Hot Stix A Little Cold, Closes For "Renovations"?

Thanks to Repeat Atlanta reader Jenna K. for the tip on the closure of Hot Stix at Lindbergh. Attempting to dine there this weekend, she never made it in the door. The lights were out and the doors locked, with a sign stating they were closed. For those unaware, Hot Stix is a ripoff of the hugely successful The Real Chow Baby in west midtown. Hot Stix was located in the Lindbergh City Center development adjacent to the Lindbergh MARTA station. Repeat Atlanta contacted their sister restaurant Thrive in downtown Atlanta and was told that Hot Stix is "closed for renovations". A similar sign was posted on the now months closed "The Grape" in Inman Park. In other words, a restaurant's way to save face is to say it's "closed for renovations" while in fact it's closed for good with no expectation of reopening. Though their website was up as of tonight (3/30), their phone number is no longer in service. No official word from the parent company Southern Hospitality Management, but you can bet this will hit the fan this week and they will be unable to swing the same BS for long. Taco Mac seems to be the only Lindbergh City Center restaurant doing well, as My Panini closed months ago and Urban Flats seems to be only capable of attracting a crowd for its "Wine Down Wednesdays". Repeat Atlanta!

The Nook Worth A Look?

The Nook, the new eatery in the former Prince of Wales on Piedmont Ave. opened this week. A fitting name given its quaint location. Hopefully they are able to keep busy and keep open in their "Nook" of a space! Repeat Atlanta!

Hut 1, Hut 2, Duluth! Shula's America's Steak House Opening By the Arena at Gwinnett Center

After being the first to announce the opening of Shula's 347 Grill at the then Buckhead Hotel, Repeat Atlanta has learned that Shula's will open its signature "Shula's America's Steak House" within the upcoming Embassy Suites in Duluth. Despite the Atlanta Business Chronicle's reporting in this week's edition that it would be a second Shula's 347 Grill, we have confirmed it to be his namesake steakhouse instead. Breaking the mold of most metro area Embassy Suites, they will have Shula's steakhouse rather than Ruth's Chris Steakhouse which is in their Downtown and Buckhead properties. The hotel has yet to break ground, so an opening date is far from being announced. I'd expect for it to open mid-late 2010. Repeat Atlanta!

Streets of Buckhead Destined For The Death Watch?

Ben Carter's "The Streets of Buckhead" appears destined for yet another delay, possibly until Fall 2010. This week brings word that at least two retailers have left the project though the possibility exists that others will utilize their "terminate" clauses if the economy does not improve. Originally scheduled to have opened this Spring, it was delayed to this Fall, then next Spring and according to Ben Carter himself, may now be pushed till Fall 2010 to open at a time when both their occupancy is higher and the economy is better. For now, all we Atlantans have is the sketch to the left and a gigantic construction zone. Repeat Atlanta!

Chef Mennie's "Livingston" Opening At the Georgian Terrace April 20th

Gary Mennie will be opening "Livingston" April 20th at The Georgian Terrace hotel in midtown according to a hotel representative. Mennie, co-founder of Canoe, recently closed his SoBu eatery Taurus but seems to have found his next great eatery not far away. Well respected in the Atlanta area for his culinary skills, Mennie has been a favorite of mine for years. The restaurant itself gets its name from former Atlanta mayor Livingston Mims and will be run by San Francisco-based Puccini Group. The hotel was built on land that years before was home to Mims original residence. The Livingston restaurant is the crown jewel of the $11 million dollar renovation the historic hotel is now going through. As I know the major challenge at Taurus was its second floor location within a shopping center. I hope that being in such a glamorous hotel across from the FOX will be the winning formula Mennie deserves! Repeat Atlanta!

Palomar Atlanta Finally Has A Restaurant, Pacci Ristorante

The new Palomar Atlanta hotel in Midtown has decided on their signature restaurant. Pacci Ristorante, described as a "Piemontese-style steakhouse" was designed by the Puccini Group, the same firm behind Livingston at The Georgian Terrace. Unlike the Puccini Groups design and management of the Livingston, Kimpton will manage their restaurant themselves. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and also features a large rooftop patio. The hotel and restaurant are both expected to open by the end of April. Repeat Atlanta!

New Cafe "Sprouts" Up In Emory Village

Sprouts Green Cafe will open later this Spring in Emory Village. Taking what has become an unsuccessful location for many recent tenants, the most recent being One Hot Cookie which failed to make a go of it. With built in traffic from nearby Emory and the north Decatur neighborhoods, hopefully this time around, this concept will make it work. Repeat Atlanta!

Varasano's Pizzeria Finally Opens (For Dinner)

After months of setbacks, its finally here! Jeff Varasano, author of the online gourmet pizza manifesto that has attracted international attention, will open his first restaurant today in Tivoli's Mezzo property. The pizzeria will open for dinner service today and will expand to lunch within the next few days. Varasano’s Pizzeria seats about 125 including an outdoor patio and bar. Menu items will include favorites like the Margherita as well as many of Varasano’s own creations. Originally from the Bronx, Varasano has spent years perfecting his own version of his favorite New York pie and after international trips and many experimental variations of bread, ingredients and temperature; he has created his perfect pie. Repeat Atlanta!

Worth the hype? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Marking The End Of Mark Shale

Mark Shale's parent company has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and will close all but three stores. The flagship location in Chicago and two others will remain open while Lenox and all others will close by late April. As of today, the store is 30% off and will continue reductions until their late April closure. On a visit to the store today, the sales staff was cold calling all top customers and informing of them of the closure and urging them to come in and shop soon. I was very unimpressed with the staff and felt this may not be a result of the impending closure but instead, a possible cause. In times like these, customer service needs to be a priority for businesses as they try to retain existing customers and attract what new ones they can. Though I was not a frequent shopper, I always wondered how such a large store, with such similar merchandise as other mall stores could stay in business. I have heard the Mark Shale is enormous at Lenox, having a large basement, elevator and storage along with their two store front lobby level Lenox location. Heres to the thought of as many as two new stores in Lenox when MS closes. Repeat Atlanta!

A Tasty Deal REPEATED! $25 Gift Certificates For Only $3!!!

Shop now through the end of the month and purchase $25 gift certificates to some of Atlanta's favorite and new restaurants for only $3!


Save 70% Off with every order of $25 Gift Certificates. Use code SAVE and pay $3 thru 3/31/09.

A.J. Wright Makes The Right Decision In Atlanta

TJX Cos. will enter the Atlanta market this year with at least six new A.J. Wright stores. Originally announced to be opening one store late last year, the off price retailer is now on track to have six open by years end. With prices lower than that of sister store T.J. Maxx, A.J. Wright will be concentrated in largely urban areas with low to median incomes. The first store will be in Stone Mountain and another will open in Belvedere Plaza in Decatur. Repeat Atlanta!

Are The Lights Finally Out At Illuminations?

Illuminations, a candle store on the second level of Lenox near Bloomingdales, is apparently closing for the second time in two years. After having a "Going out of Business sale" a little over a year ago , the store closed and remained empty for months. A few months ago, something mysterious happened: the store reopened in the exact same space. Now, on a recent trip to Lenox, I see that once again the store is having a "store closing sale" with up to 75% off, just like last time. Is it just a gimmick? Are they really closing? Its anyone's guess, but I guess we'll find out in six months. Repeat Atlanta!

Former Gold Star Cafe and Bakery A Golden Opportunity For a New Eatery

After quietly closing about a month ago, little has been said or done to the former Gold Star Cafe and Bakery on Peachtree Street in Midtown. While the space is not especially big, it would make a great spot for a second location of either the Highland Bakery or HF Bakery. These are just two options, but really, something should take this space, it's such a great location and the neighborhood needs something to fill that void. Repeat Atlanta!

Whatever / Whenever: WHAT Goes on at the W Buckhead?

Well, in case you were somehow unaware, the slogan at Starwood's W brand of hotels is "Whatever/Whenever". I was told that all requests must be moral and legal, but alas that mandate must have been lost on the Buckhead property management. The AJC reported today that hotel patrons complained to the police that they were being solicited for illegal sex acts. The two female teens were caught in the act by an APD officer and arrested. They were charged with escorting without a permit, according to the police report. With all the noise from Whiskey Blue and now this incident, the only thing coming out of the W Buckhead is unhappy guests. Repeat Atlanta!

The Buckhead Hotel Becoming A Marriott Conference Center

Apparently I'm not crazy! Shula's 347 Grill is not going into The Buckhead Hotel. As with most if not all of their other locations, they will be located within a branded property. I have now received word that the hotel will become the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center when it reopens later this summer. With the tremendous amount of construction going on, it became obvious to me that there had to be a more significant brand in mind. The change does make sense in a way, as Marriott already owns the land and has plenty of reason to develop the site. Though the site was at one point considered for the W Buckhead, the neighboring Firestone's unwillingness to relocate caused the deal to fall through. The Marriott has apparently found a way to work around that issue. Oh yeah, don't try calling the SIMON Marketplace at Lenox with any questions, they are clueless to all things in and outside of the mall. Repeat Atlanta!

Days Inn Downtown Will Become Courtyard Prototype

While financial markets are in shambles and lenders are not lending, hoteliers are getting creative when it comes to new properties. I have just learned that the Days Inn, downtown Atlanta will be remodeled and re-branded as a new Courtyard by Marriott prototype property. The official announcement has yet to be made, so it's unlikely the process will be completed before early 2010. Judging from what I saw at the newly renovated Holiday Inn close by, the Courtyard had better step up their game. The two properties are within a few blocks of each other, close to Centennial Olympic Park and CNN Center. Repeat Atlanta!

Zoë's Kitchen Zooms Into Buckhead

Birmingham, AL based Zoë's Kitchen will open its first Atlanta area location in the coming weeks in Buckhead. Located in the corner space of Peachtree Battle shopping center a few doors down from Baskin-Robbins, the restaurant sits in a prime spot and should be a welcome addition to the current casual offerings in the area. Bonehead's is in the same "fast casual" category but is overpriced and another sad excuse for a concept by the Raving "Boneheads" behind the failed Mama Fu's and Doc Greens concepts. Zoë's fascinates me as its menu seems to be a Mediterranean influenced, healthy take on fast casual. Founded by John Cassimus in Birmingham, Alabama in the mid 90's, the founder, sold a majority stake in the business in late 07' and has seen the business expand to many new markets since. Repeat Atlanta!

Shula's 347 Grill Scores a Great Buckhead Location

As first reported by Repeat Atlanta last August, Shula's 347 Grill will open in Atlanta late this spring. One of five restaurant concepts by Hall of Fame football coach Don Shula, the restaurant represents the 347 wins he accumulated as the winningest coach in NFL history. Shula's 347 Grill will be located within the renovated Buckhead Hotel on Lenox Road, across from Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead. The Buckhead Hotel was once the Sheraton Buckhead but has been the Buckhead Hotel for the last couple of years. The hotel has been progressing in their extensive renovation and anticipates being completely done by early summer. The restaurant is tentatively scheduled to open in late July. Shula's had been looking at a number of hotels in the Atlanta market but seems to have found the perfect location to in which to touchdown. Repeat Atlanta!

St. Regis Opening Its Own Restaurant, Paces 88

The St. Regis Atlanta will have its own signature restaurant to compliment the relocating Pano's restaurant. Paces 88, an American bistro with a southern flair, which is scheduled to open with the hotel itself on April 14, will be located on the fourth floor of the property and feature a southern influenced farm-to-table menu. The culinary team is made up of both St. Regis transfers and locally hired chefs with past experience at such eateries as Food Studio and Nikolai’s Roof. The 140-seat restaurant will have 2 private dining rooms and a wine lounge. Thankfully the St. Regis was smart enough not to bring yet another bonehead celebrity chef's eatery to Atlanta like so many new hotels have done as of late. Repeat Atlanta!

Twisted Taco Taking on North Buckhead

Twisted Taco, on a recent growth spurt, will open its fifth location this summer in north Buckhead. Taking a space that historically has not done well with multiple concept changes over the years. The space has been previously known as Wieuca Tavern and Young's Karaoke. Located adjacent to the always popular Fellini's Pizza and La Fonda Latina, Twisted Taco will compliment the dining options well with their wide offering of anything from salads to burritos, wings and burgers. This will be location number five and comes after the successful opening of the new restaurant at Park Place across from Perimeter Mall. Construction has already begun on the extensive remodel, expect an opening within the next few months. Repeat Atlanta!

The Raving Idiots Are At It Again, Uncle Fatty's Coming Soon

Atlanta-based Raving Brand's, famous for their successful Moe's Southwest Grill and Planet Smoothie concepts, and more recently for a class-action lawsuit brought against them by franchisees, is launching a new concept. Now yes, all charges were dismissed even before the trial could begin, something I'll never make sense of, considering the legitimacy of a number of the charges. Either way, Raving's President Martin Sprock has finally announced their new concept to be "Uncle Fatty's". Its initial location will not be located in Atlanta as with all prior concept launches, but instead Raleigh, NC, though future locations are said to include Atlanta and other southern cities. With a menu consisting of burgers, fries and pizza, the restaurant already seems like the most unoriginal of all their concepts. I think they could have done better on the name as well. Perhaps call the place "Obesity City" or "Heart attack à la carte." These names are not already taken like Uncle Fatty's, which has been in Chicago for years. Repeat Atlanta!

Ann's Snack Bar: Far From The Death Watch

Repeat Atlanta readers have voted Ann's Snack Bar as having "The Best Burger In Atlanta!"

These were the final votes:

1. Ann's Snack Bar [39%]
2. Vortex [30%]
3. Holeman & Finch [16%]
4. Houston's [6%]
5. The Earl [4%]
6. Buckhead Diner [1%]

Please accept our apologies for not including every burger joint in Atlanta but it seems we omitted a few great places. Repeat Atlanta reader Matt A. made clear his favorites, "The best burger in town is at George's in the Highlands. The second best burger is at Canyons in Brookhaven, and the third place goes to Five Guys." FLIP is also a great place to try a few unique creations.

Make sure and place your vote on Repeat's Death Watch for the Death Watch member which you think will be next to go!

Repeat Atlanta!

Repeat Atlanta's Stimulus Plan : Save You Money!

Repeat Atlanta has again partnered with Restaurant.com to offer our readers another great offer. Now though March 15, purchase $25 gift certificates to some of Atlanta's favorite restaurants for only $2!!! That is not a typo, only $2 for a $25 gift certificate!

Save 80% Off with every order of $25 Gift Certificates. Use code MENU and pay $2 thru 3/15/09! Click HERE for this offer!

Repeat Atlanta!

eBay and PayPal Horror Story, Support Local Merchants

Though yes, this is not exactly about the Retail, Properties or Eateries of Atlanta, I felt this story should be repeated as much as possible, as what eBay and PayPal get away with online is outrageous. The story I'm speaking of is one that appeared in the AJC this past Sunday and details the ordeal Lisa Wright of Atlanta went through as a result of her eBay sale of a Louis Vuitton handbag. A former eBay merchant myself, I had a very similar experience where I was basically "kicked when down" by eBay and later PayPal. Selling an item I personally purchased from Nordstrom, the seller claimed that it was counterfeit. I offered a full refund if documentation was provided to prove with her claim that it was a fake, she refused. After almost two months of battling and filing claims and counterclaims with both eBay and PayPal, the same result occurred as Ms. Wright. PayPal took the funds from my account and instructed the buyer to send the item, in this case a pair of UGG's to that same "returns" department in Dallas, leaving me without my product, without my funds and without recourse. Something tells me, somewhere out there, PayPal employees are enjoying their Louis Vuitton bags, UGG shoes and whatever else is falsely and wrongly deemed "counterfeit". Sites like "PayPalSucks.com" with so many complaints only show why PayPal representatives refuse to disclose the number of times buyers seek charge-backs from their credit card companies or how often sellers lose in such disputes, because it occurs often. It is unfortunate everyone can't get their story to the masses, otherwise there may be enough attention to enact a change in policies.

The sad part being, this actually does relate to retail, as many consumers have shifted to online merchants in an attempt to save time and money. A recent poll on Repeat Atlanta showed 50% of respondents are doing most of their shopping online rather than in a "bricks and mortar" store. Many merchants also believe a lot of the merchandise that was stolen from assorted Atlanta area boutiques last summer ended up on sites like eBay. I say, in this time of economic uncertainly, support local businesses as much as possible. You know them, you see them, and you can trust them. Repeat Atlanta!

Evos Enters Atlanta With Two Locations

Evos, a Tampa Bay based eatery is set to make its [minimal] mark on Atlanta. I say minimal as the eatery is known for being both healthy to customers and to the planet. Serving a menu that includes airbaked "Airfries" and healthier versions of some of your favorites like milkshakes and burgers. Honestly I cant wait to try all of it! I always say I'm going to eat healthier and this concept seems to be the answer to these promises to myself. The two locations that have been announced are at Novare's Viewpoint condos on Peachtree and Sembler's The Prado shopping center on Roswell Rd. Both locations are said to be on track for summer openings. I cant figure out what it is, but virtually every new, existing or emerging restaurant concept that has come to Atlanta has ties to central or southern Florida in some way. Evos is the most recent to enter the peach state but other examples are Urban Flats (Orlando), Seasons 52 (Darden-Orlando) Bonefish Grill (OSI - Tampa Bay) and Pizza Fusion (Ft. Lauderdale). While some have performed better than others, Evos definitely caught my eye and I'm eager to see how they fare.

Repeat Atlanta!

Have you tried any of the concepts mentioned above? If so, leave a comment, share your experiences, and let us know what you thought.

St. Regis Atlanta Delays Its Opening

As I recently drove by the St. Regis Hotel Atlanta, I wondered to myself how this property would be ready to open so soon. Then came the answer, it wont! The St. Regis Hotel Atlanta has announced it will not open till April 11, pushing for a third scheduled opening. Pano's, their signature restaurant is behind as well, now on track for a late fall opening. Repeat Atlanta!

FIGO Finally Makes Its Move In Vinings

FIGO Pasta has now made its anticipated move from their location in Vinings, next door to the recently closed Starbucks. I'm unsure what the size difference is but it was rumored to be a sought after property by a number of establishments. Repeat Atlanta!

Atlantic Station Update

The Atlantic Station logo; a worthy representation of the developement...

As much as I hate Atlantic Station I ended up being dragged there to a movie at Regal Cinemas, the one bright spot of the development. After the film I walked around a little to see what I had missed in the time since I'd last been to this sad excuse for a development, turns out a lot. Pier 1, closed as did Tahitian Noni Cafe, an eatery run by people that make exotic juice. One the bright side if you can call it that, Subway opened as well as Kilwins, a Michigan based chocolate and ice cream eatery. PJ's Coffee & Lounge has a new far more generic name "Cafe 19" while apparently being run by the same management as before. If you were already aware of these changes, consider this old news, just like Atlantic Station. Repeat Atlanta!

A New "Star" Is Born, Abattoir

Abattoir, the latest concept by the Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison will open later this year in White Provision. Originally set for an "early 09" opening, the construction has not progressed as planned and the opening may not occur till early summer. Owners of the legendary Bacchanalia, Star Provisions and Floataway Cafe among others, this is said to be the most innovative concept yet! French for slaughterhouse, Abattoir is said to be a "meat-centric" eatery, all efforts will be made to utilize all "functional pieces of an animal", yes I said ALL! Tongue and head, yes, those are functional even if dead. In true form, not to conform that is, the signage will be minimal, quite possible only one cow statue outside. Repeat Atlanta!

DeathWatch Claims First Victim - Chima Steakhouse

General manager, Amyn Bana is shown as workers pack up Wednesday afternoon

Chima Steakhouse, located on land that once housed Kudzu Cafe and most recently Boi Na Braza, has closed. Just over a year after completing an extensive remodel and a far-reaching marketing campaign, the restaurant had trouble in attracting the same clientele as neighboring Fogo de Chao. As both churrascaria's offered similar pricing and menu, it was an uphill battle from the beginning. The fact that so much money was spent in remodeling the space and advertising everywhere from MARTA buses to The Atlantan magazine made it that much more difficult to make it work. Chima was one of the original members of our "DeathWatch" and the first to close. Repeat Atlanta!

Kimpton's Hotel Palomar Atlanta Poppin Off April 29

San Francisco based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant Group will open their sixth Hotel Palomar this April in Atlanta. Located at 866 West Peachtree Street, the hotel is within a short walk of Georgia Tech and even closer to the often frequented, Tech Square. With Hotel Paolmar and Hotel Monaco and others, Kimpton is the largest boutique hotel operator in the U.S. The exterior of the Atlanta property looks done, so it would seem all that remains is hiring additional front of house employees and training. Though the pictures provided on the site appear simulated, I think its safe to say the rooms will be modern and fun. Repeat Atlanta!

Why Would One Stay at the Wonder(less) W Buckhead?

Noble Investment Group recently opened their second W property in Atlanta, this one in Buckhead. Taking the space of what was most recently a Crowne Plaza, this W looks unique and inviting from the outside, but don't let its exterior fool you. While it may be unique, it is not unique in the way you might hope. A glance at recent reviews for the property on TripAdvisor.com show the majority of guests feel as though the hotel is first a club, and second a hotel. This string of poor reviews has led to their rating of Atlanta hotels to drop from #3 to #92 out of 209 within the past three weeks. The Intercontinental Buckhead, on the other hand, has been ranked #2 in the Atlanta area for upwards of 2 years and has close to 200 reviews versus 19 reviews in for the W Buckhead. One recent review asks "Could this be the Worst W in the world?" while others "Wanted to love it, but didn't..." or simply "Hated It". With hotels fighting for every guest and dollar possible, how long will the W Buckhead, with their mandatory $30 valet and poor service last? It is anyone's guess, but mine, well, lets just let you wonder ;) Repeat Atlanta!

Panos & Pauls Still Open In Strip Center, But For How Long?

This past January, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group announced that their namesake Panos & Pauls restaurant would close its current location. This closure would have been in the anticipation of their March opening at the St. Regis Hotel as simply Panos. However, Pano's and Paul's remains open. Panos stayed open till their second closing, Valentine's Day. The resturant was then extended to stay open until February 28. After an attempt to make a reservation for as late in the year as possible and after some playing around with some dates, it was possible to make a 7PM reservation for a party of 2 as late as August 29th using OpenTable.com.

It has been said that construction has stopped on the new location within the St. Regis, possibly pushing what was already delayed till November or even later. I'm not a marketing major, but Buckhead Life seems to be pretty darn smart in making numerous curtain calls for a restaurant so many Atlantans and especially Buckhead Beaus & Betties hold dear to their heart. Repeat Atlanta!

Have you made an attempt to experience Pano's & Pauls one last time? Maybe a first? Leave a comment about your experience!

West Midtown's 1*FIVE*0, Reinvented, Now a Studio and Events Space

With the souring economy, Lanny West (husband of WRXP's Leslie Fram) got creative and has relaunched 1*FIVE*O as a photography and events studio. As a retail concept, the idea behind the name was that all items were priced below $150. It is unclear if there will be any significance now that its a studio. A drop by the space this week showed promise as they already have numerous bookings this week and next. Repeat Atlanta!