East Cobb Business

Hand and Stone moves into new space at The Avenue East Cobb

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Hand and Stone moves The Avenue East Cobb

The Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa had to relocate for the redevelopment project underway at The Avenue East Cobb, and the move has been ideal for the business that first opened in the retail center in 2016.

Last week staff held a grand reopening, treating visitors to mini-massages and refreshments, and showing them around the expanded new space in Suite 900, in the former location of the Sunglass Hut, adjacent to one of the new “jewel box” restaurant buildings that’s under construction.

Hand and Stone ‘s new quarters feature 4,500 square feet with 17 rooms—most of them private suites for massages—in April, and the relocation took place the day after Easter, with the reopening the following day.

“Moving seven years in one day—I don’t think we’ll ever do that again,” said Amy O’Nell, the spa’s senior operations manager. “But it’s been incredible.”

In addition to its core services, Hand and Stone offers waxing, cryoskin treatment and other esthetic services

There’s an introductory tier for massages (Swedish, hot stone and Himalayan salt) and facials (Clarity and Dermalogica) for men, women and teens.

Specialty massages include deep tissue, prenatal and for sports and there are a number of options for cryoskin therapy, which is a non-invasive treatment and freezes and destroys fat cells.

O’Neill said all of the spa’s massage therapists are licensed in the state of Georgia, and one of the private rooms includes two beds for a “couple’s massage.”

She said those often include a mother and daughter, sisters or friends.

Hand and Stone also offers a membership program and accepts walk-in customers, but recommends reservations.

The spa is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information call 770-565-0808.

Hand and Stone moves The Avenue East Cobb

Hand and Stone moves The Avenue East Cobb

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Hand and Stone grand reopening set for The Avenue East Cobb

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Hand and Stone The Avenue East Cobb grand reopening

A number of stores are on the move at The Avenue East Cobb as redevelopment work continues.

One of those businesses affected by the construction of “jewel box” restaurants and a public plaza is Hand and Stone  Massage and Facial Spa.

It’s now located in Suite 900, between the Loft and Bath and Body Works, and on Friday will have a grand reopening celebration from 4-8 p.m.

The event is open house style and is open to the public, with refreshments, guided tours, raffle prizes and exclusive offers.

You’re asked to RSVP at this link.

A few other moves at The Avenue: The College Station store that was located in Suite 1520 near the Gap is now next to Lenscrafters in Suite 425; and Faced the Facial Studio has opened in Suite 200, between Warby Parker and the forthcoming Barnes and Noble bookstore.

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Delta Community Credit Union names new East Cobb branch manager

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Tina Nelson, Delta Credit Union East Cobb branch manager

The Delta Community Credit Union has named Tina Nelson the new branch manager at its East Cobb location on Johnson Ferry Road.

She has nearly 24 years of banking and management experience and was previously a branch manager with the Bank of Montreal in her native Canada and the Regions Bank branch in Dallas, Ga., and was a mortgage loan officer with Security Mortgage Company prior to joining Delta Community.

Nelson moved to the U.S. in 2014 after her husband, an American military veteran, retired after serving at a local installation.

“I’m looking forward to incorporating my industry knowledge to bring a positive impact to our credit union team and our members in Marietta and Cobb County,” Nelson said.

Based in Atlanta, the Delta Community Credit Union has more than 484,000 members and nearly 30 locations in the metro area and north Georgia.

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LM Frame and Gallery to hold ribbon-cutting for expanded space

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LM Frame and Gallery expanding

The LM Frame and Gallery is opening expanded gallery space at its existing location at the Shops of Woodlawn (1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 150) and will hold a special ribbon-cutting ceremony later this month to celebrate.

The ribbon-cutting, which is being held in association with the East Cobb Business Association, takes place on May 18 at 5:30 p.m. and the event will include a special art exhibit of local artists featuring Aboriginal works.

The custom framing store and contemporary art gallery is owned by Christophe and Caroline Choquart. Framing work includes traditional paintings, 3D objects, needlework, posters and more.

New Businesses

The following businesses in East Cobb were granted licenses in April by the Cobb Community Development Agency:

  • Cindy’s Stitch Studio, 4901 Olde Towne Parkway, Suite 100 (tutoring services)
  • Drea Nicole Photography, 2000 Powers Ferry Road, Suites 1-4 (photography studio)
  • Larry’s Kitchen, 3910 Canton Road, Suite 140 (restaurant)
  • PT Solutions Physical Therapy, 4401 Shallowford Road, Suite 100 (physical therapy)
  • Scooter’s Coffee, 2943 Canton Road, Suite 1600 (coffee and tea store)

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East Cobb bookstores taking part in Independent Bookstore Day

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Bookmiser

When we posted earlier this year about a Barnes and Noble store coming to The Avenue East Cobb, quite a few readers mentioned that the community has a number of smaller, mostly independent bookstores.

For the last 10 years, there’s been an Independent Bookstore Day across the country on the last Saturday in April, and this Saturday three East Cobb stores will be taking part.

It’s the culmination of Independent Bookstore Week, as stores offer special discounts, prizes and other incentives, designed to help the moms and pops of the book retailing world to counter the dominance of Amazon and national chains.

Bookmiser (3822 Roswell Road), the Book Exchange (3932 Canton Road, Suite 230) have and All Things Inspirational (2745 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 156) are among the 20+ stores participating in the Georgia Indie Bookshop Hop, which also has store prizes and a grand prize.

Participants can purchase items from as many bookstores as they choose and submit their receipts to be entered into prize drawings.

Bookmiser (marking its 25th anniversary this year) and the Book Exchange have been in the community for a while. All Things Inspiration is a newcomer, expanding from its original Mableton location to The Corners Shopping Center last fall, and specializes in Christian-oriented books, Bibles, study materials, greeting cards and gifts.

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East Cobb businesses named Chamber small business finalists

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The Music Studio Atlanta East Cobb

The Music Studio Atlanta, which opened an East Cobb location last fall, has been named a finalist for 2023 small business of the year by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

The Music Studio Atlanta, based in Vinings, offers a wide range of musical instruction to children and adults.

The East Cobb studio is located at the Pavilions of East Lake shopping center on Roswell Road.

Another finalist for small business of the year is Manay CPA, with offices located on Shallowford Road near Lassiter High School, with a clientele of small businesses, startups and businesses and growth companies.

The Chamber names 25 businesses around the county each year as its top small businesses, and will announce the overall winner in May.

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East Cobb restaurant update: MarketPlace Terrell Mill news

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MarketPlace Terrell Mill restaurant news
The Brass Tap Craft Beer Bar site.

The small retail building at the new MarketPlace Terrell Mill development is half-occupied, with a dentist and nail salon.

The plans were to include some restaurant space, and elsewhere on the property a Wendy’s, Chick-Fil-A and Panera Bread have opened.

The Power Ferry Corridor Alliance civic group reports that two restaurants will be coming soon to the open spots at the Shoppes, which fronts the MarketPlace Village apartment building.

Los Abuelos Mexican Grill will be opening in June, the chain’s first location outside of its base in Newnan.

The other space will be taken up by a location of the Brass Tap Craft Beer Bar, a Tampa-based chain with Atlanta-area locations at Perimeter Center, Milton and Hapeville.

The Brass Tap’s parent company, FSC Franchise Co., also runs the Beef O’Brady’s restaurant chain.

There’s no signage yet at either of the forthcoming restaurants. They’ll be among the final pieces of the MarketPlace project to be filled along with the anchor Kroger superstore (90,000 square feet) that’s still under construction.

There’s fencing around that building—where the former Brumby Elementary School once stood—and an accompanying Kroger gas station will be fronting Powers Ferry Road. That’ slated to open next month.

The new Kroger store is expected to relocate from the Delk-Powers Ferry intersection by the fall.

The Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance is having an Adopt-A-Mile cleanup day April 15 from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Powers Ferry-Terrell Mill intersection. They’re springing for a free Starbucks there at 8:45 a.m. for those who volunteer, and you can sign up by clicking here.

MarketPlace Terrell Mill restaurant news
The Los Abuelos site.

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Cobb Chamber to hear The Avenue East Cobb redevelopment plans

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The Avenue East Cobb redevelopment

Two officials with North American Properties will be discussing the current redevelopment of The Avenue East Cobb at a Thursday breakfast meeting of the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

The breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. at Indian Hills Country Club (4001 Clubland Drive) and admission is $30 for Chamber members and $40 for non-members. Walk-up admissions and payment cannot be granted.

The speakers are Mike Lant, a redevelopment executive with NAP, and Cayley Mullen, who leads a guest experience team for the management company.

The East Cobb Area Council holds three breakfast luncheons per year at Indian Hills.

For more information on Area Councils, contact Katie Guice at kguice@cobbchamber.org.

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East Cobb biz updates: East Lake Starbucks; Chick-Fil-A Lassiter

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East Lake Starbucks opens

Over the weekend we saw the finishing touches being put on a new standalone Starbucks at the East Lake Shopping Center (2135 Roswell Road).

A reader sent us word on Sunday that it’s now open. The hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

This is the ninth Starbucks in the East Cobb area, and it’s right across the street from a smaller Starbucks inside the Kroger at the Pavilions at East Lake, and a mile or so from another Starbucks at Roswell and East Piedmont.

(See the map for more details.)

The new East Lake location was built on the site of a former bank, and is near the Los Bravos Mexican restaurant.

There’s a drive-through and indoor seating, as well as mobile app ordering and Wi-Fi.

Another standalone Starbucks is in the works at Paper Mill Village, with a delayed rezoning case requesting demolition of the existing small coffee shop for a 5,000-square-foot, two-story building.

That first hearing is tentatively scheduled for April 3 before the Cobb Planning Commission.

Back in service

What was supposed to be a short closure in February to expand drive-through service turned into be a longer hiatus for the Chick-Fil-A Lassiter (3046 Shallowford Road).

Store management announced on Friday that it’s reopened at its usual hours, after “a few unforeseen delays.”

The store had scheduled a Daddy Daughter Date Night but due to the closure that’s been rescheduled for March 25.

New Businesses

The following businesses in East Cobb were granted licenses by the Cobb Community Development Agency the last few weeks:

  • ASE Ventures, 2501 East Piedmont Road, Suite 204 (antique sales)
  • Blossom Locs, 2790 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 100-A (hair braiding)
  • Family Dental Care of Marietta, 2525 Shallowford Road, Suite 100 (dentist)
  • Ferrara Medical Aesthetics, 1000 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite E-25 (physician)
  • Settle for Glam, 2790 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 100-A (beauty shop)
  • Top Massage, 2200 Roswell Road, Suite 150 (health club/spa)

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East Cobb Biz Notes: Pure Barre Grand Opening; ECBA After Hours; more

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Pure Barre East Cobb opens

The new Pure Barre Studio at Parkaire Landing Shopping Center (4880 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 790) is holding several grand opening events this week, after a few months of a soft opening.

The main events are this weekend—from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday—and include free classes, membership specials, raffle prizes and giveaways, vendors and more.

The raffle prizes come from IceboxCryotherapy, Athelta, McCray’s Tavern, Blo Blow Dry Bar and others, and there will be local juice places in the studio and B12 shots on Saturday from wHydrate, a hydration therapy spa.

Updates are being posted on the studio’s Facebook page, and owner Jenna Scearce says that if you want to take part in a free class, you’ll need to reserve a spot by phone/text (770-283-0278) or e-mail (eastcobb@purebarre.com).

Those class times are 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 11 am. and 12:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and are  Foundations or Classic classes “so good for newbies,” general manager Chad Stone said.

Barre is a fitness concept that incorporates ballet, yoga and Pilates into a full-body, muscle endurance workout (intro info here).

Pure Barre, which has more than 600 locations in North America. Jenna Scearce and her husband Chad operate Pure Barre locations in Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton and will be opening another in Suwanee in the fall.

ECBA Resumes After Hours

The East Cobb Business Association is holding its first After Hours networking event of 2023 this week.

The event is from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday at Tijuana Joe’s Cantina (690 Johnson Ferry Road) and is open to ECBA members, their guests and visitors.

The cost is $5 for members and $10 for guests and visitors and includes one drink ticket and appetizers. You’re asked to register in advance to get an accurate headcount.

The ECBA also has a monthly luncheon for women this week. The group is called the Professional Women of East Cobb, and they also meet at Tijuana Joe’s for lunch the first Friday of each month, from 11:30-1 p.m.

The cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members and advance online registration is required.

ECBA also holds a weekly open networking event every Friday from 7:30-8:30 a.m. at the IHOP (3130 Johnson Ferry Road). There’s no registration required; you pay for whatever you may eat or drink.

New Businesses

The following businesses in East Cobb were granted licenses by the Cobb Community Development Agency in recent weeks:

  • AM A Joy Designs, 4556 Steinhauer Road (merchandise and service broker)
  • Berry Good Realty Group, 2686 Jamerson Road (real estate and property management)
  • Blinds & Designs Ltd., 2993 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 110 (drapery and blind installation)
  • Burmeister & Associates PC, 1827 Powers Ferry Road, Suites 10-200 (CPA)
  • Cinetable Light Tight Films Inc., 4880 Surrey Drive (video and film production)
  • Elegance Events, 2080 Lower Roswell Road (catering service)
  • Isakson Living, 4994 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 16 (real estate and property management)
  • Peach Renovations, 652 Powers Ferry Road (roofing and siding contractor)
  • Phil Cool Heating and Cooling, 1751 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 3
  • Pretty By Kitty, 3000 Windy Hill Road, Suite 109 (beauty shop)
  • Primary Fence of Georgia, 890 Blackwell Road (fencing contractor)
  • Professional Auto Repair Marietta, 1770 Lower Roswell Road (auto repair)
  • Roses Brazilian Bakery, 3349 Canton Road, Suite 219
  • SMG Motors, 4757 Canton Road, Suite 218B (used auto dealer)
  • The L Room, 2217 Roswell Road, Suite 132 (event venue)
  • Uncle Dave’s Automotive Repair, 3086 Canton Road
  • Visionworks, 4250 Roswell Road, Suite 520 (optical supplies)
  • Zen Dry Restoration, 111 Village Parkway, Bldg 2, Suite 100 (waterproofing contractor)

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More from Barnes and Noble about The Avenue East Cobb store

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Barnes and Noble coming The Avenue East Cobb

Barnes and Noble issued its own release about the forthcoming store at The Avenue East Cobb after what North American Properties confirmed last month.

As we noted previously, the national book retailer will be occupying 15,0000 square feet of the former Bath Bed and Beyond store this summer, and the space will include a B & N Café similar to some of its nearby stores, including near Cumberland Mall.

Barnes and Noble CEO James Daunt said in a release Wednesday that this is Barnes and Noble’s first new store in Cobb in nearly 20 years, since opening at The Avenue West Cobb.

“Now that Barnes & Noble begins to grow again, opening new bookstores across the country, happily this omission is to be corrected,” Daunt said. “Our booksellers are very excited to be bringing such a large and beautiful new bookstore to the community.” 

Daunt was brought on to revive Barnes and Noble after turning around the famed Waterstone bookselling chain in his native Britain.

The Barnes and Noble release said the store at The Avenue East Cobb—the first in Georgia as part of a “smaller” size concept—is one of 30 the chain is planning to open across the country this year.

The revamped store concept allows for store managers to curate recommended books for local and regional tastes and to reflect the atmosphere of independent stores.

A specific opening time frame hasn’t been announced for the East Cobb store, but two social media sites have just been created, on Instagram and Twitter.

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Chick-Fil-A Lassiter closed two weeks for drive-thru upgrade

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Chick-Fil-A Lassiter drive-thru upgrade

A busy Chick-Fil-A location in East Cobb is closed this week and next for expansion of its drive-thru service.

Brian Baldwin, the operations manager for the Chick-Fil-A Lassiter (3046 Shallowford Road), said in a video release over the weekend that “we are committed to improving your drive-thru experience.”

He didn’t specify what the renovations would entail, but management reassured a customer that they wouldn’t be getting rid of the play area for kids.

The closest Chick-Fil-A in that area is across from Sprayberry High School at 2530 Sandy Plains Road.

Chick-Fil-A locations in the East Cobb area have expanded recently to include a double drive-thru at some locations, with one dedicated for customers who order ahead.

The Chick-Fil-A at Woodlawn Square on Johnson Ferry Road was closed for several months in 2018-19 due to significant renovations that included reconfiguring its drive-thru access.

Retail Planning Corp., which manages the retail center, has applied to expand to a double pick-up lane and needs county approval to relate a Delta Community Credit Union ATM in order to do that. That case goes before Cobb commissioners on Feb. 21.

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The Avenue East Cobb details ‘Galentine’s Day’ event for women

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The Avenue East Cobb Galentine's Day

Sorry fellas, you’re not invited.

The Avenue East Cobb is giving women a chance to enjoy Valentine’s Day a day early with their female friends.

“Galentine’s Day” is an event taking place next Monday from 5-7 p.m. in what’s being called the “Babe Cave,” between Tin Lizzy’s and Chico’s.

Admission to the Babe Cave is free, and the goal is to “make for a fun, easy way to get the group together for a night out celebrating the power of female friendship.”

There will be a “stroll map” of participating retailers and restaurants offering special sales and “photos with a group of huggable llamas that will be roaming the property.”

More about Galentine’s Day can be found by clicking here.

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East Cobb Biz News: Emergency vet to replace Tokyo Valentino

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Veterinary Emergency Group East Cobb

Work crews this week officially unveiled what’s going in at the former Tokyo Valentino adult store space at 1290 Johnson Ferry Road.

A sign posted in the front window revealed the second Georgia location for Veterinary Emergency Group, a nationwide chain with 43 clinics, including one in Alpharetta.

It will be second such emergency vet clinic to locate in East Cobb in recent months, following Urgent Vet’s opening at East Cobb Crossing last September.

The VEG concept is similar to Urgent Vet, with after-hours availability and collaboration with a pet’s primary veterinarian to handle emergencies.

VEG co-founder and president David Glattstein is an Emory University graduate with investment experience. He teams up with veterinarian David Bessler, who opened his first emergency vet hospital in 2014.

Tokyo Valentino was ordered closed in July 2021 by a Cobb judge after operating without a proper business license. The adult retail store was tangled in litigation with Cobb County, which sued to permanently revoke its business license for misrepresentation.

Cobb issued a business license in March 2020 to 1290 Clothing, which listed itself as a clothing store on its business license application.

But pink and purple Tokyo Valentino signs went up when it opened in June 2020, the latest in an Atlanta-area chain of adult retail stores, with an inventory including adult lingerie and sex toys and other adult items.

Tokyo Valentino never re-opened in East Cobb, and last fall the City of Marietta revoked the business license of a Tokyo Valentino store on Cobb Parkway for similar reasons.

A Cobb judge upheld the revocation, citing a “bait and switch” tactic by Tokyo Valentino, which initially said that store would feature smoking products.

Federal litigation is still pending in that case.

Coming to Pinestraw Plaza

Visionworks, which operates more than 700 retail optical centers across the country, is coming soon to Pinestraw Plaza (4250 Roswell Road).

Customers can schedule an eye exam and choose glasses and contacts onsite in a similar concept to Warby Parker, which opened last fall at The Avenue East Cobb.

Visionworks has 15 locations in metro Atlanta, including near Cumberland Mall and Town Center at Cobb.

A growing footprint

The Big Peach Running Co. location at the Shops of Woodlawn (1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite C), is marking its 17th anniversary in business by expanding its space.

A wall between Big Peach and the new Cleaver and Cork butcher shop is coming down. Big Peach is open during the renovations, and continues as East Cobb’s spot for picking up community race packets (including the Walton Raider Chase on Saturday).

The East Cobb store was the second of what is now nine Big Peach Stores in metro Atlanta.

Hours are Monday-Friday 10-8, Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 12-5.

Welcome

Here are the new business licenses granted in East Cobb the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 3 by the Cobb Community Development Agency:

  • AP3 Marietta, 2620 Canton Road (auto accessories and installation)
  • Best in Dog, 2651 Beckwith Trail (small animal training)
  • Castellanos Welding Services, 934 Old Farm Walk
  • Duffy Scott Interiors, 5065 Fields Pond Cove
  • Gill’s Alterations and Cleaners, 2932 Canton Road, Suite 270
  • Nacho Tree Experts, 1900 Falcon Wood Place
  • Le Lawn Services, 4058 Cloister Drive
  • North Metro Truck Center, 2009 Dorsey Road, Suite 600 (auto repair shop)
  • PLS Yoga, 1000 Johnson Ferry Road (personal trainer)
  • Reesha, 3460 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 640 (barber shop)
  • The Maddox Home, 4487 Trickum Road (personal care home)

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East Cobb biz news: New LongHorn site; Withrow’s Jewelers closes

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New East Cobb LongHorn site

Work crews recently demolished a former bank and restaurant building at 4370 Roswell Road (an outparcel at the Merchants Exchange Shopping Center) that will be the new site of the LongHorn Steakhouse.

It’s been more than a year since the one-acre property’s owner, East Cobb Warren LLC, got a variance from Cobb County to reduce the parking spaces from 57 to 50 and make other site plan changes.

LongHorn has been located at 4721 Lower Roswell Road since 1983, and when it marked its 30th anniversary at that location in 2013, it was the longest-standing original location for the Orlando-based chain.

The standalone building going up where BB & T bank and originally a Black Eye’d Pea restaurant once stood will be roughly the same size as the current location, a little less than 6,000 square feet, according to planning documents submitted with the variance request.

BB & T Marietta LLC sold the property in August 2021 for $2.5 million, according to Cobb property records.

East Cobb News has left a message with LongHorn seeking more details, including a timeline for opening.

Saying farewell

After 36 years in business in East Cobb, Withrow’s Jewelers closed in January due to the retirements of co-owners Jill and Robert Withrow.

The family-owned business was located at the Woodlawn Point Shopping Center, and in a Facebook message, Jill Withrow said that closing was “not a decision we came to lightly, but we hope that over the years we have been successful in our mission to offer exceptional fine jewelry and excellent customer service.”

She said that while she and her husband are looking forward “to slowing down, we will still remain part of the jewelry industry. We will continue to offer custom design, estate and gold buying, and select inventory by private appointment, starting in late spring of 2023.”

Contact information for those latter services: (770) 565-6675, text at (404) 234-2345, or email at withrowjewelers@gmail.com.

The Withrows also are referring customers to David Douglas Diamonds & Jewelry (3605 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 260).

Vacating Parkaire

Anytime Fitness has closed at Parkaire Landing Shopping Center. The last day of business was on Sunday, according to co-owners Julia and Patrick Hogue.

They didn’t cite a reason for the closing, but Parkaire has several gyms and fitness centers, including CycleBar, Rock Box Fitness, Pro Martial Arts and most recently, Pure Barre, which is having raffles and offering other prizes in February leading up to its grand opening in early March.

The Tuesday Morning consignment shop at Parkaire closed in late 2022, and the adjacent Kroger is expanding to include some of that space.

New Business Licenses

We’re going to start listing new businesses coming to the community, which are compiled each week by the Cobb Community Development Agency.

For the week of Jan. 22-27:

  • J & J Dental, 2230 Roswell Road
  • Jessen Cabinets, 4651 Woodstock Road, Suite 150
  • Masterpiece Pools, 3278 Hembree Road
  • Nicole’s Dog Gone Cute Grooming, 4750 Alabama Road, Suite 105
  • Niki Gori (licensed professional counselor), 1640 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 18-200
  • Patel Plastic Surgery, 1519 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 250
  • Peakzen (fitness training), 1519 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 350
  • The American Woodworker (arts and crafts retail), 1719 Apple Boulevard

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Barnes and Noble to open bookstore at The Avenue East Cobb

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Barnes and Noble coming The Avenue East Cobb
Most of the former Bed Bath and Beyond store at The Avenue will be taken up by a new Barnes & Noble location.

Nearly a dozen years after losing a major book retail store, The Avenue East Cobb is getting another one.

North American Properties, the retail center’s management company, confirmed to East Cobb News Friday that Barnes & Noble will be filling part of the former Bed Bath & Beyond space by this summer.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle reported earlier Friday at that Barnes and Noble will be testing a smaller concept, occupying 15,000 square feet at The Avenue, much less than its typical 25,000-square-foot size of standalone stores.

It will be the first such smaller store in Georgia, and is “intended to mimic the ambience, coziness and personal touch found in independent bookshops,” the ABC report said.

A story in The New York Times last April said Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt developed the concept, stemming from his days running Waterstones, a major book retailer in his native Britain:

“His theory was that chain stores should act less like chain stores and like more independent shops, with similar freedom to tailor their offerings to local tastes. It worked, and he returned Waterstones to profitability.

“He repeated that approach at Barnes & Noble. . . . Barnes & Noble has also concentrated on selling books, instead of the vast assortment of items that it once carried and that were only tangentially — if at all — related to reading.”

“We’re excited Barnes is coming,” an NAP spokeswoman said, adding that the rest of the BB & B space—which totalled more than 21,000 square feet—will be subdivided.

Borders was a staple of The Avenue in its early years before the company went into liquidation in 2011. That space is now occupied by the Michael’s craft store, which moved from the nearby East Cobb Crossing Shopping Center.

Since then, the East Cobb area has been served by independent and smaller book store chains.

Currently, there’s a Half Price Books location at Woodlawn Square, and Bookmiser operates a independent store on Roswell Road near Robinson Road West.

Barnes & Noble has three other locations in Cobb County, near Cumberland Mall and Town Center at Cobb and at The Avenue West Cobb.

Bed Bath and Beyond closed at The Avenue East Cobb in January 2022 as part of a nationwide reduction in stores, and as it tries to stave off bankruptcy.

The Avenue is currently undergoing a makeover that includes “jewel box” buildings with restaurants and small retail space, a public plaza and valet parking, and is increasing events.

NAP’s overhaul got underway before Christmas, with a portion of the back parking lot fenced off for construction.

Most of that project is expected to be finished by the summer, but the NAP spokeswoman said Barnes and Noble hasn’t given a more specific opening date.

She said several other leases of new retail tenants will be announced in the coming weeks, and that the Lululemon pop-up shop has converted into a full-time store at The Avenue.

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Cobb Chamber accepting 2023 small business of the year applications

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Artisan Custom Closets Cobb Small Business of the Year
Artisan Custom Closets of East Cobb was the 2022 Cobb Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year.

Submitted information:

The Cobb Chamber is accepting nominations and applications for the 2023 Small Business of the Year awards. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, February 1. Applications close on February 28.

In 1982, the Small Business of the Year awards were established to honor the important role that small businesses play in the Cobb community and the economy. For the 2023 competition, the Cobb Chamber will name the 2023 Small Business of the Year, the Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year, the Businesses to Watch – businesses that have launched three years ago or less – and the Next-Level of Excellence award winner. The Next-Level of Excellence award recognizes companies that have exceeded SBA size standards and are continuing to excel. 

Business owners can nominate themselves or other businesses. Nominees and applicants must:

  • Comply with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s size standards.
  • The applicant must be the owner, partner, or major shareholder of the business, and active in its day-to-day operations.
  • The business must be financially stable and operational for a minimum of three years – except for Businesses to Watch applicants, which are businesses that were established fewer than three years ago.
  • Businesses must be a member of the Cobb Chamber at the time the award is presented on May 8.

Once applications are submitted, each application is judged on business growth and performance, business challenges, unique and innovative approaches, community involvement and contributions, company culture, and employee relations. For the 2023 Small Business of the Year competition, an independent evaluation team will choose a Top 25, and from that group five finalists will continue in the competition for one to be named the 2023 Small Business of the Year. For Business To Watch and Next-Level of Excellence applicants, an independent evaluation team will choose the top three applicants for each award category. An overall winner for each award category will be chosen from the top three applicant pool. 

The winners of each award category will be announced and celebrated at the Small Business of the Year Luncheon on Monday, May 8 from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Coca-Cola Roxy.

Nominations and applications can be submitted at https://bit.ly/3IY6J7k. For more information on the Small Business of the Year Awards or to become a sponsor, contact Jani Dix at 770-859-2335 or jdix@cobbchamber.org.

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East Cobb Trader Joe’s reopens after temporary closure

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East Cobb Trader Joe's temporarily closed

UPDATED, SATURDAY, 2:20 P.M.

The store has reopened.

ORIGINAL POST:

For at least a couple of days, the Trader Joe’s at Pinestraw Plaza (4250 Roswell Road) has been closed due to plumbing issues.

When we went by on Friday afternoon, two employees were giving customers that news, and it was an odd sight to see that part of the retail center’s parking lot empty of vehicles.

They didn’t indicate when the store would reopen, but apparently some pipes burst. Not long after we took the above photo, a repair vehicle was parked near the entrance.

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Westfield Tavern opening soon in former East Cobb Tavern space

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Westfield Tavern opening East Cobb

Those behind the forthcoming Westfield Tavern at the Shallowford Corners Shopping Center say they’re getting closer to opening, and they got a big boost in the process last week.

Cobb commissioners approved on a consent agenda an item to grant a beer, wine, liquor and Sunday pouring license to Westfield Tavern, which is set to occupy the former East Cobb Tavern and Keegan’s Public House space.

Managing partner Erik Tierney told East Cobb News Monday that he’s hoping to open the doors in a couple of weeks, but couldn’t say exactly when.

He’s still hiring a staff and “waiting on a few other things” regarding licensing and permitting from Cobb County.

A veteran of the Atlanta pub and community tavern scene, Tierney said Westfield Tavern will be a “family-friendly community tavern” much like his Whitehall Tavern, which opened in Buckhead at the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center near Piedmont Hospital in 2011.

His restaurant group also includes the Creatwood Tavern in Smyrna, which features a rooftop patio.

While there’s a sports bar-type atmosphere, Tierney said he wants Westfield Tavern to exude a real community feel—it’s named after an adjacent subdivision on Shallowford Road—and will include an area for kids’ games.

The business also plans to get involved as a sponsor and partner in community activities, especially those involving youth and in the Pope, Lassiter and other school communities.

In doing the market research, Tierney said the demographics are very similar to Whitehall Tavern—40 and over and those raising children.

“It works very well down there,” he said in reference of the Buckhead location’s concept, “and I think it’s replicable here.”

The Westfield Tavern menu, he said, will also reflect those similarities (here’s Whitehall’s), including a number of kids’ items.

While Westfield will be located in the heart of the “JOSH” area soon to welcome East Cobb Church and new residential development, Tierney said its proximity to Roswell also is ideal.

“We’re trying to create this as a destination,” he said.

East Cobb Tavern opened in Jan. 2020, but closed soon after due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It briefly reopened then shut again in early 2021 in an attempt to find new ownership.

But that didn’t materialize, and the premises were vacant until last fall, when plans for the Westfield Tavern got underway.

Westfield Tavern was initially denied an alcohol license due to distance requirements under Cobb ordinances, but the Cobb License Review Board reversed that decision, which was upheld by Cobb commissioners last week.

That’s a standard pattern for many restaurants and bars in Cobb (as we noted in March 2021 about the Flying Biscuit Cafe opening).

Westfield Tavern’s opening hours will be Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The address is 4401 Shallowford Road Suite 13.

Tierney said anyone interested in applying for positions at Westfield can email info@westfield-tavern.com.

Tierney, who hails from Ireland and previously was a manager of the now-closed Ri Ra Tavern in Midtown Atlanta as well as Meehan’s Public House in Atlantic Station, said that while Westfield Tavern won’t be following as a true Irish pub, “we’ll still have Guinness on tap,” he said.

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The Avenue East Cobb raises $4.2K for Habitat in holiday fundraiser

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The Avenue East Cobb holiday events

Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta announced this week that The Avenue East Cobb and its merchants raised $4,266 in its inaugural holiday partnership.

A total of $3,015 came from proceeds from ticket sales the East Cobb retail center held, including Experiences with Santa and Storytime with Santa.

Another $1,251 also raised from the Kendra Scott jewelry store at The Avenue East Cobb. The Habitat chapter featured a table at each event offering more information on the organization’s mission and how to get involved.

“We are so happy the amazing team at Avenue East Cobb and Kendra Scott selected us to be the benefactor of these popular events,” said Jessica Gill, CEO, Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta, said in a statement. “We look forward to a long partnership bettering our community together.”

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