Williams-Sonoma Pulls Pressure Cookers From Shelves

Following last week's Boston Marathon bombings in which pressure cookers were used for the explosion, the cookware giant has decided to temporarily stop selling the items in its stores, including the Peachtree Corners store at The Forum.

Williams-Sonoma, the specialty retailer of home furnishings and gourmet cookware, has pulled pressure cookers from the shelves of its 250+ stores after the April 15th Boston Marathon bombing including its Peachtree Corners store at The Forum. The company has seven stores in the Atlanta metro area including two in Gwinnett County. Patch contacted the store manager, who identified herself as Kathy, at the Peachtree Corners location but she said she was not able to comment and referred Patch to Pat Connelly, executive vice president of marketing in the company's corporate headquarters in New York. However, two phone messages were left on Ms. Connelly's voice mail that have not been returned by our deadline for this story. Dedham Patch in …

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Rusty Taylor

4:29 pm on Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I knew it would be just a matter of time before something like this would happen. I thought that it would be some big retailer. I figured that the people at Williams-Sonoma would have better sense than this but I was wrong.   more ›

Caribou Coffee Announces It's Closing Its Doors

The popular Peachtree Corners coffee shop and meeting spot is going out of business. Its corporate owners have decided to pull the plug on the location at The Forum.

One of Peachtree Corners favorite hang-outs will soon be shuttered - Caribou Coffee is closing its doors for good on Sunday, April 14 -- employees at the cozy coffee shop will serve the last latte at noon that day. "We were notified last Friday (April 5), that our last day would be Sunday," said Fran Gunther, the store manager. "We were all totally surprised." She said the store employs five people, where they will go, she wasn't sure. Signs are posted on the front and back doors of the store alerting customers of the upcoming closure. Gunther said the reaction from customers has been a mixture of surprise and sadness with many left to wonder where they will go after Caribou Coffee closes. Sal Brownfield, who stops in regularly stepped up …

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Evening of Fun, Food and Laughter at WPC Gathering

Atlanta Bread Company's owners Ron and Marianne hosted the bi-monthly Women of Peachtree Corners get-together Wednesday evening.

When you get a group of women and pair them with wine and good food, there's bound to be interesting conversations peppered with plenty of laughter and Wednesday's gathering of the Women of Peachtree Corners was filled with both. The bi-monthly gathering of the newly formed group drew 45 women to enjoy a few hours of networking and socializing. Ron and Marianne Murray, owners of the Atlanta Bread Co. at The Forum were the hosts and WPC members Lorri Christopher and Amretta Regmi organized the event. The evening included an opportunity to taste four different wines - and to test our knowledge of wine terms. Are you familiar with such terms as "tannin, "punt" "legs" and "cork taint"? If not, you are not alone. The majority of us were stumped…

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Live, Work, Play Development Coming to Peachtree Corners

The new owner of the 20.6 undeveloped acres across from The Forum plans to develop the property into residential, retail, office space along with a hotel, amphitheater and green space.

At long last Peachtree Corners residents may be getting what many have longed for - a community gathering place they can call their own. The undeveloped acreage across from The Forum has a new owner whose vision goes well beyond the plans of its previous owner. Grandview Township, LLC, headed by Bob Cheeley, with Piedmont Bank, has purchased the tract of land from Lennar, a Miami, Fla.-based company that had just recently bought the 20.6 acres for $7.6 million with the intentions of building 250 garden apartments. Cheeley and his investment group, have a much different idea for this last undeveloped piece of Peachtree Corners real estate. Imagine a place that could become the center of activity for the new city with wide sidewalks, benches…

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Judy Putnam

8:20 am on Thursday, April 18, 2013

Randal, it was correct on March 8 when the story was published.   more ›

Mayor Announces New Developer Stepping In to Buy Roberts Property

In a sudden turn of events, the Peachtree Corners City Council said Wednesday night that a private developer had put a contract on the 20.6 acre tract of land across from The Forum.

In a surprise announcement at the Special Called City Council meeting Wednesday (Feb. 27) night, Mayor Mike Mason said that a new buyer had stepped in and put a contract on the tract of land across from the Forum. Peachtree Corners city leaders had decided earlier to purchase the 20.6-acre tract known as the Roberts Property to keep the property from being developed into a 250+ apartment complex. But with a contract from a private buyer now in place, that will no longer be necessary. The new developer's plans for the site is for a mixed-use development and will be in keeping with the architecture of The Forum across the street said Mayor Mike Mason. "We were surprised and pleased a market alternative presented itself," said Mason. "The …

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Planning Commission Approves Rezoning for Peachtee Parkway Project

Parcel of land located across from The Forum to be developed into office space, shops and restaurants.

On Tuesday night the developer of a track of land located across from The Forum moved a step closer in getting his plans approved to build on a 4.32-acre site. Bob Cheeley, the owner and developer of the property presented to the Planning Commission his plans for the property. Cheeley, who serves on the board of Piedmont Bank, purchased the land located on the corner of Peachtree Parkway and Medlock Bridge Road. Cheeley has proposed four separate buildings, a 14,000 square foot office building to be located behind the bank and fronting Medlock Bridge Road and three other buildings along Peachtree Parkway which would be a mixture of restaurant and retail space. A portion of the property, 2.937 acres is currently zoned for apartments and …

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Attempted Kidnapping at The Forum

Gwinnett Police are charging a 37-year-old man with attempted kidnapping in the Sunday incident at Barnes and Noble in Peachtree Corners.

On Sunday (June 17) afternoon a young Alpharetta woman shopping at the Barnes and Noble book store at The Forum was grabbed by a man who attempted to drag her from the store. According to a Gwinnett Police report, the unidentified 20-year-old woman was in the magazine section of the store around 5 p.m. when a man described as "middle eastern looking" grabbed her by the arm saying, "You're the one, come with me." The woman began yelling for help and witnesses intervened and pushed the suspect away. The man then left driving a silver BMW with an Indiana license plate. Two days later (Tuesday, June 19) the same suspect approached several women at Festivity, a store also located at The Forum, and "made explicit comments regarding having sexual…

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The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Peach

Peachtree Corners shoppers now have a Mac store right in their neighborhood.

There’s always a buzz when The Forum opens a new store. The latest doors are opening on a company that Inc. magazine lists as one of America’s 500 fastest growing companies. Apple lovers prepare ... not for the annual autumnal trek to the North Georgia mountains for winesaps and galas ... but for the grand opening of PeachMac. If you’re tired of scooting to the somewhat local malls to service your Apple computer products, the PeachMac location next to HomeGoods is going to make life more convenient. Founders Darryl and Anne Peck opened the first set of PeachMac doors in Athens, Ga in 2007. Darryl Peck comments that they saw a need for a retailer of Apple products and accessories. “PeachMac is an Apple Premier Specialist, which is the …

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Viewfinder: Your Community in Pictures

Catching Fish at The Forum

Weekend classes to learn how to fly fish were offered over the summer at the Peachtree Corners' Orvis store.

Fishing has been known to be relaxing, peaceful and even a form of meditation for some. Casting a line into the water and getting the first bite of the day can even be exhilirating. That is why employees at Orvis, an outdoor outfitter store inside The Forum, started offering classes to learn the art form that is fly fishing. Started by Tim Matthews this past May, introductory classes have run every weekend through the summer. Matthews and his staff are all avid anglers and have great tips to pass on to the small classes of between eight and 15 people. The class usually runs for a couple of hours depending on the size. Skills such as knot tying, casting and reeling are taught to those who want to learn. Classes for both beginners and the …

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New HomeGoods Store to Open June 26 at The Forum

The long-awaited Peachtree Corners store unlocks its doors at 8 a.m. on opening day.

The long anticipated HomeGoods store announced it will open its doors this coming Sunday, June 26. Special opening day hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Peachtree Corners shoppers have been waiting since spring when it was first rumored the home fashion store would be opening in the former Linens n' Things location at The Forum. A peak through the windows reveals employees busy stocking the shelves with merchandise. Approximately 60 employees are expected to work at the 25,000 square-foot facility. The new store is the company's 13th in the Atlanta metro area. HomeGoods carries furniture, rugs, lamps, kitchen and dining, bedding and bath, kids decor, toys, pet store as well as home decorations and other items for the home. "We are excited to…

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