Sears to Shutter 72 Stores Soon, Southlake, Northlake and Gwinnett Place Malls Included

Sears Holdings announced earlier this afternoon that it plans to close about 100 “non-profitable” stores.  Of those stores, 72 will begin closing sales soon, with all stores expected to close by the end of the third quarter. In metro Atlanta, three Sears stores are slated for closure including those at Northlake Mall in Tucker, Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth and Southlake Mall in Morrow.  

Sears Gwinnett Place Mall with retro signage - courtesy Chris Burdett 

[UPDATE] West Elm Atlantic Station "Moving" to New Buckhead Store Near Lenox Square

Furniture and home decor retailer west elm, which ToNeTo Atlanta announced in November would be opening a new store at the Shops Around Lenox in Buckhead, is actually "moving" its Atlantic Station store to Buckhead, according to post on the Atlantic Station location's Instagram page Wednesday.   

Chase Cashes in on Former Doraville Doughnut Shop

The short-lived Krispy Kreme on Buford Highway in Doraville will soon reopen as a Chase Bank.  The freestanding restaurant opened in late 2013 and closed by early 2016.  The Doraville location, 5768 Buford Highway, was previously an abandoned Long John Silver's restaurant before it was demolished and rebuilt as the doughnut shop.  Property records indicate the site is .62 acres.  

Space Shop Seeks Space for Self Storage in City of Decatur

Atlanta-based Stein Investment Group is proposing a new three story self-storage facility on Clairemont Avenue at the northern edge of the City of Decatur.  The self-storage project would be built on an approximately one acre assemblage at 1119, 1121 and 1123 Clairemont Avenue, where currently three single family homes sit.  The property is across the street from the Decatur Family YMCA and also catty-corner from an existing Public Storage self-storage facility.  

Typical Space Shop via The Space Shop facebook page 

[OPENING ALERT] Savannah's Zunzi's to Open in Atlanta This Wednesday May 30

Zunzi's, a quick serve restaurant specializing in "South African inspired" fare that we first announced would be opening in Atlanta last August, is now in the homestretch and plans to open Wednesday May 30. The restaurant, located alongside Mr. C's and Fellini's Pizza at 1971 Howell Mill Road, occupies an approximately 2,300 space previously home to Salsa Havana.

Franchisee Bringing the Fun of Masti OTP to Johns Creek

A new location of Masti Fun Indian Street Eats is opening in Medlock Crossing shopping center in Johns Creek.  The restaurant, reportedly a franchise of the original Masti in Toco Hills, is expected to open Monday June 4.  The Johns Creek outpost replaced Planet Bombay, another Indian eatery, which itself replaced Mirko Pasta. The Toco Hills location which opened in early 2015 replaced Osteria Cibo Rustico, which had also replaced Mirko Pasta.  

Masti Toco Hills

Space Shop Self Storage Sets Sights on Spring Road in Smyrna

Atlanta-based The Space Shop plans to construct a new, nearly 100,000 square foot climate-controlled self-storage facility on Spring Road in Smyrna.  The site, located at 2520 Spring Road, is currently occupied by an abandoned shopping center that was previously condemned by the City of Smyrna to allow Spring Road to be widened.

[EXCLUSIVE] Breakers Korean BBQ Opening at Perimeter Mall

Perimeter Mall continues to grow its burgeoning food roster with plans to add Breakers Korean Grill & Barbecue in place of The Pub on the front side of the Dunwoody mall.  Breakers will open between Cowfish and Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria in a large portion of the former Hudson Grille most recently occupied by The Pub, which itself closed early this past January.  Breakers joins the recently opened Cinco Mexican Cantina as new dining additions to the General Growth Properties (GGP) owned mall.

Bits & Bites

A new quick-serve restaurant called Suri Mediterranean Grill opened Tuesday in the food court of Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody.  The restaurant, which replaced Subway, features classic Medterranean fare such as fattoush salad, falafel and shawarma.  Although Great Wraps Grill continues to operate in the mall, for some, Suri may fill the void  left when longtime Mediterranean mall eatery Hovan Gourmet closed in early 2013 after 35 years.  Hovan later reopened in Old Five Points shopping center in Brookhaven.   

[EXCLUSIVE] Pao Pao Ramen and Rolled Ice Cream Coming to Toco Hills

With the Toco Hills neighborhood digesting Sunday's closure of Bagel Palace, an updated site-plan indicates that two new eateries are coming soon to the center.  Pao Pao Ramen and Pao Pao Rolled Ice Cream will open in a portion of the former Shoe Center space, between Bishops Cut & Color and Kale Me Crazy, both of which were previously announced to be opening, but neither of which has yet opened.  

[EXCLUSIVE] Savi Provisions Swings For The Fences With Planned Location at The Battery Atlanta

Braves Development Company (BDC) confirmed today that Savi Provisions, the Atlanta-based specialty gourmet market, will open their seventh location at The Battery Atlanta in late 2019.  The new location comes on the heels of the market's recent openings in Buckhead on Pharr Road and in Decatur on West Ponce de Leon Avenue.    

Bits & Bites

A new location of Vitality Bowls is planned for Perimeter Place in Dunwoody.  The new healthy eatery will open in a 1,000 square foot space between Shane's Rib Shack and Your Pie that was previously home to Robek's, a smoothie franchise.  Vitality Bowls, a San Ramon, California-based franchise, features a menu of bowls, salads, paninis, smoothies, juices and assorted other health oriented items.  There are existing Atlanta area locations on Peachtree Street in Midtown and on Crosstown Drive in Peachtree City.  

Bagel Palace Bows Out at Toco Hills, Looking to Reopen "very close by"

In a development many feared was inevitable, the owners of Bagel Palace announced earlier this evening that tomorrow, May 20, will be their last day in business at Toco Hills.  The eatery, which was a neighborhood mainstay for 25 years, cited "current rent, under the new landlord [Edens] as having made it "impossible to stay."  Although the restaurant was not kosher, it was a popular eatery for the area's large Jewish community and those looking for good bagels and related fare. 

Hobnob Heading to Atlantic Station in 2019

On the heels of their planned expansion into Dunwoody, comes news that HOBNOB's next location will be in Atlantic Station.  The new HOBNOB will open in the renovated park in the heart of the mixed-use development.

[UPDATE] Taco Mac Returning to Marietta and Woodstock

Taco Mac is returning to Marietta and Woodstock after a four month hiatus.  Both Taco Mac restaurants originally opened in 1998,  and in January 2018, converted to "Morgan’s Sports Grill," a similar concept created by franchisee Rick Lindsay.   On Wednesday, May 30, the two restaurants, located at 9020 Highway 92 in Woodstock and 2650 Dallas Highway in Marietta, will reopen as part of the Taco Mac brand.  “Taco Mac will operate both of these restaurants as of May 30. The specific terms of the deal are not being disclosed.”   

[Sweet!] Culver's Secures Site in Sugar Hill

Culver's, the Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin-based quick-serve burger restaurant which entered the Georgia market in 2016, has secured at least one additional Atlanta area location.  Situated at 210 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard at its intersection with West Price Road, the chain plans to build an approximately 4,300 square foot restaurant on a roughly three acre parcel.   

Universal Joint and Steinbeck's Owners Planning New Concept in Atlanta

The owners of Universal Joint, Steinbeck's and Oakhurst Market are planning a new restaurant in a new neighborhood.  Marc Brennan, Tracy Crowley and chef Andy Gonzales plan to open an as yet unnamed new restaurant at 2316 Marietta Road in the coming months.  The 1,500 square foot 2316 building dates from 1920, and was for many years home to Adams Hardware.  The property is located near the corner of Bolton and Marietta Roads in northwest Atlanta.    

Opa! Vas Kouzina Opening in Historic Downtown Roswell

A new restaurant called Vas Kouzina is coming soon to historic downtown Roswell.  The restaurant, located at 942 Alpharetta Street, replaces Tutto Kitchen & Bar, which closed this past March after about three years in business.  Vas Kouzina, which translates to Vas Kitchen, is being opened by serial restaurateur Vasilios "Billy" Liakakos.  Liakakos claims to have had "had a hand in launching more than 18 restaurants in metro Atlanta," including Peachtree Diner, Sage Woodfire Tavern and Spice Brick Oven Kitchen. 

[NEWSFLASH] Little Alley Steak Buckhead Pushes Their Opening Again

In news that should surprise no one, the owners of Little Alley Steak will again not open their Buckhead restaurant at One Alliance Center when they said they would.  ToNeTo Atlanta chose not to make a big deal about their recent opening announcement as we feared they would again push their opening, which they have quietly done.  While other media announced in late March that Little Alley Steak Buckhead would open May 7, and later May 14, ToNeTo Atlanta has now confirmed that the restaurant is now not expected to open until "late May," according to an employee at the Roswell outpost. ToNeTo Atlanta was first to report on the restaurant's planned Buckhead debut in 2016 after which the restaurant announced a  planned July 1, 2017 debut.  

Bits & Bites

Flower Child has pushed its planned opening of their new restaurant at the Shops Around Lenox near Lenox Square in Buckhead from May 13 to early June.  The new healthy eatery, the sibling of neighboring Lenox Square eatery True Food Kitchen, is a quick-serve restaurant known for bowls, wraps and kombucha on tap.  The Buckhead outpost is the first in Atlanta for Phoenix, AZ based Fox Restaurants Concepts.  A second Atlanta area Flower Child is expected to open late this summer at City Springs in Sandy Springs.

[FINALLY!] Sad Suburban Shopping Center to See New Life

The owners of Roswell Village shopping center have secured leases with a number of new anchors to breathe new life into the aging suburban shopping center at the southwest corner of Highway 9 (Alpharetta Street) and Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell.  Once home to both a Publix Super Market as well as an Eckerd drugstore, the center, which was developed in 1973, has languished for years with low occupancy and few updates. 

H&M Doubles Down on North Point Mall, Significant Expansion Underway

Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M remains bullish on the Atlanta market despite headwinds in their overall business and sluggish sales globally.  The retailer, with over 4,000 stores around the world, including a dozen in the greater metro Atlanta area, plans to significantly expand their existing store at North Point Mall in Alpharetta.  North Point Mall, owned by mall operator General Growth Properties (GGP), has managed to continue to attract investments and retailers to the mall, despite the (false) narrative that the mall is dying.

[SCORE!] "Atlanta Pinball Museum" Being Pitched Via Kickstarter

Something called the Atlanta Pinball Museum (APM) is being proposed at an undisclosed location in West Midtown.  The business, which would include a beer & wine lounge and "free play" pinball, is being pitched to prospective investors via a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of raising $250,000.  Despite having only raised $18 $3,280 of their overall goal, the page also promotes a "Winter 2018" opening. (between us starting this post Wednesday and publishing Friday, the donations increased tremendously.) The Kickstarter page goes on to say "We will open with the largest collection of machines in Georgia."

[CLOSURE ALERT] Sports & Social Swallows Todd English Tavern at The Battery Atlanta

Todd English Tavern has closed at Live! at the Battery Atlanta.  The restaurant, which opened last April,was a partnership between Baltimore-based The Cordish Companies and celebrity chef Todd English.  A pre-recorded message at Sports & Social informs would-be patrons that Todd English Tavern is "no longer open" and that it is now part of Sports & Social.  Sources close to the restaurant indicate that it actually closed before the Atlanta Braves home opener on March 29th.  The restaurant's last Yelp review was received on March 14 and responded to on March 19 with no mention of the closure.   

[EXCLUSIVE] Netflix Series Stranger Things to Film at Gwinnett Place Mall

Something special is happening at Gwinnett Place Mall.  Known as a "dead mall," given its large number of empty storefronts, new stores have opened in the mall, a number of which are national chains.  The mall is buzzing with activity and there were more stores expected soon.  This is all true, but all the activity and new stores are only temporary, as the popular Netflix series Stranger Things will be filming at the mall, renamed "Starcourt Mall" for the production.

[UPDATE] The Daily in Alpharetta Has Been Pushed to 2019

Announced last July, Alpharetta's The Daily is not much closer to opening now than it was then.  Planned to replace the former The Varsity restaurant at the corner of Westside Parkway and Rainwater Drive which closed in February 2016, The Daily will include a total of approximately 14,000 square feet between seven separate spaces.  The largest space, approximately 3,123 square feet, has been leased to Nashville-based breakfast and lunch eatery Biscuit Love, with the smallest, a mere 400 square feet, set to be a King of Pops bar.  

[UPDATE] Lennar's Buckhead Village High-Rise to Feature One Retail Space

The Shopping Center Group has been retained by Lennar Multifamily Communities (LMC) to market the one retail space in their new Buckhead Village project.  The as-yet-unnamed project will rise at the corner of Irby Avenue and Roswell Road on the site of the former Rio Bravo restaurant.  The 20 story, 291 unit building is expected to start site prep this week, and projects completion by late 2019/early 2020.  The property had been eyed in 2008 for the construction of a Hampton Inn hotel.  

Chicago's Gino's Goes "Deep" into the South With Planned Opening in Poncey-Highland

Gino's East of Chicago is coming to Georgia with a location on North Highland Avenue in Poncey-Highland.  Established in 1966,  Chicago-based Gino's will replace the former Rize Artisan Pizza in Poncey-Highland in the ground floor retail space of the 675 N. Highland apartment complex.  Rize closed last August after less than a year in business. Its Sandy Springs location closed this past March and remains vacant.  

Classic Chicago Gino's 

[EXCLUSIVE] Sushi to Replace Smoke + Duck Sauce in Suburban Plaza

Smoke + Duck Sauce, the Asian fusion BBQ restaurant that restaurateur Gary Lin opened last February in Suburban Plaza, closed last night and will be converted into a sushi restaurant.  Although Lin still believes in the BBQ concept, he feels that a sushi restaurant is a better fit for the area.  

Say Nǐ Hǎo to Kong's Kitchen, a New Late-Night Chinese Delivery Restaurant Coming to Piedmont Heights

A new late-night Chinese eatery plans to open later this summer in Piedmont Heights. Restaurateur Tung Lee Kong filed permits with the City of Atlanta last month to open the new take-out and delivery only restaurant on Piedmont Avenue.   Kong's Kitchen, which he plans to open in June, is opening in a roughly 1,700 square foot space between Smith's Olde Bar and the former Ansley Antiques space.  Kong's Kitchen plans to stay open until around 3 a.m. to cater to late night bar and nightclub patrons.   

Kong's Kitchen is located between the former Ansley Antiques and Smith's Olde Bar 

[EXCLUSIVE] Loyal Q Team Opening Loyal Tavern on Canton Street in Roswell

The owners of new barbecue eatery Loyal Q are planning a sibling concept in historic downtown Roswell to be called Loyal Tavern.  The new restaurant, originally known as R. Rackhouse, is described as "sports bar-like" and will open at 950 Canton Street in place of The Chandlery, a retail shop that our friends at Scoop OTP reported closed during fall  2016.  The restaurant will reportedly feature traditional tavern fare and feature limited barbecue offerings from Loyal Q.  

[UPDATE] Northlake Mall Owner Says Project Progressing, Interest Strong

Recent news that the owners of North DeKalb Mall are finally progressing in their redevelopment brought renewed interest in the status of Northlake Mall.  ToNeTo Atlanta exclusively reported in early 2016 that Texas-based developer ATR Corinth Partners had purchased Northlake Mall and saw "tremendous potential" in its future prospects.  Over two years later, there is little visible evidence that any work has been done to bring anything new to the mall.  We reached out to Tony Ruggeri, partner at ATR, to get an update on the project. 

[UPDATE] DeKalb Planning Commission Votes to Deny RaceTrac & Wendy's Development

The DeKalb County Planning Commission met Tuesday night and recommended denial of all the requested rezoning and SLUP requests made by developer Jay Gipson.  The property is question is a roughly four acre assemblage at the corner of Clairmont & Briarcliff Roads on which Gipson was proposing to build a new RaceTrac, Wendy's and Express Oil.

[Privileged & Confidential] XXXXXX XXXXX To Open New Location in Sandy Springs

Norcross-based Waffle House plans to open a new location on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.  The new Waffle House would be built on a vacant outparcel of Loehmann's Plaza shopping center at 8610 Roswell Road, adjacent to the Sandy Springs Diner.  The parcel, which property documents indicate is seven tenths of an acre, is presently vacant, but with site work underway.  

[CLOSURE ALERT] Sears Shuttering Store at North Point Mall

Struggling retailer Sears quietly began liquidation sales at its store at North Point Mall in Alpharetta this past weekend.  The two level store, one of the mall's original anchors, was spared from recent closure lists [the most recent of which was released on April 20] but corporate apparently decided at the "last minute" to close the store, according to an employee at the store.  Liquidation sales started this past Friday with 10-30% off all in-stock merchandise including Lands End.  The store is expected to close no later than July 8.

The Local Pizzaiolo and Ebrik Coffee Room Both Pull Out of New Modera Sandy Springs Project

ToNeTo Atlanta has now confirmed that upstart Neapolitan pizza restaurant The Local Pizzaiolo and local coffee shop Ebrik Coffee Room have both scrapped their plans for locations at Modera Sandy Springs apartment project on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.  The businesses have both been removed from the property's website and their decisions to pull out have been confirmed by real estate sources.   

Bits & Bites

Michel Arnette of Word of Mouth Restaurants plans to open his latest restaurant, Arnette's Chop Shop, Friday Thursday, May 25 24 on Apple Valley Road in Brookhaven.  The restaurant anchors the new Apple Valley Brookhaven development.  Arnette's joins fellow Word of Mouth concepts HAVEN, Valenza, and Vero, all located on Dresden Drive in Brookhaven.   

Your Pie Lands at Embry Hills, Kroger Store Rebuild Still Up In The Air?

Athens-based quick-serve pizza restaurant Your Pie has leased the 2,854 square foot former Camille's Sidewalk Cafe in Embry Village shopping center.  The new pizza restaurant will mark the return of pizza to the complex after the closure of The Loop Pizza Grill in 2010.  Three Dollar Cafe opened in place of The Loop in early 2011.  Your Pie, like other quick-serve pizza restaurants, offers customized individual pizzas for about eight bucks.  

[OPENING ALERT] At Long Last! It's Nearly Bo Time in Chamblee

Over three years since ToNeTo Atlanta first announced their plans, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bojangles' is finally about open their new location on Buford Highway in Chamblee.  The new, approximately 3,400 square foot freestanding restaurant is expected to open Monday, May 7 in a freestanding building within Crossroads Village shopping center on Buford Highway near its intersection with Clairmont Road. 

The new Bojangles' as seen early last month