Medley Opens With Familiar North Fulton Names, and the Newcomers Come Later
About a month before Medley's opening, Johns Creek resident Sandra Hardy told Appen Media that she had been waiting for it. For years, she said, she had often driven to Alpharetta, Buckhead and other Atlanta communities to eat out and shop.
Look at what is set to open at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road on Thursday, Oct. 29, and a pattern shows up. Many of those Alpharetta and Milton trips now come to Johns Creek. Rena's, Lily Sushi Bar, The Nest Cafe, Knuckies and Playa Bowls each already run a North Fulton location. Of the restaurants with a set opening date, STIR is the only one that is new to Georgia. The names that are newer to the suburbs, or that Johns Creek has had to drive inside the Perimeter for, are scheduled for the weeks that follow.
That changes how to think about a first visit. Thursday brings familiar places closer to home. The new arrivals open over the rest of the fall.
The public ribbon cutting is set for 10 a.m. Thursday in The Plaza. It is free, and businesses open their doors after the ceremony. These are the food and drink tenants expected this week, along with where each already operates:
| Business | Expected opening | Where it already operates |
|---|---|---|
| STIR | Thu., Oct. 29, 10 a.m. | Chattanooga, Knoxville, Charlotte, Raleigh; Medley is its first Georgia location |
| Rena's Italian Fishery & Grill | Thu., Oct. 29 | Downtown Alpharetta |
| Lily Sushi Bar | Thu., Oct. 29 | Alpharetta and Milton |
| The Nest Cafe | Thu., Oct. 29 | Downtown Alpharetta and downtown Milton |
| Knuckies Eatery | Thu., Oct. 29 | Crabapple Road in Milton and Windward Parkway |
| Playa Bowls | Thu., Oct. 29 | Halcyon in Alpharetta, Crabapple in Milton, plus Buckhead, East Cobb and the Beltline |
| Summit Coffee | Thu., Oct. 29 | Roswell, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and Emory Village |
| Cookie Fix | Thu., Oct. 29 | The Forum in Peachtree Corners |
| Five Daughters Bakery | Thu., Oct. 29 | Westside Provisions and Ponce City Market |
| Shake Shack | Fri., Oct. 30, 10 a.m. | Buckhead, among others; Medley is its 11th Georgia location |
Several places on the list are also changing what they serve. According to North Atlanta Star, Knuckies is adding chef-developed dishes, house-made sauces and rotating brunch items to its usual hoagies and cheesesteaks, along with "dirty sodas" made with flavored syrups and cream. Summit Coffee's Medley shop will serve wine and beer alongside its coffee and pastries. Amorino Gelato also opens this week, serving gelato shaped into a flower on the cone.
STIR is the opening-day restaurant you could not have tried anywhere in the state before this week. North Atlanta Star reports that it faces The Plaza and has an oyster and cold bar, with lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Its cocktail ice is cut from 300-pound blocks, and it makes its own tonic syrups. Next door, Tonic House is a separate lounge with its own bar and patio over The Plaza. It is a place to stop for a drink without booking a table in the main dining room.
STIR and Tonic House are both set to open to the public at 10 a.m. Thursday, according to The Johns Creek Magazine, which also reports that valet will be available for restaurant guests. For everyone else, the Johns Creek visitors bureau lists on-site parking decks, and Medley's own FAQ also mentions surface lots.
The retail side of the opening follows the same pattern as the restaurants. Moop's Boutique is opening a second store of about 990 square feet after nearly two decades in downtown Alpharetta, carrying European-inspired clothing and accessories. Kontour Medical Spa, founded by physician assistant Karishma Lakhani, is expanding from Duluth. High Country Outfitters brings Atlanta roots that go back to 1975.
Hollow Oak is the most local of them all. Johns Creek native Katie Bossie is opening her first shop in her hometown, with books, stationery, art and home goods, along with classes and community events.
The rest of the opening-week list is mostly appointment businesses:
Trader Joe's is on every lineup but is not new this week. It opened June 11.
Toro Development Company's Sept. 29 announcement put 26 Thai Kitchen, CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro, Minnie Olivia Pizzeria and Shake Shack in the group opening Oct. 29. North Atlanta Star's lineup, with opening information checked Oct. 24, now has a later schedule:
The same lineup says opening dates and hours will keep changing as the district fills in, and the visitors bureau suggests checking each business's hours before you go.
The later list holds most of the restaurants Johns Creek has had to drive inside the Perimeter for. Toro's announcement lists them as coming "in the coming months" and gives no individual dates.
The restaurant furthest out is Chops Lobster Bar. Rough Draft Atlanta reports that it will anchor a 150-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel planned for 2028, part of Medley's second phase, called Encore.
The opening events follow the same gradual schedule as the tenants. Medley Unveiled, the ticketed Wednesday-night preview benefiting the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, was listed as sold out at $175 a ticket. The free events are still ahead:
Toro says Medley plans about 100 events a year. Murals, sculptures and installations by Atlanta artist Greg Mike and artists from ABV Agency & Gallery are planned across the property, with live art and finishing touches set for opening day. If Thursday mostly means your Alpharetta sushi or Milton sandwich spot is now closer to home, Friday's costume night and the rink opening Nov. 23 give you more reasons to come back while 26 Thai, Tabla and Fadó open.
A new district on the scale of Medley changes how people talk about the part of Johns Creek around it. If you own a home near Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road and want to know where your home stands as the district opens, Julia Sosa-Rocha and our team can help, in English or Russian. Request Your Free Home Valuation.
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