Finally info on the old Mick’s location!

Rus reports that a sign in the window of the old Mick’s location reads “Coming Soon: Parker’s on Ponce”.

A quick internet search confirms it. Right now the restaurant’s website just reads…”Decatur’s first independently owned steakhouse…Coming Soon”

A recent comment by Lyn said that they were shooting for an early July opening…not sure if they’re still on track for that.

Thanks Rus! Stay tuned for more info!

Though InDecatur has posted on rumors about Mick’s before, I personally hadn’t heard confirmation.

But an AccessAtlanta article from a couple days back, which sounds a lot like a recap of Decatur blogs coverage of restaurant closings and openings, has confirmation from the city that a “steakhouse” will be opening at the old Mick’s location.

Also a reassuring quote for residents/businesses: “As soon as those places disappear, the landlords are bombarded,” said Neil Dobbs, president of the Decatur Business Association.”

I also find this quote funny: “I don’t think [the recent closings are] anything more than typical,” Harris said. “Restaurants have had that kind of turnover in the past.”

Ah, the power of blogs/the internet.

Another issue of Focus is in the mail! [Thanks InDecatur]

Lots of the development issues we’ve discussed here and over at the aforementioned InDecatur are covered. The obvious difference here is that the city is talking…so they’re a little less interesting than us opinionated bloggers, but they have all the inside dish! (that they’re willing to share)

Examples include…

315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.

The city reports, like we did last month [InDecatur /Decatur Metro], that Decatur Court at 315 West Ponce has a new owner that plans to keep the existing office building and build residential and a parking deck on the existing parking lot. My original posting mentioned a potential issue with building height for the bungalows along Ponce Pl. Sure enough, a couple homes still have “No High Rise Next to R60″ signs in their yards left over from the Old Decatur condo battle. Should be interesting….

Art Institute of Atlanta

The city has given us a little more detail on this project too, beyond the press releases that alerted us to it a couple weeks ago [InDecatur/Decatur Metro] Apparently the school will put a student art gallery on the first floor fronting Ponce, next to Quiznos, brightening up a piece of the most unfriendly pedestrian building in the city (I say that with no due respect). Also the blurb answers my question about a start date for classes, asked here. “Plans are to start small, and add classes over the next year.”

Mick’s

InDecatur pointed this one out just a few days ago and I piggy-backed. I’m still perplexed why I didn’t notice. The city cites “financial problems” that closed the entire chain. A commenter at InDecatur dishes juicer gossip, “I ran into one of their bartenders a few months back, who told me that the license was suspended because of nonpayment of back taxes.” The city goes on to assure the public that they’ll find the right establishment to fill this prime locale.

Trinity Triangle

OK, so here’s the one we haven’t seen any updates on. After months of delays, demolition is scheduled to start this month on the oh-so-sketchy Relax Inn, the old temporary city hall, and the mostly burnt down “My Sister’s Room”. Dairy Queen will need to be relocated for a time, but has been promised a spot in the new development. This blurb from Intown Atlanta gives a little more insight… “Both of these establishments will be demolished to make way for Decatur’s first downtown apartment development in more than a decade.” Anyone know who the developer is or what the plans look like?

InDecatur points out that Mick’s, the small local chain across the street from the square, has gone dark and has been closed for a while now.

I must be a little behind the ball on this one. I swear we’ve been there in the past month or so. I wonder whether this is the fate of the whole chain, which now consists of of two locations on Peachtree, or if the Decatur location was never busy enough?

As David points out, this prime real estate is now up for grabs. I wonder who will move in.

UPDATE: December’s Decatur Focus notes that all locations of Mick’s closed abruptly in November due to financial problems.