Official/Rumored Store-Businesses Thread (Savannah, Garden City: leases, home, tenants)

[TheDarkKnight]

Thread for rumored and official businesses coming to or opening in Savannah.

I'll update this 1st post frequently as we continue to post new stuff in here. This just isn't for big chains, but to get the word out on small businesses too!

Buffalo Wild Wings - We've seen these commercials a plenty in Savannah for the last 2-3 years. They're finally coming to us. I called Audio Warehouse (next to Watts Golf and Portman's Music on Abercorn), and that building has released all the tenants from their contract at the end of the year, and the gentleman I spoke to told me that a Buffalo Wild Wings was coming. [As for Audio Warehouse, they will be moving to somewhere on Mall Blvd.]

Dairy Queen - We used to have quite a few Dairy Queens in Savannah. The last one to my knowledge is in Garden City. There used to be one right next to Krispy Kreme on Victory Dr. next to what is now Victory Square Cinemas. Well now we have a new Dairy Queen opening on the corner of Hodgson and Eisenhower, where the old Coastal Cars dealership used to be.

Zaxby's - Two Zaxby's locations I know of in Savannah which is next to Wal-Mart Supercenter on Montgomery Cross Rds, and one next to Sears @ Oglethorpe Mall. The newest one is going to be where the old Dairy Queen mentioned above is next to Krispy Kreme and Victory Drive

Dave & Busters - This one has been flirting with Savannah for a while. Rumors a few years ago they were gonna open one on 95 and 204 somewhere near Hooters, but haven't heard much about that since. They still show plenty of commercials here, but no cigar yet.

Chick Fil A - They're opening a new store FINALLY on Victory Dr. where the old Captain D's seafood building was across the street from Piggly Wiggly. Great news for me, as it's 2 minutes from my house!

Starbucks (again) - As mentioned in another thread, the new owners of Drayton Tower have announced there will be a Starbucks opening in their bottom floor retail area.

Whole Foods - Savannah's finally getting one. If you don't know already, it's being built where the old Backus Cadillac Pontiac dealership was on Victory Dr. next to the Truman Parkway Entrance.

Petsmart #2 - Will be opening a new store right next to Whole Foods in a brand new shopping center.

Kroger Gas Station - Kroger in McAlpin Square built a new gas station in their parking lot. Makes the parking lot look smaller now, but it also makes the shopping center look busier. The back edge of that parking lot was just wasted space.

Charlies Philly Steaks - They once had two locations a few years ago. One was in the shopping center right in between Staples and Victory Square cinemas, the other was in the dying Savannah Mall foodcourt. They just opened up a brand new spot in the middle of the Oglethorpe Mall food court.

[TheDarkKnight]

Kind of a weird one.

Tondee's Tavern - Savannah’s early revolutionists, the Sons of Liberty, met in a downtown bar called Tondee’s Tavern.

Tondee’s closed not long after America won its independence and is remembered today through a plaque on its original location at Broughton and Whitaker streets and a small lounge area at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.

Come Jan. 11, Tondee’s will be reborn.

Savannah restaurateur Willie Tuten will open a restaurant and bar in the Bay Street space formerly home to a Tony Roma’s franchise. Tony Roma’s, a national chain restaurant specializing in barbecue ribs, closed earlier this month after a decade in the former 1850 bank building.

Tondee's Tavern to return to Savannah in former Tony Roma's space | savannahnow.com

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by TheDarkKnight

Kind of a weird one.

Tondee's Tavern - Savannah’s early revolutionists, the Sons of Liberty, met in a downtown bar called Tondee’s Tavern.

Tondee’s closed not long after America won its independence and is remembered today through a plaque on its original location at Broughton and Whitaker streets and a small lounge area at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.

Come Jan. 11, Tondee’s will be reborn.

Savannah restaurateur Willie Tuten will open a restaurant and bar in the Bay Street space formerly home to a Tony Roma’s franchise. Tony Roma’s, a national chain restaurant specializing in barbecue ribs, closed earlier this month after a decade in the former 1850 bank building.

Tondee's Tavern to return to Savannah in former Tony Roma's space | savannahnow.com

Side note: There's a backlash from the historic preservationists about this. Tondee's Tavern played a very important role in this state's early history. It will be interesting to watch.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by TheDarkKnight

Zaxby's - Two Zaxby's locations I know of in Savannah which is next to Wal-Mart Supercenter on Montgomery Cross Rds, and one next to Sears @ Oglethorpe Mall. The newest one is going to be where the old Dairy Queen mentioned above is next to Krispy Kreme and Victory Drive

There are four (4) other Zaxby's in Chatham County -- in Port Wentworth, in Pooler, and on HWY 17 / Ogeechee Road at Chatham Parkway and at 204 across from Super Walmart. There's also one in Richmond Hill.

Dave & Busters is big enough to do national advertising. That's why you see TV spots for them even though there is no location nearby.

[bellhead]

The Savannah Mall has plenty of space and would the ideal location for several new stores, wonder why their management can't get stuff rolling there...

[Newsboy]

The former Bennigan's on Abercorn is going to be home to a new, larger 24-hour diner owned and operated by the same people who own The Diner On Abercorn a few blocks south.

[Padgett2]

Originally Posted by bellhead

The Savannah Mall has plenty of space and would the ideal location for several new stores, wonder why their management can't get stuff rolling there...

Don't know the answer to that either! I've only been in there a few times, but for some reason or other, I didn't feel comfortable. Was it the color??? What??? I do know that the heating/AC was soooo noisey that it bothered me. I didn't like the two story arrangement either.

Maybe it was because it's so big that it's hard to find a particular store. You can't just roam around a little. This is one case where More Is NOT Better. The Savannah Mall is just TOO BIG.

[ellie]

Originally Posted by bellhead

The Savannah Mall has plenty of space and would the ideal location for several new stores, wonder why their management can't get stuff rolling there...

I've heard they have something in the works. They've changed management companies and are lining up new tenants.

[Newsboy]

MY FIX FOR SAVANNAH MALL: Keep Dillard's, keep Target, keep Bass Pro, keep VC, keep Burlington Coat Factory. EVERYTHING ELSE (including the food court) -- DEMOLISH IT!!! Between the anchors build an outdoor POWER CENTER with a grand central avenue that runs the length of the property, from Dillard's to Target. Seek leases from retailers that are not currently in the SAV market, or better yet -- OUTLET RETAILERS (to compete with Tanger, etc)

NO BRAINER!!!! HELLO?!?!?

[TheDarkKnight]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

There are four (4) other Zaxby's in Chatham County -- in Port Wentworth, in Pooler, and on HWY 17 / Ogeechee Road at Chatham Parkway and at 204 across from Super Walmart. There's also one in Richmond Hill.

Dave & Busters is big enough to do national advertising. That's why you see TV spots for them even though there is no location nearby.

Well when I was in San Diego a few years ago, I was able to chat with one of the regional managers of Dave and Busters at one of their prime locations, and he told me the Savannah area was definitely on the radar and they were in serious discussions of building something there. Of course, I had talked to him in 2007, a year before the economic meltdown. So maybe things have changed, he told me that markets they aren't in yet but are interested, they air tons of commercials there to what the inquiry and interest level is.