Selasa, 22 Agustus 2017

BRIO Tuscan Grille to Bid "Ciao" to Dunwoody

BRIO Tuscan Grille plans to shutter its Dunwoody restaurant just a few short weeks after closing its Buckhead location.   Sources confirm to ToNeTo Atlanta that the Dunwoody restaurant, located on Ashford Parkway just off Ashford Dunwoody, is expected to close after dinner service on Sunday, September 17th. 
The approximately 6,500 square foot Dunwoody restaurant opened in 2002 and according to company documents, was the 24th unit in the company.  The now shuttered Buckhead location was the company's 15th, having opened in 2000.

Bravo Brio Resturant Group, the Columbus, OH-based owner of the BRIO Tuscan Grille and Bravo Cucina Italiana restaurant chains, confirmed in May that it planned to close "at least six restaurants this year."   The first three closures occurred earlier this spring in North Bethesda, MD (BRIO), San Antonio, TX (BRIO) and Willow Grove, PA (BRAVO!). The Buckhead restaurant on Peachtree Road closed Sunday August 6.  

While Brio was never a frequent dining destination for me, it seemed to do a rather good business.  Brio is located about a mile north of Perimeter Mall and close to a number of office buildings.  It has a nice patio overlooking the adjacent lake with outdoor games like bocce ball.  

The restaurant's website described Brio Perimeter Dunwoody:  

"At the Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody a tasty experience waits for you to discover our Italian grilled dishes, pasta, steak, seafood, Italian sweets and drinks, all the Italian your heart desires at Brio Tuscan Grille! Bringing the pleasures of the Italian country villa to Dunwoody, our chef-inspired Italian recipes are sure to tempt your palate. The best Italian restaurant near you!"

Brio is the second Perimeter area casual Italian restaurant to close in recent years, following the 2013 closure of Romano's Macaroni Grill in nearby Ashford Place shopping center.  

The areas other casual Italian chains, Olive Garden in Perimeter Village, Carrabba's Italian Grill in Perimeter Place and Maggiano's Little Italy at Perimeter Mall are all sure to benefit from Brio's closure.

Shortly after the Buckhead closure, Brio sent an email to customers informing them of the closure and letting them know that gift cards could be used at other Brio and Bravo restaurants.  In hindsight, the fact that the email did not include any verbiage "inviting you to our Perimeter restaurant" seemed to almost foreshadow its fate.  

While a number of casual dining chains have closed locations in Atlanta and around the country, most recently Joe's Crab Shack, the setting and location of Brio's Perimeter location should make it appealing to restaurateurs or chains. Brio sits beside McCormick & Schmick's and P.F. Chang's, overlooking a scenic lake.   

Are you surprised BRIO Tuscan Grille is closing their Dunwoody location?  What would you like to see open in place of BRIO Tuscan Grille?  Do you think there are simply too many restaurants being opened in metro Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below 
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