After years of waiting and a lot of planning, Alpharetta residents finally have the bustling downtown many have been hoping for.
Alpharetta City Center started coming together in 2015 when the city opened its new city hall complex, a new library, a five-acre park, a one-acre town green and a 445-car parking deck.
Now the 26-acre project is home to dozens of places to eat, shop and conduct business—several of which just opened this month.
One highly anticipated restaurant, Citizen Soul, opened last week. The concept comes from Philip Cooper, who also owns Vin25, a staple in historic Roswell’s downtown scene. Citizen Soul is an upscale but casual neighborhood restaurant serving modern American pub fare and specializing in artisanal cocktails, fine wine and craft beer.
“Citizen Soul is approachable, fun and a place where business professionals and families alike can enjoy classic snacks and entrees prepared in a unique, modern style,” Cooper, who has been an Atlanta-area Sommelier for more than a decade, said in a statement.
The restaurant is at 60 S. Main Street in the Workshop building, which was designed in honor of Hard Bailey, an African-American blacksmith who lived and worked on the land at the turn of the century, according to a news release.
The restaurant’s patio seating expands into the Shade Garden with tables under the canopy of an 80-year-old oak tree.
For more information on Citizen Soul, call 678-317-3232 or visit www.citizensoul.com.
Another restaurant that opened last week is Chiringa, which was inspired by a casual beach bar in Spain. The eatery is in one of the two “jewelbox” buildings located on Alpharetta City Center’s Town Green.
Chiringa, which means “kite” in Spanish, “draws its inspiration from beaches across the world with dishes featuring fresh seafood, organic or grass-fed meats and cocktails made with juice squeezed in-house,” a news release said.
The menu includes fish and shrimp tacos, simple salads and sandwiches and gluten-free fried shrimp, oysters and chicken.
“Chiringa symbolizes the bright, airy feeling of a summer day with friends and family,” owner Andy McKoski said in a statement. “It is also the inspiration for our motto, ‘Eat well, fly high.’”
Chiringa is at 34 S. Main Street. Visit www.chiringa.com or www.facebook.com/chiringaatl for more information.
Vitality Bowls Superfood Café, known for bringing health and wellness through fresh, high-quality superfoods, is also now open in City Center, at 364 Commerce Street.
Locally owned by Paula Sauer, Vitality Bowls specializes in making açaí bowls, a thick blend of the açaí berry topped with organic granola and a selection of superfood ingredients such as bee pollen and hemp seed. All items are made fresh-to-order in a kitchen designed to avoid cross contamination of common food allergens, a news release said.
"My husband Jeff and I are so happy to be part of this wonderful community,” Sauer said in a statement. “And we love being able to introduce Vitality Bowls healthy, clean eating to everyone."
For more information, contact 770-680-2519 or alpharetta@vitalitybowls.com.
On Oct. 3, Anna Bella Fine Lingerie, recently named the “Best Lingerie Store in the U.S.” in by the Best of Intima Awards, reopened its doors at 325 Market Street at City Center.
The boutique moved from its original location on Windward Parkway. One factor when deciding to relocate Anna Bella to Alpharetta City Center was the opportunity to be part of a community. “Alpharetta City Center is a perfect fit for us,” owner Pam McKinzie said in a statement. “We love to really connect with our customers as we strive to be a resource for women of all ages and sizes throughout every stage of their lives. We also enjoy working with men who are looking for something special, but don't know where to start. The atmosphere at Anna Bella is friendly and non-threatening and we are happy to make suggestions.”
“Anna Bella is a one-of-a-kind shop” said Cheri Morris, president of Morris & Fellows, the firm developing much of the retail and restaurant occupancy at City Center. “I’m so glad their award-winning shopping experience is a part of City Center.”
Visit www.annabellalingerie.com for more information.
Atlanta-based Natural Body Spa and its newest concept, SkinReMEDI, have both taken up residency at Alpharetta City Center. At 275 and 285 Commerce Street, Natural Body and SkinReMEDI share an entrance highlighted by a dramatic water installation that separates the two stores.
Since 1989, Natural Body has been known for using organic and sustainable products in their facials, massages and other body treatments. “At SkinReMEDI, they are now able to take this same approach and combine it with the latest technology to deliver more advanced treatments using photo facials, injectables, peels, micro-needling, CoolSculpt body contouring and other medically delivered techniques,” a news release said. The staff includes physician assistants trained in aesthetics.
“We are not only opening SkinReMEDI in Alpharetta,” said Cici Coffee, owner and founder. “But we are also launching our master therapist program here. Our 15 to 20 year veterans in massage and skin care are now located at Alpharetta City Center. These are career therapists with continuing education in Reiki, lymphatic, neuromuscular and other modalities.”
Coffee continued, “This location is definitely the right place for us…The Alpharetta City Center team has done a great job of taking what’s there and creating a sense of community.”
For more information, visit www.skinremedi.com and www.naturalbody.com.
Another business to have recently taken up shop in City Center is DataScan, which moved its headquarters to 415 South Broad Street at the end of August.
DataScan brought approximately 160 technology-related jobs, which represent more than $20 million in annual salaries, to north Fulton County. The company employs more than 500 full-time associates across North America.
"DataScan’s investment in the City Center is further evidence of our longstanding commitment to Alpharetta, while our new home better aligns with our company’s spirit of innovation and work-life balance," Ed Brown, president of DataScan, said in a statement. "We are confident this move will provide a strategic advantage when attracting new technology talent and allow us to strengthen our ties to the community at large.”
The new 36,000-square foot facility, which features its own medical clinic for associates, is a mix of old and new architecture with pronounced modern design elements.
“The exterior features a brick facade with dramatic arches inspired by the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The interior space is open, airy and bright with an industrial feel, exposed beams and plenty of well-thought out collaboration spaces,” a news release said.
As part of its efforts to minimize environmental impact, DataScan is in process of obtaining Silver LEED certification for its new facility for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, recycling program and indoor environmental quality.
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