[EXCLUSIVE] La Madeleine to Shutter Spot in Sandy Springs

Dallas, Texas-based la Madeleine Country French Cafe plans to close its location in Sandy Springs.  The restaurant, located at 1165 Perimeter Center West, Suite 330, will close for good as of 4pm on Saturday January 24, according to employees at the restaurant.  

The bakery & cafe eatery has occupied a highly visible corner space at the REI / Goodwill-anchored shopping center for well over twenty years - so long ago that defunct electronics retailer Circuit City was the anchor where Goodwill is today.     

It's unclear what may be in store for the 4,500 square foot space, but sources tell ToNeTo Atlanta that at least one growing restaurant brand is already vying for the space.  

La Madeleine is a division of Dallas-based LeDuff America (the American arm of French restaurant conglomerate Groupe Le Duff).  LeDuff America also includes casual concepts Mimi's Bistro & Bakery (fka Mimi's Cafe), which had a location at nearby Ashford Lane that closed in 2017 and later reopened as HOBNOB.  Mimi's also once had a location in Buford near the Mall of Georgia.  

Related: Atlanta firm acquires Perimeter Pointe shopping center, residential development planned.  

For its part, la Madeleine has in years past closed (or abandoned) several units around metro Atlanta.  

La Madeleine previously closed metro area locations in Buckhead (now home to Velvet Taco and Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream), in Marietta (now Overture Powers Ferry 55+ apartments), and in Vinings (now Stockyard Burgers & Bones).  ToNeTo Atlanta reported in December 2014 that la Madeleine was planning to open at Phase Two of Emory Point, but that location never opened.  Mimi's no longer has any locations in metro Atlanta. 

Following the Sandy Springs closure, la Madeleine continues to operate three locations in metro Atlanta: Duluth near Gwinnett Place Mall, East Cobb in Providence Square shopping center, and Buford near the Mall of Georgia.  There are also several kiosk locations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.   

Are you surprised to see la Madeleine close its location in Sandy Springs?  What would you most like to see open in place of la Madeleine in Sandy Springs?  What is your favorite casual eatery in Sandy Springs?  

Please share your thoughts below.