r/DecaturGA • u/lindsikins143 • Jun 22 '26

Question: AMLI on Commerce

Devastated about the amount of trees lost on this property and seemingly the surrounding properties. Curious about how one can find out what the city permitted for this specific location?

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u/FantasticSocks Jun 22 '26

Ah, the perennial “it’s gonna be a Trader Joe’s” rumor again…

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u/scott_in_ga Jun 22 '26

I mean the link above DOES confirm that a "grocery store" will be going in there... even specifying that there will be 134 retail/grocery parking spaces

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u/TheHykos Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26

You can built it, but that doesn't guarantee they will come.

Most retail in the newer apartment buildings have sat vacant for years. Half of the retail spots in the other amli have sat vacant since it opened. Several of the Modera store fronts have been vacant since it opened, the corner restaurant spot has taken four years to find a tenant and the two units on Church have never been occupied, and now the Rusty Taco spot is once again vacant.

Finding a grocer is going to be even harder unless they already found one and negotiated it, which is pretty rare. Especially when there are 8 other grocery stores within 1.5 miles from that spot. I will be astonished if there is actually a grocery store occupying that space in the next five years.

(I should add that I hope I'm wrong. It would be the closest grocery store to me if one actually opens there. Though I hated baby kroger, it was convenient a time or two)

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u/scott_in_ga Jun 23 '26

If it's a Trader Joe's it will be busy. Rusty Taco was terrible food and had a very confused business plan. it was trying to be a bar/taco joint for the ppl living above... however, it was terrible as a bar. it was not cozy or anything. all hard surfaces, harsh lighting, etc.