Bits & Bites

Charlotte, N.C.-based Bojangles' opened a new restaurant this past week in Marietta.    The new restaurant is located at 2745 Powder Springs Road, not far from its intersection with the East West Connector.   Among the new elements of the Marietta restaurant is the “Biscuit Theater,” where upon entering the store, customers will be able to witness Bojangles’ Biscuit Makers making biscuits from scratch every 20 minutes.  This location is the fifth Bojangles' to open in Cobb county.   Bojangles' along with an already opened freestanding Dollar Tree were built in place of a partially constructed and later demolished strip center.  Current owner Columbia Properties has plans to add at least one more outparcel tenant to the project known as Powder Springs Pavilion. 

A new Chili's Grill & Bar is coming to Covington.  The new freestanding restaurant will be about 4,500 square feet and is one of the first new Chili's in metro Atlanta in a number of years.  The restaurant will be location on Paras Drive, just off John R. Williams Highway (142) and Lochridge Boulevard. Earlier this year the restaurant debuted a new campaign which highlights its hippie origins: "Chillin' Since '75."  The new branding will likely have a strong presence in the new restaurant. Chili's is owned by Dallas,Texas-based Brinker International, a company that also owns Maggiano's Little Italy.   Calls to Brinker for comment on an expected timeline were not immediately returned.  

The north Buckhead SunTrust bank branch in Powers Ferry Square on Roswell Road has reopened after a multi-month renovation.   

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based QuikTrip opened its 130th location in the Atlanta market last week in Kennesaw Marketplace.  

A second location of Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Sarpino's Pizzeria is planned for metro Atlanta.  The new restaurant is slated to open "in about six months" at The Peninsula Buckhead, the apartment complex next to Home Depot in Buckhead.     The first location opened in late 2014  at Tenside on Northside Drive near Georgia Tech.  In a move some might consider transparent and others might consider foolish, the company publishes good and bad customer reviews directly to its website.  

A new Family Dollar is slated to open in the coming weeks in Decatur at Valley Brook Road and East Ponce de Leon Avenue.  

The Halal Guys under construction in Chamblee 

The Halal Guys is finally in the home stretch as they prepare to open their first Atlanta area restaurant.  The concept, born from a street cart in Manhattan, first announced plans to expand to metro Atlanta last year.  The new restaurant, located in a freestanding building at the  corner of Chamblee Tucker Road and Buford Highway in Chamblee has been completely gutted over the past few months to become the new gyro-centric eatery.  The restaurant will be hosting a job fair this week and next at the Goodwill Career Center in Northeast Plaza and at the Georgia Department of Labor in Toco Hills.  More information about the job fairs can be found here.  Well placed sources indicate that the new restaurant should be open by mid-January.  

My friends at The Douglasville Menu are reporting that a new Ollie's Bargain Outlet is coming to Douglasville next year.  The new store will occupy the vacant former Circuit City in The Landing at Arbor Place, a large shopping center also home to Toys "R" Us near Arbor Place Mall. 

Long delayed Aliño Pizzeria to debut tomorrow at Mall of Georgia in Buford.  A true Napoletana pizzeria,  Aliño will open in 6,209-square foot space in the Village next to Chico’s. The family-friendly eatery will offer a simple, fresh menu with nine signature pizzas and assorted salads, Italian wines, international bottled beers and desserts.