[ACTION!] CMX CinéBistro Open in Peachtree Corners, Coming Soon to Halcyon

A new location of CMX CinéBistro opened earlier this month in metro Atlanta and the company is bullish on the market for additional locations.  The new approximately 35,000 square foot CinéBistro which anchors the new Peachtree Corners Town Center development is located along Peachtree Parkway, across the street from The Forum.  The theater, officially located at 5180 Town Center Boulevard,  features six screens, a full bar and premium in-theater dining options.

[LEAKED] Phipps Plaza "Scores" Pinstripes Bowling Concept, Food Hall Canned

Redevelopment of the former Belk is well underway at Buckhead's Phipps Plaza and in addition to the previously announced fitness, office and hotel components, a bowling venue will also be part of the project.  Michelle Smart, Vice President of Leasing at Simon Property Group, shared the news Tuesday evening at Davio's at Phipps Plaza, where she was the guest speaker for a YARA (Young Atlanta Retail Alliance) meeting.

[ALERT] Fuddrucker's to Serve its Final Burgers in Kennesaw This Summer

The Fuddrucker's restaurant in Kennesaw is closing later this summer.  The restaurant, at 2708 Town Center Drive, is situated just off Ernest Barrett Parkway, close to the Macy's Furniture Gallery in an out-parcel of Town Center at Cobb.  Cobb County property records indicate the restaurant was built in 1994 and has reportedly operated as a Fuddrucker's for the duration of its twenty-five year existence. 

[CLOSURE ALERT] Francesca's Finished at Emory Point

Women's boutique Francesca's is actively liquidating their store at Emory Point ahead of their planned March 27 closure.  The shop, located in phase one of the 127,000 square foot mixed-use development, opened with the project in 2013.  Francesca's occupies a 938 square foot space adjacent to the parking garage and across from The General Muir, easily the development's most popular attraction.

[TAPPED OUT] Gordon Biersch in Buckhead Has Closed

Gordon Biersch has closed its brewery and restaurant in Buckhead.  The restaurant, located in Buckhead Place near the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree Roads, occupied a 11,500 square foot space in the center which property owner Coro is already marketing for lease.  The restaurant reportedly closed after the close of business this past Sunday night.  

[EXCLUSIVE] Five Daughters Bakery Coming to Westside Provisions District

A second location of Five Daughters Bakery is coming soon to Atlanta.  The new outpost of the popular bakery will open along Howell Mill Road at Westside Provisions District.  The new bakery will open in the former dtox juice shop space in the breezeway between Knoll and Room & Board at the West Midtown destination.  Dtox closed recently, but remains open in Buckhead near Chastain Park, in Virginia-Highland, and in the new 365 by Whole Foods Market near Decatur.  

[COMING SOON] Pho 24 Finds Space in Smyrna

The eighth location of Vietnamese eatery Pho 24 is bound for Smyrna.  The new restaurant will open at The Shops at Belmont, a redevelopment at the corner of Windy Hill and Atlanta Roads.  Pho 24 will occupy suites 3A-3C and replaces original tenant Opa Greek Village Taverna which opened with the first phase of the center in 2016.  The 3,850 square foot Greek restaurant closed without warning at the end of last year with local sources indicating it was due to a "tax issue."  

[CLOSURE ALERT] After Just One Year, Sage Woodfire Tavern Buckhead Has Been Extinguished

Sage Woodfire Tavern has closed its Buckhead outpost at 3379 Peachtree Road between the W and Westin hotels.  The restaurant opened about a year ago in the roughly 11,500 square foot former Morton's The Steakhouse, which closed in early 2012.  Sage reportedly closed effective today, having served its final meals over the weekend.  

[CLOSURE ALERT] Food 101 Shutters in Sandy Springs

Food 101 at 4969 Roswell Road in south Sandy Springs closed Sunday after about 20 years in business.  The restaurantoccupied a corner suite near the intersection of East Belle Isle and Roswell Roads in Belle Isle Square.  Food 101 is the flagship restaurant of Atlanta-based 101 Concepts, operators of a half dozen other restaurants around Atlanta including Meehan's Public House in Sandy Springs, Downtown, Atlantic Station and Vinings.  

[UPDATE] Pancake Social to "Soft Open" Starting Monday

Pancake Social, the highly anticipated all-day breakfast eatery at Ponce City Market, will "soft open" Monday according to a source familiar with the restaurant's plans.  The new restaurant will operate from 8 am through 3 pm this week.  The restaurant is located along North Avenue, around the corner from Mountain High Outfitters and across from the former Masquerade. 

[UPDATE] Loteria Grill Open in Buckhead, Opening Soon in Decatur

Loteria Grill, a restaurant we predicted in January might never open, has done just that: opened!  The first of two Atlanta area Loteria Grill restaurants officially opened Saturday within the 365 by Whole Foods Market at Paces Ferry Plaza in Buckhead.  A second location is slated to open within the 365 by Whole Foods Market in North Decatur Square next month.  It's unclear what led to the restaurant's delay from their previously planned December openings to January to April and then back to March, in the case of the Buckhead location.  

[BREAKING NEWS] Jamestown Has Reportedly Purchased The Shops Buckhead Atlanta

German-backed private equity firm Jamestown has reportedly closed on its purchase of The Shops Buckhead Atlanta according to multiple sources familiar with the transaction, but who spoke to ToNeTo Atlanta on the condition of anonymity given the transaction has not yet been made public.  The purchase, which reportedly closed last week, gives the beleaguered center its third overall owner.  Sources familiar with the transaction indicated the purchase price was between $175 million and $200 million.

[FUN FACT] Pho King Finds Space at The Place on Ponce in Decatur

Local Vietnamese restaurant Pho King will open later this spring in Decatur.  The new restaurant, which will be the group's third in metro Atlanta, will open in the street level retail of "The Place on Ponce" apartment complex along West Ponce de Leon Avenue.  Specifically, Pho King will replace the 2,600 square foot former Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe which closed last May after a little more than two years in business. 

[Holy Smokes!] City Barbeque Signs on For New Space in Sandy Springs

City Barbeque, the Dublin, Ohio-based barbeque restaurant that currently operates two locations in metro Atlanta, has a third coming soon to Sandy Springs.  The new restaurant will open in Abernathy Square at the corner of Roswell and Abernathy Roads.  In the Publix anchored center the barbeque eatery will open in place of Dantanna's, which closed last January after about three and half years in business.  

The first Atlanta area City Barbeque in Decatur 

[OPA!] Grecian Gyro Wraps Up Former Blue Coast Burrito For New Location

The former Blue Coast Burrito on Northside Drive in Atlanta will soon reopen as a new Grecian Gyro location.  The Blue Coast Burrito restaurant, a single unit franchise of the Nashville-based chain, closed this past December after about a year in business.  Local sandwich shop Rising Roll Gourmet previously occupied the space.   The roughly 2,300 square foot second generation restaurant space is on an endcap of the Berkeley Heights Retail at 1700 Northside Drive just off I-75 and provides visibility from the road and also features a patio.

[UPDATE] Renderings Revealed But Kroger Embry Village Delayed Again

The renovation and expansion of the Kroger at Embry Village on Chamblee Tucker Road is reportedly still happening, but is unfortunately delayed again.  The project was first announced in early 2016, with plans to start work that fall.  A number of other Kroger expansions and new stores were delayed or cancelled in the months since, then leading many to speculate that the Embry Village store renovation would suffer a similar fate.

Fifth Third Bank Cashes in on Former Chamblee Chicken Spot

A new Fifth Third Bank will be opening in place of the onetime El Pollo Loco restaurant at 3931 Buford Highway in Chamblee.  El Pollo Loco Chamblee, one of the California chain's most successful locations in metro Atlanta, closed in late 2011 amidst a complete withdrawal from the state.

[DEAL ALERT] Best Buy to Open "Best Buy Outlet" in Kennesaw, Other Retailers Take Note

Electronics retailer Best Buy plans to open a second store in Kennesaw, but this one will be different than most of its stores.  Labeled a "Best Buy Outlet," the new Best Buy store will open near the mainline store, but will carry only open box, returned and clearance merchandise.  According to a Best Buy representative, shoppers can save up to 50 percent on outlet products, including clearance and open-box appliances, TVs, laptops, accessories and more. 

Inside the Best Buy Outlet in Raleigh, NC

Bella Bag Belly Up at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta

Luxury handbag and accessory consignment retailer Bella Bag has closed its boutique along Peachtree Road at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.  The store, referred to as the company's "flagship," opened in the troubled mixed-use development in late 2014, having previously been located on Miami Circle.  Bella Bag founder Cassandra Connors started the business in 2005 before opening the Miami Circle showroom in 2012.

Cassandra Connors with a Chanel Handbag - Photo courtesy of CatMax Photography 

[UPDATE] ROSS Open, Marshalls Opening Thursday at Roswell Village Shopping Center

The reinvention of a largely abandoned Roswell area shopping center is well underway.  A new ROSS Dress For Less opened this past Saturday and will this Thursday be followed by the opening of a new Marshalls.  The two stores share a former Publix Super Market space in Roswell Village shopping center.   

[Vroom Vroom] Clutch To Open in Former Montie's in Brookhaven

Entrepreneur Lemont Bradley plans to open a new restaurant, Clutch,  in the coming weeks in the former Montie's Public House on Buford Highway in Brookhaven.  Montie's, a popular neighborhood bar, closed last January after about nine and a half years in business.  Prior to Montie's, the building was home to Zuffy's Place which was itself a relocation of sorts of the former Fuzzy's Place from North Druid Hills Road.   

[GAME OVER] Dave & Buster's Closed in Duluth

Dave & Buster's has closed its Duluth location at 4000 Venture Drive, not far from Gwinnett Place Mall.  The family activity center, the second opened in metro Atlanta by the Dallas, Texas-based chain, occupied a portion of the former Incredible Universe mega store and opened in 1999.  According to its website, the Duluth Dave & Buster's closed permanently as of this past Monday, March 4.  

[ALERT] Retailer Zara to Triple Size of Lenox Square Store

Fast fashion retailer Zara plans to more than triple the size of its current store at Lenox Square in Buckhead.  The existing store, located on the second floor of the Neiman Marcus "Luxury Wing," is due to increase is size from just over 10,000 to over 30,000 square feet.  To accomplish this, the retailer is taking over a total of five adjacent spaces, including the vacant second floor of the Ralph Lauren store.  ToNeTo Atlanta first reported that Zara was eyeing the Ralph Lauren space upon their closure last January.  

The current Zara at Lenox Square 

[CLOSURE ALERT] Burger King No Longer Open in Norcross

The Burger King restaurant at 4057 Holcomb Bridge Road in Norcross has closed.  The restaurant, located at the corner of Spalding Drive and Holcomb Bridge Road, had been in business more than 30 years before abruptly closing this past Saturday.  Signs posted to the shuttered restaurant's doors directed would-be patrons to the Burger King at 3215 Peachtree Corners Circle, about two miles away.  

[UPDATE] Pollo Campero Coming to Former Pollo Tropical in Marietta

ToNeTo Atlanta first reported in December that Pollo Campero was likely replacing the former Pollo Tropical in Marietta Trade Center.  We can now confirm that is true.  That said, as we now enter March, zero noticeable work has been done to the restaurant itself and the only indication of anything is the sign attached to the restaurant's exterior indicating that Pollo Campero is "coming soon." 

[EARLY CHECK IN] IHG Bringing New Avid Hotels Brand to Georgia

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), with North American headquarters in Dunwoody, plans to bring its new avid hotels brand to Georgia next year.  The new avid hotel is planned for 200 Outlet Parkway in Pooler, a suburb of Savannah.  Specifically, the hotel will open adjacent to the Tanger Outlets.

 A rendering of a typical avid hotels property 

[UPDATE] Two Years After Opening, Chuy's in Akers Mill Square Near Cumberland Mall Has Closed

Just over two years after its Cumberland area debut, Chuy's, a Tex-Mex eatery, has closed its location in Akers Mill Square. The roughly 6,500 square foot restaurant opened in late February 2017 and closed this past Friday March 1.  There was reportedly no advance warning to customers of the closure.

[UPDATE] Owners of Rose & Crown Tavern Opening Mojave

The owners of Rose & Crown Tavern on Powers Ferry Road are planning to open a second restaurant next month.  The new restaurant, Mojave, will open in place of the short-lived Ray's Rio Bravo on Powers Ferry Road near the  Chattahoochee River.  Rio Bravo closed in early 2017 after than two years in business.  ToNeTo Atlanta previously reported that Ray Schoenbaum, who opened the restaurant and purchased the restaurant and its property, had put it up for sale or lease.   

[UPDATE] Landmark Diner Jr. Has Closed on Cheshire Bridge Road

Landmark Diner Jr. has closed its location on Cheshire Bridge Road.  The restaurant, an offshoot of Buckhead's Landmark Diner, opened in 2005 and reportedly closed quietly earlier this week.  The restaurant, which was open 24/7, featured a huge menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner options ranging from traditional egg plates to steaks, shrimp entrees and gyros. 

Photo courtesy of Russell Youngblood 

[UPDATE] HomeGoods Finally Under Construction on the Westside

A new HomeGoods is finally under construction on the Westside, over two years after ToNeTo Atlanta first reported it was coming.  Slated to occupy much of the former ROSS Dress For Less in The District at Howell Mill, the new HomeGoods will join fellow TJX Co. brand T.J. Maxx in the mixed-use development.

[UPDATE] Tesla to Close "Most" of its Retail Stores

In an effort to remain "financially stable," electric automaker Tesla announced plans Thursday to close "most" of their retail stores over "the next few months."   The announcement, which coincided with the release of updated information and pricing of the Model 3, sent shock-waves throughout many industries, among them, mall operators, many of whom have Tesla stores and galleries in their "A" malls.

[OPPORTUNITY] 40 Acre Site in Southeast Atlanta Being Marketed as "The Sawtell"

A forty acre site in southeast Atlanta is being marketed as a "rare infill opportunity" with the potential to reshape a blighted area.  The property, located at 315 McDonough Boulevard in Chosewood Park in Fulton County, is being marketed as "The Sawtell" by ​JLL’s Land & Development Services team.  The property, formerly home to a General Motors (GM) assembly plant (aka Lakewood Plant), bound by McDonough Boulevard and Sawtell Avenue, has in recent years been used as a location for filming the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, among other projects.