Cook’s Warehouse & Sherlock’s Wine Merchant Closing Downtown Decatur Location
Decatur Metro | January 3, 2017 | 10:18 amOh gosh this hurts. From the good folks at Cook’s Warehouse & Sherlock’s…
Mary S. Moore, founder and CEO of The Cook’s Warehouse (www.cookswarehouse.com) and Douglas W. Bryant, founder and CEO of Sherlock’s Wine Merchant (www.sherlocks.com), announced they made the strategic decision to split their joint store and relocate to new locations of The Cook’s Warehouse in Chamblee and Sherlock’s Wine Merchant in South Buckhead.
Moore said, “We opened this location in Decatur in 2005. It was a great next step for both of us and we have loved serving the Decatur community for over eleven years.
“However, this location has not kept up with the growth of our other stores and is currently our highest occupancy cost with an increase on the horizon. While we both searched in the Decatur market to find a new location we both found strategic opportunities in other markets. We will continue to be on the lookout for an opportunity that will allow us to return to Decatur.
“Since closing my Brookhaven location in April 2015 I’ve been looking for the right spot to re-open in that market. Relocating our Decatur store with an opening in late spring in the Peachtree Station Shopping Center is going to be a great move. Anchored by Whole Foods and a variety of popular restaurants and retail, this center on Peachtree Blvd. near Clairmont Road is sure to be a top destination.
Bryant said, “I have been looking for a better location in the Decatur market and for a location in the Midtown/Ansley/South Buckhead markets for years. Having found a great location on Peachtree Rd. at Palisades south of Piedmont Hospital made it an easier decision to move our operations to Sherlock’s Wine Merchant – Peachtree.”
“We love the neighborhood and the relationships that we’ve built in Decatur and the surrounding areas but it doesn’t make sense to continue in a spot that doesn’t meet our business goals. Until I find a great spot in Decatur, we look forward to serving our customers in one of our other Sherlock’s locations.”
Moore and Bryant agree, “Given the opportunities to move into target markets, we determined it best to not resign our lease in Decatur which is ending on February 28, 2017.”
Very sorry to see them go! I have enjoyed shopping there over the years.
Big loss for downtown. One of the very few non-restaurant retailers we regularly patronized when we lived in Decatur.
Sad news indeed. Do we have a closing date? I have 2 classes to redeem.
Before this date, at least: “Given the opportunities to move into target markets, we determined it best to not resign our lease in Decatur which is ending on February 28, 2017.”
rents getting out of hand. Queue the national conglomerate next occupant: health care system, wireless store, real estate office, mattress store…
I have yet to see a customer in the mattress store in the shopping center with Bicycle South. I also have yet to buy a mattress since our major renovation 16 years ago. I know mattresses are big ticket items, hence our lack of mattress purchasing, but I don’t see how mattress stores survive.
Downtown Decatur is definitely 8-10 years past its prime, at least the way I define prime. It’s getting less and less worth walking to for fun or shopping.
“Downtown Decatur is definitely 8-10 years past its prime, at least the way I define prime. It’s getting less and less worth walking to for fun or shopping.”
Ouch! But a thoughtful comment. Should hopefully be read by Downtown Decatur Development.
I’ve lived here almost 10 years and I think the city has only gotten better since I moved here. But like you said, everyone has a different definition of “prime”.
It’s possible that it’s just a psychological phenomenon. You buy a house in Decatur and enjoy the Decatur vibe, telling yourself what a great choice you made. So you decide to renovate and sink a bunch of time and money into that house and it feels so great to be done that you congratulate yourself again. Kids go to kindergarten which is the most wonderful year ever and you think what a great school system you chose. And so on… But after a while, the renovation ages, fingermarks and dings appear in the floor molding, your kids age out of the fun, local kid events, you don’t feel like making brownies without nuts one more time for a school party/fundraiser/teacher appreciation day (pick one), lawn work seems endless, and some of your favorite Downtown Decatur stores close and are replaced by businesses that are irrelevant to your life. Instead of recognizing that your life is past its prime, you decide that Decatur is…. Happy New Year! 🙂
Some of that may fall outside the scope of the Downtown Development Authority. 😉
Dang!
Jeez.
Over time the imperfections in your home become part of its character, your kids move off to start lives of their own, your school involvement greatly lessens, you find yourself with more disposable income and there’s some kid down the street happy to mow your lawn for $20, you sometimes go to Eddie’s Attic on a whim, you occasionally stop off at C&A just for a glass of wine, and you and your SO meet up for dinner on the square just because and the two of you realize that your lives have significantly changed but are also quite wonderful. In Decatur. And over the holidays your kids come home and you take them to one of their favorite restaurants that’s still thriving and you secretly raise a glass with your SO and marvel at your kids’ lives and you realize that you may be past middle age but you’re very much in your prime.
And when your kids come home from college for the first time, they thank you for raising them in Decatur.
Because it only takes a little perspective to get it.
And you realize you got a bargain living here.
As the parent of a Decatur Kindergartener, thank you! I was worried my life had peaked and only despair was left.
Have to say I’m hoping for your scenario over AHID’s,
+ 1 AHID. Woah! You’ve nicely voiced my sentiments.
When out of state acquaintances would come to Atlanta and say “What should we do while we are here?”, I’d actually mention taking MARTA to Downtown Decatur to walk around, hang out, look at cute shops and boutiques, and eat. Not so much anymore.
Just looked at the county records – The owner paid $7.75 Milliion for the building and parking lot in 2014. This sounds like a lot, but explains the high rents. To my knowledge only 3 tenants – Suntrust Chipotle and Cooks/Sherlocks.
Strangely the county only values the building at $4.3 million. This is like buying a Decatur home for $775K, and only having to pay property taxes on a $430k on valuation. Isn’t it a constant complaint that we don’t get enough property tax revenue from businesses? But valuing it at 7.75 million would make rents even higher and drive more folks to close up shop. DBA and the DDA need to figure out this conundrum, as I do not have the solution.
Yes – a significant driver of high rents is the tax burden. I imagine that yearly taxes alone are at least $100,000/. Year. Also, the development department requirements make building and renovation of property unachievable for most private owners, so REITs and other institutional players are the only ones who can afford to own and mainly large corporations can afford to rent.
From about $82K in 2009 to $125K in 2016.
Funny how the boot-happy environment downtown discourages people from walking around and patronizing places like Cooks Warehouse that are half a block from where they parked.
With respect, I can’t see parking as an issue for Cook’s. They have ample free parking behind and street parking out front.
Sure, if that’s your primary destination. Put yourself in the shoes of someone waiting on a prescription to be filled at CVS, who might walk across the street and spend some money on cooking gadgets or wine . . . but probably isn’t going to get in the car, drive over there, and drive back again. It’s not necessarily “lack of parking” that hurts foot traffic, it’s needing to move your car 3 times to visit 3 places.
Yes, in reality the free parking lots discourage walkable shopping.
I agree that the booting environment discourages folks from walking around Decatur and shopping. Unless the City of Decatur develops an active campaign to show shoppers where to park so they can park legally, get out, and walk around spontaneously, the “small, cozy downtown” feel of Decatur is going to continue to disappear. If folks just drive to CVS, park, get their CVS items, then drive away, we are not going to have a vibrant, walkable Downtown.
Why does it have to be at CVS? Why should that shopping center have to provide centralized free parking?
Totally agree. But is there any centralized free parking? I thought the County lot is no longer free after 6 PM/weekends.
They open up the exit gate in the evening on weekdays (not sure what time but it’s later than 6pm) and on the weekends. As long as you leave after exit gate is open it’s free to park. Not sure why they can’t figure out how to use the automated pay machines they installed but I’m not complaining.
It doesn’t have to be the CVS, but the method the owners of that lot have chosen (free ticketless parking for patrons, boots for everyone else) balkanizes downtown Decatur and is maximally hostile to the idea of an integrated and welcoming area. The idea of a walkable and vibrant community, as others have said, simply does not work if you have to move your car as you change stores (and some Decatur residents, not to mention visitors, live far enough away that walking to downtown Decatur is not a practical option).
Personally, I would like to see two different kinds of parking options – one, free parking for all, and two, ticketed parking for all, with merchants having the ability to validate parking for their patrons.
As Parker Cross points out below, there is free parking behind Cook’s, but I wouldn’t call it ample. That lot is almost always full when I’ve tried to park there. I agree that there is a big parking problem in downtown Decatur. I used to live closer to the square and would walk there frequently, but now that I’ve moved a bit farther away from downtown, it’s no longer an easy walk and I find that the parking situation is a deterrent. It’s difficult to find parking and the new fangled machines are a hassle; from having to figure out where the one is that serves your parking spot, to dealing with the slow interface. I will admit that I’m middle-aged and I long for the days when you could just drop a nickel in the slot right by your space. I wonder how much revenue Decatur generates from parking and how much more revenue the businesses would enjoy if parking were free. Surely someone has studied this…
Elle, seriously? About the paid parking? I am not middle-aged, I qualify as elderly. You dont have to worry about which kiosk to use. They will all service your payment. And there’s an app–you can just make your payment from your phone. You may miss the days when you just put in your nickel–I certainly miss the nickel part–but you no longer have to fumble with change in the rain or the blazing sun. I cant see how this is not an improvement.
Yes, Elle, someone has studied this. His name is Donald Shoup, distinguished research professor of urban planning. His book – The High Cost of Free Parking – cogently lays out why we must charge for parking in our downtowns.
The synopsis on Amazon says this:
“Shoup argues that free parking has contributed to auto dependence, rapid urban sprawl, extravagant energy use, and a host of other problems. Planners mandate free parking to alleviate congestion but end up distorting transportation choices, debasing urban design, damaging the economy, and degrading the environment. Ubiquitous free parking helps explain why our cities sprawl on a scale fit more for cars than for people, and why American motor vehicles now consume one-eighth of the world’s total oil production. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Shoup proposes new ways for cities to regulate parking – namely, charge fair market prices for curb parking, use the resulting revenue to pay for services in the neighborhoods that generate it, and remove zoning requirements for off-street parking.”
I heard that someone got booted in that parking lot, so beware of calling it free parking.
Yes, but that lot is still free for their customers. That’s what he’s referring to I believe.Free parking in general. I find it kind of strange that this thread has become about parking, when Cooks arguably has the best customer parking situation of any downtown retailer. Not being mentioned is that Decatur simply isn’t a shopping destination–it’s a dining/drinking destination. The daytime demographics (e.g. people going to court) remain quite different from the nighttime/weekend demographics.
Getting back to the “Is it Decatur that’s past it’s prime or is it me?” theme, the ratio of to local retail shopping to drinking establishments has gotten a little low for my tastes. I’ll walk alone downtown in daylight hours to do some light, local shopping, get coffee, take a yoga class, etc. But after dark, I don’t walk alone so nighttime dining/drinking does not encourage me to walk. If Decatur tips more and more towards dining/drinking, real estate (which I don’t need), medical clinics (that I don’t patronize), and mattress stores (products too heavy to carry even if I needed one), I’ll be walking less and less downtown and taking the car more.
If Decatur is going to be a dining/drinking destination, doesn’t it need a lot of folks to come from outside Decatur? We Decaturites can only drink and eat so much. Won’t most of those outsiders drive rather than take the train or bus? And don’t they need to park somewhere? It seems like both retail AND dining/drinking establishments would profit from some free, well-marked, downtown parking with lots of bright, cheery signage leading to it, kind of like the signage leading into the city. (Which is out of date BTW, The sign at Clairemont and Scott still points to Westchester for the CSD Central Offices.) Folks could park, eat lunch, stop off at some shops they happen upon as they walk from lunch to their medical visit, take in a yoga class, decide it’s now late enough to stay Downtown for dinner, then go catch a show at Eddie’s Attic. I think that checks off a bunch of goals on the City strategic plan including healthy living and walkability.
I come from outside Decatur now to drink and dine and I take MARTA. I know I’m the exception. But people taking Uber/Lyft are not necessarily the exception. I agree with you about the need for some well-marked, safe appearing parking though. I just don’t agree it should be free. If merchants really think such parking would help them, they could take the fee off their customer’s check if they spend a certain amount.
Well I probably am past my prime so my opinion may not count for much but I do miss the plethora of retail shopping Decatur used to have. Now that Cook’s Warehouse is closing the only stores I patronize left are Splash of Olive and Little Shop of Stories (and in a few years my kids and nieces and nephews will have outgrown the demographic of that store). I used to do most of my Christmas shopping in downtown Decatur. This year I did zero of it. I don’t eat out much and am not a drinker so a restaurant and bar based Downtown isn’t much of a draw.
I will miss them. Very disappointing.
Quite a bummer because this has been my go-to for last-minute Christmas/birthday/whatever gifts for a decade. Escalating rents are part of it, I’m sure. But I believe them when they say that traffic through the store is not commensurate with their other location(s). When I used to go to the Brookhaven Cook’s location, it was always hopping (even when there wasn’t a class happening). But every time I’ve frequented the Decatur location, it’s been pretty lightly populated with shoppers. They will be missed for sure.
I frequent there, since it is the only place I can buy a 6-pack within walking distance … but I agree. Outside the holidays, it has rarely been crowded. Especially the wine/beer part of the store.
We lived in Brookhaven until about 10 years ago, and as you noted, that location was (and is) a lot more hopping.
Though like others, we’ve bought a lot of our kitchen gadgets there just because they are local (and convenient). I’ll buy online before I’ll drive 20-30 minutes to go shopping …
Oh, noooooooo! Where will I get my knives sharpened now??? 🙁
If this is a serious question–Community Q.
What is Community Q? I’m serious about new place to have my knives sharpened.
http://communityqbbq.com
Your life is about to get a whole lot better. Try the mac and cheese.
It was definitely a serious lament–and thanks for the Community Q tip. We’ve ordered from them at least a couple times a month since they’ve been open, and I never knew they offered knife-sharpening services!
Does Community Q sharpen shears/scissors as well as knives?
Slapping my forehead. I hadn’t even thought about my knives yet. Where are we going to get our knives sharpened? Dang it.
From Facebook:
The Cook’s Warehouse
January 2 at 1:58pm ·
…and (coincidentally), our knife sharpening service resumes this week.
http://www.cookswarehouse.com/knife-sharpening-services
This is a massive bummer. Where do I go to get my wine now? I frequent Decatur Package as well, but each store serves different purposes for me. The continuing individual attention at Sherlock’s was a big draw for me.
After getting over the initial shock, I reminded myself that we still have Wahoo Wine & Provisions and the C&A Bakery. Neither is quite as convenient, but I may survive after all.
So sad to see them go. It is such a great, convenient place!
It just hit me that we also have Cooking Up A Storm. I was talking with the owner a few weeks ago and she informed me that she was going to start carrying wine. I have picked up quite a few gifts in there as well when I’ve picked up my food. That place is a lifesaver.
Another nail in the downtown Decatur retail coffin. Isn’t this also the time of year when restaurants start to pack it in rather than pay for a liquor license renewal?
The Post-Gentrification of Decatur continues apace. Rent has become too much for the locally-owned boutiques, restaurants, etc., meaning that the only tenants that can afford the space are national/regional chains.
Could be worse. I heard over at Edgewood, there’s a Mattress Firm going in across the street from the Mattress Firm.
I think they are both already open, actually.
I really hate this. City of Decatur has got to stop the high rent situation. We are losing so many businesses. Then there is the no free parking with all the booting going on which makes people not want to go to downtown. I am going to miss this store. Have been popping in there for years. Such a shame.
“City of Decatur has got to stop the high rent situation.”
Are you proposing rent control?
How else would we rectify the unfairness of a for-profit venture choosing to relocate elsewhere in anticipation of better ROI? Or perhaps we need to address the unfairness of Decatur residents no longer having a restaurant supply store that, although they rarely frequent, is available to them if they need it. Regardless of whatever evil needs correcting, who better to solve than the government?
Aw, maynnnnn. Now I gotta go to Restaurant Depot like a chump.
Wish ’em luck, but I found them snooty. Perhaps others agreed and stayed away as I eventually chose to. {shrug}
Their press release has airs. Good luck in their endeavors.
This presents an excellent opportunity for Ansley Wine Merchants to open in Decatur.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
I feel like Decatur is hemorrhaging retail, from Seventeen Steps to Boogaloo’s, even back to the craft shop. I will sorely miss Cooks Warehouse/Sherlock’s, but won’t, as they suggested, make the drive to Chamblee! What the manager said last night was that tax hikes were forcing landlords to raise rents, and the space was now unaffordable.
Ditto for knitting stores, toy stores, book stores, Peggy’s clothing, Heliotrope, the men’s clothing store next to Fleet Feet, variety stores, and so many others. If I want mall style chains, I can drive somewhere with a bigger and better selection. If I’m walking Downtown, I want small, local, innovative, friendly, customer-oriented.
Or they really just want to be located next to Whole Foods.
That’s gotta be a major factor. I’ve heard from real estate friends there is huge demand to be in that Chamblee Whole Foods center. Octane Coffee was originally supposed to be a tenant too, and supposedly Starbucks offered a lot more money. Oh, and Sherlock’s would not have been able to join in the move anyway because Whole Foods has a non-compete deal on retail wine.
Anyone else signed up for their wine club? Ever received any benefit? Guess it’s time to settle that account.
Bummer. My go to place for party gifts and wines for special occasions. Best of luck to both of you.
Well, this certainly bucks the “greedy landlords” narrative:
http://www.decaturish.com/2017/01/proximity-to-whole-foods-lured-cooks-warehouse-away-from-the-city/
In Jan. 2017, retail stalwart Macy’s announces store closings across the country, after a lackluster holiday sales season. Some 10,000 employees will be losing their jobs. A sign of the times. Online shopping continues to gain in popularity – understandably so, given the convenience. Maybe the former employees of Macy’s or of Cook’s/Sherlock’s can find employment with Amazon.
Once upon a time, the family would bundle into the car to travel “downtown”, to take in the festive lights and holiday windows of stores like Macy’s, all while conversing with excitement or maybe even signing a holiday song. They may even have arrived at their destination, all without the use of a smart phone. This is fast becoming a quaint memory in our digital age. Nowadays, even when shoppers are in the stores, their faces are in their phones.
When is the 50 to 75% off sale?