Burger 21 A Bust in Less Than 90 Days?

Burger joint "temporarily closed" in Snellville.

Bits & Bites

Pita by the Beirut Pita Mediterranean Street Food will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location this Friday, September 2nd, in Marietta Kennesaw.  The new restaurant was originally slated to open August 18th and later the 26th, but had its opening pushed to make sure everything was perfect. The restaurant is located on Prado Lane, just off Barrett Parkway, in a space previously occupied by Bob Steele Salon.  Pita has other locations in Peachtree City, Newnan, Dunwoody and Roswell.  

Brixx Hits a Wall in East Cobb

Pizza restaurant abruptly closes 

New Bowling Concept Bowlero Rolling into Georgia, Hopes to Open Before Turkey Day

Existing facility to be renovated and updated.

Developer Cashes in on Former Bank to Bring New Tenants to Northlake

This former bank building will soon be demolished

Former Wells Fargo to be replaced by three new businesses

You Are Not Tripping, Mellow Mushroom Morphed Into Mystic Moon in Lawrenceville

If you look closely, you can see the outline of Mel O. Mushroom on the yellow awning 

Lawrenceville pizzeria changes its name

Virginia Highland's Henry & June Announces Closure

Polarizing boutique owner throws in the towel

Bits & Bites

Spa Sydell at Brookwood Place 

Spa Sydell has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy....again.  The company previously filed for bankruptcy in 2009, exiting in 2012.  The original company was founded in 1982 with one location in Buckhead under the name of Sydell – Skin Care Salon.  Since 1982, the company grew to include many spas.   In metro Atlanta, locations include Alpharetta, Peachtree Parkway, Brookwood Place, Park Place, Cumming and Kennesaw. (Locations in Buckhead on West Paces Ferry Road, Roswell Corners  and in Cumberland Mall, among others, previously closed.) Today, Spa Sydell is owned by Reina Bermudez, who became Chief Executive Officer in 2011 after directing the company’s financial affairs for several years. A seventh location is being built out at The Shops at Merchants Walk in Huntsville.  I visited the Huntsville center this past weekend and saw what appeared to be a space  under construction.  It was the weekend, so it seemed as though the new location is still on track.  In the bankruptcy filing, Bermudez blamed the company's financial troubles on both a $250,000 loss the company sustained following the Valentine's Day weekend snow storm in 2014, as well as cost overruns from their Kennesaw location that opened last year.  Not mentioned in the filing was the fact that the metro Atlanta market has changed a lot since since Sydell's launch over three decades ago.  In addition to competition from luxury hotel spas, franchise spas like Massage Envy, Massage Heights and Elements Massage all have many Atlanta area locations, as does local upstart Natural Body Spa.  

Two Local Businesses Expand to New "Kingdoms"

King of Pops and A&R Ironworks are each expanding to new locations

Bits & Bites

DREAMDRY, a New York-based salon, will enter the Atlanta market tomorrow with a location in Powers Ferry Square in Buckhead.  The salon opens in place of GlowDry, a similar Atlanta-based business that was acquired by the New York firm.  DREAMDRY specializes in blowouts and updos, and was founded by fashion designer & stylist Rachel Zoe and former Creative Artists Agency veteran Robin Moraetes.  There are currently four DREAMDRY locations, including two in New York City and two in Chicago.  Designed in collaboration with local interior designer Heather Roberts, the Buckhead salon will feature 12 styling stations as well as their signature Jonathan Adler lighting and decor.  The Buckhead location will also feature makeup services from its sister beauty destination, PUCKER.

OTP Restaurant Pros Eye Vacant Buckhead Space

Little Alley Steak owners eyeing former Aja.

Townhomes Planned for Vacant Lawrenceville Highway Parcel

New townhome community planned near Decatur.

Macy's to Shutter 100 Stores, Atlanta Stores Likely to be Included

Macy's likely to disappear from more metro Atlanta malls 

Department store announces new store closures

DoubleTree Braches Out to Brookhaven

Existing Brookhaven hotel to be re-flagged.

Bits & Bites

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill will celebrate the opening of a new restaurant in Mall of Georgia in Buford on August 15th.  The 7,000 square foot restaurant will open in the onetime Coldwater Creek store in the mall's outdoor portion, "The Village."  (I'm impatiently waiting on something better to be done with the former Coldwater Creek outside Nordstrom at Phipps Plaza.)  Smokey Bones, developed by Darden Restaurants and later sold to Sun Capital Partners, currently operates Atlanta area restaurants in Lithonia, Peachtree City and Columbus.  

Contain Your Enthusiasm, Four New Self Storage Facilities Are Planned For Atlanta

I, like many Atlantans, am worried about what seems to be an endless onslaught on new "luxury apartments." Aside from their rents being out of the reach of many, in a number of cases, the complexes are replacing unique structures and/or trees.  

While these are all unfortunate byproducts of a multi-family development market on the upswing, the worst effect may be the increase in proposed self-storage facilities. 

Lindbergh Self Storage will soon open in place of the former Varsity Jr.  

The beloved Varsity Jr. on Lindbergh Drive was already a victim of this phenomenon, with workers nearing completion of the new self-storage and retail facility that is replacing it.

Starbucks Has a New Location Brewing on Piedmont Avenue

Coffee company planning new intown location.

EXCLUSIVE: 365 by Whole Foods Market Confirmed in Buckhead

Atlanta to get a second 365 by Whole Foods Market 

Clay's Sports Cafe "Scores" A New Location

Popular sports cafe has secured a new location in Sandy Springs

The City of Johns Creek Responds to 37 Main's Claims.

On the heels of last week's abrupt closure of 37 Main and the uproar that followed, the City of Johns Creek has responded, with a rather detailed explanation of the situation.  

Bits & Bites

Clay's Sports Cafe in Sandy Springs has officially closed. The restaurant and bar had been in business for 20+ years.  As I wrote about in early June, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken is taking the Clay's space and the adjacent former InstaLoan.  Clay's posted a notice on their building late last week detailing their closure and promising to "re-open again in Sandy Springs in the near future." The restaurant subsequently posted following on their website:  "To all valued Customers, Friends and Families: The Clay's Sports Cafe will TEMPORARY close its 6518 Roswell Rd NE location on Wednesday, July 27 before reopening a new location in Sandy springs with a similar menu. We appreciate your understanding, patience and support through this transition. Please stay tuned to this website for further updates about Clay's Sports Cafe new location in Sandy springs."

Holler & Dash Heading to New Markets, Could Metro Atlanta Be Next?

Holler & Dash in Homewood 

Earlier this spring, I traveled to Birmingham to check out a couple new concepts.   Among the places I visited was Holler & Dash Biscuit House, a new upscale breakfast and lunch eatery which opened in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood in March.