A new concept from an experienced Atlanta restaurant manager is coming soon to downtown Canton.
P.O.P.S. (Palermo’s Original Pasta and Sandwiches) will be opening at the historic Jones Building, which also houses a recently opened Thrive Coworking space.
Owner Andy Palermo told What Now Atlanta they hope to add to the area’s dining scene with a particular focus on being a casual spot for lunch, dinner and even breakfast.
The restaurant and market will serve New York-inspired Italian-American comfort food. Think housemade pasta, chicken parm and meatball sandwiches. There will be coffee and breakfast items for those working in the area to have a place to grab a bite in the morning, and they also plan to add beer and wine to the menu.
Palermo is no stranger to the Atlanta dining scene. Most recently with Rocket Farm Restaurants, Palermo was formerly the assistant general manager at King + Duke, then the general manager of Superica when it opened at Krog Street Market.
“When that restaurant opened, it was absolutely crazy. Wildly successful,” he said. “It became apparent pretty quickly that Superica was something they should do more with. I had quite the opportunity to grow my own career alongside the growth of Superica.”
Palermo and his family moved to Canton about five years ago, sparking interest about opening a close-to-home concept in the city’s downtown area.
“My wife and I always talked about the idea of doing something, what would that look like?” he said.
They always wondered what would become of the Jones Building, which first opened in 1879 as Jones Mercantile. Penn Hodge and Grant Schmeelk, also the developers of the The Mill on Etowah, purchased the property for $2.2 million in 2022. A Thrive Coworking was set for the revamped building, with a few retail spaces available.
“When we saw the space was becoming available, we were ultimately more curious than anything else. ‘What’s gonna go there?'” Palermo said. “My wife encouraged me to call them. I did, and I got to chatting with the folks that own the building.”
In addition to the counter-service eats, P.O.P.S. will be taking advantage of the large space to feature a market area with Italian-focused culinary goods, such as olive oil, condiments and pasta-making tools.
Look for P.O.P.S. to open soon, and follow along on Instagram @pops.canton.
