Ribbon-cuttings around downtown Atlanta aren’t exclusive to places like Centennial Yards and South Downtown these days. 

More than a dozen retail openings have occurred or are in the pipeline now between Sweet Auburn, Castleberry Hill, and blocks around Centennial Olympic Park as part of a program meant to foster small businesses, officials say. 

They include tea rooms, desserts shops, tour operators, bakers, and a local arts hub beside the former CNN Center, among other endeavors.

The Downtown Pop-Up Opportunity Fund—a partnership between Downtown Atlanta, Inc. and Invest Atlanta, along with Showcase Atlanta—has helped make the wave of new business openings feasible. 

The timing is meant to coincide with 2026 FIFA World Cup festivities and turn formerly empty downtown spaces into food, retail, and tourist destinations.

According to Dr. Eloisa Klementich, Invest Atlanta president and CEO, more than $1.5 million was invested (a tally that included Tax Allocation District funding) into physical buildouts to ensure the vacant retail spaces were tenant-ready this month.

“TAD dollars are going into structural improvements, with grantees signing real leases and several holding extension options,” a rep wrote to Urbanize Atlanta via email. “This is retail momentum downtown, not a tournament stunt.” 

A bakery and apothecary are bound for this stretch of Auburn Avenue, according to Downtown Pop-Up Opportunity Fund officials. Google Maps

“The World Cup gave us a deadline, but the goal was always a more vibrant downtown where people live, shop, and gather long after the final match,” added Jennifer Ball, COO of Downtown Atlanta, Inc., in a statement. “Every one of these storefronts is a local entrepreneur betting on the core of this city, and we're betting on them right back.”

Openings through June are scheduled to include the following, as outlined by program officials today: 

  • Sweet Me Good: handcrafted pastries, 321 Edgewood Ave. NE 
  • At Ease ATL: wellness apothecary and herbal goods, 348 Auburn Ave. NE
  • Hell Yeah! Gluten Free: gluten-free bakery and coffee, 145 Auburn Ave. NE
  • Civil Bikes: bike and walking tours of Sweet Auburn’s history and culture, 460 Edgewood Ave. SE
  • Amazing Atlanta Tours: a collective of the city’s top tour operators, 93 Broad St. SW
  • Urban Tea Party: immersive cultural tea experiences, 75 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE 
  • CheRene Macarons: French macarons with Southern flavors, 75 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE 
  • Dough in the Box: family-owned neighborhood donut shop, 239 Mitchell St. SW
  • Kicks Sweet Treats: artisan gelato, smoothies, acai bowls near top attractions, 107 Luckie St. NW, Suite B 
  • Unexpected Atlanta: award-winning food crawls, history tours, cooking classes,121 Luckie St. NW 
  • The Juicy Truth: wellness-focused juices, Koncept House, 141 Mangum St. SW, Suite 151A
  • Art in the Paint: retail-driven cultural hub showcasing Atlanta artists, brands and community, The CTR, 190 Marietta St. NW, Suite 221

A fresh donut concept between Hotel Row and Centennial Yards. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

…

The following businesses have already opened, as part of a companion effort called Downtown Biz-Labs:

  • Be Kind ATL: curated gift shop celebrating local makers, 201 Peachtree St. NE
  • Swiftly Vintage: curated vintage fashion and decor, 241 Mitchell St. SW 

According to officials, the Downtown Pop-Up Opportunity Fund was conceived by Invest Atlanta. Funding was sourced from the Eastside and Westside Tax Allocation Districts in an effort to “grant eligible landlords and businesses in downtown financial support for targeted physical improvements to tenant spaces with potential for near-term occupancy.” 

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