[EXCLUSIVE] Chick-fil-A Planning Huge New Restaurant in Alpharetta

The operator of an Alpharetta Chick-fil-A restaurant is planning to demolish his current restaurant and build a new, bigger, more efficient location in its place. David Thornsberry, who has operated the freestanding Chick-fil-A on North Point Parkway since it opened on December 16, 1993, wants to replace the current 4,446 square foot restaurant with a new 7,855 square foot restaurant or about a 77 percent increase in floor space.  

Rendering of the planned replacement to the existing North Point Chick-fil-A 

[EXCLUSIVE] Indian Eatery Hyderabad House Opening Soon in Dunwoody

A new Indian eatery will soon open in Dunwoody.  Hyderabad House is slated to open soon in the former Applebee's at the Super Target anchored Perimeter Place shopping center.  Applebee's closed in April 2017 and its roughly 5,300 square foot freestanding space has sat vacant in the years since.  Hyderabad House, is named for Hyderabad, the capital and largest city of Telangana in south-central India.  

[EXCLUSIVE] New Plan Emerges at Former Doraville Kmart

The former Doraville Kmart site has new owners who are pitching a new redevelopment plan.  Previously known as "Nexus," new ownership has rechristened the project "Lotus Grove," with plans to add restaurants, retail, hotel, and multifamily housing, among other things, to the site.  Kmart, which opened along Buford Highway in 1971, closed its store in 2010.  Since then, there have been several ideas floated about a possible redevelopment of the 13.5 acre site.

[EXCLUSIVE] Popular South Florida Mofongo Eatery Opening in Marietta

Chef Jimmy Carey, known to some as "Miami’s master of mofongo," will be opening a new location of his popular restaurant Jimmy'z Kitchen in metro Atlanta.  The new eatery, to be located at 2468 Windy Hill Road in Marietta, replaces a similar eatery that closed this summer.  

[UPDATE] Del Taco to Open in Tucker Soon, Buford Later

In early December, Del Taco will open its highly anticipated new location on LaVista Road in Tucker.  The restaurant, located in an outparcel of the Target at LaVista Road and Northlake Parkway, replaces a Pollo Tropical which closed late last year amidst the Florida based chain's complete withdrawal from the Atlanta market.  The Tucker site is among five former Pollo Tropical restaurants that Del Taco has taken over and converted in the metro Atlanta area. 

[UPDATE] Huge New Zara Store Set to Reopen at Lenox Square

Fast fashion retailer Zara plans to open its newly enlarged store at Lenox Square Sunday, November 24, according to a store associate.   The store, which ToNeTo Atlanta first reported this past March, is more than triple the size of its previous space, spanning more than 30,000 square feet on the second floor Neiman Marcus "Luxury Wing" at the popular Buckhead mall.

[UPDATE] Two Popular Buckhead Establishments to Ban Smoking in January

New York Prime announced Wednesday that both its restaurant and bar will become smoke free as of January 2, 2020. The restaurant, located in the lobby level of the MonarchTower office highrise at 3424 Peachtree Road in Buckhead, opened in early 2003, and has allowed cigar smoking in its bar since inception.  The Buckhead steakhouse, part of Charleston, South Carolina-based CentraArchy Restaurants, is one of three that the group operates, the other two being in Boca Raton and Myrtle Beach.  

[PIZZA PIZZA] Nancy's Pizzeria Slides into Roswell Shopping Center

A new location of Nancy's Pizzeria is coming to Roswell.  The Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza restaurant, which will be at least the seventh in Georgia, will open in Mansell Oaks Plaza, where it will occupy a corner space most recently home to Bombay Brasserie, an Indian restaurant. Bombay Brasserie was opened by Ricky Walia of Cafe Bombay and Masti fame, but after debuting in May 2016, closed about a year later.    

[Front Page News] Longstanding Little Five Points Restaurant to Shutter

Front Page News in Little Five Points will close its doors on Tuesday, December 31, according to a message from owner Josh Sagarin.  The restaurant was opened in 2002 by Sagarin and his former business partner Sean Keenan (who later opened Napoleon's in Oak Grove).  The Little Five Points location was the second, joining the first outpost on Crescent Avenue in Midtown, which opened in 1996.  The restaurants, which had a New Orleans theme and menu, were quite popular in their day, but the Atlanta dining scene has changed drastically in the roughly two decades since the restaurants' debut.    

[UPDATE] Two Popular Atlanta Area Restaurants Push Their Expansions to 2020

The second locations of two hugely popular Atlanta area restaurants are still happening, but are both delayed.  Aviva by Kameel, a popular Mediterranean eatery in the Peachtree Center food court aka "The Hub," announced plans early this year to open a satellite location in CODA, a new project between West Peachtree and Spring Streets in Midtown.  The restaurant, to be run by Kameel's son Nas, was to have opened this fall.  According to Nas, however, the restaurant is now delayed until "early 2020." 

Nas and his father Kameel earlier this year at CODA 

[EXCLUSIVE] Buffalo Wild Wings Relocation and Upgrades Planned in Alpharetta

Buffalo Wild Wings will in 2020 relocate their Alpharetta restaurant to a new location nearby.  The current Buffalo Wild Wings at 2375 Mansell Road will close, and a new Buffalo Wild Wings will open at 10890 Haynes Bridge Road.  The existing restaurant is about two miles from the future location.  The new Buffalo Wild Wings, aka B-Dubs, will sport the chain's latest design which includes "a more dominant bar that anchors the indoor and patio dining experience, all new fixtures and flooring, VIP spaces, free flowing and flexible seating areas and stadium-like A/V technologies with LED modular screens."

Rendering of the updated dining area at Buffalo Wild Wings 

[Muy Emocionante] Award Winning, Locally Owned Mexican Eatery Goes for Cinco in Dunwoody

A new Mexican restaurant is coming soon to Dunwoody.  The owners of Taqueria Los Hermanos plan to open a new location of their locally owned casual eatery in the old Wing Factory in the Shops of Dunwoody shopping center along Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody Village.  Wing Factory, which closed this past July, operated in Dunwoody for five years, and remains open in Chastain Park, Chamblee and Smyrna.  

[EXCLUSIVE] Restaurant Offering Cookie Dough Hummus and Chickpea Shake Coming to Dunwoody

A New York-based quick-serve Mediterranean franchise specializing in pita sandwiches is opening its first Atlanta area outpost in Dunwoody.  The new restaurant, The Hummus & Pita Co.,  will open in the 2,800 square foot corner space in Perimeter Place left vacant since last December when longtime tenant Boneheads closed.  The Hummus & Pita Co. serves what it sounds like: stuffed pita sandwiches, laffa wraps, bowls, and platters of meats, grains, and vegetables.  The fast-casual restaurant has taken some liberties with its hummus recipes, liberties that is hopes will set it apart from other similar options.  

[ALERT] Dutch Monkey Doughnuts Owners to Open New Concept

The owners of Dutch Monkey Doughnuts in Cumming will be opening a new concept inside a new luxury apartment community in Johns Creek. Located at the intersection of GA-141 and Bell Road in the heart of Johns Creek, "The Dutch" will be located at EVOQ Town Flats, a new 140 unit, 55+ apartment development.  The new concept will allow for Dutch Monkey owners, husband and wife Martin and Arpana-Satyu Burge, to offer patrons an expanded menu of items in addition to their award-winning doughnuts.  The Dutch will offer European style gourmet frites, soft serve ice cream and Counter Culture coffee.  

[UPDATE] Former 1KEPT Leased to Owners of Negril Village, Ms. Icey's

The owners of Negril Village in Midtown [and New York] and Ms. Icey's Kitchen & Bar near Decatur are planning to open a new concept in south Buckhead.  "Apt. 4B" is slated to open early next year and will occupy the former 1KEPT restaurant space at 2293 Peachtree Road.  1KEPT closed this past September after owner Thaddeus Keefe relocated to Colorado to return to his prior career in hotel restaurant management.  

[COMING SOON] Mikkey's Retro Grill Bringing Burgers & Shakes to Smyrna

A new restaurant called Mikkey's Retro Grill Express is coming soon to Smyrna.  The restaurant, an offshoot of a concept out of Chicago, will open in Village Pavilion, adjacent to Smyrna Market Village, along Atlanta Road.  The restaurant is opening in suite 300, a 1,300 square foot space that in 2017 was reportedly slated to open as "El Back Porch," a cocktail and small plates concept from Andre Gomez, operator of Porch Light Latin Kitchen in the same center.  

[UPDATE] Ponko Chicken to Replace Steel City Pops in Decatur

A deal was reached Tuesday for PONKO Chicken to open in place of Steel City Pops at 312 Church Street, just off the square, in downtown Decatur.  The longterm lease, orchestrated by Steve Josovitz of The Shumacher Group, was first reported by Decaturish.   The growing chicken franchise plans to open the new restaurant in early 2020.  The Decatur outpost is about 3,500 square feet, making it the chain's largest location.

[UPDATE] Buc-ee's Coming to Warner Robins, Calhoun

Buc-ee's, home of the world's cleanest bathrooms, confirmed Tuesday that its first location in Georgia will be in Warner Robins.  The Texas based company will break ground on their new location November 18 with a planned opening in early 2021.  The new Buc-ee's will be located on a roughly 20 acre site at the southeast corner of Interstate 75 and Russell Parkway in Peach County.  

[CLOSURE ALERT] Taziki's Shutters at Lenox Square in Buckhead

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe has closed its location within Lenox Square's "Fashion Cafe" in Buckhead.  The restaurant, a franchise of the Birmingham, Alabama based chain, opened in place of Subway in early 2016 and closed quietly within the past few days, according to local readers.  The Lenox outpost was one of several that a local franchise group opened in metro Atlanta over the past several years. 

[UPDATE] Flip Co-Founder Opening Big B's Fish Joint This Week in Sandy Springs

A new restaurant called Big B's Fish Joint plans to open Wednesday in Sandy Springs.   ToNeTo Atlanta first reported on the planned restaurant this past August.   The new fast-casual restaurant, which promises "genuine reel food," is opening in place of Verde Taqueria which closed at Gateway Sandy Springs along Roswell Road last July.   Barry Mills, co-founder of both FLIP Burger Boutique and upscale hot dog joint HD1, is behind the new seafood eatery.  Both the burger and hot dog joints were opened in partnership with chef Richard Blais, but the chef, who no longer lives in Georgia, is not involved in the new endeavor.   

[SPECIAL] Robert Talbott Blow Out Hits Buckhead

Luxury menswear retailer Robert Talbott is going through a restructuring of sorts and as a result was forced to liquidate all merchandise.  This situation has created a unique opportunity for residents in Atlanta where the "Robert Talbott Clearance Store" opened Thursday.  The store, located in the "Disco Kroger" shopping center at 3330 Piedmont Road, features the full line of Robert Talbott apparel and will continue to get new merchandise in the coming days and weeks.  

[CLOSURE ALERT] MidiCi Neapolitan Pizza Latest Franchise Flop in Midtown

MidiCi - The Neapolitan Pizza Company has closed its one and only Atlanta area location.  The full-service restaurant, located at the 999 Peachtree building in the heart of Midtown, opened early last year and  closed Thursday.  There was reportedly no advance warning of the closure of the 3,800 square foot restaurant.  The company took to Instagram late Thursday to officially confirm the closure and thank patrons and staff.   

[UPDATE] Sears Announced 96 More Store Closures, One in Metro Atlanta

Transform Holdco, the company formed in January to buy the remaining assets of bankrupt retailer Sears Holdings Corp., disclosed late Thursday that is plans to close an additional 96 stores by early 2020.  The closures - 51 Sears and 45 Kmart stores - will take place by late February with going-out-of-business sales at the affected stores expected to begin shortly after Black Friday, on December 2.  

[UPDATE] Wegmans Responds to Reported Store

We reported Monday that popular grocery store Wegmans had an LOI (letter of intent) in place for a proposed new store at Perimeter Pointe in Sandy Springs. This information was brought to us by a well respected and reliable Atlanta area real estate professional.  While it’s not uncommon for retailers, restaurants, hotels and other businesses to deny potential, or even confirmed plans they may have before they want the information out, a representative for Wegmans tells us that there is "no truth" to the “rumored” site we referenced, nor are there any plans to enter Georgia at this time. 

[UPDATE] Planned QuikTrip on Northside Drive Moving Forward

A new QuikTrip gas station and convenience store has finally begun to move forward in West Midtown.  The new QT will locate to the corner of Northside Drive and 10th Street, adjacent to the Arium Westside apartment complex and catty corner from an existing BP gas station and convenience store.  

Typical "Gen 3" QuikTrip 

[OPENING ALERT] Food Terminal to Arrive on the Westside This Weekend

The Westside location of Food Terminal is finally opening!  Restaurant co-owners Amy Wong and Howie Ewe plan to celebrate the grand opening of their popular Malaysian restaurant this coming Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9.  The original Food Terminal debuted March 2017 along Buford Highway in Chamblee.  

[EXCLUSIVE] Hugely Popular Regional Store Planning Georgia Debut

There is a store that, when it opens, thousands of people descend upon its doors.

There is a company that has appeared on Fortune's annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list every year since the list first appeared in 1998, and in 2018 was ranked No. 2  behind Salesforce.com.

There is a retailer that, despite the rise of internet shopping, still does incredibly well and continues to grow.

There is a store whose brand was used extensively in the popular NBC series "The Office."  

There is a store that was named "America's Favorite Grocery Store." 

[CLOSURE ALERT] Chili's Out Cold at Lindbergh City Center

Chili's Grill & Bar has closed its restaurant on Piedmont Road in Buckhead.  The approximately 5,900 square foot restaurant, located at 2440 Piedmont Road at the Lindbergh City Center, opened in 2007 and closed quietly "about a week ago," according to an employee at another nearby location.