I have also heard rumblings of employees telling customers the store is closing as well over the last few days, but Tomorrow’s News Today has confirmed…

As I hinted at in October, the Macy’s at North DeKalb Mall will in fact be closing.  Store employees were informed November 30th that the store will close no later than January 30th, 2016.  Macy’s announced in September it planned to close as many as 40 locations nationwide by late January, but has yet to publicly identify the stores destined to close.

I placed calls to other Macy’s stores mentioned privately as possible closure targets, and each store associate I reached claimed their store had not been informed of any imminent closure.  The stores I contacted included those at Greenbriar Mall, South DeKalb Mall, Northlake Mall, Gwinnett Place Mall and The Mall at Stonecrest.

Tomorrow’s News Today is reporting that conditions may finally be right for Costco to execute on their 2008 plan to build a new intown location at North DeKalb Mall.

Nothing is set in stone at this point, but TNT lays out a variety of developments and details that make it seem like a revived North DeKalb Mall could transform to include a Costco in the coming years.

Whatcha think?

UPDATE: I initially missed that TNT linked to a Redstone lease plan that showed the three new retailers and their location in the building.  From the plan, it looks like Highland Bakery will buildout in the western most retail location (also show in the pic above), Orangetheory would build out the center space and Taziki’s would take the eastern spot.

They are also listed on Redstone’s website.

Tomorrow’s News Today reports that Highland Bakery is one of three new tenants opening in the first floor retail space of “The Place on Ponce” building at 315 West Ponce de Leon Ave.  Decatur would be Highland Bakery’s third sixth Atlanta location.

The site also reports that Orangetheory Fitness and Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe will take the remaining two spots in the building’s retail space.

Additionally, TNT reports that “I Love Juice Bar” is the juice bar looking to open a drive-thru location in the 315 West Ponce office building.  As we reported yesterday, that plan is scheduled to go before the Decatur Planning Commission this month.

We’ve reached out to the 315 folks for confirmation on this report.

Photo courtesy of The Place on Ponce Facebook page

Update: Interesting new info from Decaturish…

“No other Fresh To Order is going to look like the Decatur Fresh To Order,” Panos said. “I’m specifically creating a new look and feel for that concept. I’m calling it F3O because it’s so different to the look and feel of our other stores, because it is special.”

Rumors are swirling – according to FFAF – and now Tomorrow’s News Today is now reporting that “well-placed” sources say that Fresh To Order is coming to downtown Decatur…

According to well placed sources, Atlanta-based Fresh To Order (aka F2o) has signed a lease to open a new restaurant in Decatur.  The growing “fine-fresh” restaurant plans to open later this year in place of the shuttered Hola! Mexican Cantina.  The space sits at the high traffic / high visibility corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Church Street, adjacent to Noodle and across from Leon’s Full Service.  

Tomorrow’s News Today reports that Decatur’s Farm Burger – who already has outposts is Buckhead, Dunwoody and Asheville, NC – will open its fifth location in West Berkeley, California.

The Farm Burger will open in a  renovated and renamed shopping center anchored by a relatively new Whole Foods Market as well as upcoming Road Runner Sports.  Formerly known as Gilman Village, the center’s new name is Gilman Crossings and features a number of new tenants and center enhancements.

Jason Mann is a 2000 graduate of the University of California-Berkeley, and had been living in San Diego for over a year.  Mann was a founding partner of Farm 255 (in Athens) which in turn sprouted the first Farm Burger in Decatur. With many of the founding partners involved in other endeavors, Farm 255 closed last year, after eight years in business.   Seizing the opportunity to open an outpost of Farm Burger in an area that Mann is not only familiar with, but also credits with growing him as a farmer and restaurateur, the pieces came together for a Farm Burger in Berkeley.

Michael points to this blurb on Tomorrow’s News Today.…

Arden’s Garden is planning five new metro Atlanta locations according to company CEO Leslie Zinn, daughter of founder Arden Zinn.   Arden Zinn was a trailblazer in the world of juicing back in 1995 and has steadily grown her business via both wholesale accounts like Publix and Whole Foods, and though their own retail network.   Arden’s Garden currently has seven locations around metro Atlanta, including Buckhead, midtown and Sandy Springs.  In March, another location is slated for Emory Walk on Clairmont Road in Decatur.  The center is home to TAPS Craft Beers as well as Los Loros Mexican restaurant.  Another location is scheduled to open in the former Atlanta Daily World Building on Auburn Avenue.  Other areas being scouted for future locations include Alpharetta, Peachtree City and Vinings.

A new post on Tomorrow’s News Today reminded me that my wife had mentioned to me over the weekend that Tin Drum in Emory Village looked to be closed.  (I wonder what else I’ve forgotten that she’s told me recently!)  Anyway, according to TNT, Tin Drum will move north a bit…

Wisely choosing not to leave the intown Emory area completely, Tin Drum will reopen in a new location, about 3.5 miles away, at 2566 Briarcliff Road.  The new location is in a new center, the Village at Druid Hills.  Tin Drum will join Willy’s Mexicana Grill (expected to open in May) and Newk’s Eatery (opening timetable unknown) as dining options in the center.   A freestanding Mattress Firm and in-line Sprint store have already opened and will soon be joined by a nail salon and Sport Clips hair salon.