[ALERT] Trendy Toast & Smoothie Spot to Open in Troubled Part of Town

In recent months we have reported on several restaurant closures in West Midtown leaving many to question the viability of the area and wonder who might be next to throw in the towel.  Given the existing challenges, it was more than little surprising to learn Tuesday that a new-to-market gourmet toast, smoothie, and juice joint plans to open a location in the area later this fall.  

Credit: Toastique

Toastique, a Washington D.C.-based concept which entered the Atlanta market this past October with a franchise on West Peachtree Street in Midtown, is the brand coming to The Brickworks in West Midtown.  According to the Tuesday release, the new Toastique is opening in suite #102, a 1,400 square foot space along Marietta Street, a couple of doors down from Bond Vet.  

The space was most recently occupied by a temporary leasing center for the Theory Interlock apartment community, but it has been home to several businesses over the years, including Crafted Westside, a local gift store; Whitstitch a "modern sewing and fabrics" store; and LUXE, a boutique luxury retail store that was co-owned by 99X icon Leslie Fram, who recently launched FEMco (Fram Entertainment & Music), a consulting firm.  

Opening any business has its challenges, but this plan (Toastique) seems especially ill-advised for multiple reasons. 

Although Toastique is a "healthy" concept devoid of a fryer, hood, or an oven, it's still a food establishment opening in a space that has not previously served in a similar capacity and as such, will have to be built out as a "first generation" restaurant space. 

It's also worth noting that the Toastique space is literally across the street from Arden's Garden, a beloved local business with a menu similar to Toastique, with a greater emphasis on juices and smoothies.  E+ROSE, a Nashville-based "wellness cafe," opened this past January and features a similar menu of smoothies, smoothie bowls, wraps, and salads, is located in Westside Provisions, which benefits from better co-tenancy and proximity to high-density and high-dollar residential and the Bellyard Hotel.   

Build out and competition aside, the space is within The Brickworks, a large development owned by Asana, a controversial developer that has instituted paid parking and significantly higher rents at many of the properties it has acquired in Atlanta.  

Speaking of parking, a pain point for many consumers (and operators alike), "Parking at Brickworks is complimentary for up to one hour for patrons utilizing and visiting the property," according to the release announcing the opening.  That said, the validation has in months past been a post payment offering, something many patrons found cumbersome and annoying. 

Although the release made no mention of the lease terms, real estate sources suggest that Asana was offering the Toastique space at about $60 per square foot (all in) imputing a monthly rent of about $7,000 per month and about $84,000 annually.  

Postino, a trendy wine bar from Arizona's Upward Projects, closed its restaurant at The Brickworks this past January, just shy of its two year anniversary.   Culinary Dropout, from Fox Restaurant Concepts (FRC), today part of The Cheesecake Factory, also closed in January, but after little more than a year in business.  (Asana filed a lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court in April alleging FRC owes nearly $2.7 million in back rent, concessions, and commissions related to the closure of its 12,000 square foot space.)  

Real estate insiders have lamented for months that landlords like Asana are demanding such high rents that creating a sustainable business, especially a restaurant operation, is untenable and that more closures are likely.  Restaurant owners have been more blunt, telling ToNeTo Atlanta: "I don't want a job," alluding to the idea that the high rents make them feel like they are simply working for the landlord.

As for Toastique itself, the brand is still new and largely unknown in metro Atlanta and nationwide, and is far from a household name that might be able to draw people in from farther away.  Toastique founder Brianna Keefe is a native of the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania, where a franchisee opened a location in March 2023.  That franchisee, Jessica Morrissey, closed the location this past December and opened a new, independent concept, Cafe Crewy, in January in its place.  

According to the Toastique website, there are currently 38 locations open with nearly 30 more coming soon.  In addition to those listed on the website, a third Atlanta location is planned for East Cobb, where it will open alongside Chopt and Howlin' Willy's in the Trader Joe's-anchored Pine Straw Place shopping center.  

A brief review of the Toastique franchise offering indicates that the initial "franchise fee" is $55,000 (for ten years) and that it must then be renewed for an additional $10,000!  ToNeTo Atlanta compared the franchise fees of several other similar concepts and found that Toastique, despite being among the newest (i.e. lowest brand recognition) brands, had the highest fee.  

Clean Juice and Beyond Juicery & Eatery (which is also coming to Atlanta) are each $30,000 for a traditional location.  Rivals Frutta Bowls, Playa Bowls, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe are each $35,000, while Atlanta-based Planet Smoothie is $25,000.  

By comparison, sandwich shop Jersey Mike's Subs and burger behemoth McDonald's, both household names, feature franchise fees of $18,500 and $45,000, respectively.  

Seventeen years in, we hope our site is as much a news source as it is a resource for world-be owners/franchisees to become familiar with the opportunities and challenges that the metro Atlanta market provides.  

Have you ever been to Toastique?  Do you think Toastique will find success in West Midtown?  What type of businesses would you most like to see open in West Midtown?

Please share your thoughts below.