Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Bits & Bites

Warrendale, Pennsylvania-based rue21 plans to open a new approximately 7,000 square foot store on the first floor of North Point Mall in Alpharetta.  The store will be located in the Sears wing and will take the place of two storefronts. Currently, plans call for the store to open early this summer. In addition to the North Point store, rue21 also plans to open a new store at The Shoppes at River Crossing in Macon. Both centers are owned and managed by General Growth Properties. (GGP)
Last August, I announced that a new Hudson Grille would be opening in Kennesaw. Now, over six months later, the restaurant is reportedly hoping to open April 1st. Hudson Grille Kennesaw will be 10,500 square feet and will occupy the former Bailey's Pub & Grille in an outparcel of Barrett Pavilion on Cobb Place Lane.   

A new business called "Bubble Cafe & Bakery" appears to be close to opening on Northside Drive at tenside near Georgia Tech.  As its name suggests, Bubble is slated to serve bubble tea, coffee and assorted baked goods.  

Also at tenside, Three Dollar Cafe plans to open what will be its ninth Georgia location.  The 2,700 square foot restaurant has reportedly been slowed by permitting / construction issues but plans to open within the next 30-60 days. 

A new Dunkin' Donuts has opened just off exit 14 of I-575 on Marietta Highway in Canton. The new roughly 2,000 square foot Dunkin' occupies an endcap of the newly constructed Canton Ridge shopping center, and includes a drive-thru.  

Einstein Bros Bagels has closed its location on Powers Ferry Road near Wildwood office park.  The bagel shop, along with neighboring former Caribou Coffee, are both now vacant but the space could be more appealing now that the two spaces could likely be combined into one.  

Georgetown Cupcake plans to open its new Buckhead Atlanta location March 7th.  The 2,700 square foot cupcake shop is located adjacent to Qing Mu and Doraku Sushi on East Paces Ferry Road.  

A Lockhart Popcorn kiosk is coming back to Lenox Square.  

A new Applebees is coming to Macon.  The new restaurant will be built on Zebulon Road just off I-475 in an outparcel of the Kohl's-anchored Plantation Village shopping center.  

According to Eater Atlanta, Abbatoir will close March 28th after a seven year run.  In its place, Ford Fry plans to open a new, as yet unnamed, restaurant.  This will mark Fry's third restaurant on the westside and eighth overall in metro Atlanta.  Most recently, Fry opened Superica, a "Mex-Tex" restaurant, at Krog Street Market.  My sources indicate that Fry plans to better utilize the existing patio / fireplace at Abbatoir and that the restaurant may be "Mediterranean influenced."  The concept is reportedly still being developed as Fry assembles his culinary team that will run the restaurant. Early word is that foodies will flock to the new concept (regardless of concept, service, or wait) and all press, food bloggers and journalists will call it the greatest thing since sliced bread...er well, since the last Fry concept opened.    

Two former car dealerships have been demolished on Church Street in Decatur to make way for hundreds of new apartments.  The parcel is sandwiched between Patel Plaza and Nalley Nissan and across the street from the new Tesla dealership.   "The Reserve Church Street" will be comprised of two U-shaped buildings consisting of 330 apartments. Atlanta-based Atlantic Realty Partners is developing the property as well as a similarly named project "The Reserve at The Ballpark."  The Reserve at The Ballpark will be comprised of 605 units and will be located at the new Braves stadium complex in Cobb county. Atlantic Realty is also nearing completion of their "Cyan on Peachtree" apartment building.  Cyan is a 23-story tower in Buckhead consisting of 330 units...built on land that was previously the home of Dante's Down the Hatch for over 40 years.    

11 comments:

AJ said...

A Chicago style popcorn cart in the only mall in Atlanta that has a Garrett's. Sounds like a wonderful idea...

Re: Ford Fry - Do you dislike his restaurants or is your comment just because of his current popularity? While I haven't been to all his restaurants, I've enjoyed every meal I've had at the restaurants I've been to and plan to go to the ones I haven't been to. Seems odd to make snide/sarcastic comments because of someone's success.

Anonymous said...

There's an XL pizza place next to the Texaco on Pharr in Buckhead. Has that always been there or is it opening? Never noticed it but their sign is massive so it caught my eye today.

Unknown said...

In the past he has spoken negatively of Ford Fry. We are fortunate to have him in Atlanta. Excellent restaurants all around.

Atlantan99 said...

RE: Ford Fry,

Thank you AJ and Douglas for your readership and comments. To clarify my comments, I feel that at this point, Ford Fry has ingrained in his head that anything he opens will be an immediate hit and that all will come from near and far to experience his latest creation. To a degree that is true, but, to have this "Midas complex" of sorts where you think all that you touch turns to gold is dangerous in the restaurant world. One minute his restaurant is the greatest, the next moment he opens a new restaurant. His hot goes to not and his latest "child" gets all the love and acclaim. Additionally, the service I've experienced at numerous Ford Fry concepts is far from what one would expect from restaurants of his caliber.

I appreciate your feedback and your continued readership.

Ham said...

I agree it seems strange to open another popcorn pace at Lenox, but then again I tried the Garrett’s and found it overpriced, stale and the service very rude.

Anonymous said...

The Lockhart cart was open before Garrett. It's upstairs, outside of BabyGap, Bath & Body Works, etc - on a cart on one of the new, wider bridges.

Anonymous said...

RE Einsteins Bagels / Caribou
This location is not visable from the street as you pass by.
Does that mean the rent is cheaper? Otherwise why would
a business locate there.

RE Ford Fry
Ford Fry has a significant Publicity machine promoting his restaurants. While the restaurants are good for Atlanta, they are over rated compared to all the favorable press they receive.

Thanks for another great report.

Esteban said...

Have you actually spoken with Ford Fry, like by phone or in person, about his plans and restaurants? You make it sound like he has said things that make him sound arrogant and Midas-like... but he's never come across that way in any interview I've read. It seems like you're projecting a lot.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, the XL Pizza replace Jersey Boys very recently. Their sign is definitely huge! If you try it, let us know.
~Anonymous II

Anonymous said...

Walking through Northpoint Mall, I'm afraid it has the potential to become the next Gwinnett Mall. I blame this on the Avalon! Some of us still appreciate a typical, indoor mall!

Ham said...

"Walking through Northpoint Mall, I'm afraid it has the potential to become the next Gwinnett Mall."

I suspect you’re right. Having worked in the Gwinnett Place Mall area before the Mall of Georgia it was shocking to see how far and quickly that area deteriorated. When concerns were raised the point was made that many Gwinnett Place shoppers lived in areas such as Peachtree Corners, Stone Mountain and Tucker. The assumption was that they would not travel out to Buford, but continue shopping at Gwinnett Place. This might have been true if the area had stayed the same, but after a few stores and restaurants closed folks started going somewhere else. Sadly once the dominos star falling it’s hard to stop them.

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