A look at what’s new and what has bid adieu late-2016 to present along a 1.5 mile-stretch of N. Highland Avenue between Ponce de Leon Avenue and University Drive NE.
While it doesn’t have a fancy name like the “Midtown Mile,” a few What Now Atlanta (WNA) readers have noticed a lot of retail flips and flops along an ever-changing stretch of N. Highland Avenue.
We took a look at the mile-and-a-half (or so) in question starting at the corner of N. Highland and Ponce de Leon Avenues all the way to Morningside Village (Alon’s, Morningside Kitchen), to provide an update on the area’s latest openings and closings.
Here’s the movement we’ve found since late-2016 to present on a trip Thursday down the stretch of N. Highland Avenue.
What’s new (south to north):
Marco’s Pizza, a quick service pizza chain franchise, replaced Ben & Jerry’s late-2016, at 798 N. Highland Avenue. The space sits adjacent City Church.
Tom Tom, the restaurant that replaced Here to Serve’s Noche, at 1000 N. Highland Avenue NE, reopened as Taco Cowboy October, 2016. Tom Catherall, the taco joint’s owner, was forced to change the concept when his ex-wife sued over the “Tom Tom” name.
Dakota J’s, a woman’s clothing, jewelry, and gifts boutique, relocated two doors down from 1030 N. Highland Avenue NE to 1038 N. Highland Avenue NE.
Jeweler Judith Bright will takeover Dakota J’s former home later this year, at 1030 N. Highland Avenue. Judith Bright’s new home is also a relocation within the same neighborhood retail.
Both Dakota J’s and Judith Bright relocated to larger spaces nearby for expansion purposes, a leasing representative with The Meddin Company, the properties’ landlord, Thursday in a telephone conversation told WNA.
Art Bath Soul, a beauty products company, is slated to open June 2017 at 1037 N. Highland Avenue in space previously occupied by The Pie Shop.
Audio Intersection, a smart home automation, security and surveillance, and home Audio video store, is opening between Vivid Hair Salon and the recently-debuted Whiskey Bird, at 1403 N, Highland Avenue NE. Audio Intersection, which has been seeing clients by appointment in its Morningside location, has outposts in Buckhead and Milton.
Fit Learning, an education facility looking to “transform learners, regardless of age, disability, challenge or label,” will soft open May 11, at 1409 North Highland Avenue NE. Fit Learning is in corner space of the Morningside Village shopping center, adjacent The Wish List, an antiques and interiors store.
What’s bid adieu (south to north):
Three adjacent retail spaces, at 776, 784, and 792 N. Highland Avenue NE, sit completely vacant as of early 2017.
The spaces, from left to right, used to be home to Paw Palace, Henry & June, and Bill Hallman. In the building that housed Henry & June and Bill Hallman, there is one tenant that remains, tucked away in an office at the end of the hall: the offices for City Church-Eastside (the actual church is located at 798 N. Highland.)
Twelve, a boutique and flowers retailer, at 994 Virginia Avenue NE, last week relocated to a space situated in Paris on Ponce.
Half Moon Outfitters, an outdoor apparel retailer, at 1034 N. Highland Avenue NE, closed its doors mid-February, 2017.
Savory Spice, a retailer of fine and exotic spices, at 1048 N. Highland Avenue NE, will close its doors Friday, May 12, an employee Thursday told WNA on a visit to the store.
[Editor’s note: shoutout to WNA readers Carl Knight and Bob Silvia for contributing to this coverage.]
6 Responses
Despite these new additions, sadly the retail in the Highlands isn’t what it used to be. It’s been eclipsed by Ponce City Market, Krog Street Market and Inman Quarter. And rightly so – the landlords in Virginia-Highland keep signing up businesses who can’t cut it, so the revolving door of “here today gone tomorrow” tenants continues. The Highlands has charm for days, but to compete with the curated retail of destinations like Ponce City Market, these landlords need to go after some cooler tenants that will actually draw foot traffic back to the neighborhood. A spice shop isn’t going to do that.
P.S. – You forgot one: https://whatnowatlanta.com/chicos-to-exit-virginia-highland-location/
You forgot Stanton Design. Vi Hi landlords are super greedy with zero vision. Decatur surpassed Vi Hi & Morningside years ago. VI hi became duplicated Thai concepts, beer bars & candles. The clothes are cheap quality & more expensive than Bloomies. The parking disaster hurt many & the nhood soccer Mom s who are not business Davy have too much NPU control. You forgot the entire storefront beside Bill Hallman as well. The pet store moved to the back. Marcos pizza is a disaster. Having a cheap Dominos franchise type really shows zero vision . Sad
Bill Hallman who was in VH for over 20 years moved to 299 N. Highland in Inman Park. We loved Virginia Highlands but it was just not viable for us any longer. Cities change and Inman Park is the go to place now. If you want original and locally owned stores and restaurants you won’t find any better than Inman Park
Virginia-Highland is a neighborhood, not a happening, and it should have more businesses that cater to the people who live in neighborhood. But the landlords are holding out to make a killing, which means that they will end up with many tenants who either make a killing or fold in a year. Result: constant turnover.
When the bloom is off the roses of Inman Park and O4W 10 years, they will start seeing the same phenomenon. Watch. Atlanta is a trend-addicted, dysfunctional market whose participants are forever killing the goose that lays the golden egg because it’s not golden enough for them.
If you want original and locally owned stores and restaurants you won’t find any better than Inman Park
City council rep for ViHI should’ get involved with all the empty spaces and address the parking issue.,Remove the meters as a goodwill gesture for the greater good. The city benefits from a thriving retail , restaurant , business district and the city would not go broke without the meters. The neighborhood also must support local . I again use Decatur as a point of reference , as the neighborhoods support the local restaurants and retail. The landlords in ViHi should attend the next npu meeting and find out what the locals want. Inman P has a younger demographic that is spending $$. VIHI has a more mature resident who is not going out as much . VIHI needs businesses that appeal to the more mature as well as will attract visitors. I would put Tuscan kitchen on life support list as it really does not bring anything of value . Their fresh offerings are lackluster and the retail items are overpriced. They seem to be a quick knee jerk replacement by landlord . The soap shop is not getting any biz and will be the next to go. It is hidden . Vi HI needs to develop a strong desire to reinvent their Main Street or many more empty spots will pop . Rize has already closed and Co is empty. Co has terrible service but good food. Too many Asian concepts in the neighborhood from Mai Lai to CO, Genki, Harry & sons, surin, Thai ( house) on greenwood, co. Some of these are same LL, so what are they thinking?The Rest is bars and burgers . With all due respect there is really nothing to compel a shopper or visitors to patronanize the area versus IP or PCM . Folk art enjoys traffic and they have parking and offer a product appealing to the demographics of VIHI , Poncey and IP. Ppl love breakfast . Maybe VIHI residents need to speak up about what they want