In the Atlanta-born chain’s latest expansion plans, gusto! is set to replace the East Cobb Moe’s, at 688 Johnson Ferry Road, Founder Nate Hybl this week shared exclusively with What Now Atlanta. “The deal is officially done so I can talk about it now,” the restaurateur said after dropping off the lease Thursday to landlord Jamestown — the developer behind Ponce City Market and the recently-acquired and renamed Buckhead Village. gusto! will soon take possession of the property with the remodel and design process already underway, and a tentative opening is expected in late-spring 2021. It will be the restaurant’s eighth location.
“We are grateful to Jamestown and Greg Eisenman for their proactive approach to this opportunity, considering how sensitive everything has been this year,” Hybl said. “Our product, design, and innovation with drive-thru propelled our momentum to get this deal done.”
Hybl says that while the building will require a complete refresh investment, it was the existing drive-thru that caught his attention. “This version of gusto! will be a big part of our future,” Hybl said. “The drive-thru option extends our product differentiation, and we’re hoping that moms and dads are going to appreciate that convenience!” Hybl and his team on Thursday celebrated the opening of a gusto! in Avalon in Alpharetta. While that location does not have a drive-thru element, it was also a second-generation space previously occupied by King Barbecue.
“East Cobb is a vibrant community with a proud reputation,” Hybl said. “We look forward to shaking things up & truly impacting the surrounding neighborhoods, schools, and businesses.”
[Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article included a photo of the Moe’s storefront that was assumed to have been an official photo. It was not official and we regret the error. The updated photo is official.]
