LOLA, currently described by Here To Serve as a Mediterranean concept, will finally be re-concepted. Since opening in 2007, LOLA was recently re-labeled to offer Mediterranean cuisine rather than simply Italian, but it seems that was not enough to save the concept. "Cantina," set to open early in the first quarter of 2010, will be a Mexican style restaurant with some elements borrowed from sister eatery Noche. Similar to what Riccardio Ullio did with the re-concepting of his midtown eatery Cuerno to La Lupe Taqueria, the prices at Cantina will be lower and the atmosphere a little more ethnic that LOLA's. With luck, these changes will be enough to save the space, but the problem may be just as much the location as it is the food. Cousin's Terminus has been a disappointment to all, with a number or closures already at the development, not even two years old. Many Buckhead residents are not pleased with the parking and valet situation and the "wind tunnel" of sorts that forms in the breezeway between the towers. I wish Tom and the rest of the Here To Serve team the best of luck with the new concept, but it will definitely be an uphill battle. ToNeTo Atlanta
Mednikow is shuttering its Phipps Plaza location. In business for over a century, its current location on the second level of Phipps Plaza in Buckhead is to close by year end. Although they initially thought of relocating elsewhere, store owners have opted to just close the store and consider reopening elsewhere when the economy recovers. Their second location in Memphis, Tennessee remains open as does their e-commerce site. Phipps vacancies are starting to add up with large openings where the former Niketown and GAP and later Harold's were located. There has been speculation recently that Barney's New York Co-Op may be on its last leg, and the plastering of promotional materials about the store at Lenox and Phipps only makes that more believable. ToNeTo Atlanta
Walking near Woodruff Park last week, I noticed a number of new green huts being installed and was curious as to their purpose. Now I wish I didn't know! The city of Atlanta has contracted with General Growth Properties Inc. to handle what is being called the city's "on-street vending program." Yes, that's the same General Growth Properties that filed the largest real estate bankruptcy in U.S. history this past April. Locally, General Growth owns North Point, Cumberland and Perimeter malls but this is an especially strange move for the city. A city that is strapped for cash and facing budget cuts left and right contracts with a financially unstable company to manage a new program. I'm not even a city of Atlanta resident, and I have serious questions about this decision. The icing on the cake though, is that many of the items I have seen hawked in these city-owned kiosks arecounterfeitdesigner goods and cheap knock-offs. The million dollar restrooms were bad enough, does the city really need to spend money on projects like this? To their defense, revenue is said to be generated through the sale of ad space on 3 panels per kiosk, but how profitable a venture this will turn out to be is questionable. Thus far, Absolut, BEBE and Levi's ads have been spotted, interestingly though, this was on units not currently in use. (As of today, both the apparel advertisers have had their ads removed)
City officials are looking to the company to bring a standardized look to what is now a mess of vending stands, and to impose quality standards on the merchandise vendors sell. (though this aspect seems to have been overlooked thus far) In an Atlanta Business Chronicle editorial in August, several major Atlanta hospitality officials voiced their support for the city's proposed vending program. This week, Atlanta will come one step closer to replacing Mayor Shirley Franklin. What will Norwood, Reed or Borders do with this program?
When the first phase of installation is complete, there are to be 20 kiosk units in the downtown area, including locations near the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke. The units are designed and installed by Stak Design, a Texas-based firm specializing in custom design and fabrication of retail merchandising units, specifically for the shopping center and trade show industries.
All of the kiosk units will include three advertising panels. The kiosk advertising will be managed by Cemusa, a global leader in the management of street furniture advertising in more than 160 cities around the world. ToNeTo Atlanta
After nearly a year's absence, Havana Sandwich shop is being resurrected, strangely though, this is occurring in two different locations. Havana sandwich shop is set to reopen in the Crossroads Village Shopping Center... or is it? Two separate restaurants are set to open on Buford Highway, both named Havana Restaurant and both claiming to be the resurrected location of the original eatery at Druid Hills and Buford Highway that burned to the ground just over a year ago. Each restaurant even duplicates the iconic palm tree that extended the "v" in Havana. The location at the Crossroads Shopping Center (Buford Highway at Clairmont Road- pictured above) is being opened by Debbie Benedit and the location at Northeast Plaza (pictured below) is being opened by William Benedit. Just so we are clear, Debbie was co-founder of the original Havana Sandwich Shop with her late husband Eddie, William is a relative of Eddies. Mrs. Benedit's store is scheduled to open Today whereas Mr. Benedit is looking at opening January 1st. Both locations are within 3 miles of the original, though Mr. Benedit may have the advantage of being in a larger space in an established shopping center in the former Cafe Mex (originally built as a Long John Silvers), Mrs. Benedit's location is smaller and is surrounded by empty storefronts, so she won't have the benefit built-in traffic. One bright spot: the Crossroads Village Shopping Center is home to the south's most successful and high traffic El Pollo Loco location as well as one of metro Atlanta's few Aldi locations. ToNeTo Atlanta
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. is adding even more locations to metro Atlanta. After opening in Lenox Square earlier this year and close to opening another location on Broad Street downtown, another location will open in Peachtree center as well. Taking what most recently had been an "Oriental Express" the new restaurant is scheduled to open in the second week in November. This is yet another "in-line" location for Checkers, widely recognized for their stand alone twin drive thru restaurants. According to a company executive, this is a new strategy in many of Checkers' metropolitan markets. Clearly a cost savings, this new growth plan will make it easier for the restaurant to lease spaces it might not have leased with its past model. Another similar location is scheduled to open in Mall of Georgia's food court sometime in the first quarter of 2010. ToNeTo Atlanta
Metrotainment's planned VaHi Hudson Grille is stalled for the moment. Set to be part of a four story development at 841 North Highland, Hudson Grille's planned location is not going over so well with area residents. "The Mix 841" would be located on land that is currently home to a parking lot and a Bank of America ATM, so the thought of a multi-level development, bringing substantial additional traffic to an already congested area has area residents up in arms. Having been submitted for approval on multiple occasions, the NPU (Neighborhood Planning Unit) has yet to grant approval, and perhaps never will. Currently Metrotainment has three Hudson Grille locations: Alpharetta, Perimeter and Brookhaven, with a fourth set to open in the coming weeks on Peachtree Street in midtown. ToNeTo Atlanta
As the title suggests, this new site will focus on dynamic coverage of only the most exclusive developments in Atlanta retail, properties and eateries, no Gold Party Debacles here ;)
As I am essentially starting from scratch it may be a few days before the site in up and running but rest assured this will be your source for insider information before the rest of your office, school or neighbors have it!
