Target is looking at opening a “city format” store on the ground-level of a yet-to-be-announced student housing high-rise that is planned as part of Underground Atlanta’s redevelopment, a source with first-hand knowledge of the plans told What Now Atlanta (WNA.) Shaneel Lalani, CEO of Billionaires Funding Group (BFG) and Lucky Fortune — the recently-announced new owner of the downtown center — confirmed the retailer’s interest in Underground. “We are talking with several tenants, including Target, about leasing opportunities and will keep you posted on our plans,” Lalani said in a prepared statement Wednesday.
Target would not comment on the plans when reached by WNA. “We are continually evaluating potential store locations to serve new guests, but I don’t have any new-store news to share at this time,” a spokesperson said in an email, referring the publication to a “coming soon” page of new stores. As of this writing, the page lists only one store as coming soon to Georgia, and it’s in Athens.
Discount grocer Lidl is also said to be in discussions for a possible Underground Atlanta location, talking with developers about taking residence in a market-rate housing project due at a later phase of development. Shortly before it acquired Underground Atlanta in 2016, former Owner WRS. Inc. told the Atlanta Business Chronicle (ABC) it had secured a “commitment from a grocery chain to help anchor Underground Atlanta.” The ABC speculated that it could be one of Wal-Mart’s “Neighborhood Market” stores or a “City Target.” Lidl has been aggressively adding stores in recent years, having opened its newest Atlanta-area location in August, it’s ninth in the market.
I don’t think it will happen, but keeping my fingers crossed.
Whoever want to give downtown a grocery store im all for
I wish we had more urban-sized national chains in our neighborhoods.