Wesley Chapel is getting a Chipotle. (Atlanta, Smyrna: middle-class, crime, homes)

[dark_knight08]

The restaurant is currently in building stages. It will also be one of the first Chipotle's to test a prototype drive-thru service. In addition to this news, the Chick Fila across the street will closed down. A new one will be built next door to the new Chipotle.

This news was certainly a surprise for me. Like Starbucks, Chipotles are usually opened in nicer locations, or areas that will soon be gentrified. Wesley Chapel Rd. has been known for crime and panhandling for over 2 decades. Could it be the next up-and-coming area in Metro Atlanta?

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by dark_knight08

The restaurant is currently in building stages. It will also be one of the first Chipotle's to test a prototype drive-thru service. In addition to this news, the Chick Fila across the street will closed down. A new one will be built next door to the new Chipotle.

This news was certainly a surprise for me. Like Starbucks, Chipotles are usually opened in nicer locations, or areas that will soon be gentrified. Wesley Chapel Rd. has been known for crime and panhandling for over 2 decades. Could it be the next up-and-coming area in Metro Atlanta?

Though I personally am not all that big on this restaurant chain because of some notable issues that they have experienced in the not-too-distant past, and while I personally might not go quite as far proclaiming Wesley Chapel Road to be the next up-and-coming area in metro Atlanta, a couple of major reasons why Chipotle may be motivated to open a new location on Wesley Chapel Road in unincorporated Decatur and South DeKalb may be:

1) To capture some roadside business from motorists and traffic traveling through the area on Interstate 20...

2) To cater to the contingent of middle-class and working-class African-Americans who dominate the area in question in unincorporated Decatur and South DeKalb County.

There are actually many middle-class and working-class African-Americans who like eating Chipotle, so opening a location on Wesley Chapel Road that generates business from motorists and traffic traveling along I-20 and caters to black customers in South DeKalb makes much sense from that standpoint.

To put this in perspective, there are 2 McDonalds, a Subway, a Waffle House, a Chick-Fil-A, a Krispy Kreme, a KFC, a Dunkin’ Donuts, a Popeyes and a QuikTrip gas station amongst other restaurants, services and businesses in this area around the I-20/Wesley Chapel Road interchange, so this is a fairly significant area of roadside services and businesses in an area with many proud middle-class and working-class black consumers.

[Born 2 Roll]

Here is a link to some information about the new restaurant location coming to the area on the Chipotle website:

NEW RESTAURANT OPENING IN WESLEY CHAPEL ROAD - NOW HIRING (3784)
DECATUR, GEORGIA 2474 Wesley Chapel Rd, 30035

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by dark_knight08

The restaurant is currently in building stages. It will also be one of the first Chipotle's to test a prototype drive-thru service. In addition to this news, the Chick Fila across the street will closed down. A new one will be built next door to the new Chipotle.

This news was certainly a surprise for me. Like Starbucks, Chipotles are usually opened in nicer locations, or areas that will soon be gentrified. Wesley Chapel Rd. has been known for crime and panhandling for over 2 decades. Could it be the next up-and-coming area in Metro Atlanta?

I remember when I was as optimistic as you are about South DeKalb. I think the Chipotle is just a sign of the natural and continued growth and development in the area. It is a good thing because it illustrates that the area not in continued decline.

But with that said, I don't think it is a sign of gentrification. You may remember the Starbucks that was on Panola Rd. across the street from the Publix just south of I-20. (Due to issues with the franchise, it was later closed and replaced with the Dunkin Donuts that is there now.) But I think the Starbucks mostly served the clientele that was already in the area -- not necessarily a newer, more affluent clientele that is descending upon the area on a fairly large scale, driving up property values, etc. -- as with gentrification.

Now if a Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or even a stand-alone Starbucks (that is not inside a Kroger or Target) were opening on Wesley Chapel, then that might be something.

So while I think the Wesley Chapel area is growing and progressing, I generally think a true sign of gentrification is when businesses, goods, and services start to appear with price-points noticeably higher than what the current residents are used to paying or can afford.

[arjay57]

Good news. Belvedere, Gresham Park and Candler-McAfee are definitely gentrifying and Wesley Chapel may be next.

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Good news. Belvedere, Gresham Park and Candler-McAfee are definitely gentrifying and Wesley Chapel may be next.

I see what you’re saying. But Belvedere, Gresham Park, and Candler-McAfee are all older, more established ITP communities.

Nothing against Wesley Chapel and the communities farther east. But they aren’t quite the same. I can’t think of anytime in recent history where gentrification (at least as I am defining it) has spilled outside of I-285. Plus, I think an area has to already be in pretty rough shape to gentrify. And I don’t think Wesley Chapel and OTP South DeKalb has gotten quite that bad.

Now, don’t get me wrong, prices are increasing, and Chipotle is a positive sign, but until multiple homes are flying off the market at well over $350k, stores start opening that are noticeably catering to a more expensive clientele, you see white women jogging through the neighborhoods with strollers, and people are worried about being displaced, I wouldn’t quite call it “gentrification” just yet.

Improvement, yes. But not gentrification… at least not for now.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by equinox63

Nothing against Wesley Chapel and the communities farther east. But they aren’t quite the same. I can’t think of anytime in recent history where gentrification (at least as I am defining it) has spilled outside of I-285.
...

Clarkston, maybe?

Stone Mountain Village, maybe?

South Cobb, maybe? (Smynings, Smyrna, Greater Vinings, West Vinings, South Vinings, Mableton)

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Clarkston, maybe?

Stone Mountain Village, maybe?

South Cobb, maybe? (Smynings, Smyrna, Greater Vinings, West Vinings, South Vinings, Mableton)

I guess perhaps certain parts of Clarkston, like the old-town area near E. Ponce De Leon/Church St.
And the Historic Stone Mountain Village is similar. I guess they could be gentrifying -- but again, I think those are two completely different types of communities compared to Wesley Chapel (30034/30035)

And with regard to South Cobb, I never knew it fell off to a such a level that it had to be "gentrified". Maybe my definition of gentrification is too narrow. But when I think of gentrification, I think of areas that are blighted with abandoned homes and storefronts with higher than average crime, that are ultimately reinvested in by/for a noticeably more affluent clientele.

Not saying that it can't happen along Wesley Chapel. But I've noted similar signs of gentrification when I lived in that area nearly 10 years ago. And today, it's pretty much the same. Not bad, per se -- perhaps even better in some regards. But I wouldn't necessarily say it's "gentrifying". At least not at this time...

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by equinox63

I guess perhaps certain parts of Clarkston, like the old-town area near E. Ponce De Leon/Church St.
And the Historic Stone Mountain Village is similar. I guess they could be gentrifying -- but again, I think those are two completely different types of communities compared to Wesley Chapel (30034/30035)

And with regard to South Cobb, I never knew it fell off to a such a level that it had to be "gentrified". Maybe my definition of gentrification is too narrow. But when I think of gentrification, I think of areas that are blighted with abandoned homes and storefronts with higher than average crime, that are ultimately reinvested in by/for a noticeably more affluent clientele.

Not saying that it can't happen along Wesley Chapel. But I've noted similar signs of gentrification when I lived in that area nearly 10 years ago. And today, it's pretty much the same. Not bad, per se -- perhaps even better in some regards. But I wouldn't necessarily say it's "gentrifying". At least not at this time...

A lot South Cobb was very working class/blue collar.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by equinox63

I see what you’re saying. But Belvedere, Gresham Park, and Candler-McAfee are all older, more established ITP communities.

Nothing against Wesley Chapel and the communities farther east. But they aren’t quite the same. I can’t think of anytime in recent history where gentrification (at least as I am defining it) has spilled outside of I-285. Plus, I think an area has to already be in pretty rough shape to gentrify. And I don’t think Wesley Chapel and OTP South DeKalb has gotten quite that bad.

Now, don’t get me wrong, prices are increasing, and Chipotle is a positive sign, but until multiple homes are flying off the market at well over $350k, stores start opening that are noticeably catering to a more expensive clientele, you see white women jogging through the neighborhoods with strollers, and people are worried about being displaced, I wouldn’t quite call it “gentrification” just yet.

Improvement, yes. But not gentrification… at least not for now.

Good points, equinox. There's a lot of OTP gentrification in the form of smaller historic downtowns becoming revitalized, but not with the waves of displacement you see in the city of Atlanta. And Wesley Chapel doesn't have that historic focal point like Norcross, Woodstock, Tucker, Smyna, etc.