Thursday, September 28, 2017

Starbucks Bringing Condensed Coffee Shop to Buckhead

Starbucks Coffee is planning to open a new location on Northside Parkway in Buckhead.  The new coffee shop, which planning materials show will be approximately 700 square feet, will function exclusively as a drive-thru business and will replace a four lane Bank of America ATM facility at 3370 Northside Parkway near its intersection with West Paces Ferry Road.
The new Starbucks will likely look similar to this but with a largely brick exterior
The Bank of America property, which Fulton county records show dates from 1963, was originally a Citizens & Southern branch (C&S).  It was demolished to make way for the new Starbucks.  Planning documents reflect that a single Bank of America ATM, with a drive-thru lane, will be part of the new development.  Additionally, a freestanding, full-service Bank of American branch remains in business in West Paces Ferry shopping center across the street.  

The parcel of land is a mere .38 acres and is situated between Steak 'n Shake and a Wells Fargo bank branch.  Planning documents suggest that the new Starbucks will have a small patio with seating for 18 despite its designation as a "drive-thru only" location.  The planning documents also show the new Starbucks will have only five parking spaces, three for general use and two handicapped.  

Permits filed with the City of Atlanta suggest that about $600,000 will be spent to construct the new Starbucks.

Drive-thru only Starbucks are rare, with few in the Atlanta market.  There is at least one, however, in metro Atlanta, on Powers Ferry Road at Terrell Mill Road, built with repurposed shipping containers.   

This 2013 article from the Starbucks Newsroom describes the launch of the company's "innovative" drive thru stores.  

An existing Starbucks in the West Paces Ferry shopping center across the street, without a drive-thru, is reportedly one of the chain's best performing locations and will remain open. 

Near the new Starbucks, at Paces Ferry Plaza, Caribou Coffee closed this past fall to make room for the 365 by Whole Foods Market which is currently under construction.  
  Elsewhere in Atlanta, Starbucks has recently opened, is opening soon and or in the planning stages of new locations.

Earlier this summer, Starbucks opened on Peachtree Road in Brookwood Hills in a former Wendy's restaurant and the chain is close to opening at New Northside Drive and Powers Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, also in a former Wendy's

Starbucks also recently opened a new location at Peachtree Station, the new Whole Foods Market anchored shopping center on Peachtree Boulevard in Chamblee.  

ToNeTo Atlanta also was first to report on upcoming Starbucks locations on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs at the new The Plaza at City Springs and on Piedmont Avenue in Piedmont Heights in a one-time bank building.   

Starbucks is also reportedly still interested in opening in the former Caribou Coffee on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs but has been delayed for unknown reasons.   

Sources indicate that Starbucks is moving forward with their planned location in Emory Commons, next to the new Blaze Pizza, in the Publix anchored center.   

A few miles north of the upcoming Northside Parkway Starbucks, the coffee shop's Cumberland Mall location closed earlier this summer, and is expected to reopen later this fall in a larger space. 

Are you excited for the addition of a new Starbucks to Buckhead?  Where do you go most often for coffee?  Do you think Starbucks is opening too many new locations?

Please share your thoughts below. 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

That will make the traffic even more fun right there. It's already a CLUSTER with Chick fil-A.

Anonymous said...

Your correct Jim. I work on Powers Ferry rd and travel to work around 8:30 - 9am. The line at times is literally out of the parking lot and overflowing into the road and creating traffic. In the meantime the traffic light turns green and cars in that lane are at a standstill! Glad that it is a least 3 lanes going southbound. I said the same thing when I saw it being built and now live it 5 times a week. They should have built it deeper into that shopping center and not so close to the dang road!

Anonymous said...


Way too many Starbucks everywhere. Can't wait for them to start closing.

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