Yum Bunz is finally making progress toward opening its first location.

The quick service dim sum restaurant submitted an application for a building permit with City of Atlanta Tuesday. The Yum Bunz concept was first revealed more than a year ago.

Construction on the new 3,400-square-foot space, at 935 Marietta Street, will cost an estimated $300,000, according to the permit.

Mike Blum, co-creator of The Real Chow Baby restaurants, is opening the dim sum restaurant that will specialize in bao, fluffy Chinese buns stuffed with barbecued roast pork and other fillings.

Yum Bunz was not immediately available for comment.

Photo courtesy of hotdishreview.com

Super Pan is closing its current location, at 1057 Blue Ridge Avenue, the Latino sandwich shop announced in a press release Tuesday.

“While Super Pan has received great press and reviews, and has wonderful loyal customers, the foot traffic in the area is not enough to support the high labor, high food cost concept in its current location,” according to the release.

Chef Hector Santiago and wife Leslie, who own neighboring restaurant Pura Vida, are currently looking for investors to partner with to move Super Pan to a new location with much higher foot traffic, the release notes.

Santiago plans on opening in a new location where Super Pan can be a full-blown Latino bakery and coffee shop as well as a sandwich Shop, open for breakfast, lunch and possibly dinner.

Developing…

Julia LeRoy Credit: Photograph by Lizzy Johnston, courtesy of Julia LeRoy's Facebook page

The Pinewood Tippling Room, a restaurant serving “inventive, southern-inflected victuals and potables in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere,” is slated to open Tuesday, May 15, according to a press release Monday.

Translation: it’s a southern restaurant that serves food and alcohol. Oh, and it’s opening in Decatur.

Located at 254 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, The Pinewood will replace the since relocated Cakes and Ale, according to the release.

Chef Julia LeRoy was hired to consult on The Pinewood’s menu which consists of “southern classics” like fried green tomatoes, pork belly, sweet potatoes, and a fried bologna sandwich, the release notes.

Cocktails will be made with locally sourced fruits and vegetables and house-made syrups, tinctures, infusions and sodas.

Photo courtesy of Garish Photography via Eater Atlanta

Grecian Gyro, a quick service Greek restaurant, is opening its first franchise store this summer in John’s Creek, according to a press release.

The restaurant, located at 11035 Medlock Bridge Road, will be a family-owned business operated by the brother-sister duo of Steve Van Wey and Christine Dolgetta, along with Christine’s husband, Joe Dolgetta.

Nick Koulouris, Grecian Gyro’s owner, first decided he would begin franchising in 2009. The Greek restaurant is now under the ownership and direction of Nick’s sons George and Pano.

“We look forward to broadening the brand’s reach to a variety of areas in the state, while at the same time ensuring the same dedication to high-quality Greek food and service that has been instilled within the company for the past 30 years,” George said in the release.

“An important part of achieving this goal is teaming up with the right people who share our dedication and commitment to quality.”

Founded in 1982 in Hapeville, Ga., Grecian Gyro now has three company-owned locations in Hapeville, Tucker and Forest Park.

The newest concept from Fifth Group Restaurants is nearing its grand opening.

“Just a [little] over 2 months to go until she sets sail,” Michael Erickson, director of marketing for Fifth Group, tweeted Wednesday.

Lure will be the group’s seventh restaurant (in addition to South City Kitchen midtown and vinings, La Tavola Trattoria, Ecco, The Orignal El Taco, and the recently opened Alma Cocina).

The casual seafood spot replacing the now shuttered Vickery’s on Crescent Ave., is expected to open mid-July, according to Erickson.

David Bradley was recently named executive chef.

Ecco's Midtown location courtesy of Ecco on Facebook

European influenced restaurant finalizes plans to open at Atlanta airport’s new international terminal.

Fifth Group Restaurants is bringing its popular Mediterranean concept to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Ecco, the restaurant group’s European influenced eatery situated in Midtown, will open its second location at the airport’s new international terminal.

The restaurant submitted an application to City of Atlanta Wednesday for a building permit to begin construction on its new restaurant space inside Harsfield-Jackson.

An estimated $878,000 will be spent to build-out the 4,365-square-foot Ecco restaurant, according to the application.

The Mediterranean restaurant will open at the International Concourse F section of the airport, according to the application. The Original El Taco, Fifth Group’s Mexican concept, will also open in Concourse F.

Fifth Group’s other restaurants include South City Kitchen Midtown, South City Kitchen Vinings, La Tavola Trattoria, The Original El Taco Virginia-Highland and Alma Cocina, according to the restaurant group’s website.

Lure, Fifth Group’s newest restaurant, will open in the now-shuttered Vickery’s Midtown space.

Fifth Group was not immediately available for comment.

Photo courtesy AMC Theatres

AMC Phipps Plaza 14 is undergoing a $1.2 Million renovation, according to an application for a building permit filed with City of Atlanta on April 25.

The movie theatre located on the third floor of the luxury Buckhead mall announced its plans for the renovations in a press release Wednesday.

“For the last several years we’ve worked to bring our guests a number of different moviegoing improvements to help get people excited about coming to the movies, and we’ve had great success with a variety of enhancements at locations around the country,” Mark McDonald, executive vice president of Global Development at AMC, said in the release.

When finished, the theatre will feature stadium-style seating instead of the current sloped floors, according to the release. The seats will be converted into “power recliners with footrests.”

In addition, AMC plans to install a MacGuffins bar (named after a term coined by famed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock) allowing guests to order a beer, wine or cocktail at the theatre.

AMC’s concession stand will be remodeled into The Marketplace. Instead of waiting in lines to order, the concessions are laid out at convenient stations, allowing guests to choose what they want, before proceeding to the checkout area.

Other modifications to the theatre include a renovation of the theatre’s restrooms, as well as changes to the box office and lobby area.

“These innovative renovations to AMC Phipps Plaza are going to take moviegoing in Atlanta to an entirely new level,” Dewayne Herbert, mall manager at Phipps Plaza, said in the release. “We are thrilled with this announcement, as it complements other recent additions to the mall — such as the opening of LEGOLAND Discovery Center — in establishing Phipps Plaza as an entertainment destination.”

Construction will begin at AMC Phipps Plaza this summer and the theatre will remain open during the renovations, which should be complete by the end of 2012.

Designer Bill Hallman is opening the fourth location for his Atlanta-based boutique in Midtown.

The retailer will open at Atlantic Station Sunday, May 6 on 18th Street across from West Elm, according to a press release Friday.

The boutique will house Hallman’s own collection, vintage pieces and men’s and women’s fashions from international designers, the release notes. The store’s interior will reflect the clothing mix and will most closely mimic Bill Hallman Original in Virginia-Highland.

“The Atlantic Station store will include reclaimed fixtures, vintage art and décor, artistic visuals, all in a comfortable and inviting setting,” Hallman said in the release.

Hallman opened his first store in 1990 and his designs are carried in both U.S. department stores and boutiques worldwide. The Atlantic Station boutique joins Bill Hallman’s Buckhead, Little Five Points and Virginia-Highland locations.

[Disclosure: the author of this article is employed by North American Properties (Atlantic Station’s developer). Articles relating to North American Properties, Atlantic Station, or its affiliates will be treated like all other news content presented on What Now Atlanta. The owner of this blog will never receive compensation in any way from this blog’s content unless explicitly noted.]

Calypso St. Barth, luxury retailer and designer of women’s fashion, accessories and home goods, in a press release Friday announced its White Provision boutique will open on May 12.

The West Midtown location will be the first Atlanta boutique for the St. Barth-based retailer with stores in New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Miami.

“White Provision is a strong combination of unique retailers and restaurants, a perfect fit for our first boutique in Atlanta,” Stefanie DiRienzo Smith, Calypso’s President, said in the release. “It’s exactly what we were looking for and we’re excited to be here.”

Calypso used almost all recycled materials and LED lighting, for its West Midtown location, according to the release.

Photo courtsy of Virginia-Highland Patch

Atlantans will still be able to check things in and out of the space formerly occupied by Blockbuster Movie on Ponce de Leon Avenue.

This time it will be with people instead of movie rentals.

Well Street Urgent Care submitted an application for a building permit with City of Atlanta Tuesday to convert the movie rental store into its newest facility.

An estimated $25,000 will be spent on an exterior conversion only, according to the application.

The urgent care facility will open August 2012, according to Well Street’s website.

Well Street was not immediately available for comment.

What’s considered failing?

Failing scores change from one health inspector to the next but the industry standard is that anything below a 70 (out of 100) is failing, according to April Majors, public information officer for the Fulton County Environmental Health Services Department.

With out further ado, here’s a list of Fulton County restaurants that failed their health inspection in April– Bon appétit!

Failed inspection: April 26, 2011 Score: 61, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(112 Krog Street Atlanta, GA 30307)

Failed inspection: April 25, 2012 Score: 64, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(990 Piedmont Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30309)

Failed inspection: April19, 2012 Score: 64, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(471 North Highland Avenue Atlanta, GA 30307)

Failed inspection: April 18, 2012 Score: 68, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(2770 Lenox Road Building 1 Suite 10 Atlanta, GA 30324)

Failed inspection: April 26, 2012 Score: 66, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(1044 Greenwood Avenue Atlanta, GA 30306)

Failed inspection: April 17, 2012 Score: 57, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(10 Kings Circle Atlanta, GA 30305)

Failed inspection: April 24, 2011 Score: 67, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(1720 Peachtree Street NW Suite 151 Atlanta, GA 30309)

Failed inspection: April 24, 2012 Score: 60, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(132 Mitchell Street Suite A Atlanta, GA 30303)

Failed inspection: April 19, 2012 Score: 62, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(467 North Highland Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30307)

Failed inspection: April 14, 2012 Score: 68, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(1519 Normanberry Drive East Point, GA 30344)

Failed inspection: April 27, 2012 Score: 43, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(800 Peachtree Street Suite F1 Atlanta, GA 30308)

Failed inspection: April 20, 2012 Score: 68, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(2770 Lenox Square Mall Suite A-5 Atlanta, GA 30324)

Failed inspection: April 18, 2012 Score: 68, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(1 CNN Center Suite 240 Atlanta, GA 30303)

Failed inspection: April 25, 2012 Score: 62, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(132 Mitchell Street Atlanta, GA 30303)

Failed inspection: April 3, 2012 Score: 49, Grade: U (Full report and violations)

(806 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard Atlanta, GA 30310)

[Editor's note: The health inspection reports listed might not reflect the most recent scores for these restaurants. Wondering why we don’t publish re-inspections and passing scores? Click here.]