Chick-fil-A has wanted a presence in the Brookhaven area for some time, and it seems they have been working on this space for months. I first heard they had interest in it this past fall, but progress has been slow with Brookhaven's new overlay zoning requirements making new commercial construction difficult, especially along Peachtree Road. Across the street from the Hastings site, the former Keller Williams offices were supposed to be razed for a Walgreens, but issues with a store design in compliance with all the strict city ordinances have brought progress to a halt.
Chick-fil-A has gone through a number of personnel changes in Buckhead in recent months including the closure of the Phipps Plaza location and relocation of its owner / operator Tim Toms to Knoxville, Tennessee. Additionally, Phil Nichols, the former operator of the Lenox Square location, left the store to take a job at Chick-fil-A corporate. Most recently, Daniel Lomax, the opening operator at the "In-Line" Chick-fil-A Terminus location, received the promotion he'd been waiting for in being awarded an actual full-service location in Smyrna.
For its part, Chase Bank is looking to continue to grow locally after it entered the market in 2008 with its purchase of failed bank Washington Mutual (WaMu). Chase already has two Buckhead locations, one, a converted WaMu in the Disco Kroger shopping center, and the other, a new branch that opened in a portion of the shuttered Linens n Things in The Peach Shopping Center.
Having recently been to the Chick-fil-A Dwarf House in Gwinnett, I'd like to see a Dwarf House built somewhere closer in and think this would make a great location. Early intel suggests this is not the case but I still feel the need to mention it.
Also, it's worth noting that the Zaxby's in the outparcel of Lowe's, a few miles north, is still not open. Though Zaxby's corporate claims it will open June 26, that seems highly unlikely given it current sits about half done and has not been touched in over two months. Decatur First bank was the original lender on construction and the loan was later taken over by Fidelity Bank but apparently there are issues with the franchisee as well.
Do you agree with all the new Brookhaven overlay district requirements? Do you think Chick-fil-A and Chase are good uses for the land? What retail or restaurant business would you like most to see open in the former Harris Teeter?
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