If you’ve been to or near the Forum in the past few months, you’ve probably noticed cranes and construction crews. The anticipation of the first phase of renovation of the 22-year-old retail center has left a lot of Peachtree Corners residents as well as nearby patrons excited to see changes.
The Forum administration invited the media for a hard hat tour on July 17. The event showcased the redevelopment progress ahead of The Plaza’s grand opening on Aug. 8.
Photos by Sophie Gruber, Courtesy of The Forum
Scrumptious bites incoming
Executives from the development and leasing teams joined on-site management and led attendees around the new central gathering space, guest amenities and Politan Row, the newly created 10,000-square-foot food hall.
Dining concepts from veterans at Sheesh, Twenty-Six Thai and newbie Gekko Kitchen were the first food vendors announced for the space, which is expected to open in January.
“We can’t wait to introduce the Peachtree Corners community to our food hall experience,” said Politan Group CEO Will Donaldson in a news release. “Every detail from the design to the bar program to the cuisine is thoughtfully curated to inspire guests to not only mingle with one another but to connect with our incredible restaurateurs and discover new favorites.”
During the tour, Donaldson explained that eventually there will be seven different global cuisines in the Politan Row food court at the Forum featuring well-known and up-and-coming local talent. Once complete there will be a central bar, a private event venue and a covered outdoor patio.
“One of the things that we’re excited about is this unique design that we’ve come up with, that’s very specific to this area,” he said. “We’ll be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Whether you’re with a group for lunch or with your family, it works great for multiple settings.”
Twenty-six Thai owner NikiPattharakositkul said the restaurant will work with local vendors to source the freshest meats and produce possible.
Photos by Rico Figliolini
“There are certain types of produce and protein we try to source locally, but sauces and the more exotic produce and herbs, we have to import from Thailand,” she said. “Our brand is trying to move towards doing things locally and sustainably.”
Working with organizations such as Georgia Grown limits the use of large food distribution companies. Since starting Twenty-six Thai in 2016, Pattharakositkul has launched seven locations across metro Atlanta, including at Politan Row’s Ashford Lane and Colony Square.
The eatery describes itself as an “authentic wok-fired Southeast Asia-inspired menu featuring items such as pad Thai, pad see ewe and classic drunken noodles.”
Sheesh, a Mediterranean concept that uses simple, wholesome ingredients prepared with unique spices and blends, is run by corporate executive chef Charlie Sunyapong and director of operations Raquel Stalcup. The two are also members of the group behind full-service restaurants Stäge at Town Center and Pêche at the Forum.
Photos by Rico Figliolini
The popularity of those suburban concepts has already taken off. With Sheesh, they’re looking to do something different.
“There are going to be some things that are unique to Sheesh that you’re not going to get at the other places,” said Sunyapong. “You’re not getting a whole restaurant; this is quicker fare.”
Gekko Kitchen, a former food truck transformed into a hibachi and ramen experience, will be serving fresh, fast bowls that are more colorful and lighter than traditional hibachi fare.
Photos by Rico Figliolini
Gathering spots
Development Manager Nick Lombardo explained that NAP is moving away from building big construction projects from scratch like Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta and Avalon in Alpharetta.
“As a company, North American Properties pivoted around 2020 from building big ground-up construction to more redevelopment with already existing properties,” he said. “With the thought of great assets that just need a little more attention Infused into them to create value, we bought the Forum in 2022.”
He said that value-add propositions done at The Forum will create a more walkable center.
Photos by Sophie Gruber, Courtesy of The Forum
“Trying to compete with the internet on convenience is a very tough task, so the way we differentiate is by experiences,” he said. “We host between 150 to 200 events every year. We have things like concerts, wellness and fitness events and we have child playtime events. Our marketing team does a great job and they’re the differentiator when it comes to what makes our property stand out.”
By the first week of August, a large gathering space will be unveiled in the central area of the property between Pottery Barn and seafood restaurant Pêche. It will have a nine-foot LED screen capable of hosting movie nights and sports viewing. There will also be musical performances featuring local artists.
“We’re not in competition with Town Center,” said Charlotte Hinton, marketing manager at The Forum. “Town Center has gates like a real music festival and we’re more like a ‘chill and enjoy the music’ vibe where you can grab a beer and hang out or maybe kind of walk around.”
Photos by Sophie Gruber, Courtesy of The ForumPhotos by Rico Figliolini
The smaller space and artificial turf are unlike the Town Center space where attendees spread blankets and bring chairs. The Forum will have furniture and seating in the space so folks can just gather and either enjoy time with family or partake in events.
The Forum will also offer valet parking on a limited schedule at that end of the property.
More improvements
Although the construction equipment will have moved out, the jewel box building will house a yet-to-be-named restaurant that will open early next year.
“We’re pretty much done with what we’re doing as far as landlord work,” said Lombardo. “We ask our tenants to bring their brand and their design and their material pallet and put that on the building to express their brand identity. They know their brand better than we do. They know how to best design their building and how it functions and works.”
It’s the same process with retail stores, he added.
Photos by Rico Figliolini
“We always ask all of our new tenants to come in here when they’re building their storefront,” he said. “They’re not just selling their clothes; they’re selling a lifestyle in the brand so we ask them to push their brand out to the street.”
Even with the new spaces, there will be no shortage of parking, Lombardo added. “There’s plenty of parking behind these buildings,” he said pointing toward Pêche. “What we’ve done is enhance the connectivity to those areas. We’ve redone this breezeway and we’re adding lighting and connecting the parking lot to the main boulevard here. The goal is to replace cars with people and activity and bring a sense of community to the property.”
Arlinda Smith Broady is part of the Boomerang Generation of Blacks that moved back to the South after their ancestors moved North. With approximately three decades of journalism experience (she doesn't look it), she's worked in tiny, minority-based newsrooms to major metropolitans. At every endeavor she brings professionalism, passion, pluck, and the desire to spread the news to the people.
Leroy Hite, founder of Cutting Edge Firewood, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Berry College in August
Berry College recently awarded its annual Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit to Leroy Hite, founder of Cutting Edge Firewood (and Berry College graduate, class of 2008). The annual award recognizes and honors alumni who have demonstrated a range of positive entrepreneurial skills — including a commitment to turning a dream into a reality, the vision to create an enterprise, the courage to assume risks and the ability to make changes and take advantage of new opportunities.
“This award holds a special place in my heart, maybe more than any other I’ve ever received,” said Hite. “Being recognized by my alma mater is incredibly meaningful to me. My entrepreneurial journey began at Berry College. It’s where that initial spark was ignited, and honestly, I’m not sure I’d be where I am today without it. Berry nurtured my curiosity, drive and resilience — the key ingredients to entrepreneurship.”
Innovative entrepreneurship
Berry College professor and leader of the school’s Entrepreneurship Program, Dr. Paula Englis, said that Hite took every class she offered. And when those ran out, he did directed studies with her.
photo courtesy of The PR Studio and Cooper & Co. Photography
Hite was nominated by Berry alumni Alison Ritter, class of 1994. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also supported Hite’s nomination.
“As a small business owner myself, I have strong appreciation for and recognize the perseverance it takes to build a business from the ground up,” said Kemp. “Leroy’s innovative approach to the firewood industry, focusing on product quality and customer service, mirrors the entrepreneurial spirit that has long driven Georgia’s economic success.”
Photo courtesy of The PR Studio and Cooper & Co. Photography
The company
When Hite founded Cutting Edge Firewood in 2013, he created the world’s first luxury firewood and cooking wood company. He reinvented everything about the firewood industry, from how firewood is dried and stored to how it’s packaged, shipped and delivered. When the company began, it was just Leroy with a one truck and a trailer. Now Cutting Edge Firewood employs 40, stocks enough inventory to fill its 40,000-square-foot Peachtree Corners warehouse and ships wood to all 50 states.
The wide variety of wood from Cutting Edge undergoes a special drying process to ensure that it’s free from unwanted pests, mold or fungus and provides an unmatched clean and bright burn with pleasant aroma. Their focus on process and the use of hardwoods such as oak, hickory, cherry, apple, pecan and maple ensures their customers receive the highest quality firewood, cooking wood and pizza wood possible.
Cornerstone Christian Academy was recently awarded a Top Workplaces 2024 honor by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Recipients of this annual award are chosen solely from employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures multiple culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution and connection.
In addition to their place on the 2024 list, Cornerstone was also ranked number one among small businesses and won a special award for company “Communication.”
“We were extremely humbled to hear that we were not only named on the list, but ranked first among small companies,” shared Colin Creel, headmaster at Cornerstone. “I am very thankful our staff has received this public validation of the amazing work that occurs here at Cornerstone. Our staff deserves all of the accolades they are receiving; Cornerstone is a very special place because of them.”
2024 marks the 14th year the AJC has recognized metro Atlanta businesses with the Top Workplaces award. And it’s the third time that Cornerstone has been named to the top spot in their category. This year’s recipients were selected from over 9,000 nominated companies and honored at an awards ceremony held at the Georgia Aquarium on August 14.
The Gwinnett County Public Library, through its foundation, awarded a total of $3,000 to two recent graduates of the New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator program.
The New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator (NSEI) provides business education for formerly incarcerated individuals through in-person classes, online coursework and a robust network of mentors and community partners. NSEI is specifically geared towards the reentry population, which, in Georgia, is disproportionately minority populations and people of color.
The program’s culmination occurs at Launchpad, an event where the budding entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to community business leaders. They are judged on several criteria, and the strongest pitches win.
Award Recipients
Johanna Ortiz, CEO and founder of America’s Choice Roofing was awarded the $2,000 Outstanding Business Pitch, First Place honor.
After working for a roofing company and becoming the top sales rep within a year, Johanna started noticing things she thought should be done differently. With a small amount of funding and a big passion, she started America’s Choice Roofing in December of 2023.
Johanna says her inspiration is her mother, who brought them to the United States when Johanna was very young. They arrived with nothing more than a suitcase and a blanket, but her mother worked incredibly hard to make sure they never went to bed hungry. Johanna says the best lesson her mother taught her is that if you put in the effort, nothing is impossible.
Juliette Sims-Owens, founder of CleverGirl Virtual Assistant Service was awarded the $1,000 Outstanding Business Pitch, Second Place honor.
Juliette worked in administrative support for more than 25 years, before deciding to start her own company. With a passion for organization and efficiency, she helps businesses streamline their operations and achieve their goals. CleverGirl Virtual Assistant Service offers project-based work solutions tailored to the unique needs of the gig economy.
As the demand for freelance and subcontract work continues to grow, so does the need for support for those providing it. CleverGirl provides scheduling and calendar management, precise data entry, transcription, crafted communication, website content oversight and email handling.