Thursday, June 1, 2017

Outback Steakhouse Thinks North Point is "Just Right" For New Restaurant

The new North Point Outback should look similar to this 
New Outback coming to North Point

A new location of Tampa, Florida based Outback Steakhouse is planned for North Point Parkway in Alpharetta.  The new freestanding restaurant would be built in an outparcel of North Point MarketCenter, across the street from North Point Mall.  Specifically, the new Outback would be built in place of a former Famous Dave's, which later operated as an independent restaurant called Rio Nuevo Mexican Cantina.  

North Point MarketCenter, which last week welcomed a new Dave & Busters, was purchased by CBRE Global Investors in April for $108.5 million. 

Outback is only the latest business to see the ongoing appeal of the North Point Parkway corridor.

In the past few years, REI and AMC Theatres have both opened in the area while ULTA relocated and Hudson Grille soon will as well, each to locations on North Point Parkway.  

Additionally, the nearly $18 million Encore Parkway corridor project is expected to be completed this summer and will significantly improve bike, vehicular and pedestrian transit between Westside and North Point Parkways. 

The first Outback Steakhouse opened in Tampa, Florida in 1988.  Since then, the chain has grown to be an international brand with 742 domestic Outback Steakhouse restaurants and another 244 units throughout 21 countries.  

Outback is the largest division of Bloomin' Brands Inc., a restaurant group that also includes Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, each with at least one location in metro Atlanta.

Outback launched an aggressive, more modern restaurant prototype in 2015.  According to Outback’s website, the new restaurant design was inspired by modern Australia and features more earth tones and stonework in its construction. 

For a cool look at the many iterations of Outback Steakhouse restaurant designs, click here

The new Alpharetta restaurant is expected to be similar to the recently opened modern locations and will be about 6,500 square feet.  Sources say that the restaurant should be receiving its land disturbance and building permits in the coming weeks and that construction may begin as soon as July.  

I reached out to Elizabeth Watts, Director of Media & Community Relations for Bloomin’ Brands, and was provided the following statement regarding the restaurant's opening timeline: "We don’t have plans that I am able to share at this time, but I can tell you that we are interested in the area."

Based on the permit timeline, I would guess that the restaurant will open late this year or early next year.  

As of now, the closest Outback Steakhouse locations to Alpharetta are in Roswell and Johns Creek.  

This past February, Bloomin' Brands finally opened the long-awaited Bonefish Grill at Akers Mill Square near Cumberland Mall.  That same month, the publicly traded company (NASDAQ: BLMN) announced a $4.3 million loss in the fourth quarter and said that it would close 43 underperforming restaurants.  No complete list was ever publicly announced, but the closures included numerous Outback and Carrabba's locations. 

Have you dined at one of the new-look Outback Steakhouse locations?  Are you excited to see the abandoned restaurant finally become something new?  What is your favorite eatery on or around North Point Parkway?

Please share your thoughts below.  

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Before Famous Dave's, this property was Houlihan's.

Anonymous said...

The new design and architecture is hideous and cheap. Only eat at chains like Bloom Brands when someone gives me gift card. Glad it is a rare occasion.

Jodyml813 said...

There is also a location in Cumming off marketplace. Not excited about this, would rather see something new to market or original/locally owned.

Anonymous said...

There have already been new and locally owned places filling in those old closed chains over there and they failed. They need something that will bring in the money and the crowd.

Anonymous said...

I don't have any problem with Outback. They serve a pretty decent low/mid priced steak. I worked at the Toco Hills location many years ago and they used to offer a "catch of the day" seafood entree which was mostly outstanding. Offerings included swordfish, mahi-mahi, grouper, etc. Most of them were really, really good. It's too bad their fish offerings are now limited to tilapia and salmon.

Timmyg said...

Eww, fake steak. Won't eat there. Haven't had a good meal at an Outback in a long time

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