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DeKalb County Business Coverage

Decatur’s Terrific Thursdays are back with 28 businesses participating

In a tradition that’s now more than a decade old, the city of Decatur is making a special effort to encourage area residents to keep their holiday shopping dollars in the community. Terrific Thursdays in November and December are designed to make s...

Developers unveil plans for North Decatur Walmart

Medlock area residents are able to see plans for a proposed Walmart in Suburban Plaza on Medlock Road. This is the second Walmart announced in recent months for DeKalb County. Photos by Andrew Cauthen
Nearly 200 residents were on hand Nov. 2 to hear plans for a proposed Walmart planned for the Surburban Plaza on North Decatur Road. Glenn Wilkins, a senior manager of public affairs and governmental relations for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. presented conc...

DeKalb has new economic development team leader

Charles Whatley, the county’s new economic developer with 20 years of experience, says DeKalb’s business-friendly environment makes it attractive to investors. Photo by Andrew Cauthen
DeKalb’s new director of economic development likens his job to that of a coach. “You’re not on the field most of time,” said Charles Whatley, who took over the position on Oct. 3. “You’ve got to have a strong team, and we do have a stron...

State shuts down Decatur First Bank

Decatur First Bank Group Inc. announced Oct. 21 that the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance closed its subsidiary bank, Decatur First Bank, including the bank’s divisions — Lake Oconee Community Bank and Bank of Morgan County — and appoi...

Second Walmart planned for Memorial Drive

An old car dealership near the corner of Memorial Drive and North Hairston Road is the proposed site of a second Walmart store on Memorial Drive. The store, which will be 29,000 square feet smaller than the Decatur Walmart, is expected to open in 2013. Photo by Andrew Cauthen
A defunct Subaru car dealership near the corner of Memorial Drive and Hairston Road is the proposed site of a new Walmart in DeKalb County. With a 2013 projected opening, plans call for the 148,000-square-foot store to have a grocery department, phar...

Couple stop on DeKalb thoroughfare on quest for fuel efficiency record

John and Helen Taylor check their vehicle before continuing their cross-country journey after filling up at a Shell station on Candler Road.
British couple John and Helen Taylor already hold 88 world records, including 38 for fuel efficiency. Their quest for another one—for fuel efficiency driving across the 48 contiguous United States—brought them to a Shell station on Candler Road e...

Publix still weighing whether to continue curbside service

Busy families in some areas of DeKalb County have the opportunity to scratch one item off their to-do lists—walking around the grocery store to select items for the week’s meals. Nationwide, Publix has three grocery stores that allow customers to...

A little bit of Texas comes to Decatur

  The stories behind Big Tex Cantina restaurant, which opened Memorial Day weekend in downtown Decatur, are as inviting as the menu of “Texican” comfort food. Jonathan and Justin Fox, best known locally for Fox Brothers Bar-B-Q, are accidental r...

It’s a party in the parking lot, as new Chick-fil-A opens in Northlake

Some waiting in the parking lot divide into teams for contests directed by Chick-fil-A staff members. Photos by Kathy Mitchell
  Neither crowds, nor heat, nor dark of night could deter hundreds of eager would-be Chick-fil-A customers waiting in the parking lot for the opening the restaurant’s newest metro Atlanta location in the Northlake area. The Chick-fil-A on Lavista ...

DeKalb Medical celebrates 50 years

DeKalb General Hospital, now DeKalb Medical, opened its doors at 9 a.m. on May 1, 1961. That afternoon hospital staff delivered the hospital’s first baby, the daughter of a Chamblee High School coach. Fifty years and a day later, a group of employe...

Mountain Industrial businesses seek upgrades

Artist rendering
A group of businesses in the Stone Mountain Industrial Park area want to tax themselves and use the funds to spur local economic development. On April 26, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved a community improvement district (CID) consis...

Two Avondale favorites come back with a bang

At left, Kelly Lynch, manager and lead pastry chef at Sweet-N-Sinful, prepares for the bakery’s reopening at its new location on Pine Street. At right, Our Way owner Eva Roswall reviews photos taken shortly after the 2010 fire that forced the popular restaurant to close for more than a year. It reopened April 4. Photos by Kathy Mitchell
Folks who’re in Avondale Estates when hunger strikes will be glad to know that two old favorite restaurants—Sweet-N-Sinful and Our Way Café—are reopening and taking their eateries to another level.   Sweet-N-Sinful  The Sweet-N-Sinful bakery...

New Decatur business expected to create 150 jobs

The creation of 150 jobs over a three-year period is expected when a digital entertainment company relocates its North America headquarters from Gwinnett County to downtown Decatur this summer. Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd announced Feb. 24 that CCP Game...

There’s no magic lamp, but this genie helps make artistic wishes come true

Elisha Fields, left, in top photos demonstrates the technique for constructing the Sketch Genie and shows how a grid is used to make a larger rendering of a drawing or photo. Photos by Kathy Mitchell
Elisha Fields said she had lots of different jobs over the years, but few of them really suited her. “I like the idea of being my own boss,” she said. Over the years Fields flirted with art, but did not pursue it seriously until she moved to the ...

Powered by the sun: East Decatur Station takes another step toward sustainability

Jack Honderd calls East Decatur Station an earth-friendly development in an earth-friendly city. Honderd and his partners showed their commitment to that mantra with the powering up recently of one of the largest commercial rooftop solar arrays in me...

Dunwoody to regulate massage businesses

Last month, Doraville passed a new ordinance regulating massage establishments within its borders, and now it’s Dunwoody’s turn. Dunwoody’s City Council is not trying to limit the number of such businesses. It just wants to put rules into place...

New store in Avondale Estates gives second chance to merchandise and pets

Wife and husband owners Tanya Mahrous and Toby Tobias say their rescued Dalmatian Lucky was the inspiration for starting their business. Photo by Kathy Mitchell
When Tanya Mahrous accepted a buyout package from her corporate job she knew exactly what she wanted her next move to be. She wanted to start a business that combined a favorite pastime—bargain hunting—and a passion—helping homeless pets. She r...

Georgia’s first all-craft-beer store highlights small breweries

Co-owner Eddie Holley checks out a customer at Ale Yeah! Photos by Ginger Kaderabek
by Ginger Kaderabek A love of craft beer inspired friends to open Georgia’s first all-craft-beer store in Decatur. “We’re beer lovers. We’re excited by today’s beer renaissance and wanted to make a go in the all-craft business,” said co-o...

Year in Review: 2010 Top DeKalb news stories

Eddie Long
New Birth pastor faces sexual coercion allegations   Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia in early November denied allegations that he coerced former members of the church into sexual relationships. Anthony Flagg, Jam...

Dunwoody celebrates new businesses

Ribbons were slashed all over town as the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce helped to celebrate grand openings and milestones among Dunwoody businesses.  “The city of Dunwoody is excited to welcome these new businesses. Entrepreneurs play an important ...

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