Emory Point loses anchor grocery Earth Fare (Atlanta, Rome: 2013, apartment)

[jhtrico1850]

I go to the NCG movie theater in Peachtree Corners a lot, but not a big fan of the Aldi's next door. I never have a quarter for their cart, and they to me they don't offer a compelling alternative to Walmart.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Replace it with an ALDI!

I like ALDI, but I don't think the rents at EP would support one.
Why not a good old-fashioned self-service cafeteria like S&W or Morrison's, but with more light fare and vegan options? Lots of folks on the go in the area.

[alco89]

I really think this all has to do with the rents. I'm sure they're much lower at Emory Village.

And people are not afraid to cross the street to get to Emory Point. Tons of people do it. The pedestrian experience isn't hostile.

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by alco89

I really think this all has to do with the rents. I'm sure they're much lower at Emory Village.

And people are not afraid to cross the street to get to Emory Point. Tons of people do it. The pedestrian experience isn't hostile.

CDC can provide a a chunk of business to Emory Point, but just a chunk—maybe 3-4 restaurants worth, and that’s only during the day. There are just twice as many restaurants as the area can support at its price-point.

There are other factors that hurt things as well, the new hospital getting built made the area even harder to get to for quite a stretch. Some places had their grand openings when the government shutdown hit—Earth Fare may have cannibalized some of the restaurants by offering loss-leader sandwiches, pizzas and meals in its cafe area. And, places misread their clientele—both the Italian Restaurants and the fish place going downscale before closing (the Indian place did the same thing and seems to be getting by). And, then there is the yogurt place, that had somehow ordered the same flavor for all 12 of its yougurt machines, so it only offered
pistachio.

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by Iconographer

I would postulate that Emory Point came about as a result of this.
Done right, a true reinvention of Emory Village could be a wonderful thing.

I like Emory village the way it is. What needs to change?

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Replace it with an ALDI!

It's a brand new Aldi's south of the Earthfare store. That area is grocery store out...

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Emory Point is separated from CDC and Emory's campus by a 4 lane arterial street. Pedestrians may not feel comfortable crossing.

They cross all the time and there are several lights close together. That is not an issue.

Its that they are mostly only drawing from Emory and CDC.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by jeoff

I like Emory village the way it is. What needs to change?

I think it could be much better utilized. There are some wonderful architectural elements on some of the old storefronts, and that is what they should capitalize on. Some of the buildings and storefronts along Oxford and North Decatur are pretty dowdy and need to be updated and brought more in line with the original look of the village when it was created in the late 1920's. it never really recovered from the 1972 fire that took out the Emory Cinema and several other storefronts; they were replaced by that eyesore of a parking lot next to the old Everybody's. There's just too much parking area fronting the streets, and it needs to be relegated to the areas behind the storefronts with only a couple of cuts for ingress and egress. I don't think the greenspace created on the roundabout is really necessary, either.
Back in the time I was growing up there it was much more of a functioning village for the neighborhood than it is now, and had a much more well-rounded retail mix. It even had a Kroger where the CVS is now.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Em...!4d-84.3260189

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Iconographer

I would postulate that Emory Point came about as a result of this.
Done right, a true reinvention of Emory Village could be a wonderful thing.

I agree. They were talking about something similar in Emory Village. Once it got stopped, the Emory Point development started moving forward. I don't know if they were the same developers, but clearly the area couldn't support two of those.

The area along Oxford, north and south is pretty ugly. There is some history, but not everything old is worth saving. The buildings facing North Decatur from the south side are nice, though.

Double Zero moved in to Emory Village and the parking behind the buildings became valet at night. That has hurt some of the other businesses. Double Zero did good business at first, but has definitely slowed down. I have a feeling they won't last. The parking situation has hurt Lucky's Burgers.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Replace it with an ALDI!

There's a new one near Suburban Plaza and the Walmart north of Decatur.