Our News
October 27, 2022
Lee + White Expands Food Hall Lineup with Costa Coffee and Three New Eateries
Owners Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners add U.K.-based Costa Coffee, Cielito Lindo taqueria, Crème de la Crepe and Sweet Red Peach bakery
ATLANTA, October 27, 2022 – Further strengthening the food hall lineup at the Lee + White mixed-use destination in Atlanta’s West End, owners Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners announce the addition of Costa Coffee and eateries Cielito Lindo taqueria, Crème de la Crepe and Sweet Red Peach bakery.
Known as the U.K.’s favorite coffee shop, Costa Coffee will open in a prominent 1,647-square-foot space in the food hall at the entrance facing White Street. Founded in London in 1971, Costa has nearly 4,000 stores globally, including about 2,500 outlets in the United Kingdom. Costa Coffee will open a full-service café at Lee + White, offering signature coffee blends, barista-crafted beverages, fresh bakery on site and chef-driven made-to-order breakfast and lunch options. Choosing Atlanta for the launch of its U.S. expansion, Costa opened its first café in August at the CODA mixed-use development at Tech Square and a second Atlanta location at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School earlier this month. Costa is famous for its Signature Roast and Flat White, now paired with fresh bakery and chef-driven food, along with seasonal barista favorites. Expect a new store experience, celebrating Costa heritage and building the brand together with guests, local creators and entrepreneurs.
Sweet Red Peach, a family-owned bakery based in Inglewood, Calif., is opening its first East Coast U.S. location at Lee + White. The bakery is known for its mouth-watering peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, cupcakes and banana pudding and an array of cakes including German chocolate, carrot cake, red velvet and coconut-pineapple.
Bringing two concepts to the food hall, the expanding family-owned business that launched Crème de la Crepe at Marietta Square Market is opening its second Crème de la Crepe at Lee + White along with Cielito Lindo, specializing in Mexican street food. Crème de la Crepe will feature breakfast, savory and dessert crepes, with varieties including Philly cheese steak, pizza and veggie lovers crepes, and dessert crepes such as French Riviera with cinnamon apples, walnuts and caramel. Cielito Lindo will serve authentic Mexican street food, and feature tacos, tostadas, flautas and quesadillas with fillings including pollo asado, carne asada, al pastor pork, barbacoa beef and nopal (grilled cactus), and churros and Mexican rice pudding for dessert.
“The Lee + White food hall will offer a snapshot of the culinary scene in Atlanta with several local concepts, plus notable global ones,” said Jeff Small, CEO of MDH Partners. “We envision colleagues, friends and families gathering together at Lee + White over an assortment of options, whether it’s coffee, baked goods or even some margaritas.”
Kelly Wilson, Senior Vice President of Ackerman Retail, completed the leases on behalf of ownership.
“We’re thrilled to bring Costa Coffee and these new eateries to the food hall at Lee + White. We viewed a coffee shop as an essential part of the lineup in the food hall, and Costa Coffee is envisioning this as an important location in the U.S. for their growing brand,” Kelly Wilson said. “This is also a milestone for Sweet Red Peach, opening its first Georgia location here at Lee + White, giving visitors an array of delicious baked goods to choose from, and we’re excited to add a second location of Crème de la Crepe and offer authentic Mexican street food with Cielito Lindo.”
Added Leo Wiener, President of Ackerman Retail, “As the construction of the food hall nears completion, our vision of creating a diverse and unique mix of offerings is taking shape. These food hall additions will contribute to the vibrancy of Lee + White from morning through evening and enhance the amenities for our office and retail tenants. The food hall offerings combined with the growing roster of retailers, service providers and businesses continues the evolution of Lee + White into a bustling hub of the West End community.”
Slated to open in early 2023, the food hall will feature 19 vendors, including a central bar, and will offer BeltLine frontage and direct connectivity to the project’s Central Lawn, a public gathering and event space. Additional tenants lined up to date include Gekko Hibachi & Sushi, Honeysuckle Gelato, Lake & Oak BBQ, Mochinut, The Original Hot Dog Factory and Pastaholics.
Acquired by MDH Partners and Ackerman & Co. in September 2019, the 442,562-square foot adaptive reuse Lee + White development is a popular destination for breweries, restaurants and retailers. In addition to the food hall, the latest phase of redevelopment continues the transformation of Lee + White into a business hub as the owners refurbish more than 120,000 square feet of warehouse space into creative offices. A major addition to the office lineup at Lee + White is nanotechnology innovator Carbice, which has established a 23,367-square-foot headquarters and production facility in Building 1050.
Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners are also integrating a container village at the property providing an affordable opportunity for startups and small businesses seeking brick-and-mortar space to sell their products. Five businesses are scheduled to open their retail spaces in the brightly painted shipping containers this November.
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About Lee + White
Reimagining the West End’s former “Warehouse Row,” Lee + White is Atlanta’s next trendsetting adaptive re-use project. Already a go-to destination for foodies and beer lovers, Lee + White’s next phase of development is bringing creative offices, a food hall, retail, and expanded BeltLine access. This transformation continues in a spirit that recognizes the West End’s rich history. The growing tenant roster at Lee + White includes ASW Exchange, Best End Brewing, Boxcar, Carbice, Cultured South, Doux South Pickles, Honeysuckle Gelato (production), Hop City, Lake & Oak Restaurant, Mac Stadium, Monday Night Garage, The Overlook Boulder + Fitness, Plywood People, Southeastern Management, Westside Dental and Wild Heaven Beer.
The roster at the Lee + White food hall, opening in early 2023, showcases a mix of local favorites and regional and national concepts. Eateries to date include Cielito Lindo, Costa Coffee, Crème de la Crepe, Honeysuckle Gelato, Gekko Hibachi & Sushi, Lake & Oak BBQ, Mochinut, The Original Hot Dog Factory and Pastaholics. For more information, visit www.leeandwhiteatl.com
About MDH Partners
MDH Partners is an Atlanta-based real estate investment company managing its discretionary funds targeting industrial real estate across the United States on behalf of its institutional investors. Founded in 2005 as the successor to a fifty-year-old local real estate development company, MDH Partners has led and/or participated in over $6 billion (80 million square feet) of acquisitions, developments, and asset management as an advisor and investor. For more information, visit www.mdhpartners.com.
About Ackerman & Co.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Ackerman & Co. is a privately held, full-service commercial real estate firm focused on providing quality investment, brokerage, management and development services in the Southeast. The company, founded in 1967, retains an expert team of 100 real estate professionals. To date, Ackerman & Co. has developed and acquired more than 37 million square feet of office, medical, industrial, retail and mixed-use space, has more than 4 million square feet under management and maintains an investment portfolio valued at $1 billion. For more information, visit www.ackermanco.com