Retail + Eateries + Hotels + Convenience Stores + Residential + Grocery + Banking +
Benihana's RA Sushi is opening in midtown at 1010 and is on schedule to open in early June. RA Sushi is Benihana's more relaxed and casual eatery and should fit in nicely with the midtown community. From what we could see peeking in, the interior is filled with features and will turn into a late night lounge after hours. 
Third times the charm or so hopes Concentrics with their upcoming eatery 30 Tables. Taking the restaurant and bar spaces that most recently housed Jeffrey Chodorow's inaugural Maxim Prime eatery and prior to that B.E.D. No prior concept has lasted long and abruptly closed over the past few years. Concentrics quietly stepped in and took continued operation of the restaurant simply for hotel guests over the past couple months as extensive renovations were completed in the existing spaces. Maxim Prime utilized the rooftop bar for their popular "sky bar" and Concentrics will also utilize the premier rooftop with perfect city views, its new name 11 Stories. Both the restaurant and rooftop bar include numbers in their names in staying with Amick's themes of numerical establishments. Repeat Atlanta!
Bob Amick is at it again, this time entering the Pizza business. Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria will open next door to fellow Concentrics concept STATS later this spring. Serving a variety of fare including authentic New York style pizza, pastas and salads, the eatery will also serve " coal oven wings" in their 1000-degree coal-fired pizza oven. Though some may say Amick entered the pizza business with his rare failure that was Piebar, this new concept sounds like a winner and is going in an area that has limited pizza options since the abrupt closing of Slice Pizza on Howell Mill last year. Repeat Atlanta!
Bacchanalia's former sous chef Katie Birmingham has finally opened her highly anticipated midtown eatery. NOON Midtown is located on the back side of 1010 Midtown on Crescent Ave. and is already drawing comparisons to Tom Colicchio's 'wichCraft. The menu features "before-noon" and "after-noon" offerings, such as a prosciutto baguette and a perperonata pannino. Beverages from Arden's Garden and Counter Culture coffee make it that much better.
Lexington Chocolatier in midtown near Georgia Tech is closing after their profits melted like ice in Atlanta during the summer. A good concept in a poor location was unable to sustain itself through this economic downturn. Situated in a heavily student trafficked area of Midtown proved to not supply the necessary sales to keep the doors open. For those of you looking to get your hands on Lexington's delectable chocolates, you can still order online at Lexingtonchocolatier.com Repeat Atlanta!
Sadly more closures in the local restaurant scene as Dusty's BBQ near Emory closed today. Open for 27 years at the corner of Clifton and Briarcliff Roads, the restaurant is said to be continuing operations as a catering only business at a different off site location: Dusty's Catering 215 Laredo Drive Decatur, GA 30030. Repeat Atlanta is not sure if this was a planned closure, but they certainly got their signage down fast. The eatery served their last meal yesterday and by this morning signs were down and moving trucks were picking up equipment, presumably for the catering business. Repeat Atlanta!
Agnes & Muriel's which relocated to Buckhead this past February is apparently closed. Driving past the eatery earlier this afternoon Repeat Atlanta noticed the above sign and attempted to locate additional information. Calls to the eatery went unanswered while their website says nothing to indicate anything one way or the other. Agnes & Muriel's was an institution in Midtown and it was definitely a tough task to retain their midtown clientele while in the busier Buckhead area. The eatery was listed a few weeks ago as being for sale on The Shumacher’s Group website and was said to be for sale for “motherhood” reasons. The site today states there is a new "Drastic Lower Price", but no official word on whether it will be sold or simply closed. It would be sad if it is closed for good as it would have been a good alternative to The Flying Biscuit and J. Christopher's. Repeat Atlanta!
A former executive at Longhorn, Houston's and the Capital Grille will open WaterHaven in the former Globe restaurant space at Tech Square. Said to be a casual/upscale eatery with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, the restaurant is said to be opening in mid May. Repeat Atlanta!
e. Pier 1 and Au Bon Pain also closed as their sales tanked. Nani had an interesting array of high end merchandise but never really garnered the following ( of paying customers) it would need to sustain itself. Many Repeat Atlanta readers have voiced their opinions regarding Atlantic Station in polls and by email, with yet another closure, what are your thoughts? Do you think this will work as a catalyst for Atlantic Station 2.0, with new merchants and a new restaurants? Maybe instead, this is the beginning of the end, tell us what you think in the comment section. Repeat Atlanta!
Starwood's aloft chain of hotels has delayed it scheduled opening in Atlanta. Aloft along with sister brand Element were to be built on top of the other. On land that currently houses a Rooms To Go, abandoned Bridgetown Grill restaurant and a parking lot at the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree roads in Buckhead, the hotels were originally scheduled to open June 1, 2010. According to published reports, the new opening is said to be July 1, 2012. Repeat Atlanta!
Chocolate Bar on West Ponce in Decatur will soon open a second location. The Original Chocolate Bar Castleberry will open in the coming weeks in historic Casteberry Hill. Similar to Chocolate Pink, this will make a great addition to Casteberry Hill. Repeat Atlanta!
Chef Gary Mennie returns to the kitchen! Mennie will helm Livingston at the renovated and renamed restaurant within the Georgian Terrace hotel downtown across from the FOX Theatre. Set to open this Friday, April 24, Livingston will unveil its new grand entrance at the corner of Ponce de Leon Ave and Peachtree St. and give Atlantans and theatergoers a new option for midtown dining. With a dining room designed by San Francisco based the Puccini Group, Livingston is known as the "crown jewel" of the hotel's renovation, and rightfully so as it looks stunning! The restaurant will also have a small cafe called MIMS adjacent to the restaurant with additional outdoor dining. Repeat Atlanta!
Pacci Ristorante at the Hotel Palomar is putting the finishing touches on its gorgeous restaurant. San Francisco restaurant design firm Puccini Group, founded by former Kimpton restaurant chief Bob Puccini, designed the eatery though Kimpton will manage the restaurant themselves. Repeat Atlanta had the opportunity to tour the restaurant last week and noticed a giant Georgia Tech inspired Penley to the left of the bar, a pleasant surprise to say the least. Too many restaurants have come to Atlanta in recent years with no appreciation for local art. Its always nice to see restaurant embracing local artists and landmarks. While we can't report on the food just yet, the interior is stunning. Repeat Atlanta!
Nonna Mia Cafe & Pizzeria will be opening its second location in the coming weeks in Midtown Atlanta. Its original location recently opened in New Orleans. The midtown eatery is located next to Zocalo at the corner of Piedmont Ave. and 10th St. in the old Sweet Devil Moon. Pizza seems to a popular food in Atlanta these days, Varasano's Pizzeria, Pizza Fusion and now Nonna Mia will have opened in the past six months. May the best pie win! Repeat Atlanta!
Atlanta's Here To Serve Restaurants announced this week it will offer delivery through Atlanta-based foodpeople.com. Delivery service will be available at all their restaurants with the exception of Noche in Virgina Highland. Its too early to tell what effect this will have on their sales, but obviously a good marketing strategy to reach those would be diners not interested in driving to the restaurant, tipping the server and valet. The delivery service does not allow for you to accrue "Friends of Tom" points nor can you use any gift cards or certificates for payment. Additional, deliveries will only be made within a five-mile radius of the restaurant from which you are ordering. If this is a successful venture, I would not be surprised to see Buckhead Life Restaurant Group follow suit in offering delivery to its customers. Repeat Atlanta!
Local favorite Hal's on Old Ivy is more than doubling its size. Widely considered to serve the best steak in the city, Hal's is finally growing after packin' em in for 20 years. While it may seem strange for a high-end sit down restaurant to expand at a time like this, they are, and for the right reasons. Rather than build in anticipation of more business, they are enlarging to accommodate guests and groups they currently don't have the capacity to seat. Dining at Hal's this past Thursday night, it was clear why the expansion is needed and why many call Hal's "recession proof". Private dining for groups and additional seating will be available on the second floor of Hal's being constructed now and due to be completed in mid-September. Repeat Atlanta!
General Growth Properties who had hoped to avoid a Chapter 11 filing, has had to do just that, ending a seven-month effort to refinance its debt. It may have been weakened by a string of acquisitions, most notably, that of the Rouse Company for $11.3 billion in 2004. After becoming the second largest mall operator in the U.S., the company was unable to stabilize itself in the midst of the credit crunch and a decrease in both consumer spending and its property values. Locally, General Growth operates Perimeter Mall, North Point Mall, Cumberland Mall and Southlake Mall. It also owns four regional malls in Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah. Iconic national properties include the Shops at South Street Seaport in New York and Fashion Show in Las Vegas. The company has said that all properties will remain open as its goal is to emerge from bankruptcy a leaner and more profitable company. Repeat Atlanta!
According to unnamed sources, the owner/manager of Hot Stix at Lindbergh skipped town and left his employees no notice, nor did he pay them for hours prior to the abrupt closure. Many employees were said to have taken flat screen TVs and liquor from the restaurant when it became apparent they were not going to receive their paychecks. Outdoor patio furniture has also disappeared from the restaurant, presumably by angered employees looking to recoup something in lieu of no payment. When Repeat Atlanta stopped by earlier this week, much of the alcohol was gone from the bar and it was evident that at least two flat panel TVs were taken from walls and the patio furniture was missing. Repeat Atlanta!
With their first location opening tomorrow April 16th, there are already plans for a second location. Stephen Chan, founder of Tin Drum describes his latest venture, Wonderful World as comfort food at a comfortable price. While their first location adjacent to Tin Drum downtown will have a very simple menu of only three items, burgers, fries and drinks, the Emory location will have a little more variety but similar set-up and price point. Located in Emory Village next to All Fired Up, the second Wonderful World is set to open August 1st, just a few weeks before Emory University will be back in session. Repeat Atlanta!
The Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta has scored a gadget few hotels know of and all hotels should one day have. What is it you might ask, it the Microsoft Surface. Technology that can best be described as straight out of the Steven Spielberg thriller Minority Report. The coffee table sized units features multi-touch and object-sensing technology. You can watch the "Concierge Tour", given by Chef Concierge Richard Lara, view a city map, and even play a puzzle. The amazing thing about it all, its touchscreen and the images can be selected, enlarged and dragged by your hand alone. The puzzle maker seemed especially popular with the young guests as you can choose from a variety of pictures, then are given the option of easy, medium and hard to solve the puzzle. Basically, you are given the same picture, just with a smaller or larger number of pieces depending on the difficulty you select. Definitely a cool toy but its usefulness have yet to be proven as it is still in beta testing Repeat Atlanta!
As first reported by Repeat Atlanta, Minneapolis based Room & Board will open its first location in the Southeast this May in west midtown. Located within the redeveloped White Provisions, Room & Board is an exciting new retailer to Atlanta and is sure to be a hit with locals. Occupying 3 levels and a total of 34,000 s/f, the store is an ideal fit for the west midtown redevelopment. The store will open May 1. Repeat Atlanta!
Seemingly experiencing difficulty in landing new national retailers, SIMON property group's Phipps Plaza in Buckhead got creative in filling available space. With a new push toward signing local retailers, Jedal will be the first of a number of locally owned businesses to open with the posh Buckhead mall. Husband and wife Alessio and Jennifer Dainelli will open Jedal in the former Origins on the upper level of the mall above Tiffany & Co. A native of Italy, Alessio aims to bring high-end handbags, footwear and accessories rarely found outside Italy to Buckhead. Some of the designers that will be available include Carlo Pignatelli, Casadei, Les Tropezzeines, Le Silla, Gianmarco Lorenzi, Gianni Barbato, Giuseppe Zanotti, Roberto Cavalli, Barbara Bui, Blumarine and Rene Caovilla. The opening of the store is set for the last week of April. Repeat Atanta!
Z Gallerie, a home furnishings company based in Gardena, California has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. The company has local stores near North Point Mall, Perimeter Mall and at Atlantic Station and closed 21 stores this past March, but has not announced any future store closings. No one knows what the future will hold, but don't be surprised if this store is gone. Repeat Atlanta!
Starwood's St. Regis opened their 16th location in Buckhead yesterday. Located at 88 West Paces Ferry Road, the new hotel features 151 guest rooms and 53 residences. Paces 88 is their signature restaurant and is located on the fourth floor in the hotel. Plans call for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group to relocate their acclaimed Pano's adjacent to the hotel on the lobby level. The hotel feels more like a southern mansion than a hotel but will definitely find it difficult to keep their rates as high as they are now with so many alternatives in the area. The hotel features art from a number of local artists and features marble and mahogany in many public areas. Its likely the hotel will do well the first few months, whether the " if you build it, they will come" mentality will hold true long term is more of a question. Judging from the rate drops as other Buckhead hotels such as the Mansion and Intercontinental should serve as good examples of what luxury hotels are being forced to do to remain competitive in this market, especially in Buckhead. Repeat Atlanta!
A recent posting on Repeat Atlanta caused a lot of controversy concerning Atlantic Station. With a lot of response to the posting, The Repeaters deemed it necessary to get a final vote and here are the results:
1. Decent, but needs improvement(s) [33%]
2. Fills a void, but not the best [32%]
3. Not a place I'd go or take anyone for any reason [13%]
4. Excellent development in every way [7%]
5. Frankly my dear I don't give a damn [6%]
6. Give me back that abandoned steel mill! [5%]
In other Coke news, plans call for their new fountain machine to be tested locally this Spring. A proprietary design, the new machine will use highly concentrated syrups to have the capability of producing 108 different beverages in the same space as the normal eight-valve machine. Consumers consistently say they want choice and Coke is responding with this revolutionary new machine. No word on where exactly the test locations will be but I'd say Willy's Mexicana Grill is good bet as they have tested numerous coke products in the past few years. Repeat Atlanta!
After debuting last summer at the Beijing Olympics, Coke has brought their newest machine home to Atlanta and other southerns states for domestic testing. SIMON property group's Discover Mills among others is testing the new Coke machines that give the consumer more of an experience when purchasing a beverage. Rather than a large plastic front like other vending machines, this new machine, developed by interactive marketing agency Sapient and electronics maker Samsung, feature a large interactive flat screen display. The screen shows you current Coke commercials as well as relevant mall information in addition to the sale of beverages. Purchasing a beverage from this machine is a little different, you touch the drink you want and are then able to view a virtual bottle, nutrition facts, serving size, etc. and the price of the product. Another convenient feature, these machine also accept Discover, AmEx, Visa and Mastercard credit cards making that ATM visit unnecessary. Simon gift cards will also be accepted for payment as the machines, with there being talk of incorporating music downloads into the experience in the future. When we happened upon this machine at Discover Mills in Neighborhood 2 near Levi's, few shoppers seemed to be familiar with the machine though kids were seen having fun interacting with the screen. Hopefully this interaction will "open happiness" for Coke who has diversified its beverage portfolio in recent years withe acquisitions of both Vitamin Water and FUZE. Repeat Atlanta!
The former Roadhouse Grill off Clairmont Rd. is going Greek. Mykonos Taverna is scheduled to open late April in the former restaurant space and will double as a nightclub late at night. With an eye-catching new paint job, the interior was completely transformed now with marble walls and multi surface flooring. The restaurant will have a full bar, dance floor and outdoor dining. The restaurant may sound familiar to some as a sister restaurant opened earlier this year in Marietta on Cobb Parkway. With a large Greek neighborhood a stones throw from the restaurant, the restaurant is sure to have a built in clientele aside from anyone wanting a tasty gyro. Repeat Atlanta!
The space that formerly housed Vine restaurant in Virgina Highlands is said to be opening soon as DBA Barbecue. As strange as it sounds, the "DBA" in DBA Barbecue does stand for "Doing Business As". VINE had a niche following amongst local foodies but was unable to stay afloat and was forced to close. DBA sounds interesting enough, but time will tell whether DBA will be instead be DOA. Repeat Atlanta!
Downtown Atlanta was to have its very own Hotel Indigo, but with the economy being what it is, and RevPAR amongst Atlanta hotels being hit just as hard there was talk it may never happen. Destined for the Carnegie Building downtown, this would have been InterContinental Hotels Group second Hotel Indigo in metro Atlanta. The first ever in the entire chain is just a couple miles down the road across the street from the FOX Theatre. While there had been little talk of late, Repeat Atlanta confirmed this week the Hotel is an Indi-go but from the looks of the interior is far from opening. Whenever it does open it will have a brand new logo to display as just recently the chain tweaked their logo on their website and will implement the change company-wide soon Repeat Atlanta!
Tin Drum Asia Cafe, with a growing number of metro locations is getting into another business, burgers and fries. Wonderful World of Burgers and Fries is scheduled to open April 15 adjacent to the current Tin Drum at Broad and Peachtree in downtown Atlanta. Tin Drum opened last year in the space that formerly Fogao Gaucho, a Brazilian Churrascaria. Its unknown what exactly owner Stephen Chan has up his sleeve with this new venture, but if its anything like Tin Drum, its sure to be a hit! Repeat Atlanta!
