Burger and Yogurt joints: move the cluck over.
Should Atlanta be relieved that it’s chicken instead of beef and yogurt or appalled at the sound of 20 anythings?
Wingstop, the national chicken wing chain owned by Atlanta-based Roark Capital Group, announced in a press release Thursday plans to “aggressively” expand its Atlanta presence.
The chicken wing chain will add 20 additional locations in Atlanta over the next several years, according to the release.
Wingstop is holding an “Atlanta open house” April 20 and 21 to kick start the “expansion effort.”
David Vernon, vice president of franchise sales for Wingstop, will be serving up the chicken chain’s Kool-Aid to potential franchisees.
“…cooked-to-order wings and fresh-cut fries makes Wingstop an ideal concept for entrepreneurs and multi-unit operators in Atlanta,” Vernon said.
Hmm. Cooked-to-order wings and fresh-cut fries, huh? Doesn’t sound like anything Taco Mac or any of the other chicken wing franchises that already plague every Atlanta corner have.
Atlanta, let’s call a spade a spade: it’s wings, burgers and yogurt (oh my!) from here on out. So considering wings are deep fried and not much more, burgers and yogurt are starting to look a helluva lot better!
13 Responses
Atlanta, in the sense of franchising food enterprises, typically means the metro area. If Wing-Stop wants to litter Cobb and Alpharetta with new franchises of glorified frozen food, more power to them. However, I sincerely hope that in-town landlords think twice before leasing space to this type of place…wishful thinking, I know.
Damn! Just started visiting this site for new information about things coming to Atlanta. I’ve realized immediately y’all are a bunch of bit**y whiners. You’re not happy with anything opening in any vacant store front unless you like it. Seems absolutely stupid to have that whiny attitude. I’m just content with the fact that anyone’s expansion plans means more jobs and less vacant store fronts in the city. If you’re so miserably unhappy about wings, burgers, and yogurt then open your own damn restaurant. Please stop your ridiculous bit**ing.
Corey, are you familiar with how opinions work? If someone doesn’t like a particular retailer, or product, they’re probably not going to be happy if they find out one is opening in their neighborhood. For example, I am of the opinion that wing joints provide $hitty food, a stale environment, and patrons that don’t add a lot of value to the surrounding area. However, when I get notice of a concept (like the space at 905 that’s going to be occupied by the folks behind Top Flr/Sound Table) that I think is a favorable addition to the neighborhood, I respond favorably. I think that’s the case for most people here.
While I agree, in theory, that filling vacant storefronts is a good thing, in the real world, it’s not that simple. If you live in a decent single family neighborhood, and there was an empty lot down the street from your house, would you be ok with someone dropping a double-wide on it, and moving in (and no, the comparison between a wing joint and a double-wide was not on accident)?
20 location? That’s what they all say when a new franchise make their initial announcement about entering the market. Then after 3 years they will only have 3 locations – out of business by 5 years. I wonder who their lucky real estate broker is – searching all over kingdom-come for a 1,500 sf tenant that will only do 3 deals.
I would be happy to see one at the corner of Ponce & 3rd. Anything besides the empty BP station.
Urbanist is irrelevant. Corey, just ignore his opinions.
But look how neat that BP station looked in 1930!
http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/commercialbldgs/gulf.htm
Weren’t wing joints the fad before all the yogurt and burger joints invaded town? This seems about 10 years too late.
@Corey – You’re absolutely right. I’ve said it before. People complain about the number of _______ restaurants. Now we’re adding wings to the list that includes burgers, yogurt, pizza, tacos, etc. As I’ve said, I’ve never wanted a particular type of food and was not able to find it because Atlanta has so many burger, yogurt, pizza, places that the place I want doesn’t exist! Some people complain because it makes them feel good.
@ Sara: True, true, true. Somebody PLEASE build something right there. I either pass that thing while running or walking all the time, or have to stand there gazing upon its dereliction while waiting for the Route 2 bus.
At least, what, a couple thousand people live within walking distance of that corner? And look how close it is to North Ave. Station. Surely it could support some kind of restaurant. A bakery/sandwich shop/coffee shop would probably work. I know I’d go to it.
Because so many people could walk or bike to it and because it stays so warm so much of the year here, they could have very little parking and put about half the seating outside. That way the building itself could stay small and the awnings (or whatever you call them) that are already there could be used to shade the tables.
Now I’m getting all excited about the imaginary restaurant. *Sigh* maybe one day.
Aren’t Ponce & 3rd paralell to each other? I assume, because of the BP reference you’re referring to Ponce & Piedmont?
Ponce, to me, is such an odd anomoly. There is so much traffic up and down Ponce, particularly in between Midtown & Highlands/Decatur, but the development on Ponce is shabby at best. The pocket over by City Hall will obviously improve as the Beltline develops, but I feel like the entire corridor between Peachtree and at least Monroe, should be better developed. The homes the are between Ponce and the Park are relatively nice homes, and therefore occupied by relatively well to do people. South of Ponce is dicey, but there should be enough traffic from the nearby neighborhoods to support some better retail/restaurants along there.
Perhaps it’s because nobody really walks around Atlanta, and therefore the neighborhood doesn’t benefit from “potential” foot traffic. If people did, I think the previous retailers at 905 would have been more successful (everyone seems to think it’s because there wasn’t any parking..of course, if you’re walking, what does parking matter?). There’s really no reason for businesses that are in densely and heavily populated areas to do so poorly (unless the business itself is horrible, but I didn’t think Lupe or Beleza were that bad, and Chocolate Pink was awesome). I love the idea of good retail up and down Ponce (below apartments and offices of course). I also like the idea of a streetcar up and down ponce btw Ptree & Moreland (a lot better than one on Auburn Ave at least) to help with connectivity too.
The best part of the restaurant at the corner of Ponce and Piedmont would be the adorable beggars that would accost you as you entered and exited the establishment. Perhaps they could even have a patio so sometimes you’d find one sleeping in a booth next to you. Delightful!
Having someone ask you for change when you’re coming out of a restaurant is better than having them ask you while you’re standing there staring at a vandalized rodent magnet. A business’s owners, patrons and neighbors can do a lot to keep that stuff in check. Papi’s, Top Flr, Mary Mac’s and MF Sushi seem to be making it work.
I’ve been called pessimistic since before I even knew what it meant, but the pervasiveness of the knee-jerk “we can’t have that because it’ll attract (insert feared group of people)” reaction in this city makes me look like Pollyanna, sheesh.