Thursday, July 14, 2016

Bits & Bites

The new PNC Bank in East Cobb at Johnson Ferry & Lower Roswell Roads is slated to open July 18th.  Its opening will coincide with the closures of the Lassiter and Woodlawn branches. 

The new Cheeky at Gateway in Sandy Springs is currently targeting an August 15th opening.  Cheeky, a Mexican restaurant and bar, has four existing locations in Forsyth, Norcross, Suwanee and East Cobb.  

A new French bakery called Cafe Vendome was planning to open today, July 14th (Bastille Day), but has pushed its opening to August 7th.  The Bakery & cafe, which will sell macarons, croissants, assorted other pastries and sandwiches, is located on the back side of Belle Isle Square on Roswell Road across from Fountain Oaks shopping center.  The center also includes Food 101 and Cibo e Beve, among other tenants.  Cafe Vendome opens in a space that has been home to a number of failed restaurants over the years, most recently Creole Nouvelle, a Cajun eatery, and Fishmonger, a seafood restaurant before that.   

Boutique Bargains Warehouse Sale is returning to Atlantic Station July 22nd and 23rd, featuring savings of 50 to 70% off retail prices.  Over a dozen Atlanta area boutiques are scheduled to participate including Sandpiper, Poppy's, Kane, Bill Hallman, Range and The Bilt-House.  

Bon Glaze, a gourmet doughnut shop, plans to open July 23rd at Powers Ferry Square on Roswell Road in Buckhead. The Buckhead location will also serve New Orleans-style Italian Ice.  The first Bon Glaze opened in Brookeigh Marketplace on Johnson Ferry Road in Brookhaven. 

Richards' Southern Fried is officially opened at Krog Street Market.  The counter service restaurant features Richards' famous fried chicken as well as "hot" chicken.   Todd Richards, formerly of The Cafe at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead and The Pig & The Pearl at Atlantic Station, became executive chef at downtown's White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails last year.  Richards' Southern Fried is an extension of that partnership with WOKC owners Alan & Cindy LeBlanc.  
LongHorn Steakhouse at Toco Hills is slated to open August 8th. The freestanding restaurant was largely destroyed in a June 2014 fire and its reconstruction was  delayed multiple times for a variety of reasons. 

Romano's Macaroni Grill has closed its freestanding restaurant at The Shoppes at Webb Gin in Snellville.  The restaurant chain was started by serial restaurateur Philip J. Romano (also founder of Fuddruckers and EatZi's among other concepts) in 1988 before being sold to multi-unit operator Brinker International in 1989.  After a number of subsequent sales the chain is today owned by Phoenix, Arizona-based Redrock Partners, LLC.  The Snellville closure follows the closure of the chain's Dunwoody restaurant in 2013.  Macaroni Grill continues to operates Atlanta area restaurants in Alpharetta, Buford and West Cobb.     

Calling itself the "Chastain Park" location, a new pure barre franchise is preparing to open next month at Fountain Oaks shopping center on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.  

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was this on Lower Roswell, or Roswell proper?

Ham said...

It seems strange that with all the new development in Snellville that The Shoppes at Webb Gin seems to have such difficulty holding on to tenants. I suppose it could simply be corporate cut backs that have nothing to do with this specific center. I also wonder about the questionable design of this location and if management is doing enough to attract and maintain top notch stores.

Anonymous said...

Macaroni Grill downsized their portion sizes significantly. I frequented the Webb Gin location and noticed that they were never as busy after this and some menu changes. So I am not surprised, as the restaurant has been there since the opening of the Avenues. Now Olive Garden in front of Academy Sports + Outdoors is always packed, but there food is disgusting to me and their clientele reflects that chain not-really-Italian food palate.

The Shoppes Webb Gin has been a victim to many corporate retail changes and closures. Opinion is that they have done well otherwise, in spit of the horrible split property. The Avenues never should have designed or built this location, but I guess they consider themselves lucky to have sold it to the Shoppes developers. Scenic Highway will be bust in 10-15 years as there is no way all this booming chain store mecca and traffic nightmare can continue.

Anonymous said...

Great reporting as usual. The French Cafe sounds good - I didn't know there was a back side of Belle Island.

Yeah for Toco Hills Lone Horn. I bet it will be packed.

I ate at the Snellville Macaroni Grill once. I thought the food looked great but it was tasteless. Have never been to any other location. I could see parking being an issue there.

jeff a. taylor said...

It is Roswell and JF. So what does this mean for the Woodlawn/JF parcel that is now empty with both Baked and PNC leaving?

Anonymous said...

Not surprised about Macaron Grille. Evry time I went ther yhey had lots of poops in the commode. No one can flus it? Serously. And whay is Shoppees? Like long John's?. It was Avnues before.

Anonymous said...

^ Poster 10:43 PM is an illiterate plumber? ^

Steve Barton said...

Thumbs up, 2:26pm.

Anonymous said...

macaroni grill shutting down in a lot of places the facebook page has people saying they shut down in tampa all locations so not surprised if they all are gone. sad agree olive garden is gross faux italian.

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