Atlanta-based Boneheads is opening in TOWN Brookhaven. Boneheads will open between AT&T and Moe's Southwest Grill. Raving Brands (now known as Big Game Brands), the restaurant's
original owner, sold the concept to BH Acquisition, LLC in late 2009. At the time of the sale, the chain consisted of eight locations and its new owners expected the concept would take off in "multiple markets in the second half of [2010]"
original owner, sold the concept to BH Acquisition, LLC in late 2009. At the time of the sale, the chain consisted of eight locations and its new owners expected the concept would take off in "multiple markets in the second half of [2010]"
Today, the chain has a total of four locations open under the Boneheads Grilled Fish Piri Piri Chicken branding and a seemingly rogue California franchisee of a fifth location who has tweaked the branding, "Boneheads Be One." Sean Lupton Smith, formerly an Atlanta Bread Co. franchisee was heavily involved in the original Boneheads restaurant at Peachtree Battle and later in Roswell. Lupton Smith, a native of South Africa, helped create the original menu and recipes. Former Boneheads locations in Atlantic Station and Roswell operate today as Fishook Grille, and are operated by Lupton Smith, independent of both Big Games Brands and BH Acquisition LLC. Fishhook has strikingly similar branding, messaging and menu but its name change is meant to reflect a new direction for the two unit chain.
According to the Boneheads website, new locations are also coming soon to Tampa, Florida, Austin, Texas, and Long Island (Mineola) New York.
Boneheads original location in Peachtree Battle is now the lone Atlanta location of Maki Fresh, a fast caual Japanese eatery started by Zoës Kitchen founder John Cassimus. The two remaining Boneheads locations in Atlanta are located in Dunwoody at Perimeter Place and near Sandy Springs on Powers Ferry Road. Neither location does especially "well" and I'm told Powers Ferry has been up for sale repeatedly within the past couple years.
Personally I think TOWN Brookhaven has more than enough restaurants and that many currently won't make it long term. Places like The Cup, Swirll, Newk's, Stir Crazy and Tre'za all have me wondering how long they will survive. Slacks, a restaurant I had reservations about before they even opened, has already closed. Given Boneheads track record of closures, an abundance of restaurants and a shortage of parking, I question the thought process in another restaurant opening in the project. One thing I noticed on the Boneheads website and wanted to mention was that they list the location as "Buckhead (TOWN / Brookhaven)" One of the most misleading/and honestly untrue things I've heard is that Brookhaven is somehow Buckhead, and / or business people from Buckhead are likely to travel to Brookhaven on a regular basis for lunch. That is simply not the case, but seems to be the hope behind new restaurants and the pitch from those at Sembler.
I have seen the center busy, but only on Friday and Saturday nights. Noche is by far the most popular dining option followed by BUA and Moe's. These three concepts do well at all hours, any day. Newcomers like Cafe at Pharr / Baci seem to have found a following as well. I doubt Boneheads finds this same success, but who knows? What do YOU think? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.