Johns Creek Beautification rallies around landscaping, public art
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Lynn Pennington, president of Johns Creek Beautification, is someone you see at most every cityorganized event, speaking on behalf of a nonprofit that unites people through landscaping and public art.
“If you stay close to our mission statement … it is really a way to bring people together,” said Pennington, whose wealth of energy exceeds her small frame. She stays busy, also serving as co-president to the Cultural Arts Alliance at Johns Creek and as a member of the Johns Creek Historical Society.
While Johns Creek Beautification formed in 2007, its beginnings precede the city’s incorporation with work toward beautifying medians along Medlock Bridge Road.
Over the years, the nonprofit has developed a slate of initiatives.
One can be seen throughout the city, lit up with 52,250 yellow daffodils. The organization’s planting campaign Daffodils4Hope, brought forth by more than 1,100 volunteers of all ages, is in partnership with the nonprofit CanCare Atlanta which provides counseling support to cancer patients and caregivers in the community.
Johns Creek Beautification also hosts a Secret Garden Tour every other year. The rain-or-shine event features an array of private home gardens and the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, each with musical ensembles or solo performers, along with visual artists sharing their talents with visitors.
Pennington, co-chair to the tour, said she is seeking volunteers to lead the effort next spring with planning beginning in August.
Currently, board members are preparing for a fundraiser in June in support of a new Native American sculpture for the city’s Town Center area — 192 acres anchored by the oncoming Creekside Park, centered around the pond behind City Hall. The hub is also poised to bring retail and industry with tenants like mixed-used development Medley and biomedical engineering giant Boston Scientific.
The Native American sculpture would be the second permanent installation born from the nonprofit’s ArtSpot subcommittee.
The first, unveiled in June 2022 at the Bell and Boles roads roundabout, is Entwined Strength by artist Eric Strauss. Its vine-like form, created from 4,000 pounds of hot forged steel, honors the diverse community members and its leaders who pulled together to create a new city.
PHOTOS BY LYNN PENNINGTON/PROVIDED
Johns Creek Beautification members sort daffodil bulbs with high school volunteers as part of Daffodils4Hope, a planting campaign in partnership with CanCare Atlanta — a nonprofit that provides counseling support to cancer patients and caregivers. Since the program’s inception six years ago, more than 1,100 volunteers have planted 52,250 daffodils around Johns Creek.
Our aim is to build a resilient ecosystem where people, wildlife and plants can thrive together for generations.”
LILIANA
BRENNER
Johns Creek Beautification Vice President
Pennington envisions the new sculpture to showcase thousands of years of Native American history that covers what is now Johns Creek, beyond the known Cherokee Nation. She said its intended location, close to City Hall, would allow it to become a symbol of unity and respect for indigenous peoples, showcasing a commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
“In the research, we found out that Native Americans were in the Johns Creek area for 14,000 years,” she said. “There is nothing that really shows that history in Johns Creek yet, so through art we hope to … capture history, heritage.”
The impetus for the project dates to around 2015, a collaboration between the now-defunct Newtown Park Community Foundation and that year’s Leadership Johns Creek class, which included former CEO of Emory Johns Creek Marilyn Margolis.
The group set its eyes on a stone
Artist Eric Strauss stands with his sculpture Entwined Strength at a ribbon-tying ceremony in June 2022 at the Bell and Boles roads roundabout. The sculpture was the first permanent public art installation born from Johns Creek Beautification’s ArtSpot subcommittee. Currently, the nonprofit is in the fundraising stage for a second sculpture, themed around Native American history.
Another $50,000 may head their way, considering a recommendation made at a recent Johns Creek Arts, Culture and Entertainment Committee meeting on the use of hotel/motel tax collections in fiscal year 2025.
sculpture, a work that could endure the weather, akin to Native American petroglyphs found around the Southeast in places like Blairsville.
But, Pennington said the sculpture would be under the artist’s discretion, ideally to be placed in a new plaza area created from stones that could be purchased and inscribed.
Once Johns Creek Beautification has sufficient funds, Pennington said a call will be cast out, prioritizing Native American artists. She said the selection committee would likely be composed of board members from Johns Creek Beautification and the Cultural Arts Alliance as well as a Johns Creek city councilmember.
While the project is pending City Council approval, Pennington said $50,000 has been raised so far across the nonprofit’s Secret Garden tours, and the goal is to collect $100,000 over the next 18 months.
The June 6 fundraiser will be the nonprofit’s first annual learning luncheon, featuring two guest speakers — Ashley Frasca, who hosts a Saturday morning garden show on WSB Radio, and Mark Hoban, a golf course superintendent at Rivermont Golf Club who focuses on sustainable, organic methods in his work.
The luncheon aligns with the nonprofit’s other effort to recertify Johns Creek as a National Wildlife Habitat, promoting sustainable gardening practices. The city first earned certification with the National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program in April 2012.
Johns Creek Beautification Vice President Liliana Brenner said the organization is also helping to certify individual properties such as homes, parks, schools and businesses by providing food, water, shelter and places to raise young. Residents are encouraged to certify their properties at certifiedwildlifehabitat.nwf.org.
“Our aim is to build a resilient ecosystem where people, wildlife and plants can thrive together for generations,” Brenner said.
Hyde Brewing evolves with the times
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — If you haven’t heard about Milton’s only brewpub at Market District Crabapple, you may be familiar with the co-owners’ successful ventures in North Fulton County.
Josh Rachel and Mikka Orrick, married last summer at Glacier National Park, opened their labor of love, Hyde Brewing, with Thiago Depaula about a week after Valentine’s Day.
Combining Rachel’s experience as the brewmaster of Jekyll Brewing in Alpharetta with Orrick and Depaula’s experiences running Ceviche Taqueria bore the city’s first brewpub.
A brewpub is a hybrid restaurant and brewery, where beer is primarily brewed for sale inside the establishment.
Typically, breweries will produce more beer annually and will not include food services.
Earlier this spring, Rachel said he hoped to have beers ready for the grand-opening April 25 at Market District Crabapple.
Turns out, the veteran brewmaster had three different beers ready to go in advance, a Mexican-inspired lager and a hoppy India pale ale.
Located in Market District Crabapple on Heritage Walk, Hyde Brewing hires local students and young folks looking to learn about the restaurant industry.
Preston Cassidy, a junior at Milton High School, busses tables, while his older sister, Madison, greets families and couples as they walk in.
Rachel said he likes teaching young people the benefits of hard work and how to do it. The Tennessee native moved with his family to Johns Creek at the start of his high school years.
His years at Chattahoochee High School sparked a love for North Fulton County, and Rachel and his family now live in Milton.
“At the beginning of 2021, I ended my career at Jekyll and took a hiatus for two years,” Rachel said. “At that point, Mikka and I were a couple, we started blending our families, and obviously, she had Ceviche.”
He said when he left Jekyll, there was no doubt in his mind he would return to his passion of brewing.
For Rachel and many Americans,
with
the COVID-19 pandemic was more than just the airborne virus. He described it as a multi-layered situation that required a personal reset with being a father, starting a new relationship and leaving the company he helped start.
“It was a matter of time based on a two-year non-compete [agreement] that I couldn’t get out of,” Rachel said. “It was the planning process during that time to figure out what we wanted
to do.”
His silver lining of the pandemic years is recapturing his love for brewing beer and rediscovering a childhood fondness for the restaurant industry.
The two years away from brewing allowed Rachel to brainstorm with Orrick, which led to the idea of a brewpub, leveraging both of their industry expertise.
A brewpub is the best way to go, Rachel said.
Hyde Brewing’s fermentation vessels April 25 as servers bring over drinks and take orders. Brewmaster Josh Rachel said he intentionally did not seal off the brewery from the restaurant during construction to give the space a unique feel.
I feel like the story is always growing and changing.”
JOSH RACHEL Hyde Brewing co-owner
The couple tapped Thiago Depaula, last but certainly not least, for his experience managing various restaurants in the area, including Ceviche Taqueria.
The three managing partners made the vision of Hyde Brewing happen, Rachel said.
“The name is the name, but we wanted to be organic with what our story is,” Rachel said. “I feel like the story is always growing and changing.”
In the competitive restaurant and brewery industries, making it takes everyone.
“All three of us, we grind like nobody’s business and worwk super hard for everything we try to get in life,” Rachel said. “That’s what works well for us.”
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA Families
children sit in front of
PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Josh Rachel, co-owner of Hyde Brewing, sits in his office next to the brewery where he spends hours creating specialty lagers and hopped beers. Rachel talked about the journey from his time at Jekyll Brewing in Alpharetta to opening Milton’s first brewpub with his wife, Mikka Orrick.
Ian Wells, one of three bartenders serving patrons, makes a drink as couples enjoy cocktails at happy hour April 25. Other than specializing in brewed-on-site beers, Hyde Cocktails and an extensive tequila selection offer adults options to go along with their Ceviche Taqueria meal.
Milton resident aims to offer luxury to Metro Atlanta sleepers
By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Milton resident Karen Levine aims to provide a luxurious night’s sleep while giving back to local schools through her business PeachSkinSheets.
Now headquartered in Forsyth County, Levine started PeachSkinSheets in her previous Johns Creek home in 2013 after leaving behind a corporate career.
Before cementing its online presence, the business frequented festivals in Cobb County, Crabapple, Johns Creek and Dunwoody.
With a background in ecommerce and marketing, Levine dedicated the venture to offering a luxury sleeping experience without a lofty price tag.
“Price point was very important because I needed something that would be affordable to people,” Levine said. “I didn’t want people to have to choose between a car payment and a sheet set.”
After settling on a sheet business, Levine said she investigated fabrics from across the world. She narrowed down her options to a performance grade smart fabric, but Levine emphasized her products differ from the cheap, scratchy microfiber that comes to mind.
“I like to say, it’s not your mama’s microfiber,” she said.
She said the sheets are made with a fabric reminiscent of athletic wear, which is known for being moisture-wicking and comfortable.
“And it’s the same concept with sleep,” Levine said. “You spend so many hours sleeping a day that you want to be on the right fabric.”
Levine said she designed PeachSkinSheets based on what she would want in a bedspread. Her fitted sheets feature a wide elastic band; top and bottom placement labels; and an expansion panel to accommodate larger luxury mattresses.
Because of the moisture wicking fabric, the sheets also dry quickly, and they resist stains.
AAPPEN PRESSCLU
“I come from that old school where I like my bed to not have any wrinkles,” Levine said. “Nowadays, a lot of the younger generation, they like a more relaxed bed, and maybe wrinkles aren’t so important to them. They want that wrinkly look. But I know for me, I wanted a smooth, wrinklefree look, and so that’s why we have the wrinkle release out of the dryer.”
PeachSkinSheets come in an expanding variety of colors. When Levine founded the business in 2013, she said most sheet companies only offered neutrals.
PeachSkin started with 12 colors, soon doubling to 24 and now expanding its collection to 32 with eight new Caribbean varieties, including tiki turquoise, hot coral, Bahama blue and zesty lemon.
“Colors are really important to us, making sure that there’s something to match almost every decor out there,” Levine said.
PeachSkin also offers oversized comforters, duvet covers and individual pieces like pillowcases and single sheets.
Levine said the business features colors of the month, where four signature sets and duvet covers are discounted. Its April colors of the month are buttercream, cotton candy pink, lavender mist and brushed silver.
PeachSkinSheets is also launching a Mother’s Day promotion from April 19 to May 13 where customers can buy a robe, sheet, duvet or comforter set and receive a mix and match gift.
But, the business offers more than just comfortable bedding. PeachSkinSheets partners with local school systems to support educational initiatives and teacher appreciation.
I like to say, it’s not your mama’s microfiber.”
KAREN
LEVINE PeachSkinSheets founder
Its Partners in Education initiative started with a pilot partnership at Kelly Mill Elementary School in Forsyth County in December 2022, and it has since rolled out nationwide.
PeachSkin offers a $45 discount to partner school families, and the school receives $20 for each set sold.
With the $1,300 raised in the first partnership, Kelly Mill purchased new podcast equipment for its students.
“Those monies help offset some of the classroom expenses,” Levine said. “The teachers, they always have to put so much of their personal income into classroom supplies and extras, and so a lot of times, these donations will help offset some of that.”
Through the Partners in Education initiative, PeachSkinSheets has partnered with parent-teacher associations in East Cobb and Cherokee County, as well as Cherokee County Schools.
The business donated more than
PEACHSKINSHEETS/PROVIDED Karen Levine is the founder and CEO of Forsyth County-based PeachSkinSheets. Levine started the business in 2013 to provide affordable high-quality sheets and a solution for hot sleepers.
$5,000 to Forsyth County Schools from a holiday initiative in December.
PeachSkinSheets Director of Corporate Partnerships David Bartow said Partners in Education will focus on teacher appreciation in May.
He said partner schools have used the money raised for library books, appreciation dinners and lunches, and equipment.
“Everybody needs sheets,” Bartow said. “And everybody will eventually need sheets, and why not have them buy the best sheets at an affordable price?”
To browse PeachSkinSheets or order a free color swatch, visit peachskinsheets. com.
KELZ MEDIA/PROVIDED
Kelly Mill Elementary School staff accept a check from PeachSkinSheets in January. The bedding business partners with school districts nationwide to help fund educational initiatives and supplies.
Interior designer spreads wellness through Metro Atlanta homes
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Lanada Duncan had come to know the importance of creating a personal sanctuary, feeling the burnout of a 20-year career in healthcare management.
The work took a toll, both mentally and physically. So, the Roswell resident began changing her home to create a more holistic environment.
“I feel your living space does have a lot to do with how you feel, emotionally, physically, how healthy you really are, how well you really are,” she said.
But, Duncan realized that she wasn’t fully in the space she wanted to be, which was to help others do the same, and founded her business b.e. decors Interiors in 2015.
She got her feet wet by hunting for unique pieces that she would refurbish and sell at street markets, also picking up small jobs from her friends, and when her son went to college, Duncan transformed his bedroom into her “she-cave,” which has since become one of her specialties.
“That’s a good way of making sure they don’t come back,” Duncan said, laughing.
The she-cave is the oft-overlooked space for women and for mothers that allows them to relieve stress amid a packed schedule, to let their hair down, to make themselves a priority.
Meanwhile, “man caves” are a longstanding concept, widely cited and portrayed in the media. Duncan said her husband’s is the garage in her Roswell home, where all his childhood toys are stored.
“I thought, well, you know, I need a space like that,” Duncan said.
Duncan said her she-cave, denoted with a sign on the door, features a big, comfy cream-colored chair and ottoman, an electric fireplace with an assortment of teas, honeys and mugs on its mantle, a drink cart holding a refrigerator, wines, glasses and a teapot, and a Bose speaker she uses to sound off her favorite artists like Márcio Faraco or a playlist of Zen music.
The sanctum has plenty of candles, Duncan said, made by her sister which she sells through b.e. decors
BY LANADA DUNCAN/PROVIDED
Lanada Duncan, a Roswell-based interior designer, sits in her original “she-cave” at her home. The concept, a relaxing space for women, has become her specialty since she founded b.e. decors Interiors in 2015.
Interiors. Duncan’s website also features handcrafted body butter and decorative pillows, marked with phrases like “She-Cave” and “Girl Boss.”
The room has evolved over time, and soon, she said it will get a redesign to incorporate fresh color and her love of birds.
“I tell people that you have to invest in yourself first, so that you can be there for your children, so that you can be there for your employer,” Duncan said. “This is just one of the important ways to do it.”
Duncan devoted herself full-time to interior design around three years
ago after being laid off from her role in patient relations, driven by the need to understand what makes for a peaceful living space.
“It’s great to make a space look beautiful, and that’s good,” Duncan said. “But, it’s really, to me, more important to make it feel like home for you … There are so many things in the world that can affect us in the day-today, but when you come home, that should be your safe space.”
Regardless of scope, Duncan said each consultation is individualized and involves asking clients what constitutes “home” — she said maybe it’s the color yellow that reminds a
Lanada Duncan’s she-cave design in an Alpharetta home office features dark green walls, a cowhide rug and elegant lighting.
For more information about b.e. decors Interiors or to schedule a consultation, visit www.bedecors.com.
client of a favorite house they lived in, splashed over the kitchen, a reminder of the smell of cookies.
While other interior designers might look in client’s closet to get an understanding of their style, Duncan said it’s important to really get to know the subject first.
But, she noted a few guidelines she likes to talk through, which may not be at the forefront of a client’s mind, like light sources, pops of color and biophilic features — plants, natural stones, photographs of landscapes. Some of the work for Duncan is education.
“While they may not be thinking of this particular item, we need to talk about it because I want to blow your mind by not just meeting your expectations but exceeding them,” she said.
PHOTOS
Movie studios and model trains keep store running
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — With classic rock playing in the background and Loco the golden retriever hanging out with customers, 425 Market Place embodies the historic Roswell feel.
It only took Allison Kummerfeldt of Peachtree Corners a few minutes to find a piece of uranium glass she was looking for. Sometimes called Vaseline glass for its pale yellowish-green color, uranium glass fell out of widespread use during the Cold War.
Kummerfeldt said there are only so many places in Metro Atlanta with such treasures available for purchase.
Because it glows under ultraviolet light, the glass is sought after today.
With around 7,000 square feet of retail space filled with collectibles, antiques, jewelry and consignments, Steve Funsten and Greg Lundy have something for everyone.
Lundy warned, because the pieces contain radioactive materials, do not breath in if your uranium glass breaks.
The store at 425 Market Place has three components: dealers who have rented booths and have a permanent presence; artists who re-create old things into new treasures; and consignors who sell items because they are redecorating or no longer have a need for the item.
Blue Ox Trains, which handles over 50 percent of the business at the store, took over half of the first floor after Funsten purchased the business in 2016.
The remainder of the first floor and upstairs features various booths where customers can find anything from a March 1918 picture of the Atlanta Police Department’s Bicycle Division to handpainted porcelain vases of unknown origins.
Model trains are big
Funsten started his journey at 425 Market Place as a vendor with one case at the front of the store with just a few model trains on display.
“Then things spread, and I got a little bit more space and a little bit more space,” Funsten said.
Located in historic Roswell, 425 Market Place is housed in a lodge-looking building that began life as the retail store, Call of the Wild. Built by the Watford family some 60 years ago, it served the needs of area outdoorsman until it closed in 2005.
Funsten said a Woodstock resident, Jerry Blackledge, took over operations from the Watfords for a few years after the couple took a step back from the business.
Chris and Julia Watford still own the building and lease out space to Funsten and Lundy. Since the pair took over in 2016, Anna Lee’s Café and Swiss Watch & Clock Shop have moved into separated
left, Greg Lundy and Steve Funsten, operating 425 Market Place since 2016, stand with Loco the golden retriever in front of a model train layout. Funsten said the name of his golden retriever is short for locomotive, referencing the model trains sold at the consignment and antiques store.
A look from the staircase inside of 425 Market Place April 2 shows jewelry, painting and antiques on display at the front of the store.
retail space in the wings of the lodge.
“I basically bought over the whole business, instead of just being a vendor here with the trains,” Funsten said.
Today, half of the first floor of the antique shop is dedicated to building model railroads and educating customers along their own journey through the complexities of the miniature train hobby.
Blue Ox Trains, owned and operated by Funsten, draws model train enthusiasts from around the Southeast for the store’s extensive selection of HO and N scale locomotives, rolling stock, structures and scenery.
The HO scale, or 3.5 millimeters to 1 foot, is the most popular modeling proportion worldwide.
The HO scale’s middle-of-the-road status provides a balance between the detail of larger model railroads and the smaller space requirements for indoor tracks.
“We do a lot of model train sales,” Funsten said. “We have good variety for everybody with all the consignment items, antiques, collectibles and artwork.”
Funsten said he knows why people from Tennessee and south Georgia drive to his shop.
“In a lot of places, there are not any train stores left,” Funsten. “They’re all closed down and everything has gone online, that’s kinda why I started the business.”
A lot of nearby North Fulton residents, like a New Jersey woman and her 3-yearold Roswell grandson, just like to come in to see the model railroading displays.
“Some folks like to test run things and get advice,” Funsten said. “That is the biggest thing, you order something online, and you can’t get advice.”
It should be no surprise that Funsten named his golden retriever Loco, short for locomotive.
“He’s come to work ever since he was 8 weeks old,” he said. “He’s almost 6 now and has never missed a day of work.”
Windfall from Hollywood
Besides Funsten’s Blue Ox Trains and his golden retriever, 425 Market Place also draws high-profile customers to peruse its antiques and one-of-a-kind treasurers.
“We get a good bit of movie set designers,” Funsten said. “All the movies going on around Atlanta… buyers will come in here and get the most off-the-wall stuff.”
He said you can’t predict what set designers are looking for. Typically trying to date a scene, some film productions buy rotary dial phones, while others need a kitchen appliance from the 1960s.
“We still have a few dealers, so we make consignment space available if someone wants to rent a booth,” Funsten said. “If we’ve got an empty booth, we will just fill it with consignment items from individuals.”
The result is an array of treasures you can’t find anywhere else.
Lundy, who works the front register and manages consignments, said some customers come in for baseball cards.
“People collect different things, so it will be random,” Lundy said. “Fortunately for us, we also get the set designers in, so we have provided materials for some of the Netflix shows and some movies.”
He said a production crew came in last week looking for items to fill a 1980s home. Because people rarely have contemporary home décor, the set designers wanted antiques from the 1960s and 1970s.
“They will buy here, as opposed to going out and buying new,” Lundy said. “Because they can find something they like at a fraction of the price.”
PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
A look from the parking lot at 425 Market Place shows the loft-style building and active tenants. Steve Funsten said he took over the location in 2016 after a local businessman parted ways with the location.
From
Business leaders seek to sculpt Dunwoody Village as city’s downtown
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — In a continued effort to boost Dunwoody Village as the city’s downtown, a newly formed group of area business owners are working on a game plan.
Dunwoody Village, a neighborhood of shops, offices and residences along Chamblee Dunwoody Road near Mount Vernon Road, has been a focus for city officials for some time.
In 2011, the Dunwoody Village Master Plan was created through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Center Initiative grant program, which incentivizes local jurisdictions to revitalize areas into self-sustaining communities with a diverse range of housing, employment and commercial options.
About a decade later, an update was adopted that focused on rewriting zoning regulations.
Dunwoody Community Development Director Richard McLeod said he had passed Dunwoody Village in the ’70s, growing up in Roswell while his mother worked at Perimeter Mall, and noted it hadn’t changed.
“I thought it was a little weird, and I started talking to some of the councilmembers and some of the folks who live around here, and they said, ‘It’s so tired. It needs a lift,’” McLeod said.
There had been criticism from the community that spanned from the number of banks in the Village to style limitations, he said.
Michael Starling, Dunwoody’s director of economic development, said aesthetics of Dunwoody Village were meant to capture the historic feel of Williamsburg, Virgnia, but that they became a hindrance to new development. Based on a survey conducted by an architectural firm, Starling said most people were more concerned with function anyway, giving city staff ammunition to incorporate design changes into the zoning code.
The master plan also resulted in more city investment into key Dunwoody Village corridors, like the $2.33 million streetscape project on Dunwoody Village Parkway, completed in 2014. Another project, Village Crossroads, is underway which intends to make Chamblee Dunwoody Road more walkable and bike-friendly with additional traffic calming measures.
Merchants group
Then, last year, the Dunwoody Village Merchants Association was formed, composed of about a dozen business owners,
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
pulled together by city staff.
“I think the majority of Dunwoodians believe that the Village is sort of their local downtown, and we agree with that and think it needs to look and feel and operate more like a downtown,” Starling said. “One of the things that downtown does is have events, concerts, sidewalk sales, that kind of thing, so that’s what that group is focused on.”
David Abes, an association member and owner of a number of restaurants in Dunwoody Village, said the group is planning for quarterly events. His overall project to do business in Dunwoody, as founder of Dash Hospitality Group, is six years in the making.
Abes first opened Bar{n} around two and half years ago, a craft beer and whiskey bar with a menu that offers charcuterie and small plates.
Then came Morty’s Meat & Supply, named after Abes’ grandfather and featuring a community-created “Wall of Fame” with pictures, a 1976 map of Dunwoody Village and a “shrine” to Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest, which includes portraits painted by Dunwoody High School students.
“[Seacrest] just posted about Dunwoody yesterday on social media,” Abes said. “So, the mayor actually tagged him and said, ‘You need to go to Morty’s and see your shrine.”
There’s also an old program from a Dunwoody July 4 parade — this year, Abes was elected as the parade’s Grand Marshal.
“I said, ‘Am I old enough for this?’” he said. “Because I have gray hair, but … No, it was a really nice honor.”
Gathering place
Across the way is Message in a Bottle, a seafood restaurant and Abes’ latest addition. In another interactive feature, Abes invites
families to submit their beach pictures for a TV display as well as write messages to be placed in stacked bottles near the entrance.
All his restaurants, including his food truck Yoffi which serves Mediterranean food, are situated around a courtyard. In a tour, he highlighted the work he had done to transform the space into a more inviting community hangout spot with investment from Regency Centers, the property owner.
“There were literally two metal benches in the whole place and one lamppost,” Abes said. “So, we cleaned it all up, added furniture, the stage, the big screen.”
The courtyard also features colorful murals for picture-taking moments, one with his trademarked “Funwoody” and another with “Good Vibes.”
Abes said he and other merchants saw missed opportunities, looking over to the “cool” events that Alpharetta and Roswell were hosting.
Two years ago, he created Green Eggs and Kegs which will be the group’s first event, held in the courtyard on April 20. It will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, hitting close to home as his son was diagnosed as a toddler.
“I always want to do stuff for charity,” Abes said. “I think that’s very important. Whatever we do — it’s like you got to do it community-focused.”
All the Village
The association also plans to host an allday, back-to-school event in August called “Funwoody Field Day,” which will include school field day classics like relay races and a scavenger hunt as well as a sidewalk sale in the second half of the day.
Lauren Sok, association member and owner of Functionize Health & Physical
SCREENSHOT Dunwoody Village, a neighborhood of shops, offices and residences along Chamblee Dunwoody Road near Mount Vernon Road, is the focus of area business owners working to further define it as the city’s downtown.
Therapy, said Funwoody Field Day will be spaced out throughout all the Village.
“What we realize is when most people say the ‘Dunwoody Village,’ they think it’s the side where Fresh Market is,” Sok said. “All of the businesses in the greater Chamblee Dunwoody/Mount Vernon area are part of the Village.”
Light Up Dunwoody, a pre-existing city event, will be the group’s fourth-quarter focus, but Sok said they plan to make it more magical and again, ensuring it is held throughout the village, with hot chocolate stands, carolers and maybe a petting zoo.
“The main goal is to make sure people understand that the Village is so much more than one section, and it’s a destination,” Sok said, with a hope that the city’s marketing dollars will go toward the area.
The Dunwoody Village Merchants Association is under the auspices of the Perimeter Chamber now, allowing them greater autonomy and an organized platform.
As a longstanding Dunwoody resident, Perimeter Chamber Vice President of Engagement Paula Shiver said she has always felt like there were things that can be done to the Village to bring cohesiveness to the space and that Abes has had that same vision.
“The whole thing sort of clicked and fell into place was his motivation and his enthusiasm and people really seeing how just a little bit of effort can bring a whole community together,” Shiver said.
Business owner David Abes leans on a community-created wall inside his restaurant Morty’s Meat & Supply, which features a “shrine” to Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest.
Atlanta Harp Center strings together festival lineup
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Harp Center, located in a quiet office park off South Main Street in Alpharetta, sports the largest selection of harps in the South. Its showroom at 11775 Northfall Lane features pedal and lever harps from Lyon & Healy and Venus in Chicago; Salvi in Piasco, Italy; Camac in Mouzeil, France; and Dusty Strings in Seattle.
Visitors to the showroom are greeted with a mix of nature and technology.
More than 50 harps are on display from around the world. Three little fish, each of one the primary colors, circle a tank in the lobby as harpists peruse the extensive inventory.
From the hand-carved pillar of the Minerva Natural from Salvi to the 34-string, electric-lever Camac Ulysses, there is a harp designed for each patron’s taste.
The Atlanta Harp Center requires appointments to visit its showroom, which employees said allows clients to hear and experience the unique sound of each stringed instrument.
For harpist across the South, Alpharetta’s Atlanta Harp Center is a mecca.
The rent-to-own program for lever harps gives customers the choice to either return the instrument after a four-month period or continue to rent it on a monthto-month basis.
The team, consisting of industry experts and professional harpists, applies most rental payments toward the purchase of the instrument and allows a trade-up policy for the purchase of a pedal harp.
The initial payment for rental varies between $260-$600, with monthly payments less than $200.
While credit approval and a contract are required for the rental program, Atlanta Harp Center works with customers to find the right size, sound, look and price.
The price range for harps extends from $2,500 to $40,000.
After co-owners David and Mary Jane D’Arville married, the couple opened the Midlothian-based Virginia Harp Center in 1997. They decided to keep the name
left,
,
the
assistant manager and harpist, stand in the
and
at 11775 Northfall Lane off South Main Street in Alpharetta. Cook said employees and customers are excited for the world-class lineup at the Atlanta Harp Center Festival March 15-17 in Decatur.
when opening a second showroom in Haddonfield, New Jersey after the success of their first location.
The Atlanta Harp Center opened its doors to the public in 2007, becoming the go-to place for world-renowned harps for interested players across the Southeast.
The D’Arvilles bill their locations as offering the largest selection of harps on the East Coast with international and domestic customers.
The Atlanta Harp Center Festival, sponsored by Camac Harps, Lyon & Healy and the Virigina Harp Center, will be March 15-17 at the Courtyard by Marriot in downtown Decatur at 130 Clairmont Ave.
The second regional Harp Center festival after the COVID-19 pandemic features Canadian harpist Valérie Milot; multi-award winner Juan Riveros; Celtic harpist Kim Robertson; and jazz specialist Amanda Whiting from Wales.
The festival also showcases guest performances and ensembles from Urban Youth, Middle Georgia and Feiner Musicke.
Tickets are available online and at the door.
For more information, visit atlantaharpcenterfestival.com/.
The manager, Kathrine Cook, said clients primarily come from the Lower 48 states, but the team has fulfilled orders from South Korea and Canada.
“We don’t do all international shipping,
David Paul Raaen, sales associate at the Atlanta Harp Center and music instructor, plays a classical tune March 6 on the Minerva Natural from Salvi Harps. Raaen said preferences for harps vary, based on an individual’s ear and preferred style.
because harp factories have dealers in other countries,” Cook said. “There’s just not that many dedicated harp locations.”
Cook graduated from Kennesaw State University where she studied clarinet performance. She said she applied for an assistant manager position at the retail store without ever playing the harp.
“After college, I was working as a theater manager and was away from the music world a bit more than I liked,” she said. “I thought, ‘there’s no way they would want me, I don’t play harp,’ but it was too interesting to not apply!”
Cook said she promoted David Paul Raaen, assistant manager and harpist, to a full-time position when she took over the manager position last year.
“The harp is not just for classical musicians on a concert stage,” Cook said. “Once we know what your goals are, we can find the harp that is right for you.”
Raaen, who began playing the harp at 13, performs in weddings, church services and ensembles. He said Rhett Barnwell, composer-in-residence, and Julie Koenig, harpist-in-residence, are in the showroom a couple days a week.
Pedal harps are primarily used for classical repertoires in orchestras, while lever harps are best suited for the quick notes in folk styles, such as Celtic. Pedal harps are typically more expensive and larger than lever harps, making transportation more difficult.
“The similarity between the harp and the piano is you use both hands,” Raaen said. “You have the treble clef and the base clef.”
Raaen said Seattle-based Dusty Strings is the world’s most well-known manufacturer of lever harps for folk music.
“On the lever harp, if you start changing, you lose your base clef because you have to change it with your left hand,” Raaen said. “Whereas on [the pedal harp] you are shifting it with your feet.”
The tradeoffs between the styles do not limit the possibilities of the harp, but interested customers should note the differences, he said.
French instrument maker, Sébastien Érard, first patented the double-action pedal system in 1801.
Raaen said the system, with a few mechanical upgrades, is still in use today.
Harp-like instruments emerged around 3,500 B.C. in Mesopotamia.
Cultures throughout Africa, Asia and Europe developed harps in different forms throughout the centuries.
After its introduction into classical orchestra in the 1800s, pop culture icons in the 20th century, like the Marx Brothers and the Beatles, used harps in their performances.
“A silver lining during the pandemic was the resurgence in popularity of harps,” Raaen said.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
From
Katherine Cook
manager of
Atlanta Harp Center,
David Paul Raaen,
showroom
Destination Tea offers roadmap to experience personal connection
By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody resident Angela Renals shares a longtime love of afternoon tea.
It’s not just the beverage. It’s the experience.
Her website, Destination Tea, is a directory promoting local tearooms across the United States and Metro Atlanta.
A New Jersey native, Renals moved to the Atlanta area after college and worked in marketing and public relations. As a young mother in her late 20s, she said she often visited the now-closed Faded Rose Tea Garden in Chamblee, where she experienced her first afternoon tea.
“It was like all the things you love about a teahouse,” Renals said. “This place was just wonderful. They had all of the vintage china, and everything was very leisurely. All the food was homemade. Everything, just delicious. So, I loved it there.”
At Faded Rose, Renals said she made irreplaceable memories with her friends and found a place to escape from the routine of daily life.
In 2016, she founded Destination Tea to share her love of afternoon tea and highlight the community and connection the tradition offers.
“It’s really just an excuse to chitchat while someone is taking excellent care of you and pouring you a fabulous cup of tea,” Renals said.
A nationwide guide
After her introduction to afternoon tea at Faded Rose, Renals decided to make a tea directory for herself.
“It became this really beautiful ritual in my family and in my friend groups,” she said.
Using her PR background, Renals said she wanted to bridge the gap in publicity for tearooms that do not have an online presence.
She originally used TeaMap, a worldwide tea directory run by Adagio Teas. But, Renals said she soon discovered many locations on the site were closed, and entries were often not updated.
“They say if a tearoom makes it three years, that’s kind of like the sink or swim,” Renals said. “So, it’s difficult to keep these directories up to date.”
This inspired Renals to create her own directory, and she compiled a master list of tearooms across the country using
DESTINATION TEA/PROVIDED
The Dunwoody Preservation Trust serves afternoon tea at the Donaldson-Bannister Farm in 2022. The farm hosts an annual afternoon tea each spring for up to 50 people.
ARTOFHATS STUDIO/PHOTO CREDIT
Tea enthusiast Angela Renals runs Destination Tea, a national tearoom directory, out of her Dunwoody home. Renals launched the website in 2016 after discovering a love of afternoon tea at the former Faded Rose Tea Garden in Chamblee.
Google, TripAdvisor and TeaMap over the course of two years. She called businesses whose status she could not confirm online to speak with the owners.
Destination Tea also features teatime fashion and etiquette tips, history lessons and more than 150 afternoon tea reviews.
In 2018, Renals said there were some 1,450 tearooms in the U.S. That number dipped to 1,180 in 2021 before rising to 1,263 in 2023.
With the data she collected from making the website, Renals determined 34 percent of tearooms in the U.S. are in
North Metro Atlanta tearooms
• Ark Coffeehaus at 4448 Tilly Mill Road in Dunwoody
• Besties at 5238 McGinnis Ferry Road in Forsyth County
• Bulloch Hall at 180 Bulloch Ave. in Roswell
• Donaldson-Bannister Farm at 4831 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody
• The Ginger Room at 61 Roswell St. in Alpharetta
• Morningbirds at 10930 Crabapple Road in Roswell
Visit destinationtea.com for more information on times, prices and tearooms across Metro Atlanta.
the South. The Northeast followed at 24 percent, and the West and Midwest were in third and fourth place.
There are 61 teatime opportunities across Georgia, 36 of them in the Atlanta area.
Renals said some of her favorites are The Emerald Chandelier in Griffin, Ivy Tea House in Norcross and Southern Seasons in Rome.
“I think that it’s a little bit the roots of the tradition, but I think it’s also the environment that it puts you into, and the connection and the community that it
SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
The Ginger Room at 61 Roswell St. in Alpharetta is one of 36 Metro Atlanta teatime locations featured on Destination Tea, a U.S. afternoon tea directory. Destination Tea owner Angela Renals named The Ginger Room one of Georgia’s best tearooms in a 2022 Explore Georgia article.
creates,” she said.
Stepping out of time
In a time dominated by envying others on social media feeds, Renals said afternoon tea allows young people to enjoy in-person connection.
“I don’t mind saying that one of my values is beauty,” Renals said. “It’s beautiful. The presentation is beautiful. The table settings are beautiful. You and your friends are beautiful. That’s quite superficial, but that’s the kind of thing that lifts your spirits.”
Renals attributed the rising popularity of afternoon tea to the desire for offline experiences, and to the nostalgia and growing interest in period pieces like “Bridgerton.” She said afternoon tea is becoming increasingly popular among 25to 34-year-olds.
“I especially think, because of the times we’re in, which are so hectic, and there is so much information overload, and there’s so much disconnection because of screens, I think there’s a renewed love for period shows, period dramas,” Renals said.
Although there are still people who are adamant about staying true to the British style, many tearoom owners have started incorporating hints of their own cultures in their menus. Renals said she thinks each business’s unique spin on the tradition is beautiful.
“My experience has always been, people are extremely welcoming to you, to learning,” Renals said. “There’s not really barriers to entry. It’s not expensive. It’s not an expensive thing to buy and try.”
Johns Creek Chamber operates as hub for small businesses
City’s business licenses exceed Roswell, Alpharetta
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce, like other chambers around the area, serves as a resource hub for its members and the community.
But, President and CEO Robin Buckley says what makes the Johns Creek Chamber special is that it’s composed mostly of small businesses, mom-and-pop shops. She said more than half of the city’s businesses are home-based.
“You’ll see that in Johns Creek, there aren’t a lot of corporations and that kind of thing,” Buckley said, who had just returned from a ribbon-cutting at Moi, an Asian fusion restaurant and cafe. She goes to a lot of ribbon-cuttings, especially at the beginning of the year. “It’s very personable. You can really make a difference in each other’s lives and each other’s days.”
The Johns Creek Chamber has 330 members, most of them businesses, with one or two individuals. At the organization’s office on Johns Creek Parkway, there’s a wall filled with members’ business cards, adjacent to stands filled with the 2023-2024 Johns Creek Guide Book the Chamber created to showcase the city’s newest park, Cauley Creek, on the cover.
More than networking
Membership grants access to exclusive events, centered around networking, allowing members to connect to potential customers and partners.
An annual all-day event that started five to six years ago is Chicks in Charge, where the Chamber features women speakers who are leaders in their industry. It takes place on or around International Women’s Day in March.
“When they come in, they’re talking about their story or their passion for whatever it may be, saying, ‘It’s possible,’” Buckley said. “‘You can be very successful. It’s not just a man’s world out there.’”
The organization also hosts events with elected officials, like the luncheon with Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne that took place Feb. 15. These gatherings provide officials an opportunity to update business leaders on what they’re currently working on and what’s in the pipeline.
“Not everybody does get to meet their
Economic development has become a priority for the City of Johns Creek, propelled by the introduction of Town Center. The 192-acre area along Medlock Bridge Road will feature Medley, a mixedused development headed by Avalon’s Mark Toro, who said his project will create a halo effect.
The Town Center area will also house biomedical engineering giant Boston Scientific as well as a 62,192-squarefoot commercial development, which was recently approved by the City Council.
Johns Creek is also in the process of adopting a Revitalization Plan for the four corners of Medlock Bridge and State Bridge roads.
Thriving business
Whether businesses thrive once they’re established in Johns Creek is another story, though city staff told Appen Media that the 18 to 20 percent of non-renewals seen each year is relatively even with the number of businesses entering the city.
I see a lot of people that just do things on a whim, and then they wonder why people don’t come, and it’s because they didn’t do their homework.”
ROBIN BUCKLEY President and CEO of Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce
elected officials,” Buckley said. “I mean, I never did until I got this job, when I started coming to the Chamber.”
Buckley immediately joined the Chamber when she opened Cocktails & Canvas in 2010, then started volunteering.
Two years later she sold her paint party business and got a full-time position, eventually climbing to the top as the president and CEO, a role she’s held for four years.
While people often think of chambers as strictly networking event related, Buckley said the organization also offers educational opportunities for its members by facilitating introductions to other resources in the area, like the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center which has a free mentorship program.
Through a partnership with the City of Johns Creek, the Chamber is also launching a new middle-management program, for members ready to expand their businesses. The program, starting in the summer, will operate like a buddy system with mentors.
Small business community
Describing the health of Johns Creek’s business community, Buckley said it’s small compared to the number of residents.
The resident-to-business ratio is about 15 to 1. There are around 83,000 residents in Johns Creek, which has a little more than 5,300 businesses, based on the number of licenses issued last year.
That’s more businesses than in Alpharetta – even Roswell, whose population is 10,000 more than Johns Creek’s. Alpharetta, with a population of about 70,000 has close to 4,700 businesses, and Roswell has a little more than 4,300, according to documents obtained through an open records request.
Whether a higher number of business reflects greater economic impact has not been determined.
While business in Johns Creek took a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, going under or restructuring, Buckley said space is filling up, new ideas are coming in.
“One of the things about Johns Creek is that the residents have a lot of expendable money, but they don’t have a lot of expendable time,” Buckley said. “...We turn into a ghost town during the major holidays … Everyone travels to get out of here because they can afford to do that. But, when they’re home, they don’t tend to necessarily spend locally.”
Buckley said it’s a tough situation for businesses when the local community shops online.
“That was a mistake I made too when I opened my studio,” Buckley said. “I was like, ‘Oh, you know, this is one of the richest cities in Georgia,’ but [residents] just don’t have the time.”
She says networking and getting involved in the community are huge to the success of new businesses.
It also helps to have a plan.
“I see a lot of people that just do things on a whim, and then they wonder why people don’t come, and it’s because they didn’t do their homework,” Buckley said. “Or, you know, it’s more of a hobby for them than a real job.”
She said owners should consider the space, if the surrounding businesses are in alignment, rather than just focusing on how much the rent is. Buckley said there needs to be some cohesiveness within the city’s shopping centers.
“It’s crazy,” Buckley said. “Sometimes you look, and you’ll see that there’ll be a Taekwondo studio, and then there’s a paint store, and then there’s the tattoo shop. Nothing meshes.”
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Robin Buckley, president and CEO of Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce, sits at her desk in the organization’s office on Johns Creek Parkway. Buckley has been with the chamber for more than a decade.
Dunwoody Prep grows with Perimeter city
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Transitioning operations of a multigenerational business comes with challenges, especially maintaining the legacy of a community institution, like Dunwoody Prep.
When Jane Newman and her family moved to Dunwoody more than 35 years ago, the former schoolteacher had an innovative idea, a full-time preschool for working parents.
Newman, a Savannah native, holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Boston University and a master’s in teaching from Simmons College. She also helped develop the Gifted and Talented Program for central Pennsylvania.
Julie Newman, administrative director at Dunwoody Prep, said her mother saw what working parents and children needed before the jump to kindergarten.
When Jane Newman founded Dunwoody Prep in 1988, her husband Bruce Newman leased the space for the preschool at the Shops of Dunwoody.
“He and my mom recognized that there was a need in Dunwoody for full-time, high-quality and academic childcare,” Julie said. “We had a lot of ‘mothers’ morning out’ and part-time church programs, but we didn’t have an academic, full-day program.”
In the 1980s at Vanderlyn Elementary, Julie said she was one of the few students with a full-time working mother.
“Now, everyone comes from a twoparent working household,” she said. “They really saw where things were going, and that there was a need in our neighborhood.”
When Dunwoody Prep first opened in the Shops of Dunwoody, the preschool exclusively took in children ages 3-5.
As the program evolved, parents of students asked for childcare to include infants, toddlers and 2-year-olds.
The push for expanded childcare led to the acquisition of a property across the street at Dunwoody Village.
For a few years, Julie said Dunwoody Prep operated its programs at both locations, before acquiring more space in Dunwoody Village.
Today, Dunwoody Prep has 11 classrooms, 2 classroom buildings and an indoor gym in its complex at 5493 Chamblee Road.
Offering more than a daycare
Dunwoody Prep offers full day, year-round programs for infants though 5-year-olds.
High-quality and academic childcare is a priority for Julie, who serves as administrative director.
There are five areas of development that are critical for a child’s readiness for kindergarten: physical well-being and motor development; social and emotional development; language; approaches to learning; and cognitive and general knowledge.
Dunwoody Prep’s “whole child” approach, happy and loving environment and specialty programs ensure graduates consistently excel in private and public K-12 education, Julie said.
Children are divided into age groups: infants, or children less than a year old; toddlers and 2s; preschool, ages 3-4; and pre-K, ages 4-5.
New students are accepted before the start of the summer program in June or the start of the academic school year in August.
One of Dunwoody Prep’s goals is to be reflective of the community and to evolve with it.
Julie said she could not provide an exact number of how many children have attended Dunwoody Prep. She estimates more than 5,000 families from Metro Atlanta have sent their children to the preschool, producing an estimated 10,000 alums.
Most students live in Dunwoody’s 30338 ZIP code, with others from Sandy Springs and Brookhaven, Julie said.
“We are here to serve the families and communities of Dunwoody,” Julie said. “We do that in lots of ways.”
Mayor Lynn Deutsch attended Dunwoody Prep’s food drive in November 2022.
When the city unveiled a public art installation in December 2023, Dunwoody officials and the Spruill Center for the Arts invited Dunwoody Prep’s Lions class to have fun and play.
Dunwoody Prep received a small business grant from the city’s allotment of Coronavirus Aid, relief, and Economic Security Act.
The money was essential for keeping up operations during the height of the pandemic, Julie said.
Turning over operations
Julie Newman said her parents, who came from family businesses, did not want to force her or her brother into operations at Dunwoody Prep.
When the preschool was in the process of receiving an accreditation in 2018, Jane Newman was asked about her succession plan.
Julie served as a public defender in Fulton County for nine years before transitioning to administrative director at Dunwoody Prep.
“My worst day here is better than just about all of my best days there,” Julie said.
As a full-time attorney, Julie Newman would visit classes at the preschool
A look at Dunwoody Prep’s Preschool Building at 5493 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The sequestered location off a major city thoroughfare provides a convenient location for year-round child care.
on Friday afternoons for a therapeutic experience. She started a full-time position in November 2018.
Julie Newman said she decided she wanted to get more involved with “her family,” which includes the team of curriculum directors, staff and teachers at Dunwoody Prep.
“It is a huge legacy,” Julie said. “This institution that my mother built, like I said we have been a part of thousands of families in the community.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the nation in spring 2020, the needs of working parents shifted.
“When 2020 hit, I had been here for a year full time,” Julie said. “What that has done is given me the opportunity to rebuild the business.”
Instead of dropping off preschoolers at 7 a.m. five days a week, Julie said parents working full time have more flexibility in their schedules.
“I laugh, you can tell the difference just based on what time the kids show up to school now,” Newman said.
When the pandemic shut down Dunwoody Prep in March 2022, 181 kids were enrolled.
Julie and her staff redesigned the outdoor playground areas to accommodate more students, used the courtyard and gym and kept the institution afloat.
The preschool and nursery balanced keeping students, teachers and families safe with continuing to provide a high level of childcare, Julie said.
New air filters throughout the building, expanded outdoor classroom capacity and other precautions kept Dunwoody Prep operating during the pandemic.
“Our parents appreciated that we were thinking these things through,” Julie said.
PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
From left, Curriculum Coordinator Savannah Shepherd, Administrative Director Julie Newman and Director Edye Summerfield Disner stand on new playground equipment Jan. 30 at Dunwoody Prep.
Gathering at South Forsyth builds up government steam
By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Commission is set to formalize the terms of The Gathering at South Forsyth in the coming weeks.
Plans for the proposed development on some 100 acres near Union Hill Road, Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Ga. 400 include 1.6 million square feet of commercial and retail space, a 750,000-square-foot arena, a community center and 450 hotel rooms.
At a Jan. 18 Development Authority meeting, County Manager David McKee said the county was in the process of finalizing the deal points for The Gathering.
“And then there's some contingencies that have to be met,” McKee said. “But I think the most important part is, is if this deal goes forward, that everything is contingent on the National Hockey League landing a franchise at that facility.”
But, McKee emphasized nothing is finalized until approved by the County Commission, and the agreement is still in a draft form.
In a phone call with Appen Media, County Communications Director Russell Brown said there is no promise of a hockey team as yet, and details are subject to change pending formal agreement.
The agreement and further details were scheduled to be presented at a special-called Board of Commissioners work session Jan. 31.
At the Jan. 18 meeting, McKee said the NHL will open a franchise application in March or April, and the process could take as long as a year.
Project staff first presented conceptual plans for The Gathering at a Forsyth County Board of Commissioners work session April 25.
At that meeting, project staff estimated The Gathering could produce more than 12,000 long-term employment opportunities, as well as more than 20,000 construction jobs during its 10-year development.
The 100-acre project is the dream of Vernon Krause, CEO of Krause Auto Group, which operates a collection of family-owned dealerships across four states in the Southeast.
“As a global entertainment hub, The Gathering at South Forsyth will provide residents, employers and visitors with the ability to see their favorite musician, experience a family-friendly ice show or eat at a James Beard-awarded restaurant without having to sit in their car for hours,” Krause said in an April statement.
In September, the development team hired Senior Project Executive Frank Ferrara, who helped secure an NHL tenant when he administered the Arizona State University ice hockey program.
The Atlanta Regional Commission, the planning agency representing most Metro Atlanta governments including Forsyth County, issued its approval of The Gathering in a development of regional impact study in September.
The agreement marks the county’s first formal vote on the project.
In June, the county commissioned an economic impact and financial feasibility study from Ernst and Young’s QUEST division. Results were set to be presented alongside the agreement Jan. 31.
SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Forsyth County Manager David McKee shares an update on The Gathering at South Forsyth at a Development Authority meeting Jan. 18. McKee said a forthcoming agreement will outline the project’s contingencies, including a possible NHL franchise at the development.
THE GATHERING AT SOUTH FORSYTH/PROVIDED
This rendering shows a proposed arena at the planned Gathering at South Forsyth. The Forsyth County Commission is set to formalize the terms of the development with an agreement in the coming weeks.
‘They Love Us’
Remodeling company, community partner provides clients with quality, peace of mind
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Scott Hessing, owner of United Home Restoration, was in El Trompo Mexican Taqueria in Johns Creek for Taco Tuesday with some of his crew sharing the response from clients whose homes had received a makeover.
“They love us,” Hessing said, sipping on the free horchata, courtesy of Taco Tuesday. “They like that we’re really quick. They like that I’m on-site as the owner — you know, quality assurance.”
From his experience, Hessing said other contractors tend to go on-site once to take some measurements, make sure the materials are there, then sign on. But, he’s there with his crew throughout the entirety of the job, starting at 8 a.m. sharp.
United Home Restoration, a remodeling company based in Johns Creek, installs decks and fences, performs custom trim work as well as interior and exterior painting. The business covers residential and commercial property in Metro Atlanta, but Hessing said he’d charter his crew out of state.
Hessing, who his crew calls “Frijoles,” meaning “beans” in Spanish, said his company values three things — safety, quality and efficiency.
“The catchphrase is ‘Big Deck Energy,’” Hessing said.
Once doing handiwork on his own, he loves the business he built because he gets to see the astonishment from clients who witness “four dudes” quickly putting something together for a fair price. But, he also gets to bounce around, so it’s never monotonous.
“It’s a rewarding job, whether you make a bunch of money or not,” Hessing said. “You get to see it come to life and learn something new every day.”
He also values the camaraderie with his crew. Trister “Vato Cholo” Castro Hernandez and Vicente “Hefe” Perez Hernandez were at the table, too.
Hessing, who would occasionally speak to them in Spanish, has three crews for a total of a dozen employees.
His mother is from Cuba, and he improves his Spanish working with the guys, who he calls his brothers — they bond over artists like Colombian singer Karol G. and Mexican singer Peso Pluma.
As the small restaurant became packed, Hessing said that meant people were securing jobs. Over the holiday season, as Hessing went to El Trompo during the work day, it was much slower.
“God definitely blessed me with that,” Hessing said, who grew up in Johns Creek.
Hessing incorporated about a year ago with the help of his mentor and owner of StormROOF Systems, Clint Crowe. He provided Hessing with advice on getting United Home Restoration insured.
Knowing the area well has helped Hessing grow a client base. One time, while on-site for a job, Hessing was referred to the client’s neighbor who happened to be his sixth grade teacher at Taylor Road Middle School.
“I don’t think she would have ever thought that I would have started my own business,” Hessing said.
A community advocate, Hessing sponsored North View High School’s football team, though he attended its rival school, Chattahoochee High School. He also takes breakfast to Lifeline’s animal shelter, along with toys, blankets and newspaper. That day, he had a stack of newspaper in his car ready for transport.
“At a very young age, my mother taught me the importance of giving back to the community or giving to the less fortunate,” Hessing said. “As I have gotten older, I have grown to appreciate and value these lessons more and more.
I am thankful to be in a position in my life to be involved in nonprofits and community sponsorships.”
Middle, Scott Hessing, owner of United Home Restoration, gathers with crew members Vicente Perez Hernandez, left, and Trister Castro Hernandez, right, in front of El Trompo Mexican Taqueria, a go-to lunch spot. Hessing’s Johns Creek business does remodeling work for residential and commercial properties in Metro Atlanta, including installation of decks and fences, custom trim work and interior and exterior painting.
SCOTT HESSING/PROVIDED
On right, Scott Hessing, owner of United Home Restoration, stands with his crew on a newly built deck at a home in the Seven Oaks neighborhood in Johns Creek.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Chattahoochee River brewpub seeks buy-in from residents
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Steve Mollica and the group behind a proposed Chattahoochee River brewpub at Roswell Road and Roberts Drive will participate in a community meeting Jan. 22.
A brewpub is a hybrid between a restaurant and a brewery, where beer is primarily brewed for sale inside the establishment.
Typically, breweries will produce more beer annually and will not include food services.
“We’re basically going for a brewpub, super simple,” Mollica said. “We are not going to distribute or anything, so it will all be onsite.”
When Mollica brought the brewpub rezoning proposal to a community meeting last summer, he said some 20 residents strongly opposed the effort.
Residents along Roberts Drive said at two public meetings July 28 and Sept. 20 that they did not want a brewpub in their neighborhood at two community meetings.
The Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods also advocated against rezoning the property in a protected neighborhood.
“We applied last year, and then they kind of pushed our application to this year because of some administrative stuff,” Mollica said. “So basically now, we are starting the process over.”
The property is on the east side of Roswell Road before the bridge crossing the Chattahoochee River into Roswell.
“The only thing that is on the waterfront in Sandy Springs is Ray’s on the River,” Mollica said. “We’re trying to do something for regular people.”
Ray’s on the River, an awardwinning restaurant on the Cobb County border, requires a dress code for diners. Mollica joked that his proposed brewpub would allow hats and flip flops.
Following the success of Pontoon Brewing in Sandy Springs, Mollica said the location along the river would provide the perfect location.
William Odrey owns the 1.72acre property at 9755 Roberts Drive.
According to the Fulton County Board of Assessors, Odrey bought the property for $650,000 in August 2006.
Mollica said he has an agreement with Odrey to buy into the property, pending a rezoning. Before Mollica tried to buy the site, Odrey had been trying to get it rezoned.
Mollica said he posted a notice about the public meeting on the “ATLbeer” subreddit page Jan. 3 to bring the brewpub to the attention of Sandy Springs residents who support the rezoning that would allow commercial.
“We need people, especially those who live in Sandy Springs, and especially those who live on the north side of town to come out and support our cause,” the post said.
As of Jan. 11, the post has received seven upvotes and one comment.
While Mollica did not survey the homeowners on Roberts Drive,
We basically going for a brewpub, super simple. We are not going to distribute or anything, so it will all be onsite.”
STEVE MOLLICA Chattahoochee
he said residents in the area were overwhelmingly supportive.
“We just got to find the people on our side, and they’re out there,” Mollica said.
There are a few hurdles for a brewpub along the Chattahoochee River.
Mollica said a character area change and zoning change will each take about six months to complete.
If the property is rezoned for commercial use, construction of the brewpub would take another year.
While the brewpub remains up in the air, Mollica said he has a few local brewers on board. Potential operating partners are still farther down the road.
“The building has to be mostly up, for those conversations to even happen,” Mollica said.
GOOGLE EARTH
A Street View image from Google Earth shows the property at 9755 Roberts Drive in March 2022. For the proposed Chattahoochee Rover brewpub to be constructed at the site, the property must be rezoned.
River Brewpub
Minuteman Press rolls through digital age
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga.— Jon Wittenburg brings the backing of an international company to his Minuteman Press Sandy Springs franchise.
Wittenburg, a self-described introvert, purchased the franchise in 2012 and joined the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce shortly after opening his press shop.
“Design, print and promote is in essence what we do,” Wittenburg said. “We understand that good printing starts with good design.”
Wittenburg said his secret to maintaining a local business through the COVID-19 pandemic circles back to the relationships he forged with fellow small business owners at networking events with the Perimeter Chamber.
Minuteman Press International has almost 1,000 franchises across the world, including South Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom. There are 10 franchises operating in Metro Atlanta with another 10 throughout Georgia.
After expanding the footprint of his previous shop at 6780 Roswell Road in 2017, Minuteman Press Sandy Springs has settled into a larger location at the Morgan Falls Office Park just up the road on Ga. 9.
The motivation for the move to Morgan Falls in April was to increase the square footage of the shop and to streamline production.
“One of the big benefits of the move this year was being able to place our equipment where it needed to be,” Wittenberg said. “It also gives me expansion capabilities.”
When Wittenburg and his team signed a long-term lease at the office park, they had to gamble on the state of the printing industry in the United States.
According to an industry report from IBISWorld, the print market in the United States was estimated at about $80 billion in 2023.
The right touch
While digital marketing has expanded in the internet age, people often prefer things they can touch and feel, Wittenburg said.
MINUTEMAN PRESS/PROVIDED
The new location of Minuteman Press Sandy Springs is in the Morgan Falls Office Park. Owner Jon Wittenburg said the motivation for the move in April was to increase the square footage of the shop and to streamline production.
“We got involved with promotional products a few years ago because we felt it was a good complement to the conventional printing we do,” Wittenburg said. “So, it gives us the ability to be like a one-stop print shop.”
If a local business owner decides they want a brochure instead of flyers, the team at Minuteman Press Sandy Springs already has the equipment and know-how to create the product.
The company employs a full-time designer and a full-time production manager.
Wittenberg said he hopes to hire another designer soon to keep the production process operating more efficiently. The need to hire another team member at the print shop is a problem Wittenberg said he’s happy to have.
What’s more, the team works with customers to ensure they have the chance to look over the design and make changes before going to print.
“If you design it right and print it right, people are going to look at it,” Wittenberg said.
In-house graphics are a benefit because it allows the team at Minuteman Press to offer advice and expert opinions on the designs customers bring into the shop.
While the U.S. Postal Service offers tools for individuals to design their own print products, there is not someone on staff to ensure the product achieves its intended
effect.
Entrepreneur Magazine has rated Minuteman Press International as the top printing franchise in the industry for 20 straight years. In the company’s 50year history, it has been named the No. 1 franchise in the printing industry 32 times.
Minuteman Press Sandy Springs has also received positive reviews from customers across North Fulton, East Cobb and Dunwoody.
Whether customers came in for wedding invitations or a school project, a vast majority spoke to Wittenberg and his team’s honesty, efficiency and quality printing.
“Minuteman Press Sandy Springs is a wonderful shop to do business with,” Russell Wise said in a Google review. “Very responsive, professional quality, well versed in all aspects of their craft and creative.”
Adjusting to global pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hit the U.S. in 2020, business-to-business industries bore the brunt of economic pain.
“Most of what we do is for other small to medium-sized businesses,” Wittenberg said. “Whenever there’s uncertainty, then businesses are going to be hesitant to spend a lot of money on marketing.”
Initially, there was a temporary increase in business for signage related to social distancing and the pandemic. However, demand for other products and services
significantly declined.
Print marketing and advertising spending decreased during 2020-21, Wittenburg said. Because print products are primarily used during in-person events, the effect on local print shops is intuitive.
The supply chain also had a huge effect on the local business and the U.S. printing industry.
“We even had trouble getting paper,” Wittenberg said. “I’d never thought I’d see the day when there would be trouble getting 20-pound copy paper.”
When the supply chain threw a wrench into print production, other areas picked up. For example, the use of direct mail for advertising and marketing increased with so many Americans in their homes.
The return of in-person events in 2022 brought with it opportunities for Minuteman Press Sandy Springs to provide a much wider selection of products and services.
“It’s about as close to normal as it’s going to get,” Wittenburg said. “There are still at times delays in getting a particular line of paper.”
If customers prefer to stick to a certain brand or weight of paper, they may have to wait a little longer, but the uncertainty has declined since the peak of the pandemic.
When asked about the difference between print and digital media in the internet age, Wittenberg gave the business card as an example. A person can tap your phone and your contact information will be instantly in their smart phone. Business cards could be obsolete in just a few years.
Without a physical reminder of the person’s contact, digital business cards often fail to achieve the same effect as a printed one, Wittenberg said.
A complete marketing strategy includes print and digital, which can complement one another if used properly.
“An emotion that you can touch and feel, hold on to or even keep if you want to,” Wittenberg said. “It is often a lasting emotion, an emotion you can revisit if you want to.”
Wittenberg said he believes the COVID-19 pandemic brought the printing industry back.
“As long as we are emotional creatures, I think there will also be a place for printing.”
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
While covering Milton election operations, Appen Media analyzed historical voter data and identified possible disenfranchisement.
This reporting caused a statewide watchdog to get involved and, eventually, the city moved to add a polling place to the area. Later in the year, Appen discovered that the feasibility report the City Council used when voting to run their own elections was not the original document. Two residents on a working committee had altered it after city staff had completed it and before its presentation to council. Appen Media reporters identified all of the differences between the two documents and then created an interactive digital document. Readers and officials were able to scroll through the materials and read notes from the newsroom explaining the differences. You can find this document at appenmedia.com/electionsreport.
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