in Marietta.  According to the shop's facebook page, the new location will be in Parkway Center, an office park about five miles from SunTrust Park, off Franklin Road.  The shop serves coffee, macarons, cake pops, cupcakes and other pastries, and also makes custom cakes and cake pops and other baked goods. Strangely similar to Sublime Doughnuts and their "Eat one that's worth it" tagline, Sweet Cheats' tagline is  "If you are going to cheat, it better be worth it!"  The new location is expected to open by late summer/early fall.  

J.R. Crickets plans to open a new location near Northlake Mall at Northlake Pointe Promenade on Briarcliff Road.  The approximately 1,600 square foot space was most recently occupied by Cook Daddy's Southern Grill & BBQ. According to the J.R. Crickets website, the group currently consists of a total of eight locations, all independently owned and operated through a licensing agreement with J.R. Crickets® Enterprises, Inc.

This past Sunday marked the end of the line for Rehoboth Presbyterian Church on Lawrenceville Highway near Tucker. After 66 years serving parishioners, the church closed its doors, seemingly a victim of changing social norms and a divided congregation.  The church recently voted to allow gay marriages to be performed there, following last year’s Supreme Court decision, and many members left, according to a GoFundMe page intended to help save Rehoboth.  The church had multiple setbacks, another being that it needed $160,000 in repairs, according to the same  fundraising page.  Rehoboth Baptist Church, located nearby, also on Lawrenceville Highway, remains open.

A new location of Auburn, Alabama-based Chicken Salad Chick is planned for Beechwood Shopping Center on Alps Road in Athens.  The casual eatery will occupy suite 142, a 2,850 square foot space in the center. Chicken Salad Chick, which offers a menu focused on assorted chicken salads, soups, salads and sandwiches, was started in 2008 and today includes over 50 locations, mainly in the south.  There are currently a dozen locations in Georgia alone.  

The new Von Maur at Mall of Georgia in Buford is expected to be open as of October 1st.  The Davenport, Iowa-based department store has been renovating the former Nordstrom store for over a year.  The department store has existing locations at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody and at North Point Mall in Alpharetta.  

Contrary to earlier information, Tom Catherall will in fact not be taking over the former American Food & Beverage at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.  Kipos Hellenic Kitchen, part of Durham, North Carolina-based The Giorgios Group will take over the space with plans to open in September.  Headed by Giorgios Bakatsias, the restaurant group currently includes fourteen restaurants in North Carolina.  Kipos, Greek for “garden,” will serve upscale Greek cuisine including classic fare such as lamb youvetsi, moussaka, grilled octopus, and souvlaki. The restaurant's opening in Buckhead could compete with nearby Kyma, an upscale Greek restaurant in Pano Karatassos’ Buckhead Life Restaurant Group.  Kipos will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and brunch on Sundays.  

On the heels of last week's news that Buffalo Wild Wings would be opening a new location in Newnan in a former Shoney's, comes news they are doing the same thing in Tifton.  Interestingly, if one searches for this Shoney's online, it still claims to be "closed for remodeling."  The new Buffalo Wild Wings will reportedly be corporately owned and will sport a new prototype look for the chain.  The restaurant is located at 1301 US Hwy 82 West.  

lululemon is bringing their warehouse sale to Atlanta this weekend.  Today through Sunday, "#ATLrevival" will take over the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart Atlanta (230 Ted Turner Dr NW Building 2) for a sale sure to attract yogis from near and far.  Warehouse Sale Hours are: Friday, May 20th: 8am - 8pm (last entry 7pm) Saturday, May 21nd: 8am- 8pm (last entry 7pm) Sunday, May 22th: 8am- 8pm (last entry 7pm; inventory dependent)  The sale will include  an assortment of men's and women's lululemon apparel and accessories as well as ivivva (lulu for girls).  It's unclear what percentage off retail this merchandise will represent, but according to a reader who shopped on a VIP day earlier this week, the prices are "cheap."  For an high-end brand notorious for limiting discounts, even "small" discounts will be welcomed by fans of the brand.   Debit and credit (Visa, Mastercard & AmEx)  cards with photo ID are the only accepted forms of tender. Note: no cash will be accepted.  All sales are final.  

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why is it taking Von Maur almost two years to open at Northpoint?

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Sweet Cheats has very affordable rent at Parkway Center, however, unless things have changed since I moved ITP 3 years ago, that location is deader than a door nail. I'm not in the restaurant/retail business but I feel bad for business owners when they don't give their business a fighting chance and choose a poor location. That is also one of the most crime ridden corridors in Cobb County. Did they do a demographic study?

Ham said...

Haven’t the other JR Crickets experienced incidents of violet crime? I haven’t really done any extensive research, but my memory and a quick Google search revealed a few shootings. I suppose this could happen anywhere, but is this the type of place Northlake needs if they ever want to recover?

Anonymous said...

Never heard of JR Cricket's being known for bringing crime. A Google search will also show that there are many violent crimes happening at Waffle House, but do you not want one of those in the neighborhood?

Anonymous said...

Rehoboth Presbyterian closing is one more big change for that stretch of Lawrenceville Highway. The huge new Benton House senior living complex is being built right next to the church. And just down the road, at the intersection with McLendon, the Pea Ridge restaurant opened a year or so ago and Corner Cup coffee just opened its doors. It will be interesting to see what is done with the church property.

Anonymous said...

I agree, JR Crickets brings in a lot of crimes. Anyone not aware of that lives in White Suburbia, naive, or is in denial.

Kev said...

What?! There is a JR Crickets in Smyrna next to east west/s cobb dr near the new Sprouts and there is no crime issues...how absurd

jeff a. taylor said...

I'll give Sweet Cheats the benefit of the doubt in that maybe all they are looking for is a portal to take custom orders closer to much clientele. Actual retail activity at the new store maybe not matter. But otherwise, yeah, that is a really weird spot for a high-end bakery. Hope it works out.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I thought of that JR Crickets in Smyrna too... Love this blog, but boy there are some weird commenters.

Unknown said...

We've been open at north point for 5 years

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