The short-lived Pollo Tropical on Haynes Bridge Road near North Point Mall in Alpharetta will soon reopen as a Chase Bank. The freestanding restaurant opened in 2013 and was the 100th company owned store. The Alpharetta location, 10900 Haynes Bridge Road, along with a few others in metro Atlanta and other markets, closed last year, as the restaurant's parent company, Fiesta Brands, pulled back on their aggressive expansion.
A building permit filed with the City of Alpharetta indicates that at least $827,000 will be spent to convert the 3,927 square foot restaurant into a bank.
A restaurant to bank flip is not new for Chase but to convert the building is. The decision to convert rather than start from scratch was likely due, at least in part, to the newness of the Pollo Tropical building and the existence of a drive-thru.
Chase previously opened Atlanta area branches on Piedmont Road in place of a Pizza Hut and on Cheshire Bridge Road in place of a former Sonny's BBQ. In both cases, the bank demolished the existing structures to build new branches in their place. Chase also opened a new branch in East Cobb in place of what was built as a Donatos Pizza that had later been converted into a Mama Fu's Noodle House and later a Flying Biscuit Cafe. The East Cobb branch was also built from scratch.
Late last week ToNeTo Atlanta contacted Michael F. Fusco, Regional Media Contact for JPMorgan Chase & Co., for comment on the projected branch opening, but after indicating that he'd be back in touch, Fusco never provided any actual answers to our questions.
An employee at a nearby branch indicated the plan is to have the new Chase open in September/October.
In additon to the Alpharetta location, Pollo Tropical has also closed Atlanta area locations in Marietta, Cumming, Hiram, Newnan, Gainesville, Johns Creek and East Cobb.
As we previously reported, the East Cobb location on Johnson Ferry Road is expected to be demolished and rebuilt as a new Regions bank branch. The former Johns Creek location was converted into an Arby's, and reopened this past December.
Former Pollo Tropical restaurants in Marietta, Cumming, Hiram, Newnan & Gainesville are all currently being offered for lease by The Shopping Center Group. A source close to the leasing effort indicates that there are leases "pending" on nearly all of the former Atlanta area locations.
Are you pleased by the repurposing of the former Pollo Tropical in Alpharetta? What would you like to see open in the remaining former Pollo Tropical restaurants? What other quick serve chain would you like to see enter or expand in metro Atlanta?
Please share your thoughts below.
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