In Memory of Bernie Marcus 1929-2024
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (Marcus JCC) mourns the loss of Bernie Marcus, a visionary philanthropist, devoted community leader, and beloved friend to our agency and the entire Jewish community.
Bernie's enduring generosity and unwavering philanthropic support to the Marcus JCC transformed our organization in ways beyond measure, ensuring that our agency remained innovative, vibrant, inclusive, and a safe hub for Jewish life.
His tremendous philanthropy shaped the Marcus JCC’s past and present and has inspired countless individuals and future generations to celebrate their Jewish values and connect with each other. His legacy lives on in the spaces he helped create, in the lives he impacted, and the community he strengthened. We are deeply grateful for his lifetime of leadership and philanthropic investments, both to our organization and our greater community. His generosity and extraordinary vision no doubt impacted hundreds of thousands of people served by the Marcus JCC over the decades.
The entire Jewish community in Atlanta is better for having Bernie Marcus as its champion and role model.
The Board of Directors, Trustees, and Staff of the Marcus JCC of Atlanta
SANDY SPRINGS
Parents rally against school closure and redistricting plan
By Bob Pepalis
Parents of elementary school students in Sandy Springs asked the Fulton County Board of Education not to disrupt their children’s education by closing Spalding Drive Elementary and redistricting students from every school in the city.
The school board held a work session with a public comment period on Nov. 12 at its North Learning Center in Sandy Springs. Board members heard from seven of the approximately 40 parents who attended the meeting, many wearing Save Spalding Drive Elementary shirts.
Spalding Drive parent Natasha Crocker said that closing the school would have
minimal capacity relief. She suggested redistricting a larger school instead would eliminate more unused classrooms, but Crocker said parents were prohibited from offering comments on this idea because it did not fit the approved criteria for closure and redistricting.
“You want community feedback. Here it is. Nobody in the community wants this. Everyone is speaking out. You have Republicans, Democrats, state leaders, local leaders, businesses, realtors, families, everyone is saying, don’t do this,” Crocker said.
State Sen. Josh McLaurin and other Democrats have joined with Republicans – including Fulton County Commissioner
Bob Ellis and State Rep. Debora Silcox – to support Spalding Drive Elementary as a cornerstone of the community.
“I am fully against the proposed closure and stand in solidarity with the community of SDE,” McLaurin said. “This is a misguided move by FCS.”
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and city council members Andy Bauman, Jody Reichel, Melissa Mular, and Melody Kelley have offered support for Spalding Drive.
“Let me be unequivocal. I want Spaulding Drive Elementary School to stay open,” Kelley told the school board.
Kelley said the school district triggered a redistricting process that may make sense from an operational perspective. However, it lacks a mechanism to have insightful and innovative conversation around alternatives, like smaller school models or updating programs to compete with private schools.
“I am disappointed in how this process is being handled as it seems very rushed vs. identifying options to keep the school open and delivering a ‘winwin’ solution that will not negatively impact our families throughout the City,” Councilmember Melissa Mular told Rough Draft. “The school closure and associated redistricting is very disruptive to children in their vulnerable forming years and it is disappointing that FCS does not take the impact on the children into consideration.”
Phillip Draa said he and his wife,
Melissa, live in the Spalding Drive attendance zone and have a first grader attending there with two future Spalding Tigers still at home.
“Why are we closing a school that provides disproportionately great results for economically disadvantaged kids and students with disabilities?” Draa asked.
Andreas Garcia said his family’s home is zoned for Woodland Elementary, but his son attends Spalding Drive for its special needs program. He attended special needs pre-K for two years before moving to special needs kindergarten. Now he worries about the effects on his son if Spalding Drive closes.
“There are so many people that have special needs kids that just need a little help so they can go to regular classes and that foundation, that rock star team that we have in Spalding Elementary, is very crucial to that success,” Garcia said.
High Point Elementary parents joined in the call to stop the closure as the school district’s initial redistricting plans would affect students at the other six elementary schools in Sandy Springs.
Dr. Dhaval Desai said a study of the initial redistricting map proposals shows FCS would send 100 to 150 students from High Point Elementary to other schools.
“High Point has a very strong culture,” Desai said. “And let me emphasize that, I cannot emphasize that enough from
Parents of Spalding Drive Elementary School students were joined by High Point Elementary parents and Sandy Springs City Councilmember Melody Kelley, center, in voicing opposition to closing Spalding and redistricting students from every elementary school in the city. (Photo by Bob Pepalis)
Most parents attending the FCS school board work session stood in support of speakers during public comments. (Photo by Bob Pepalis)
our PTO School Governance Council, school club leadership, Girl Scouts, extracurriculars, the list goes on and on. And that culture was not built overnight.”
Kate Wright said she and her husband have three children attending High Point Elementary School, where she and her brothers attended school growing up. She’s been the PTO president and served in other volunteer positions.
“We’ve lived a lot of life, served a great many hours in its halls and on its grounds, and established deep roots at High Point,”
Wright said.
Wright said she remembered the effects of redistricting from her experiences in the third grade. She returned for a new school year to realize many of her classmates had been reassigned to Heards Ferry Elementary.
“I still remember how this divided our community, removing both the large portion of the volunteer force as well as financial contributions,” she said.
High Point has been fighting to regain that stability ever since, she said.
Spruill Lane to connect roads near public library
By Bob Pepalis
Spruill Lane will be the name of a new road connecting Mount Vernon Highway to Johnson Ferry Road east of the Sandy Springs Public Library.
The connector road is part of the city’s Johnson Ferry Road/Mount Vernon Highway Improvement Project funded with transportation sales tax revenue, Transportation Local Option Sales Tax Manager Allen Johnson said.
On Nov. 19, the Sandy Springs City Council approved dedicating just under one acre of land as city right-of-way to create Spruill Lane.
Sandy Springs bought the property at 441 Mount Vernon Highway that had formerly been owned by Doris and George Marshall Spruill. Johnson said George was
the son of Wilson Spruill, who moved with his family to Georgia from South Carolina in 1820, settling between Long Island Creek and Mount Vernon Road. Wilson Spruill donated approximately five acres to found Sandy Springs United Methodist Church.
His son, George Marshall Spruill, retired after 37 years with the Georgia Department of Transportation, Johnson said. He started as an elevator boy and at his retirement he was secretary and treasurer of GDOT. He served as a fighter pilot for the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II.
Johnson said the Spruill family has had a long influence on the community and the area, from the land on which Perimeter Mall was built to the Spruill Center for the Arts.
Asbury Automotive moving HQ to Sandy Springs
By Bob Pepalis
Asbury Automotive Group will relocate its headquarters from Duluth to Sandy Springs, bringing 350 jobs to Fulton County.
Sandy Springs City Council approved an economic incentive in November to waive Asbury’s building permit fees and business occupational taxes for three years. The city’s Economic Development Director Chris Burnett said the incentive’s estimated value is $254,500.
Asbury plans to purchase the former Newell Brands headquarters at 6655 Peachtree Dunwoody Road. Burnett said the company will make an estimated $15 million renovation of the 98,000-squarefoot building. The relocation is anticipated in late summer 2025.
A news release said Asbury has signed the purchase agreement and is scheduled to close within 30 days on the building.
Burnett said Asbury does almost $15 billion a year nationally in annual revenue, with more than $1.6 billion in Georgia alone. The company has approximately 15,000 employees.
“We believe that, and they believe as well, that this 350 number of employees is just the beginning, and that additional jobs will be added in Sandy Springs in
their headquarters building, beginning in 2025 and beyond,” Burnett said.
He called the relocation of Asbury to Sandy Springs a real win for the city, considering Newell Rubbermaid kept its headquarters in Sandy Springs, and its former headquarters is being sold to another Fortune 500 company.
Newell Rubbermaid’s relocation of its headquarters from the Peachtree Dunwoody Road office building to the Queen building was announced in June.
“We look forward to our move to the Perimeter area of Sandy Springs. This is an exciting change for the team and will afford our current and future employees many benefits, both in the building itself and conveniences in the surrounding community,” said David Hult, Asbury president & CEO, according to a news release from the city.
Asbury Automotive Group is a Fortune 500 company and is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States. Asbury operated 153 new vehicle dealerships as of Sept. 30, with 202 franchises representing 31 domestic and foreign vehicle brands.
Asbury also operates Total Care Auto, Powered by Landcar, a provider of service contracts and other vehicle protection products, and 37 collision repair centers.
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Brookhaven and Briarwood Parks to reopen with big upgrades
By Logan C. Ritchie
After months of renovation and construction, Brookhaven Park and Briarwood Park welcomed visitors back just before Thanksgiving.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was on Nov. 25 at Brookhaven Park, which features a large, improved dog park and the tallest Robinia wood play structure in the U.S.
Improvements to Brookhaven Park started immediately after the city took possession of the park from DeKalb County in April 2022. The park has a larger parking lot, two pavilions and restroom areas, improved walkways,
and a dog splash pad. On Dec. 7, the city opened an ice skating rink as part of Holidays in the ‘Haven.
“This ribbon-cutting marks an important step in bringing the community’s vision from the Brookhaven Park Master Plan to life,” City Councilmember Madeleine Simmons said. “With these new amenities, families and pets alike now have even more spaces to gather, play, and enjoy the outdoors.”
Councilmember Jennifer Owens said Briarwood Park – the final project of the $40 million park bond – held a small ceremony on Nov. 25.
Briarwood Park has an improved parking lot with lighting, a dumpster pad,
EV chargers, stormwater improvements, a new entry, loop trails, and a community garden. Plans are underway for a larger celebration to commemorate the upgraded community garden in the spring.
“The city’s parks and green spaces are vital to our community identity,” Owens said. “The completion of the 2018 Park Bond projects should be celebrated.”
Flock cameras help police solve homicide at Blackburn Park
By Logan C. Ritchie
Thanks to the city’s investment in Flock cameras, the Brookhaven Police Department has arrested and charged three suspects with felony murder and armed robbery in connection with a Nov. 9 homicide at Blackburn Park on Ashford Dunwoody Road.
Decatur resident Brandon Xavier Davis, 21, was discovered with a fatal gunshot wound near the tennis courts around 5:25 p.m. BPD said evidence indicates that the three suspects – Azra Sheppard, Diamoni Henry, and Davion Meux – conspired to lure the victim to Blackburn Park under the pretense of a business transaction, with the intent to rob him. Video from Flock cameras provided critical leads, enabling detectives to identify and locate the suspects.
“This rapid progress highlights the value of investing in Flock Safety’s resources, which—when paired with the expertise of our investigative team—enabled us to solve this case in a significantly shorter time frame than would otherwise have been possible,” a press release stated.
Brookhaven Mayor John Park said he hopes the development brings a “small degree of comfort to the grieving family.”
“Brookhaven’s ongoing investments in cutting-edge crime fighting technology has once again brought a swift resolution to this senseless and violent crime,” said Park.
Chief Brandon Gurley said the
investigation “highlights the critical role of inter-agency cooperation and methodical police work in achieving justice.” Additional charges could be filed.
On Nov. 8, one day prior to the Blackburn Park murder, a 15-year-old male was shot at approximately 3:30 p.m. on at Park Towne North apartment complex at North Cliff Valley and Buford Highway. The minor was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital in Brookhaven.
An investigation by BPD revealed that the victim had arrived at the location expecting a physical altercation but was met with gunfire instead. A juvenile suspect has been arrested on charges of aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Additional charges may be forthcoming.
BPD is urging the public to contact the department with information regarding either incident by calling (404) 637-0600.
Brookhaven Park’s new playground. (Courtesy City of Brookhaven)
Courtesy Flock
Beltline buys controversial Buckhead nightclub for key segment
By Dyana Bagby
The Atlanta Beltline has purchased a shuttered Buckhead nightclub where it plans to build a key segment of the Northwest Trail.
On Nov. 7, Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Beltline Inc. President and CEO Clyde Higgs announced the acquisition of the Elleven45 Lounge at 2110 Peachtree Road NW. The Beltline acquired the roughly one-acre site for $11 million.
The controversial nightclub was the scene of a fatal shooting in the early morning hours of May 12. Two people were killed and two wounded. One arrest was made in the shooting. The city of
Atlanta shut the nightclub down months later after a Fulton Superior Court judge ruled the venue a public nuisance.
The nightclub property was needed to complete Segment 2 of the Northwest Trail located near Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, the largest employer in the Beltline Planning Area.
This segment is a 0.7-mile stretch being built outside the railroad corridor starting at the southwest corner of Bobby Jones Golf Course, running east along Colonial Homes Circle, and then passing under Peachtree Road. A construction date for Segment 2 is not yet known.
“The Beltline is crucial in our mission to create safe, healthy and connected
neighborhoods across Atlanta, and it’s one of the nation’s most transformative infrastructure projects, supporting economic, social and recreational needs for our residents and visitors,” said Dickens in a news release.
“This acquisition and expansion will help us continue to make Atlanta the best place in the nation to raise a family and to start a business.”
Added Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta Beltline Inc.: “This property purchase brings the Beltline closer to realizing its vision of a fully connected, accessible and vibrant infrastructure, further enhancing the economic, recreational, and environmental benefits for Atlanta’s residents and visitors.”
The purchase of the former Elleven45 Lounge announcement was made at the same time as officials said construction of Segment 1 of the Northwest Trail has started.
This 0.8 segment will start at Peachtree Park Drive at the entrance to Peachtree Park apartments, cross over Peachtree Creek via a suspension bridge, and then
end at the Kinsey Court cul-de-sac.
Once completed, the Northwest Trail will extend 4.3 miles from Blandtown to the Lindbergh/Morosgo neighborhoods, linking neighborhoods and landmarks such as Ardmore Park, Collier Hills, Lindbergh City Center and Underwood Hills.
The trail also goes along Tanyard Creek, the Atlanta Memorial Trail and Bobby Jones Golf Course and connects to the Northeast Trail at the Armour-Ottley commercial district and the Lindbergh Center MARTA station.
The entire 22-mile Beltline trail loop is on track to be completed by 2030. Earlier this year, the mayor and the Beltline announced that by spring 2026, 16.3 miles of continuous trail will be completed, in time for Atlanta to host the FIFA World Cup games, in addition to 1.6 miles of spur trails.
On Nov. 12, a ribbon-cutting was held for a 0.9-mile segment of the Northeast Trail, including improvements to the busy 10th Street and Monroe Drive intersection.
By Dyana Bagby
Major changes are underway on Lenox Road near the MARTA station, marking the beginning of a comprehensive redevelopment from East Paces Ferry to Piedmont Road.
The initiative stems from a community planning effort in 2017 aimed at making Lenox Road one of Atlanta’s most distinctive
A rendering of the new Northwest Trail with the former Elleven45 Loung site at left. (Courtesy ABI)
corridors. Construction of Section I of the Lenox Road Complete and Safe Street project, known as the Lenox Boardwalk, started in October.
Crews will work for the next 13 months to build the more than $10 million boardwalk along the west side of Lenox Road. The 12-foot-wide multi-use path is designed to enhance pedestrian connectivity and beautify the area between the Lenox MARTA station and Peachtree Road.
Initial work began with the removal of unhealthy trees and those whose root systems may be damaged during construction, according to the Buckhead Community Improvement District.
As the boardwalk project advances, a variety of native trees, including dogwoods, tulip poplars, laurel oaks, red oaks and American Elms will be planted. Additional landscaping will create a barrier between the boardwalk and traffic, improving both aesthetics and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Lenox Boardwalk project is planned to be finished in November 2025. When completed, pedestrians and cyclists will be able to more safely connect to multiple commercial, office and residential properties.
No lane reductions are planned. Streetscape and pedestrian improvements are planned on both sides of Lenox Road, including new lighting.
The Lenox Boardwalk is the start of a larger transformation of Lenox Road that includes redesigned ramps at Monarch for Section II and a reconfigured Ga. 400 interchange with a pedestrian and bike flyover bridge in Section III.
In September, the Buckhead CID announced it was awarded a $10 million federal grant for the bridge in Section III. Total cost for the bridge project is estimated at $40 million. The bridge would connect to PATH400 and also serve as a gateway to the planned highwaycapping park, HUB404.
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An illustration of the completed Lenox Boardwalk, a multiuse trail along the westbound side of Lenox Road between the Lenox MARTA Station and Peachtree Road. (Courtesy Buckhead CID)
A rendering of Hub 404 park. (Courtesy Buckhead CID)
DUNWOODY Zoning change approved for Mount Vernon Shopping Center
By Cathy Cobbs
Dunwoody’s Planning Commission recommended a zoning change, with several conditions, for a nearly empty shopping center in Dunwoody to allow for a greater variety of uses.
Branch Properties representatives say they want to change the Mount Vernon Shopping Center’s zoning designation from Neighborhood Shopping to C-1 to allow for a greater diversity of uses beyond a grocery store, which has seen a revolving door of failed retail ventures in the last 10 years.
The planning commission discussed the rezoning at its October meeting, but deferred it after hearing complaints about the variety of uses that a C-1 designation could bring to the center.
At the Nov. 20 meeting, Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said Branch has agreed to restrict several of the allowed C-1 uses, including capping the square footage for schools and special event facilities to 5,000.
Attorney Laurel David of Galloway Law Group, representing the owners, said Branch also proposed to mandate closing hours to 11 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
However, several speakers, including
former Dunwoody Mayor Dennis Shortal, commented that the proposed closing hours are “probably a little late.”
The planning commission took into consideration those statements and unanimously passed the zoning change to C-1, with the mandate that the yet-tobe-determined business would close at 11 p.m. on Sunday.
After the meeting, Branch Partner and Chairman Nick Telesca said he is pleased with the ruling.
“I appreciate that the board considered it thoroughly and made a rational decision,” Telesca said. “They made an effort to see both sides.”
Telesca said the closure time restrictions may be a factor as the company seeks to find a suitable tenant for the 35,000-square-foot space that formerly housed several grocery stores.
Discussion at the November meeting was a sharp contrast to a contentious neighborhood meeting in late July during which a majority of attendees opposed most of the ideas proposed by its owners.
Telesca said at the July meeting that the company has had interest from “eater-tainment” or lifestyle-focused uses like food halls, pickleball courts or entertainment arcades like PuttShack or Main Event, which would have a sporting element to them as well as food and
alcohol options.
Branch officials said the possibility of putting in yet another grocery store has been shut down by all of the companies they have approached.
The February closing of Lidl is the fourth time that the anchor tenant in the Mount Vernon Shopping Center has been shuttered in the last 10 years. It was once a Harris Teeter, then an Ace Hardware, followed by a Sprouts Grocery before its three-year stint as a Lidl.
Sprouts was open from 2014-2018 before disappointing sales and the looming end of the five-year lease prompted its closure. Lidl opened in August 2020 to great fanfare, but regular shoppers said
they noticed that the store’s business had never been robust nor well-staffed.
The zoning change recommendation will now move to the Dunwoody City Council, which will hold a public hearing at its Dec. 9 meeting.
Signage project gets mixed reviews for size, location
By Cathy Cobbs
Dunwoody’s long-awaited gateway signage plan has its first installations, with mixed reviews about the one at Georgetown regarding its size and location.
The granite and forged steel “Dunwoody” sign at the corner of Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Cotillion Drive is one of 16 signs of various sizes to be installed at city borders and is getting most of the attention from observers.
While several people said they have taken pictures in front of the Georgetown sign and say they support an emphatic message that welcomes people to the city, others decry that it draws attention to a less-than-classy section of the city, in front of a Shell USA Gas Station and near a McDonald’s.
the QR code to learn more!
■ create a sense of place
■ focus on pedestrians as well as vehicles.
City officials have been discussing gateway signs since 2010. The current plan dates back to 2019.
“Discover Dunwoody spearheaded the
Still others say that the $1 million price tag for the entire project could have been better used for paving, parks, or pickleball courts.
The other recently installed sign is located on Perimeter Center Parkway NE near the bridge at I-285, but it hasn’t gotten as much attention.
According to city officials, the signs represent five guiding principles for the city:
■ improve amenity awareness within the Perimeter market
■ create a unified Dunwoody
■ create a sign package that is unique to Dunwoody and timeless
effort after finding in two separate surveys that visitors didn’t know they were in our city, making signage a priority,” the city’s gateway project website said.
The sign designs were approved by city council in January 2020 and signed off on the Gateway & Wayfinding plan in December of that year, and the construction contract was approved in August 2023. The plan is funded through a combination of federal funding, hotel/ motel funds, and general capital project funds.
Conceptual drawings of the Georgetown signs include extensive landscaping, which will partially block the direct line of sight into the Shell station.
Nick Telesca of Branch Properties tried to outline possible uses for an empty Dunwoody shopping center space during a public meeting over the summer.. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs)
Photo by Cathy Cobbs
TUCKER
Controversial pickleball court project on hold for now
By Cathy Cobbs
DECEMBER HAPPENINGS
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Pkwy., Ste. 350B, Tucker, GA 30084
• DECEMBER 2, 6:30 P.M. Downtown Development Authority • DECEMBER 3 Zoning Board of Appeals
• DECEMBER 7, 4-7 P.M. North Pole at Tucker Church Street Greenspace 4316 Church Street • DECEMBER 9 City Council Meeting
DECEMBER 19 Planning Commission • DECEMBER 24-25 City Buildings Closed in Observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Despite assurances that Tucker’s controversial proposed pickleball court construction project is on hold for now, residents voiced their opposition to it at the November city council meeting.
During public comment on Nov. 12, residents who live near the Tucker Recreation Center cited issues with potential flooding, property values, noise, and dissatisfaction about the lack of public input regarding its construction.
Before the meeting, Council member Cara Schroeder, standing in for Mayor Frank Auman, who was attending remotely, thanked people for attending a Nov. 7 informational meeting regarding a proposal to construct the 12-court pickleball court and said that the plan was not on that night’s agenda.
“The project is on pause right now,” Schroeder said.
However, a half-dozen people continued to voice their opposition to the project, saying that “on hold” doesn’t mean the plan is dead. They urged city officials to consider the $3.25 million price tag, the effect of getting rid of one of the few remaining green spaces in the city, and the negative impact existing pickleball courts are having on surrounding neighbors.
In other action, Tucker City Engineer Ken Hildebrandt and city officials discussed a mandate made by Gwinnett County that DeKalb County reverse any sewer flows that are currently
flowing into Gwinnett County and their treatment facilities.
“This requires DeKalb Watershed to construct sewer lift stations, force mains, and gravity sewer lines,” a memo regarding the project said.
The reversal process will impact some areas of Henderson Park, officials said, and require temporary and permanent easements.
The process will use “jack-and-bore” methods, which is a trenchless method of sewer construction that is suitable for installing short pipe runs.
The cost of the reversal will result in no financial impact to the city. DeKalb has offered $7,800 for an easement running through Henderson Park.
City staff said the project is in the design phase now with construction slated to start in 2026 and expected to take one to two years to complete.
The council also recognized the Friends of Tucker Parks, who received the Georgia Park and Recreation Association State Volunteer of the Year award.
“The relationship with the FOTP has grown into a flourishing collaboration between the [parks] department and this vital volunteer network,” a commentary about the award said. “They meet regularly to discuss the big picture along with bimonthly park clean ups, plantings, educational opportunities and volunteer in park planned events. The contributions are numerous and encompass many years of sweat, tears, and possibly a bit of blood at times.”
Playing pickleball in Sandy Springs. (File)
Facade grant program popular with downtown businesses
By Cathy Cobbs
Tucker business owners are taking advantage of grants issued by the Tucker Downtown Development Authority to spruce up their storefronts.
The program, called the Tucker Downtown Facade Grant, provides matching grant awards of up to $12,500 to eligible businesses and will match up to 50% of the project.
The TDA has approved funds for a number of businesses, including Georgia Gifts & More, Mint Coffeehouse, Trio Nails, and Nicky’s Undefeated. More applications are on the way, according to Tucker officials.
At its Oct. 7 meeting, the TDA approved another application from Las Colinas Mexican Restaurant for $10,000.
TDA board member Bridget Brady,
who owns Wine & Whimseys on Main Street, said the grant program is “helping downtown businesses to be more appealing and to encourage other businesses to consider relocating to the area.”
The city allotted the program $50,000 when it started last July, but at the Tucker City Council’s October meeting, the panel voted to transfer an additional $50,000 from the city’s economic development department budget.
The program has three award tiers. Minor projects are given up to $5,000, and major projects are given up to $10,000, with up to 25% extra allotted for major projects that involve restoring a historic facade.
While there is a defined project area, according to city officials, projects that are outside of that area will be evaluated on a per-project basis.
Thursday, Dec. 19 |
THE SCAD BEE SHARPS PRESENT
Elsa from Broadway's Frozen Performing the hit song "Let It Go"
Newly opened Mint Coffeehouse is one of the businesses taking advantage of the Tucker Downtown Facade Grant. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs)
Home Depot Foundation donates $25,000 to rebuild American Legion Post
By Cathy Cobbs
On the morning of Nov. 8, more than 200 Home Depot employees, as part of The Home Depot Foundation’s national Operation Surprise campaign, gave Tucker’s American Legion Post
#207 a much-needed push in its efforts to recover from a 2019 fire that destroyed the structure.
Home Depot workers created a handicapped-accessible community garden and outdoor gathering spaces, assembled outdoor furniture sets, built
a fire pit, installed fencing, and made various landscaping improvements. And then there was the surprise: Home Depot Foundation’s Executive Director Erin Izen presented the post with a new game patio and a $25,000 donation.
“I’m stunned. I’m overwhelmed and I an never stop going to stop smiling,” said Tucker resident and former Marine Scott Brady whose “Save the Seven” committee have been working to rebuild the post and transform it into not only a meeting place but a community resource for veterans and their families.
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“I can’t believe they are giving more after what they did today,” Brady said. “This will give us the money to continue on as we finish out the building and get closer to completing our vision.”
Home Depot Chief Executive Officer Ted Decker said the American Legion’s mission aligns perfectly with Home Depot’s goal to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans.
“It was a pretty perfect combination with our core values in wanting to partner with our local communities to give back,” Decker said.
During the day, Home Depot volunteers installed 683 plants and constructed 47 pieces of furniture using 1,000 pieces of cut lumber.
Brady said the infusion of materials and labor has “provided us the oxygen to keep going.”
The post is still seeking about $200,000 to finish interior construction in order to become operational.
Post 207 Adjutant Christopher Morley called the effort to rebuild the post “a phoenix project.”
“We literally came from the ashes and now we are focused on opening our doors in Q2 of 2025,” Morley said. “We are looking for multiple sources of funding so we can make this a reality.”
The rebuilding of the post was almost scrapped after a 2019 fire that gutted the 70-year-old building. The rebuilding process was plagued with disaster, including the refusal of the post’s insurance company to pay out and the
Anthony Mathis (left) and Scott Brady (far right) shown with Home Depot Foundation members, received $25,000 for the American Legion Post #207. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs).
David Kendrick Jr. said he wants to help bring mental health services to veterans in places like the 207. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs)
Home Depot volunteers were on the ground to help improve the property. (Photo by Cathy Cobbs).
resultant supply chain issues and labor shortages brought about by Covid.
The former commander, Anthony Mathis, was “in the foxhole, pretty much by himself and ready to throw in the towel,” Brady said. “At that time, we only had about four members.”
Mathis, a fellow Marine, was in discussions to sell the land and walk away. But after a phone conversation with Brady, Mathis said, “we made a relationship and shared a vision.”
“It was just me and one other guy trying to bring this thing back and I had a full-time job and a family, and it was starting to affect me mentally,” Mathis said. “I always say that the vision is bigger than the visionary, and I found
the visionary in Scott, who brought the team together to restart the project.”
Morley said the post now has 70 members, evenly split between veterans from the World War II/Vietnam/Korean War era, and younger members from Persian Gulf/Lebanon/Afghanistan conflicts.
I believe both of these groups will help form a true community center to connect our veterans,” Morley said.
The Home Depot Foundation, the nonprofit arm of The Home Depot, since 2011, has invested more than $500 million in veteran causes and improved more than 60,000 veteran homes and facilities.
SUSTAINABILITY Finding reserves of strength in difficult times
ABOVE THE WATER LINE
Sally Bethea
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts… There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. - - Rachel Carson
On the first Wednesday in November, I went to the river. The political news of that morning had knocked the breath from my body and sent tears down my face—visceral responses to the outcome of the most caustic and consequential presidential election in my lifetime.
The election result wasn’t a total surprise to me, even though I had hoped for a different outcome. A near majority of Americans had loudly expressed unhappiness with the status quo and demanded a major shift in our country’s leadership toward a more partisan, authoritarian style of government. In history, change is the motivation for most political outcomes. What worries me—actually frightens me—is the steady decay of the truth in recent years. It has poisoned efforts to find common ground and solve problems, most
consequentially the climate crisis. This aversion to the truth—to facts, data, and science—has amplified divisiveness among family, friends, and neighbors; there is no end is in sight.
I believe that policy decisions affecting our families and communities should be based on the truth, and on honesty, fairness, kindness, and justice for all. These are the values I was taught as a child and that I have taught my sons. The anticipated shifts in federal governance appear poised to harm millions of people, especially those less fortunate—as well as the air, land, and water upon which we all depend.
Refrains of nature
I have walked the same trail in Atlanta’s “backyard” national park— the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area—for more than five years. During one of those years, I walked through the woods along Cabin Creek to its confluence with the river nearly every week, finding awe everywhere I looked, especially as the seasons changed. My journal notes from those visits spawned the idea for my book, “Keeping the Chattahoochee.”
On my post-election walk, the weather was warm, ten degrees above the “normal” average for a November day in Atlanta. Trekking pole in hand, I headed downhill toward the river, hoping to
Photo by Sally Bethea
banish my negative thoughts. There were "too many browser tabs open" in my cluttered, worried brain.
A soft breeze and the sweet and spicy smell of decaying leaves began to quiet my internal noise. I looked more intently around me at the fall colors of this southern forest filled with hickories, sassafras, sourwood, beech, maples, native magnolias, oaks, and sycamores. The leaves of the deciduous sassafras tree, which grow in three different shapes, have long been a favorite. Every autumn, they turn shades of red and yellow. The elliptical, watermelon-colored version of these leaves bring back memories of my childhood in a wooded neighborhood on the outskirts of Atlanta.
I marveled, as I always do, at the hundreds of bigleaf magnolia leaves
dominating the forest floor with their silver undersides facing up—now allowed a view of the sky. The massive leaves lay in still, pale ponds circling slender trunks. Some, caught on branches, looked like flags and banners celebrating the cycles of life.
At a bend in Cabin Creek, I found a dozen trout fry, darting about in the clear water and hiding under fallen leaves. Over the years, as I’ve walked this trail, I’ve seen generations of these little fish—hatching, growing, and then making their way downstream to the river: the comforting, repeated refrains of nature.
What to do next?
As I continued my downhill trek toward the river, I saw a woman walking
toward me. Something in her face told me that we were both in the woods for the same reason. As a young Black woman, her experiences and challenges assuredly differed from mine, but as women and mothers of sons we found commonality in our worries about the future. We asked each other: “What is next? What do we do now?” The river and the woods were calming, but couldn’t answer our questions. We wished each other well and walked on.
At the river, I lay my jacket on the ground and sat cross-legged watching the gray-green water flow around the jagged rocks and islands on its way to the sea. I made a foolish decision and looked at my cell phone for news and messages from friends; the rapid breathing returned.
Finally, I put the phone down to lie on the ground, just inches from the edge of the water. Gazing skyward, I scanned the tree canopy above me, watched the sun periodically emerge from gray clouds, and listened to the river. An hour or more passed. My breathing slowed. Nature’s gifts of peace and healing filled me, as my mind and body seemed to merge with the river.
I’m still searching for answers to the question of what to do next, but I know it will include greater emphasis on family, community, and nature—and that indifference and surrender will not prevail. As philosopher Albert Camus wrote: “In the depth of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.”
Shop Local for the Holidays
By Rough Draft Staff
If you’re looking for unique gifts for the holidays and want to support local businesses, the Rough Draft staff has some shopping suggestions for a few of their favorite things.
▲Bitter Southerner: For people motivated by food and Southern culture, consider purchasing a “Collards & Cornbread”, “Tomato & Mayo”, “Pimento & Cheese”, or “Make More Biscuits” t-shirt. The Bitter Southerner’s General Store also features books like “The Crop Cycle”, “Peach”, and “Waffle House Vistas”. Visit bsgeneralstore.com for more information.
Buckhead Village: Featuring retail from the world’s top fashion houses and emerging artisans, Buckhead Village also includes several locally-owned shops such as Abbey Glass, a luxury womenswear brand; Buckhead Art & Company, a contemporary art gallery; and Impossible Currency, an art and design studio pop-up. 3035 Peachtree Road NE. Find out more at buckheadvillagedistrict.com.
Atlanta Influences Everything: Atlanta Influences Everything is more than a catchy slogan coined nearly a decade ago by Atlanta native and marketing specialist Bem Joiner. The brand focuses on combining civic, corporate, and cultural understanding to harness the influence of Atlanta culture. It also sells tees, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, and more emblazoned with the iconic catchphrase. Visit the online store at aie.life.
and comfy sleeping socks. 1430 Dresden Dr. in Brookhaven. Visit margueritesondresden.com to see more gift ideas.
▲Maomi Bookstore: One of the few Chinese bookstores in the Southeast, visitors can also take calligraphy lessons. The store sells calligraphy writing tools, Chinese tea service sets, and children’s books and games. 5391 New Peachtree Road Ste A. Find out more at Instagram @maomibookstore.
Plaza Fiesta: The indoor Latin mall with nearly 300 vendors offers jewelry, shoes, artisan clothing, quinceañera dresses, hand-made goods, soccer jerseys, specialty foods and more. 4166 Buford Hwy. NE. Visit plazafiesta.net for more information.
▼Georgia Gifts and More: This shop carries books, apparel, candy, and other Georgia-themed products. 5001 Lavista Rd. Suite A in, Tucker. Visit georgiagiftsandmore.com for more information.
Brookhaven Wines: The perfect place to pick up a bottle of vino, a cigar, attend a wine tasting, or join the wine club. 1418 Dresden Dr. in Brookhaven. See the selection at brookhavenwines.com.
Atlanta Vintage Books: If you know someone who loves autographed first editions or vintage books, the AVB is a must-stop shop for the bibliophile in your life 3660 Clairmont Road. Find out more at atlantavintagebooks.com.
Marguerite’s on Dresden: This eclectic Brookhaven shop offers original art, candles, diffusers, blown glass vases, unique Christmas ornaments, wreaths,
Wine and Whimseys: A locally owned wine shop offers a curated selection of wines and unique gifts. The store also hosts wine tastings and gatherings onsite. 2344 Main Street in Tucker. See more at wineandwhimseys.com.
Little Red Bird Gifts: Seasonal gifts, candles, jewelry and more at this pop-up shop located in Ashford Lane Shopping Center, 4530 Olde Perimeter Way Suite 100. On Instagram @littleredbirdgifts.
The Cashmere Sale: The beloved New York-based luxury pop-up retailer is making its Atlanta debut at the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center in Sandy Springs through Dec. 12. The popup store will feature doubleply cashmere sweaters, wraps, and accessories. Customers can shop in person Mon-Sat. from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays from 12-4 p.m. at 4920 Roswell Rd.
Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus dies at 95
By Logan C. Ritchie
Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, the cofounder of retail giant The Home Depot, the financial backer of the Georgia Aquarium, and Jewish philanthropist, died at his home in Florida on Nov. 4. He was 95.
Marcus leaves behind a legacy marked by generosity and unwavering dedication to strengthening the Atlanta medical, veteran, and Jewish communities.
“He embodied the principle of caring for people first, prioritizing relationships over profits—a philosophy that shaped both his business and philanthropic efforts,” said a press release from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. “Bernie led by example, demonstrating that true leadership is rooted in compassion and integrity.”
The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Marcus was born in 1929 and grew up in a tenement in Newark, N.J. Although he dreamed of becoming a doctor, he couldn’t afford medical school. He enrolled in pharmacy school and received a degree from Rutgers University. He told stories about cutting college classes to sell Amana freezers door-to-door.
Fired from his corporate job in 1978, Marcus had already envisioned a one-stop shop for do-it-yourselfers, something that did not exist in the home improvement retail space. Marcus teamed up with friend Arthur Blank to create The Home Depot, which opened its first store in Atlanta in 1979.
The Jewish tradition of tzedakah (charity) was a driving principle for Marcus. It can be evidenced inside The Home Depot, where more than 194,000 associates have benefitted from a fund to take care of Home Depot associates who suffer unexpected hardships, as well as in the larger Atlanta community.
A press release from The Home Depot said, “We owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to Bernie. He was a master merchant and a retail visionary. But even more importantly, he valued our associates, customers and communities above all. He’s left us with an invaluable legacy and the backbone of our company: our values.”
The Marcus Foundation supports medical advancement locally at Georgia Tech, Grady Health System, Shepherd Center, Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, Emory University Hospital, Emory School of Medicine, and the Marcus Autism Center.
As an advocate for Israel, Marcus sent tens of thousands of children to summer programs through the Atlanta Jewish Camp Initiative, contributed to Birthright
Israel, Hillel International, PJ Library, and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. He donated $20 million to start RootOne, a program that encourages Jewish teens to travel to Israel.
Jared Powers, CEO of the MJCCA, called Marcus “a visionary philanthropist, devoted community leader, and beloved friend to the entire Jewish community.”
“His legacy lives on in the spaces he helped create, the lives he impacted,
and the community he strengthened. We are deeply grateful for his lifetime of leadership and philanthropic investments, both to our organization and our greater community,” Powers said.
Marcus is survived by his wife of 50 years, Billi Marcus; his son, Dr. Frederick Marcus of Emory University; and his stepson Michael Morris, publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times. He is predeceased by his daughter Susanne Marcus Collins.
Bernie Marcus (Courtesy Jewish Federation of Atlanta)
The Home Depot co-founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. (Courtesy Home Depot)
Dunwoody searches for housing solutions in Perimeter market
By Bob Pepalis
A panel of housing experts said developers need to build quality projects with higher densities to supply missing middle housing for Dunwoody’s Perimeter, but assistance will be needed from elected officials.
Edge City 2.0, a seminar series exploring growth options for Dunwoody’s Perimeter area, was a joint effort by the city and the DeKalb Board of the Perimeter Community Improvement District to create a blueprint for strategic growth.
The Nov. 7 panel discussed “Evolving Suburban Housing Options.”
Sam Shenbaga of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) said the housing issue is every city’s issue. The ARC found that 95 percent of the people who work in Buckhead don’t live there for lack of housing. He said the community had a housing issue, not a traffic issue.
Geoff Koski, President and Owner at KB Advisory Group, said the average household has gotten smaller since 1960, with two parents and two children at the time.
Metro Atlanta can turn to the past to create middle housing, Koski said. Building two to four housing units on one lot as duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes could be part of the solution. Putting additional units on the lot would
be a gentle density, he said.
The financial system is set up to build large apartment buildings and singlefamily homes, Koski said.
Adding to the problem is that it’s impossible to pay $1,000 a month for housing in this region, Koski said. Rising prices have created more cost-burdened households spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
Paul Corley, Regional President of Empire Communities, said since the recession of 2007 the nation hasn’t caught up with its housing deficit.
Mortgage rates have increased significantly, Corley said. Housing costs doubled from 2013 to 2023 as household income failed to keep pace with inflation.
Empire has bought old office buildings, scraped them off the lots and built homes of 1,100 to 1,300 square feet at a density of 28 units per acre. The Empire Buckley development gives people a place to live in Buckhead, eliminating their long commutes to work.
“Density is a good thing if it’s done at the right place and the right way,” Corley said.
He said to get middle housing that’s attainable for buyers, developers need density and should build smaller homes with simpler architecture. Corley said they need local governments to ease regulations and zoning processes as well as reduce
governmental fees. To avoid higher costs, developers also need faster permitting and approval timeliness. The developers need to make creative development of land sites and redevelopment opportuni ties.
Lew Oliver, principal of Lew Oliver Inc., said his firm puts a variety of housing types in its designs. He said housing developments should prioritize pedestrians as his firm has done in developments such as Trilith in Fayette County, where every other street in the town is a pedestrian street for people and their pets.
Builders at one of his first development designs, Hartness near Greenville, SC, saw seven spec single-family homes of at least 3,000 square feet sit empty for three years
before his team convinced them to build the micro-housing in his plans. Oliver said the first 1,000-square-foot home sold within two days.
Sandy Springs City Councilmember Jody Reichel asked how a city could spur redevelopment of an aging apartment complex that wasn’t the best use of its property.
Koski suggested prioritizing issues. The area has older, aging housing stock but it is 95 percent occupied. He suggested the lower hanging fruit is strip malls and empty parking lots. It would be easier to spur that redevelopment than get 400 people out of a cash flowing apartment property.
Kolter Urban plans 19-story condo tower in Buckhead
By Dyana Bagby
A Florida-based developer wants to build a 19-story condominium tower next to the St. Regis Atlanta hotel in Buckhead.
Kolter Urban has filed plans with the city to build the tower at 102 West Paces Ferry Road. The building would include 198 units, ground-floor amenities and a parking deck with 448 spaces.
Kolter Urban representatives presented its proposal in November to the Development Review Committee for Special Public Interest District 9 zoning area.
A small shopping center stands on the 3.3-acre site. Kolter Urban would demolish the shopping center to make room for its new development.
There would be 12
one-bedroom, 108 two-bedroom and 78 three-bedroom units, according to the plans.
The architect for the project is Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio.
Kolter Urban has found success in the Buckhead luxury condo market. In 2022, it built the 22-story Graydon Buckhead tower at 2520 Peachtree Road and is nearing completion of The Dillon, an 18-story building at 2395 Peachtree Road.
Renderings of the 19-story condominium towner planned to be built at 102 West Paces Ferry Road in Buckhead. (Kolter Urban/Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, LLC)
Sam Shenbaga of the Atlanta Regional Commission listens to Geoff Koski of KB Advisory Group discuss housing priorities at Dunwoody’s Edge City session. (Photo by Bob Pepalis)
Metro Atlanta’s OTP restaurants celebrate Michelin recognition
By Cathy Cobbs and Beth McKibben
The expansion of the Michelin Guide beyond Atlanta’s inner loop in 2024 has the winning OTP restaurant owners saying it affirms that recognizing culinary excellence shouldn’t have geographic boundaries.
This year marks the city’s second dining guide from the French tire company, which awards coveted stars, Bib Gourmands, and other distinctions to restaurants in cities worldwide. The inaugural guide to Atlanta debuted in 2023, centering selections on restaurants in the city and inside the I-285 perimeter.
But in 2024, Michelin’s anonymous inspectors expanded their dining radius to suburban Atlanta, including Doraville, Marietta, Roswell, Duluth, and Johns Creek.
Michelin heads OTP
According to the Georgia Restaurant Association, Metro Atlanta includes around 12,000 restaurants. The counties of Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale and the city of Atlanta comprise the Metro Atlanta region, home to just over 6.3 million people.
Nearly half of those restaurants reside within Atlanta’s bustling perimeter. Outside the perimeter (OTP), thousands more restaurants occupy spaces in suburban shopping complexes, along major state roads, in charming historic town squares, and converted homes on the edge of quiet neighborhoods.
“Before a new guide is established in a new destination, the inspection team conducts an initial study of the area. During that destination assessment, the inspectors evaluate the culinary landscape for the inaugural selection of restaurants,” an anonymous Chief Inspector of the Michelin Guide North America said. “The coverage area often expands in future editions of the Guide, which occurred for this year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Atlanta.”
Of the 57 Atlanta restaurants recognized in the 2024 Atlanta Michelin Guide, five suburban restaurants made the list: Woo Nam Jeong (Stone Bowl House); Hen Mother Cookhouse; Masterpiece; Table & Main; and Spring.
Michelin listed Doraville Korean restaurant Woo Nam Jeong at Seoul Plaza on Buford Highway as “recommended,” along with breakfast and brunch restaurant Hen Mother Cookhouse in Johns Creek. Both restaurants frequent many of Atlanta’s “Best of” lists, with owners Young Hui Han and Soraya Khoury spotlighting their Korean and Jordanian-Persian heritages, respectively, in dishes on their menus.
Masterpiece in Duluth, specializing in Sichuan and Hunan dishes from China, received a Bib Gourmand in 2024, as did Roswell’s Table & Main, known for seasonal Southern cuisine.
“Masterpiece is a bit out of the way in Duluth in an unassuming strip mall, but it’s worth the drive,” Michelin stated in the 2024 Atlanta guide. “The hearty Sichuan food is served family-style with care and focus shown in dishes like dongpo pork, a square of meltingly tender pork belly in a dark brown sauce that is sweet and vibrant.”
Like Hen Mother Cookhouse and Woo Nam Jeong, Masterpiece frequents “Best of” lists in Atlanta, too. In 2017 and 2018, the James Beard Foundation named chef and owner Rui Liu — a Northern China native — as a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast.
Located in a converted house on Canton Street in downtown Roswell, the Michelin Guide said of Table & Main’s most popular dish, “Fried chicken brims with flavor and is impossibly delicious, and it’s a good thing the portion is overly generous, as you’ll want to tuck into leftovers later.”
Owned by Roswell native Ryan Pernice, and led in the kitchen by Chef Woolery ‘Woody’ Back, Table & Main opened in 2011 focusing on seasonal Southern fare. It quickly became one of metro Atlanta’s best restaurants.
Michelin awarded Spring in Marietta one star in the 2024 Atlanta guide, while sommelier and partner Daniel Crawford earned the Michelin Service Award. Michelin inspectors use five criteria to help them determine star ratings: quality of the ingredients; harmony of flavors; mastery of techniques; personality of the chef as expressed through the cuisine; and consistency across the entire menu over time. Each visit features a different inspector dining at a restaurant. Inspectors then meet to go over their separate evaluations and determine the award designation.
Crawford co-owns Spring with Chef Brian So, a multiple-year nominee for Best Chef: Southeast by the James Beard Foundation. The critically acclaimed fine dining restaurant is a perennial on both local and national “Best of” lists, with Michelin nodding to So and his team serving a “tightly edited, contemporary American menu” that prioritizes seasonality, technique, and simplicity.
Michelin highlights Spring’s housemade sourdough bread with garlic chive butter, the pan-seared wild king salmon topped with Hollandaise sauce, and a maple-glazed cruller with sliced almonds in an amaretto crème anglaise as standout dishes.
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Soft-boiled egg, gravlax, and tomato on sourdough. (Courtesy of Hen Mother Cookhouse)
Buford Highway’s Woo Nam Jeong (Stone Bowl House) was recommended by Michelin in the 2024 Atlanta guide. (Courtesy of Woo Nam Jeong)
Michelin awarded Southern restaurant Table & Main in Roswell a Bib Gourmand in its 2024 guide to Atlanta. (Photo by Randi Curling)
Not anticipated or expected
“We are just ‘heads-down-doing-ourthing people,’ so getting the notice from Michelin [telling them of an impending award] was a complete surprise,” Pernice said of Table & Main’s recognition this year. “We were hoping to get maybe a ‘recommended,’ so getting a Bib Gourmand was a special surprise.”
Khoury also said Hen Mother Cookhouse’s Michelin honor was not on her radar in 2024.
“We are a breakfast place, so I wasn’t expecting it at all,” she said. “When we first got a notice [from Michelin] to send in some pictures, I thought it was a scam, so I ignored it for a couple of days.”
When the official invitation arrived from Michelin a few weeks later, Khoury said she was still skeptical, until Aaron Phillips, chef and co-owner of one-star restaurant Lazy Betty in Midtown, told her it was legitimate.
So and Crawford said they were
gratified by the Michelin recognition for Spring, considering their humble beginnings in the restaurant industry.
“You’ve got a guy who used to be a hibachi chef and another one who used to be a manager of a Pizza Hut now with a Michelin star,” Crawford said.
Pernice, Khoury, Crawford, and So all note the significance of Michelin venturing OTP in 2024 and recognizing the Atlanta
dining scene expands far beyond the boundaries of the perimeter. The 2025 guide may expand even further into Atlanta’s suburbs.
“You can’t tell the story of Atlanta restaurants without going outside the perimeter,” Pernice said. “Atlanta dining, to me, is amazing food found in unexpected places.”
Khoury said she was grateful that Hen Mother Cookhouse, located in an area of Johns Creek dominated by chain restaurants, was recognized.
“A lot of people told us we should expand to Buckhead or Midtown, but we are very happy where we are,” she said. “We live in Johns Creek and this allows us to have some semblance of a life and a chance to watch our children grow up.”
Earlier this fall, Khoury did expand Hen Mother Cookhouse to a second location in neighboring Alpharetta. Is there a Michelin boost?
H A P P Y
Chanukah
T O G E T H E R ,
W E L I G H T T H E W A Y
This Chanukah, may we celebrate the light that unites and strengthens our community
Happy Chanukah from your friends at Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
Pernice said in the few days following the Michelin announcement, he saw a significant uptick in reservations for November, typically the restaurant’s slowest month ahead of the holidays.
“While it’s too soon to draw broad conclusions, the early word is that the Bib Gourmand has definitely boosted business,” he said. “We are starting with the most covers on the books that we ever had and sales were up 29% over the same week last year.”
Khoury said she has been focusing recents efforts on ramping up Hen Mother Cookhouse in Alpharetta, not so much on the impact of the Michelin designation at either location.
“We are just trying to focus on great service and good frickin’ food,” Khoury said. “We might feel a bit of pressure, but there’s no ambition to do more at this point. We don’t want to expand, and we don’t want to franchise.”
Woo Nam Jeong (Stone Bowl House), 5953 Buford Highway, Doraville; Hen Mother Cookhouse, 11705 Jones Bridge Road, Johns Creek, and 50 South Main Street, Alpharetta; Masterpiece, 3940 Buford Highway, Duluth; Table & Main, 1028 Canton Street, Roswell; Spring, 36 Mill Street, Marietta.
Delbar Middle Eastern opens in Buckhead at former King & Duke space
By Beth McKibben
Popular Middle Eastern restaurant Delbar, owned by Chef Fares Kargar, opened on Nov. 18, in Buckhead.
Taking over the space once home to Ford Fry’s King & Duke on Peachtree Road, the Buckhead location of Delbar will serve a similar menu to the Inman Park and Alpharetta locations. However, this location does offer a handful of new dishes exclusive to Buckhead, including lamb and baghali tahchin (lamb shoulder with fava beans, yogurt, egg, and onions encased in crispy basmati rice) and a rainbow roasted carrot salad. Dessert in Buckhead also features tahini and honey soft serve and Persian tea
The chef worked in several Atlanta restaurants before opening Delbar, including Rumi’s Kitchen in Sandy Springs. He went on to open the first location of Delbar in 2020 at Inman Quarter during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of Delbar led Kargar to open Persian street
In addition to the main dining room and bar, Delbar in Buckhead includes a covered patio with its own bar and cocktail menu, as well as two private event spaces.
Open daily for dinner and weekend brunch, Kargar plans to launch a weekday lunch service at the Buckhead restaurant in
Kargar left Iran in 2006 when he was 17. He fled to Turkey as a refugee to avoid the Iranian compulsory military service requirement. The chef eventually made his way to the United States, arriving in Atlanta and earning a degree in hospitality from Georgia State University.
food stall Bibi at Ponce City Market two years later, followed by a second location of Delbar last year in Alpharetta. Michelin recognized Delbar in its 2023 and 2024 guides to Atlanta.
Next year, Kargar will open Eden at the Star Metals district on Howell Mill Road. The sprawling French-Mediterranean restaurant will include a rooftop bar called Garden of Eden.
Delbar, 3060 Peachtree Road, Buckhead. Open Sunday – Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; weekend brunch, 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Fried chicken is one of the most popular dishes at Southern restaurant Table & Main in Roswell. (Photo by Iain Bagwell)
Delbar Middle Eastern includes locations in Buckhead, Inman Park, and Alpharetta.
(Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Rudolph Returns Center
for Puppetry Arts continues beloved holiday tradition
By Isadora Pennington
It wouldn’t be Christmas in Atlanta without “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Center for Puppetry Arts. This holiday tradition uses puppetry, performance, and technology to present an exciting adaptation that is faithful to the beloved 1964 stopmotion animation film.
Following the story of misfit buddies Rudolph and Hermey the Elf, the story takes viewers through a festive adventure of self-discovery. This adaptation for the stage was created by Jon Ludwig, the past artistic director of the Center for Puppetry Arts.
This year, his successor Jason Hines, who has served as the Center’s Resident Puppet Builder for 22 years, has his first opportunity to oversee the entire production.
I was recently invited to meet some of the cast and crew working behind the scenes to put on this amazing performance. On the day that I visited, I met the Center’s Executive Director Beth Schiavo, the Chief Operating Officer Sarah Dylla, “Rudolph” Director Tim Sweeney, the Rudolph puppeteer Sarah Beth Hester, and Hines.
“Puppets are radical joy,” said Hester, who sat in one of the audience seats and cradled the Rudolph puppet on her lap while we spoke. “Our job is to bring the joy, and that’s what we do,” Schiavo added.
“It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of performing the show,” continued Schiavo. “It evokes their childhood; it’s a property that people really care about and we really care about. It is so rewarding to share that love.”
By bringing this classic holiday tale to the stage, the Center for Puppetry Arts crew has managed to reach Christmas lovers both young and old. Some visitors have grown up seeing the original television special since they were little, and now they come with
I asked if he had made any significant changes to the puppets for this year’s performance, and he told me that he had been working to make the puppets lighter and easier to carry. Hines also has to ensure that the glowing nose on the Rudolph puppet is working, or else the story stops making sense.
You see, performing as a puppeteer is not for the weak. Quite literally. Holding the puppets above their heads for hours at a time multiple times a day is hard on one’s body, and Hester told me that she conditions herself for months every year so that she’s able to perform without hurting herself.
And it’s not just the weight that can prove challenging to these performers; the Abominable Snow Monster puppet does not allow the performer inside the assemblage to see. Instead, they must rely on a camera system with a small screen inside the puppet.
Visitors who come for the performance can also enjoy a selection of carefully curated puppets on display in the Festive Features special exhibition. Included in the display are whimsical puppets from The Famous Chelm Players created by New York-based puppeteer Robert Rogers. The story was developed to celebrate Jewish holidays like Hanukkah through famous Eastern European folk characters.
their children or grandchildren. This offers a unique opportunity for intergenerational connection, familial bonding, and festive celebrations.
The story also embodies not just themes of the holiday season and the story of Santa Claus, but also powerful themes of antibullying, self-acceptance, and social and emotional growth.
As we discussed the emotional and nostalgic qualities of this performance, the crew also shared insight into the process behind the scenes that brings the story to life on stage.
“The first thing we did was pull all the puppets out of storage and get them refurbished,” explained Hines as he showed me around backstage.
She also shared that she often ends up in funny positions backstage, where she and the other five puppeteers scoot around one another on rolling, padded stools during the performance. Just below what’s visible to the audience, there’s a complicated and carefully choreographed dance taking place, with performers skillfully moving about the props and other elements of the stage design.
Hines explained that everything you see on stage, including the moving of scenery, is performed by those six puppeteers. The show utilizes around 60 to 70 puppets and props, by far the highest quantity for any performance at the Center.
There are typically around 85 to 100 performances of the roughly hour-long show per season, in addition to the 18 or so rehearsals and special performances. For the puppeteers, this pace can be grueling and test your ability to be flexible, strong, and endure long periods of holding puppets steadily above their heads while also acting and singing.
Also on display are a pair of original Santa and Rudolph stop-motion puppets from the 1964 Rankin Bass television special and a special installation of Jane Henson’s Nativity Story. Jane was the wife of Jim Henson and co-founded The Jim Henson Company. This rarely-seen display showcases Henson’s creative talent and love for the story of Jesus’ birth.
As the weather turns colder outside, and we feel pulled to celebrate our beloved family and cultural holiday traditions, the performances of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Center for Puppetry Arts continue to warm hearts and bring families together to laugh and reminisce.
“Rudolph” runs through Dec. 29 and tickets can be purchased at the Center for Puppetry Arts at puppet.org. Additional programming includes hot cocoa and photos with Rudolph and Create-A-Puppet workshops.
Puppets are lined up backstage for a “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” performance. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)
Rudolph puppeteer Sarah Beth Hester and Rudolph with the original puppets used in the 1964 television special. (Photo by Isadora Pennington
Bumble, the Abominable Snowmonter. (Photo by Isadora Pennington.
Holiday Fun Guide
By Lola McGuire
Metro Atlanta is bustling with events for the holidays from now until January. Here are some of the most popular events around town suitable for the whole family. Some events and activities are free, but others may require a ticket.
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is hosting “Garden Lights, Holiday Nights,” where the grounds are twinkling with hundreds of thousands of lights. This year, new music and choreography is showcased with
even more vertical lights than ever before. The event is ongoing through Jan. 12. Get tickets at atlantabg.org.
Center for Puppetry Arts
Midtown’s Center for Puppetry Arts is full of holiday cheer now through Dec. 29. The beloved “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – a puppet version of the classic stop-motion animation TV special from 1964. Tickets can be purchased at puppet. org. (See our feature story on Page ?) “A Christmas Carol”
The classic stage production of Charles
Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” continues through Dec. 24 at The Alliance Theatre. Tickets start at $25 at alliancetheatre.org.
Holiday
Punch Variety Hour
Dad’s Garage Improv Theatre is hosting “The Holiday Punch Variety Hour,” which features musical comedy, rowdy sketches, special guests, and, of course, spiked eggnog. The show is every Friday through the holiday season, and tickets are available at dadsgarage.com.
ILLUMINIGHTS
Zoo Atlanta is hosting its magical holiday experience by filling the sky with hundreds of lanterns. The Georgia Power-sponsored event runs through Jan. 19 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets do sell out, so reserve in advance at zooatlanta.org.
Atlanta Christkindl Market
Experience a hybrid of modern-day Christmas celebration and German festivities at this one-of-a-kind market with two locations at Buckhead Village District and Galleria on the Park near The Battery. There are handcrafted goods, hot coco and German pretzels. Pets are welcome and pictures with Santa are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 24. Admission is free and more information can be found at christkindlmarket.org.
Callanwolde’s 2024 Winter House
Callanwolde will feature an artist market, live music, historic tours, and more holiday activities through Dec. 15. Workshops will be offered, including ornament painting, wreath making, snowflake weaving, wheel throwing, glass etching and blacksmithing. There are even workshops with Santa. Get more details at callanwolde.org.
Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes
On the evening of Saturday, Dec. 14, and Sunday, Dec. 15, families of Grant Park are opening their homes to showcase their holiday decorations. There will also be a bake sale and artisanal market for people to explore. Ticket information can be found at candlelighttourofhomes.com.
Virginia-Highland Winterfest
Head over to Va-Hi for the Tour of Lights Block Party on Dec. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m., take part in the annual Jingle Jog on Dec. 14 at 9 a.m., watch the Holiday Parade on Dec. 14 starting at 10 a.m., and get in some holiday shopping afterward at the Gift Market. There’s also a Kids Corner with bounce houses, facepainting and more. Get all the details at .virginiahighlanddistrict.com.
Christmas with the ASO
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is hosting its annual holiday shows Dec. 12 to Dec. 15 with a Christmas concert led by Norman Mackenzie featuring Morehouse College Glee and Spivey Hall Children’s Choir. There are evening and matinee options to be purchased at aso.org.
Chabad Intown Celebrates Chanukah
Different menorah lights will be lit all across metro-Atlanta at the following times and locations: Virginia-Highland on Dec. 25 at 4:30 p.m.; Ponce City Market on Dec. 26 at 6 p.m.; Decatur on Dec. 29 at 4:30 p.m.; and Atlantic Station on Dec. 30 at 6 pm. RSVP is required but admission is free. Find out more at chabadintown.org.
Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden
Courtesy Chabad Intown
Courtesy Virginia-Highland Winterfest
