Bits & Bites

Clay's Sports Cafe in Sandy Springs has officially closed. The restaurant and bar had been in business for 20+ years.  As I wrote about in early June, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken is taking the Clay's space and the adjacent former InstaLoan.  Clay's posted a notice on their building late last week detailing their closure and promising to "re-open again in Sandy Springs in the near future." The restaurant subsequently posted following on their website:  "To all valued Customers, Friends and Families: The Clay's Sports Cafe will TEMPORARY close its 6518 Roswell Rd NE location on Wednesday, July 27 before reopening a new location in Sandy springs with a similar menu. We appreciate your understanding, patience and support through this transition. Please stay tuned to this website for further updates about Clay's Sports Cafe new location in Sandy springs."

OutPatient Imaging is opening a new location in Buckhead.  The new facility will be located in Peachtree Square shopping center, in the 2200 block of Peachtree Road, in a former Office Depot/Eckerd space.  Although the Shopping Center Group, who handles the center's leasing still shows the nearly 13,000 square foot space as available, the business already has coming soon signage on the building.   There are existing OPI locations in Newnan and Peachtree City.  

A new Wingstop is coming to Brookhaven.  The new wing joint will open in place of Christophe's to Go, which closed this past fall.  The space is located in Brookhaven Station, the same center as Hudson Grille, Mellow Mushroom, and Sugar Shack, among others.  

New T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods stores are expected to open August 11th in Peachtree City. The T.J. Maxx/HomeGoods will be located side by side, sharing an overall 41,000 square foot space.  The stores will open in the new center, "The Overlook."  The center will also be home to Michael's, expected to open August 14th, ULTA, and others.  The T.J. Maxx will be a relocation of the  existing store in Fayette Pavillion.  The HomeGoods brand is new to the market.  

Nothing Bundt Cakes has been added to the roster of stores opening at the new Kennesaw Marketplace center in Kennesaw.  The Whole Foods Market-anchored center will also be home to Burger 21, Freddy's Steakburgers, Menchie's, Newks Eatery, Panda Express,  and Zoës Kitchen, among other tenants.  The dessert shop will occupy a 2,000 square foot space in the center.   There are existing Atlanta area locations of the Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise in Alpharetta, Cumming and Sandy Springs.  

The new Culver's in Newnan opened this past Monday.  The Newnan location joins the existing eatery in Dawsonville which opened ths past March.  Addititional new Culver's are planned for Buford, Lawrenceville, Grovetown and Hickory Flat.  

Upbeet, the new concept from Erik Maier, co-founder of YEAH! Burger, plans to debut later this fall, on the Westside.  I broke news of the name and concept this past May but an updated timetable was announced this week pushing the opening from summer to "this fall."  

M Chocolat, an Alpharetta-based chocolate shop announced last night via their facebook page that after five wonderful years of making chocolate, they were closing .  The shop was located in the 3900 block of Old Milton Parkway, not far from its intersection with Kimball Bridge Road. Owners Maritza & Marlena thanked their customers and friends for their loyalty and support.  M Chocolat's closure follows the Bastille Day closure of Maison Robert, another local chocolatier that had been in business in Atlanta for nearly 40 years.