Monday, September 27, 2021

[CLOSURE ALERT] Outback Steakhouse Shutters Dunwoody Restaurant

Outback Steakhouse officially closed their Dunwoody area restaurant Sunday night, September 26.  The restaurant, located in Perimeter Place Ashford Lane, occupied a 6,351 square foot freestanding space and opened in 2005 with the center.  Outback was one of four concepts from Tampa-based Bloomin' Brands (fka OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC) to have opened in the center but following the closures of Cheeseburger in Paradise in 2012 and Carrabba's Italian Grill in 2020, only upscale steakhouse Fleming's remains open in the development.  

A sign posted to the restaurant's front door directs would-be patrons to other nearby locations including those at Toco Hills (2145 LaVista Road) and in Roswell (655 West Crossville Road), each about 12 miles from the shuttered Dunwoody restaurant.  The Outback Steakhouse on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta (6400 North Point Parkway) is only about ten miles away and is newer and nicer than either of the aforementioned locations, as it opened in 2018 and sports the brand's latest design elements.  

Outback Steakhouse is at least the second restaurant to close in the mixed-use development in recent weeks.  ToNeTo Atlanta reported September 22 that The Hummus & Pita Co. closed its restaurant in Ashford Lane a few weeks ago after only a few months in business.  That said, unlike Outback, which was part of the development's original tenant roster, Hummus & Pita, which replaced the former Boneheads Grill, was to be part of the project's future.  

Although it was not explained at the time of the May 2021 press release announcing the addition of Ford Fry's Tex-Mex eatery Superica to the lineup at Ashford Lane, leasing materials reviewed by ToNeTo Atlanta indicate that Superica will open in the now former Outback space.  The new Superica will be the fifth in Atlanta and ninth overall for the chain.  Existing Superica locations in Atlanta include those at Krog Street Market in Inman Park, Avalon in Alpharetta, The Battery Atlanta at Truist Park, and Buckhead Court in Chastain Park, where the restaurant also replaced a former Outback Steakhouse.  

COVID-19 has caused a myriad of supply chain, staffing and permitting delays, so it's hard to imagine anything opening "on schedule," but it's believed that the new Superica will open sometime in 2022.  

We have been advised that most of the tenants we observed listed on a new merchandising plan of the center are interested in and or have active LOIs (letters of intent), but that few, if any, have actually inked leases.  That said, the list is rather impressive and includes several either recently opened restaurants or those with announced plans to enter the metro Atlanta market.  The  restaurant concepts include salad, breakfast, seafood, coffee, ice cream, Asian, hot chicken, and wine bar, in addition to a new cosmetics retailer, blow out business, and massage operation. (We have elected to not name any of the concepts out of respect for the ongoing leasing process.) 

All of these new restaurants are in addition to the planned nine stall food hall and bar - The Hall - planned for the 17,000 square foot former Henredon furniture showroom in the project.  The Hall, first announced this past October, was to have opened "in the first quarter of 2021," and was later pushed to "Summer 2021," and is now expected to open "soon."  

What types of restaurants or retailers would you like to see open as part of the re-christened Ashford Lane?  Are you pleased or sad to see Outback Steakhouse close?  What is your favorite Dunwoody area restaurant?

Please share your thoughts below.  

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

That location had the most consistent and solid service of any Outback in the metro area

Anonymous said...

Sorry to see Outback go. It was a favorite go to place. I think their problems were recent changes in their menu selections and
overpriceing.

Anonymous said...

Actually the long-shuttered Cheeseburger in Paradise next door to Outback was a Bloomin Brands concept as well. When that center opened Taco Mac was the only non-Bloomin concept that wasn't quick service (The short lived Applebee's came later, and I believe the Mimi's came later as well.)

Unknown said...

My favorite spot. I'm going to miss the staff.

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon RE: Cheeseburger in Paradise,

Right you are! I forgot they started as an OSI concept before their struggles and eventual closure. I have updated the post accordingly. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I miss Cheeseburger in Paradise! They had great wings! Wish it would return!

Anonymous said...

Good - we hate chains in Dunwoody that bring in the wrong types of people.

Anonymous said...

Please explain...

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to some of these planned restaurants to open there. I was never a fan of that Outback. Service and food were both kind of meh. I sure wish Texas Roadhouse would open in the area. I think they are the best of the budget steakhouses.

And Dunwoody does not hate chains. Plenty of chains do fine there - Taco Mac, Flemings, Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Fogo de Chao, Maggianos, Cheesecake Factory, First Watch, J. Alexanders, Goldbergs, Wild Wing Cafe, Marlow's etc.

Timmyg said...

Never was a favorite of mine. If I want a steak I go to McKendrick's
I also like independently owned restaurants vs a chain restaurant. Just supporting small businesses

Anonymous said...

Outback was predictable and good. It was almost always crowded. This closure makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

I agree with above Anon, this closure makes absolutely no sense as this location was packed and curbside pickup was always busy too. I was a regular here and from what I heard the new management group had been saying outback wasn't going to be there much longer that they were going for more upscale type places, whatever the heck that means. This area did very well when the other restaurants like mimis, your pie pizza and heck even applebees were here. They seemed to always stay busy. Will be interesting to see what really comes of this ashford lane, they've been doing alot of talking but everything has sat empty for quite some time. Doesn't look good for the perimeter area. Sure hope their plan pans out for these new tenants because many have come and gone. We will see.

NurseB said...

My brother recently tried to order online and that location wasn't coming up so he drove over to order in person but sadly they were closed

NurseB said...

My brother pulled up the following day to order food to go and they were gone. He lives really close smd they do to go orders well

Anonymous said...

Sounds pretty self-expalnitory

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