The Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at the corner of Clairmont and Briarcliff Roads in unincorporated DeKalb County has closed. According to multiple sources close to the restaurant, the business closed as of June 28. By Thursday afternoon, the restaurant had been decommissioned (all signage removed) and its windows were boarded up.
NRD, (owner of Altitude, Frisch's Big Boy, The Original Hot Chicken and Inked Tacos, among other concepts) reportedly had an easement agreement with Stein Investment Group (SIG), owners of Williamsburg Village Shopping Center, allowing the restaurant to operate . That easement agreement recently expired and with GPS, NRD and SIG seemingly unable to come to terms on a new arrangement, GPS opted to close.
For their part, SIG has reportedly expressed an interest in working collaboratively with NRD to potentially incorporate the former Popeyes parcel into their redevelopment of Williamsburg Village. SIG purchased Williamsburg in late 2018 and in the years since worked to figure out the "highest and best use" of the well located but obsolete center which included getting the property rezoned to meet their redevelopment needs.
Among the things that have slowed the center's redevelopment are the long-term leases that many of the center's tenants signed prior to SIG's purchase. One major domino that will fall later this year is the planned "merger" of the Williamsburg Village Post Office with the existing Dresden Drive Post Office about two miles away.
In addition to Briarcliff Village, SIG is developing "Lumen Briarcliff," the multifamily-anchored project currently under construction across from Popeyes. The project, which broke ground in 2022 and is slated to be completed towards the second half of 2024 will bring 264 "luxury" apartments along with about 5,000 square feet of ground floor small shop space that could include one fast casual restaurant. The hard corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont will feature one freestanding restaurant that will span 4,000 square feet and include a rooftop patio.
According to a source close to SIG, work on Williamsburg Village is expected to commence in late 2024 or about six month after the completion of Lumen Briarcliff.
Following the closure, Popeyes will continue to operate several dozen restaurants in metro Atlanta including at least two within close proximity of the recently shuttered store: 3896 LaVista Road in Tucker and 5220 Buford Highway in Doraville. Popeyes in 2009 closed a restaurant at Briarwood Road and Buford Highway in Brookhaven which was reopened in 2010 as a Pollo Campero franchise.
Popeyes has in recent years tried unsuccessfully to develop locations along North Druid Hills near North DeKalb Mall and along Peachtree Boulevard across from Chamblee Plaza. The company has however been successful in developing plenty of new restaurants in metro Atlanta but primarily OTP.
What would you like to see open in place of Popeyes at Clairmont & Briarcliff? What is your favorite fast food chicken chain? Are excited for the updates and developments at this intersection?
Please share your thoughts below
27 comments:
As always, Eli, great reporting.
I live close by but haven't driven down there recently to see the changes. Even though that was one of the best Popeyes it became harder and harder to navigate that drive though. Just curious about the Ethiopian restaurant close by that is so popular. Interesting the 2 post offices are merging. I wish they would staff the Northlake Post Office with more than 1 person. I think that would be helpful for the area especially since the Embry Hills post office has been temporarily closed due to what looks like a serious breakin.
How about a Burger King (here comes the salivating WhataBurger crowd)
We do not need another fast food shop here!
I think it’s important for you to change the title of your post. You may not realize that’s it’s not politically correct.
For years, that location of Popeye's had the best staff, and the service and food was great. Then GPS started replacing that staff with inefficient and lazy staffers. The place went from clean to dirty, the food was not as good, and I am sure business slowed.
I hope they relocate close by- Popeye's needs more of an intown presence other than on Monroe and Ponce.
A Tim Horton's would work in a new development there.
I agree it was one of the best. I hope the regular staff get picked up by other establishments. They were always the best and that place had stellar health inspections, etc.
I'm shocked! I live in this area and people around here love chicken 🍗! Sauce up my chicken sandwich and I was was in heaven! I'm going to miss them 😭.
I love the headline Eli! Unlike most of your other readers, I'm not easily offended...Ha Ha.
Fox Bros signage is up at Brookhaven Station. Do you know when they’re officially opening?
Mrs Winners!! They have the best biscuits anywhere and the chicken is awesome !!!
Lol
That dumpy ass plaza needs to be torn down so so bad. Sidelines is a shit hole that attracts trash and drunk fucks. Keep Desta and the keep the nice Emissions guy. He’s cool. Loose everything else.
Thank goodness the illegal turns into/outof Popeyes will be no more.
Who cares?? Every f'n thing does NOT have to be PC!!!
me too!
Agree! How about a good vegetarian restaurant!
Their chicken sandwich is awesome for a 6 year old. Meh for everyone else.
There’s a Popeye’s over on Lavista near N’lake. Not too far
Funny remark from someone who is too afraid to type out a swear word.
I don’t think you have a grasp of how restaurant staffing works, especially in today’s labor market.
yuckkkk lol 😝
I’ve lived over in that area since 1993. I ate at that Popeyes ONCE. Just getting in and out was hard as hell. I’m glad it’s gone. I’ve missed so many left turn lights from Clairmont to Briarcliff because of that place!!!’n
I grew up in that area and my folks still live there. I've never seen an area so focused on traffic. It's the most anti-development area I've ever seen because they would rather see a shuttered rat-infested building than an operating business that might increase traffic. The only area to vote down cityhood because god forbid anything changes. Not to mention higher taxes! They would rather stay under the guidance of DeKalb while they streets and sewer systems rot away!
It was more of a Jewish Oy than an Irish good bye anyway
That corner is already maxed out with congestion please redevelop the entire area and make more traffic friendly
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