Wednesday, January 13, 2021

[BIG NEWS] Blaze and BBQ Business Follow Chicken Salad Chain to Buford

It can be a challenge to find good news to report lately, but we are pleased to be able to share that not one, but three new restaurants are headed to Buford! The restaurants, Chicken Salad Chick, Blaze Pizza and 'cue barbecue, are all opening in existing centers around Mall of Georgia, with the first having opened Tuesday. 

Chicken Salad Chick opened their newest Atlanta are location January 12 in Buford.  The restaurant, located in Mall of Georgia Crossing, is the 33rd in Georgia for the Auburn, Alabama-based chain and the first the company has opened in 2021. The new Buford outpost joins other recent Atlanta area openings in Johns Creek and Snellville, among others.  As the name suggests, the menu at Chicken Salad Chick leans heavily on chicken salad, but also features popular sides like grape salad, mac 'n cheese, and assorted soups and salads.  The eatery has but one dessert: buttercream frosted cookies from Cheryl's Cookies.  The 2,500 square foot Buford location occupies a portion of a former Men's Wearhouse in an outparcel building shared with Zoës Kitchen and Burger 21, among others.   Founded in Auburn, Alabama by Stacy and Kevin Brown in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick has today grown to more than 175 restaurants in 17 states. 

A new Blaze Pizza is slated to open in the corner space adjacent to Chicken Salad Chick in Mall of Georgia Crossing.  Carl Hoover, Operating Partner at Blazing South, the local franchise group, tells ToNeTo Atlanta that his team received their building permit this past week and plan to be open in late March or early April.  The new 2,800 square foot Blaze will be the fourth in metro Atlanta for Blazing South, which operates existing locations in Decatur, Cumberland and on the Westside.  The most popular item at Blaze is their 11 inch "build your own" pizza, where for about nine bucks you can get as many toppings as you want.  Blaze also features larger family pies and smaller kid pies, as well as assorted salads, "dough knots," and new cheesy bread, among other offerings.   The opening of Blaze in Buford marks the return of a quick-serve "build your own" pizza eatery to the area following the closure of Uncle Maddio's Pizza and its independent evolution as Pazzi's Pizza.  Started in 2011 by Rick and Elise Wetzel of Wetzel's Pretzels fame, Blaze Pizza and its local franchisees now operate more than 300 locations nationwide. 

The owners of popular OTP barbecue eatery 'cue barbecue plan to open their fifth location later this year.  The new 'cue, at 3350 Buford Drive in Buford, will replace Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which closed at the end of 2019 after opening at the end of 2017. (Aklat Mediterranean Cafe, and before that, Radio Shack, previously occupied the space 'cue has leased.)  The new BBQ joint will join existing eateries in the small strip center including Chipotle Mexican Grill, J Buffalo Wings, Parma Tavern and Firehouse Subs, among others.  The barbecue restaurant is a casual table service eatery which promises to "Make everything from scratch and make it yummy."    Founded in 2009, 'cue today has four Atlanta area locations in Milton, Cumming, Lawrenceville and Peachtree Corners.  The new Buford outpost will be the second franchise of the local chain joining the Lawrenceville franchise which opened in 2019.  Pending hiring and limited interior modifications, plans call for the Buford 'cue to open sometime in late February or early March.  

Are you excited for the new eating options in Buford?  Have you been to any or all of the upcoming restaurants?  What eatery would you most like to see open in Buford?

Please share your thoughts below.  

1 comment:

Cathy Mohr said...

Excited about cue! And chicken place!
Love pizza, so we’ll give that a try too. Thank u

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