Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms preached unity as she addressed a room of influential Wednesday, Jan. 31 at the Buckhead Coalition’s annual meeting.
“We now that when Buckhead is strong, we know that the South Side is strong. We know that when the South Side is strong, we know that the North Side is strong.”
“I am committed to making sure that we continue to work together to make sure that our entire city is as strong as it can possibly be,” she said to a room packed with Atlanta’s elite. “It’s so incredibly important that we remember we really are one Atlanta,”
The theme of the invitation-only event was “Atlanta Together.”
Bottoms’ speech was a salve for business leaders looking for guidance from the new mayor as the city courts Amazon for arguably its biggest power move since the Olympics. Bottoms said that she was all on-board to lure Amazon, but cautioned that there were smaller players she had to cater to as well.
After the event, she tweeted: “t was my pleasure to deliver the keynote address at the 2018 #BuckheadCoalition Annual Luncheon. A reminder that we need all of our diverse communities to come together and move forward as #oneAtlanta to ensure our collective success. Thank you for having me.”
Led by former Mayor Sam Massell, the Buckhead Coalition is a powerful business group made up of the region’s movers and shakers.
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tlanta Falcons wideout Julio Jones is opening a car dealership in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Tuesday, according to at AL.com.
Jones prepped at Foley High School in Foley, Alabama, where he starred in football, basketball and track. He is opening the doors of a new Mazda and a Kia dealership, with help from another company which will run it day-to-day.
Jones is expected to be at the grand opening in Alabama on Tuesday.
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Atlanta’s Fort McPherson has been undergoing redevelopment since being sold in 2011 to filmmaker Tyler Perry, who plans to make a film and TV studio. The former military installation is being developed by Macauley Investments, who is charged with developing about 145 acres of the land, according to the AJC.
The project has been met with significant community resistance by some who say that the city of Atlanta undervalued the property in its sale to Perry. After getting input from local residents, the redevelopment authority is ready to offer a “sneak peak” of the master plan, the AJC reports.
The project is the result of the Oakland City/Fort McPherson Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study update and master plan, which came about after extensive community outreach.
Fort Mac LRA will reveal some of the details at a community engagement subcommittee meeting Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1794 Walker Ave. SW.
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Big-time white collar jobs are coming to the Atlanta area as AtlantaFi has learned that Fulton County is getting a new world headquarters. Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced plans Tuesday for Groupe PSA, the French automaker that brought the world the Peugeot and Opel, to build its new North American headquarters in Fulton County.
“We are thrilled that Groupe PSA, the second-largest carmaker in Europe and one of the top mobility providers in the world, has picked Atlanta for its new North American home,” said Deal. “Groupe PSA joins a growing family of innovative automotive manufacturers and suppliers operating here in Georgia. This announcement is a great win for our state and yet another testament to the strength of our business environment and infrastructure.”
Groupe PSA, known for its prestigious line of cars and motorcycles, is the second-largest automaker in Europe.
“We looked at every aspect of the Atlanta community and found it to be the most suitable location for us,” said Larry Dominique, president of PSA North America. “While the overall business environment, tandard of living and university system played an important part in our decision, our unique needs in terms of technology, mobility innovation and car culture ultimately identified Atlanta as our perfect choice.”
The move comes as Atlanta recently made the shortlist for Amazon’s second world headquarters.
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This week Chick-fil-A is opening a new restaurant on North Decatur Road in Decatur and giving customers a chance to win free food for a year. The new location at 650 Decatur Village Way will bring about 90 jobs to the corridor and join a thriving food scene anchored by strong retail development just off Interstate 285.
To celebrate, all participating Atlanta-area Chick-fil-A restaurants are giving away a free chicken biscuit during breakfast hours up to 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 23. There is no purchase necessary, one per customer.
At the new Decatur location, the first 100 eligible adults in line when the doors open on Thursday, Jan. 25 will win free Chick-fil-A — 52 meals made up of a Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries and a medium drink — for a whole year. The new eatery is the brainchild of franchise owner Rodney Johnson, who will also ask that patrons donate children’s books to a local youth organization during the festivities.
The location is expecting people to arrive a day or so in advance, so they are providing organized games, prizes, and a block party in the evening with lip sync battle and more activities.
The North Decatur Chick-fil-A restaurant is the last of four local locations to open in the first month o f 2018. On Jan. 11, the North Druid Hills restaurant reopened, along with Braselton’s first location and just last week on Jan. 18, a Vine City location opened near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Combined, the four restaurants awarded to customers more than $120,000 in free food and have brought upwards of 400 new jobs to the metro area.
In February, a Northridge restaurant is going to reopen as well. The expansion is part of an effort to build 140 stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurants around the United States.
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If you’re looking for a new place to down some brews and spirits, City Tap Kitchen & Craft is set to open in Midtown on Sunday, Feb. 3 2019, AtlantaFi has learned.
The much-anticipated gastropub located in Midtown at 848 Peachtreet St NE will host a Super 53 watch party in collaboration with NFL Hall of Fame Players, and NFL Hall of Fame Players and NFL Legends will be there to mix, mingle and talk football with guests throughout the game.
Read more: 53 Atlanta events happening for Super Bowl 53
City Tap will open in the former space of Gordon Biersch, which closed in 2017. The address is 848 Peachtree St. NE.
City Tap brewery coming to Midtown Atlanta
City Tap is a national brand that sprang up in Philadelphia in 2010. Today City Tap has breweries in Philadelphia’s University City and Logan Square, Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter and Dupont developments, Boston’s Fort Point and Nashville’s Sobro location.
In addition to the new Atlanta location, a City Tap Kitchen & Craft is also slated for Chicago’s Fulton district in 2019.
“To properly represent the evolution of craft beer, we use our taps to show just how diverse craft beer can be, highlighting strong local brews, celebrating the success of long-standing regional partners, and enjoying centuries-old European traditions as well,” Andy Farrell, brand director at City Tap, said in a press release. “It’s fun to see the story of craft unfold across a dynamic beer list.”
Gettles to serve as executive chef at City Tap
Executive Chef Greg Gettles will helm City Tap, overseeing a food menu full of tempting dishes, like Elote “Street Corn” Dip with jalapeño, chili powder, cotija, cilantro, and chips; Ten-Spice Wings with blue cheese ranch and crisp vegetables; Corn and Crab Hushpuppies with citrus remoulade and honey-thyme butter.
City Tap’s formula for success lies in its wide, open bar, a huge selection of taps, a readable draft list and an unintimidating cuisine that appeals to local tastes.
When it comes to its brew list, City Tap says this: “Every beer is categorized by style and given a detailed flavor description so you know exactly what you’re drinking. We also provide you with the beer’s brewery of origin and proper pour size.”
Read more: The essential bars in Little 5 Points
Food & drink specials: How to eat for cheap in Atlanta EVERY DAY
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Hodgepodge Coffeehouse, a popular East Atlanta establishment, has announced plans to open a second location in the Summerhill neighborhood near downtown Atlanta.
The coffee shop will be located on Georgia Avenue near area landmarks such as the Atlanta Zoo and the Georgia State University stadium. The shop will also be a hub for community artists, it said in a press release.
“Along with serving coffee, one of the major focuses of Hodgepodge coffee is to promote local artists by providing them with a clean, well-lit space to display their work,” according to area developer Carter.
The Summerhill area is the site of intense development since Turner Field’s redevelopment, which has made way for a slew of GSU properties.
opening a concept at the Summerhill redevelopment called Wood’s Chapel BBQ. It’ll take 5,200 square feet in the 85 Georgia Avenue slot, with a goal of opening later this year.
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A new furniture store is opening in Atlanta. BoConcept is set to open its doors on January 31, 2018 on East Paces Ferry Road. The store is the brand name of Denmark’s biggest furniture chain.
Around the world, the store has wmore than 250 stores in 60 countries.
“We offer customized, coordinated and affordable design furniture and accessories. Customized because our products can be fitted to the needs and dreams of our customers,” the store says.
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King Barbecue in Alpharetta has closed down after being open for a number of months. The North Fulton eatery is reportedly set to reopen in March 2019.
King Barbecue offered generous portions of beef and pork ribs, pulled pork, brisket and other sides to make your belly happy.
King Barbecue temporarily closed at Avalon
.The latest restaurant from Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere, King Barbecue is serving its signature take on Georgia-style barbecue.
The menu features a ton of good Southern love, with sides to match.
Catering is also available for off-site picnics and other events.
Atlanta has turned into quite a restaurant town, with new spots popping up by the week it seems. Follow AtlantaFi’s Restaurants tag to stay up on all the latest.
Read more: Grant Park Summer Shade Festival: Everything you need to know
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She may be just 13-year-old, but Marsai Martin is already an entertainment titan, whether you know it or not. Martin, who stars in the ABC hit TV show “Black-ish,” shot a film last yeaer in Atlanta called “Little.”
“Little,” which stars Issa Rae, Justin Hartley and Regina Hall is coming to theaters across the nation later this year.
‘Little’ movie starring Marsai Martin coming out in 2019
Marsai stars in the comedy in her first feature film role and also helped executive produce it. “Little” is about a woman who gets to relive her childhood after she struggles as an adult, according to The AJC.
Marsai came up with the idea for the film after her agent (since fired) told her to “just chill,” the newspaper reports. Issa Rae has also been attached to the project, which has been bought by Universal Pictures.
Based on Marsai’s concept, the original version of “Little” was written by Tracy Oliver, the screenwriter behind Girls Trip.
Many know Marsai from her role on “Black-ish,” which has gotten rave reviews. Marsai’s portrayal of her character Diane Johnson has been lauded for her comedic timing and effortless expressions.
She says she knew she wanted to act when she was a toddler. “At a very young age, when I was a baby, I used to mimic all of these movies, like ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Ray,’ the type of movies you wouldn’t think a little kid would know. But my parents thought I was great,” Marsai tells the L.A. Times.
“Little” is in post-production and may see the light of day in U.S. theaters in November 2019.