The 66-unit Mathis development at 1550 S. Lumpkin Street in Athens’ Five Points neighborhood will have a brand new tenant in the near future according to leasing documents from Austin Sumner Properties. Although the space has been “leased” for approximately two months, there was little indication as to who the tenant would be as only an LOI (letter of intent) had been made publicly available.
However, as of January 11th, the tenant has been confirmed to be Bitty & Beau’s Coffee from Wilmington, North Carolina. The coffee chain has also announced the new Athens location on its Facebook page. The coffee shop is known for its commitment to employing those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They have been featured on numerous TV specials and were named the 2017 CNN Hero of the Year. The Athens location will be its second location in Georgia following Savannah, along with its other existing storefronts in Annapolis, Charleston, and its home of Wilmington. They have also announced other new locations in Washington DC, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Waco.
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee will be Mathis’ second tenant following Emacity Boutique which moved from Madison, Georgia to Athens in late 2020. The development still has two available spaces amounting to over 3,000 square feet. Mathis’ ability to secure two tenants within a year of completing construction is worth highlighting as many of Athens’ mixed-use developments are unable to occupy its retail spaces for years.
There has yet to be an official announcement from Bitty & Beau’s Coffee pertaining to the new location’s exact opening date in 2021. What Now Atlanta has reached out to Austin Sumner Properties and Bitty & Beau’s Coffee for comment.
