It appears that the owners of Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody are looking to relocate its existing food court to a vacant retail space within the mall. The plan, discussed at the Dunwoody City Council meeting on February 9, would see the food court relocate from the center of the first floor of the mall to the former Forever 21 space on the first floor of the Macy's wing.
RoughDraft was first to report the news, but their report was lacking in meat, color, and facts, so we felt the need to do our own report.
Perimeter Mall, today anchored by Dillard's, Macy's, Von Maur and Nordstrom, has pivoted and renovated several times since it first opened in 1971. Originally developed by The Rouse Company, Perimeter Mall is today owned by Brookfield Properties, dba GGP.
Nordstrom opened its first store in the state when it built a new pad at the mall and debuted in 1998. A one-time Macy's turned Bloomingdale's at the mall today operates as Von Maur. The mall's former JCPenney was completely demolished and rebuilt as a new Dillard's store in 2005.
Popular cookie chain Great American Cookies launched in the mall food court in 1977 and continues to operate from within the existing food court today.
The current food court also includes outposts of Sbarro, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Great Wraps, American Deli, Farmer's Basket, Pei Wei and Sarku Japan, among others.
It's unclear what the square footage of the current food court is, but the area designated for the new food court appears to be roughly 20,000 square feet, according to a site plan reviewed by ToNeTo Atlanta.
A site plan we reviewed last year showed Japanese fast fashion retailer UNIQLO as occupying the former Forever 21 space, but the retailer later revealed a U.S. expansion plan that did not include Georgia. Fast fashion online retailer Shein operated a short-term pop-up from the former Forever 21 this past August, after which "Q Fashion," a retailer offering trendy apparel for women, opened in its space on what was reportedly a short-term lease.
Relocating a food hall is not an easy or inexpensive ordeal, so GGP must have someone or something very special planned for and or already interested in the space of the current food court.
The proposed relocation to the retail space and the confined nature of it make it look and sound more like a "food hall" than a "food court," but whatever you call it, we've gotta believe it will be better than the dumpster fire that is the "Food Hall at Phipps" at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead.
The new food court at Perimeter Mall is slated to be completed in phases with the new one to open ahead of the closure of the existing one, but no timetable for either was immediately available.
What are your thoughts on the planned relocation of the food court? What is your favorite eatery at Perimeter Mall? What other shops or restaurants would you like to see open in Perimeter Mall?
Please share your thoughts below.
12 comments:
Calling it now. They want to put pickleball courts in the current food court
NOOOO WE NEED THE UNIQLO
That’s what’s up!
Food hall is just an overpriced mall food court without the mall
Why you hate Phips so much? Totally uncalled for. SMH.
Probably be a massive improvement.
Love Perimeter Mall. I am all for relocating Food Court to a better location. Perhaps, they will make better retail usage from the current food court. If it will be a real improvement, I'm all for it.
I live near Lenox but love going to Perimeter. The location of the food court has always been strange to me, but this feels like an odd relocation and like they’re trying to create another “food hall” hidden in the corner of the mall.
Speaking of Uniqlo, I really wish Atlanta would get a location or 2, they have great basics and it would do well here.
I find it interesting that the mall had to have a discussion with the Dunwoody City Council about the possible relocation of the food court.
One would think that the Zoning Board would be more appropriate to discuss the changes.
I got to wonder who is footing the bill for this update.
I just left that dump no really good choice
Shots fired at Rough Draft. And literally in the food court once. RIP the non-food court dine-in McDonalds.
This is a bad idea - it is so easy to buy online and so easy to avoid the mall - the centrally located food court is the only thing keeping Perimeter Mall from feeling abandoned as I cross from my parking space to wherever I actually have to go and then back to my car. Sticking the food court in one easy to avoid place like Lenox Mall or North Point Mall does not make me excited to go to the mall or to think “everyone is here!” When I do go and it is not fun for people-watching! Of course a Food Hall like Phipps has its own problems. But right not the centrally located and activity level of the food court is a draw to Perimeter Mall, not a blight to be corrected.
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