Wednesday, March 27, 2019

[LEAKED] Phipps Plaza "Scores" Pinstripes Bowling Concept, Food Hall Canned

Redevelopment of the former Belk is well underway at Buckhead's Phipps Plaza and in addition to the previously announced fitness, office and hotel components, a bowling venue will also be part of the project.  Michelle Smart, Vice President of Leasing at Simon Property Group, shared the news Tuesday evening at Davio's at Phipps Plaza, where she was the guest speaker for a YARA (Young Atlanta Retail Alliance) meeting.
Smart, who joined Simon Property Group in 2011 and is responsible for leasing at both Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza, told the crowd of about 40 that a lease was "imminent" with "an approximately 30,000 square foot, two-story entertainment concept" that she described as offering bowling, bocce and "wood-burning pizza."   Though Smart did not divulge the concept's name, the context clues she provided gave a pretty clear picture as to what was coming.

Pinstripes, a bowling venue and restaurant based in Northbrook, Illinois, describes itself as offering "Bistro Bowling and Bocce" and according to its menu,  their pizzas and flatbreads are "baked in our wood-burning pizza oven."

Multiple real estate sources confirmed to ToNeTo Atlanta that Pinstripes is the bowling concept coming to Phipps Plaza.

Launched in 2006, Pinstripes currently has ten centers open with another two listed as coming soon to San Mateo, California and Houston, Texas.  The Atlanta outpost would be the chain's first in the south.

In Atlanta, Pinstripes would compete with locally owned The Painted Pin, which opened in 2014 on Miami Circle near the Lindbergh MARTA Station, as well as their sibling concept, The Painted Duck, which debuted early last year off Howell Mill Road in West Midtown.  National operator Punch Bowl Social also entered the Atlanta market early last year with a multi-level venue at The Battery Atlanta adjacent to SunTrust Park, and there are rumors of Lucky Strike, another national operator, also looking to enter the Atlanta market in the coming years.

In detailing the updates and additions to the mall, the one glaring omission in Smart's talk was the previously announced 30,000 square foot two story food hall.  Although not explicitly mentioned as being eliminated, its size matches up with that of the new "entertainment concept," and the One Phipps Plaza website does not mention it either, but does reference "a unique, curated dining experience."
Interior of a typical Pinstripes 
Multiple sources with knowledge of the deal indicate that the food hall is, in fact, "dead."  

Simon was reportedly unable to come to terms with their targeted food hall operator but its elimination could also be  due to the realization that food halls are fast becoming ubiquitous, with dubious long-term financial returns. 

Smart also shared with the group that Phipps will be adding to and improving the streetscape, hardscape and landscape features surrounding the mall and existing tenants like Nordstrom.

For anyone coming to the event wondering "Do people still shop at Phipps?" Smart was ready for that, too, sharing that annual sales at anchor Saks Fifth Avenue are $100 million.

First announced in November 2017, and now known as One Phipps Plaza, the redevelopment of the former Belk (Parisian) at Phipps Plaza will bring to the luxury center a 150 room Nobu Hotel, 10,000 square foot Nobu restaurant, Life Time Athletic's "Diamond Club," and 300,000 square feet of Class A office space.  New green space for concerts and movie series was also mentioned Tuesday as an element of the redevelopment.

Surprisingly, no one questioned Smart on the potential impact that Jamestown could have on their recently acquired The Shops Buckhead Atlanta development, and also surprisingly, Smart was coy in not naming Tom Ford as an upcoming tenant of the mall, something ToNeTo Atlanta reported in January was "stolen" by Simon from the troubled mixed-use project.

According to Smart, the redevelopment at Phipps Plaza is "on schedule" and is currently expected to deliver in phases from late 2020 through 2021.

Are you excited for the addition of a bowling concept to the redevelopment at Phipps Plaza?  What part of the Phipps Plaza project are you most excited about?  What is your favorite bowling venue in metro Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below.  

12 comments:

Ham said...

Excited about bowling? Not so much. Surprised about the elimination of the food hall? Not so much. Here's an idea move Lego Land to Sugarloaf Mills and put the Phipps Food Court back where it belongs.

Greenwave said...

So the food options will still suck at Phipps.

Anonymous said...

I miss Lord and Taylor. I wish they could have brought them back to Phipps instead of this mess.

Anonymous said...

Grand Lux and Tavern at Phipps are both good enough for me.

Anonymous said...

"Curated dining experience"

Yawnnnnnnnnn.

Anonymous said...

@ March 27, 2019 at 1:20 PM

I agree with you, Who goes bowling? Boring. They are turning Phipps into a Simon circus! The front looks ugly. I miss the old food court. I have always thought that Legoland needed should have been located in Atlantic station. they could have built on the Cirque du Soleil location. 3 levels. Great location with great visibility. Now every time I go to Phipps, I have to hear screaming kids high on sugar.

Anonymous said...

Well maybe that's been the root problem with bowling all along - it simply does not cost enough? This operation will certainly cure that! I think this will eventually be viewed a gutter ball.

Richard Newton said...

Maybe some day they will fix the elevators; access between mall and parking is dreadful.

Anonymous said...

Oh great, moe stuff foe da “teens” ....this place will require a mandatory curfew and triple security detail within 1 year of opening. Face reality folks. Bowling on Atlanta’s Rodeo Drive doesn't make a bit of sense and that should be obvious. Buckhead crime is already accelerated enough.

Anonymous said...

Completely agree with the comments above....so sad for what has happened to Phipps.

Please note, I understand the need for change with the slow down of retail and the hotel & fitness are great additions/ideas....but a bowling alley..? And Lego Land needs to go (loved the idea above) to Atlantic Station.

Anonymous said...

The pictures of the bowling alley above look like every other bowling alley. I don’t see any distinction. There Is more to Legoland then you guys are realizing… Lego land is for the adults… Also it gets the kids into Phipps… it also gets tourists into Phipps… And average families... Lego land is the Apple Store of steps… I’m surprised if they pay any rent at all

Anonymous said...

Phipps and Lenox already bring enough trash people and loitering to Buckhead. Putting in a bowling alley will mean more punks up to no good hanging around causing good reputable people to be scared to shop the malls. I’m sure there will be an increase in shootings and other crime. As I have said, I wish they would remove the two malls and build nice single family homes with green space. Crime will decrease because the absence or areas for thugs to hang out. I miss my old Buckhead that was THE place to be in the south east.

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