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The Mall of Stonecrest is Getting a Facelift

The Mal's New Anchor, Privรญ, Acquires $8.3 Million For A Food Hall and Tourism Attraction Addition

By Kodesha Blevins May 18, 2023

STONECREST, Ga. --The future of The Mall at Stonecrest just took a turn for the better. Developers of the east Atlanta shopping and entertainment complex recently announced the completion of Phase II renovations at Priví, a 143,000-square-foot lifestyle adaptive reuse of the former Sears department store. The $4.2 million investment adds several creative industry and wellness tenants, including Baldwin’s Literary Social Bookstore, Priví Art Gallery, The Exposure Hub co-working space, 101 TKO Radio, Priví Event Center, 3 Degrees Infrared Sauna Studio, Picasso’s Splat Room, The Lion’s Cage MMA & Fitness Gym, and Garden Life Juice Bar. The nine new tenants will join Phase I anchor SeaQuest on the mall’s lower level.

“Stonecrest Resorts’ experience and business plan provided us full confidence that this project would be a great success.”

 

“By carefully curating the tenant mix and shaping the built environment, we’re diversifying what The Mall at Stonecrest offers by providing in-town amenities within our suburban framework,” said Vaughn Irons, principal of Stonecrest Resorts, the developer of the project. “New and previous visitors will be pleasantly surprised by what they discover at Priví; we are adding components that will create an elevated experience for our guests and become a place people will visit several times a week for much more than just shopping.”

Starting the Next Phase: A Foodie Paradise and Cultural Tourism

Area residents and visitors alike will soon see new food and beverage options. Dallas-based Bay Mountain Capital recently provided an additional $8.3 million in financing that will continue the momentum of Priví, including building the new chef-driven food hall on the second level. “We’re excited to assist with financing the repositioning of a suburban mall into a lifestyle center,” said Rachel Jones, manager of commercial investments at Bay Mountain Capital. “Stonecrest Resorts’ experience and business plan provided us full confidence that this project would be a great success.”

Construction will begin on the interior portion of the 40,000-square-foot chef-driven food and beverage hall this quarter. It will include 13 unique concepts, such as Atlanta Breakfast Club, The Original Hot Dog Factory, Dope Coffee, a craft bar, golf simulator suites, a daiquiri bar, and a fine dining restaurant planned to open by spring 2024. “The goal is to offer a foodie paradise that will attract people eating on the go, family outings, meeting with friends, date nights for couples, or celebrating a special occasion,” said Osiris Ballard, co-owner of Good Food & Company, the hospitality group and curator of the food hall. Complementing the food hall will be a 10,000-square-foot history and cultural center designed to educate and stimulate visitors’ interest in African American 20th-century business, civic, creative, health, and athletic achievements.

By redeveloping the mall’s vacant spaces, Stonecrest Resorts has increased the area’s economic viability, leading to new business partnerships and investments within the city. “Stonecrest Resorts has lived up to the promise they made when they purchased the Sears building from the Urban Redevelopment Authority,” said Mayor of Stonecrest, Jazzmin Cobble, “SeaQuest has been great, and now Priví gives us continued momentum as the Council and I establish the City of Stonecrest for a dynamic economic future.”

To celebrate the Phase II Launch of the new tenants on the mall’s lower level, Priví is hosting a variety of community events, a 50 Years of Hip-Hop Day Party and Brunch, hosted by Hip-Hop legend, Chubb Rock on Saturday, May 20th from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. “I’m excited for what's to come and to see how Priví is responding to the desires of our community,” said Patricia Edge, general manager of The Mall at Stonecrest, “The project has already generated an uptick in mall traffic thanks to SeaQuest, and these new additions will further enhance the existing offerings for Stonecrest and the East Metro area.”

For more information or questions, visit PriviStonecrest.com or contact Kodisha Bivins, Managing Director of Marketing and Communications, at kbivins@apdsolutions.com.