Podcast 342 – Aritzia at Perimeter Mall, Ashford Lane, and School of Rock Dunwoody – Mark Galvin

Aritzia at Perimeter Mall, Ashford Lane, and School of Rock Dunwoody

Mark Galvin, Chief Marketing and Operating Officer at Discover Dunwoody, joined me for our monthly conversation about everything happening in Dunwoody, Georgia. This time I came with the questions, and we talked about the new-new around Dunwoody including Aritzia Perimeter Mall store, Ashford Lane, School of Rock, and how Discover Dunwoody helps Dunwoody hotels rank behind only downtown Atlanta and Buckhead.

In This Episode

• Mark Galvin of Discover Dunwoody names Ashford Lane as his first stop for a family visiting Dunwoody, Georgia
• Aritzia opened at Perimeter Mall
• Mark says malls are back, and ours has a new food court on the way
• Discover Dunwoody is moving its office to High Street, a development Mark calls Dunwoody’s future Main Street
• School of Rock opened in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, and Create Dunwoody has a packed fall calendar
• Discover Dunwoody sales leaders Mike “MJ” Jackson and Treasure Wilson help meeting planners book Dunwoody hotels for free

Where Should a Visiting Family Go in Dunwoody?

I started with a simple question. Say my family is coming to town for the World Cup. My wife, an 11-year-old, and a 15-year-old. Where do we go?

Mark did what any good salesperson does. He asked who’s coming and how old they are. Then he answered without hesitating: Ashford Lane.

I love that answer, and I didn’t see it coming. Ashford Lane kind of became the spot in Dunwoody recently. It was always nice over there with the Target, but in just the last few years it’s become a big deal and jazzed up that whole corner of the Perimeter.

Mark’s case is simple. There’s green space for kids to run around, plenty of parking, and food that works for young and old. His list: Culinary Dropout, Superica, Grana, Taco Mac, and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. “You cannot go wrong with a Jeni’s,” Mark said, and I’m not going to argue.

For younger kids, there’s CAMP. It’s a family experience store with a curated toy shop up front and an interactive, themed play space in back. Mark thought Bluey was in there. The current theme is actually The PAW Patrol Experience.

Game Show Battle Rooms is open at Ashford Lane too. Your group plays like contestants on a TV game show. I’ve seen a lot of businesses use it for team building, so if your office is tired of the same happy hour, try it.

High Street came in a close second. We’ll get to that.

Is Perimeter Mall Still Worth the Trip?

For families with strollers, Mark said Ashford Lane is still up there. But let’s not forget about Perimeter Mall.

“Malls are back, right?” Mark said. He’s read “Wall Street Journal article after Wall Street Journal article” saying so. His pitch is that there’s something for everybody at Perimeter Mall, and it’s a safe place to spend a day.

I think Perimeter Mall is the biggest selling point Dunwoody has. It’s what brings the most people in. Mark backed that up with a stat I love. The busiest day of the year for the entire city of Dunwoody is Black Friday, and it’s because of the mall.

A new food court is coming too. The mall hopes to open it by the end of the year, but there’s no firm date yet.

Is the Aritzia Perimeter Mall Store Worth the Hype?

The newest reason to go to Perimeter Mall is Aritzia.

Aritzia is a Canadian women’s clothing brand, founded in Vancouver in 1984. Their whole pitch is “everyday luxury.” The Aritzia Perimeter Mall store sits on the second floor, in the former Talbots space, near lululemon and Madewell. It’s the brand’s second Atlanta-area store, after Lenox Square.

I made a Top End ATL video about it, and honestly, as a random dude, I struggled to figure out how to describe it. Women are FANATICAL about this store, and I couldn’t figure out what made it so special. I asked Mark if he could explain it. He couldn’t either. He still has to go walk into it himself.

What he does know is the reaction. Discover Dunwoody posted that Aritzia was opening, and within hours, 5,000 people had seen it. The women on his team, ages 24 to 28, all said the same thing. “Wow, this is big.”

If you haven’t been to Perimeter Mall in a while, go see what the fuss is about. Then tell me, because I still don’t know.

Why Is Discover Dunwoody Moving to High Street?

Discover Dunwoody is moving its office to High Street, and Mark said they’ll be there in December.

I asked him if this was about putting their money where their mouth is. His answer was practical. Their lease was up, so before renewing they looked around, and High Street had a great spot. Mark had nothing but good things to say about Sterling Properties, where they are now. They wouldn’t move for any other reason, he said, except that High Street is such an important asset to Dunwoody.

I think it’s a great move. High Street is going to be a huge part of the future of Dunwoody. What better place for the people selling this city than the middle of its hottest destination?

Mark thinks High Street will become Dunwoody’s Main Street. Two more phases are still coming, including a new hotel.

Where is Discover Dunwoody moving? Go out of Agave Bandido’s main door. It’s the building right across the street, on the 10th floor.

The official announcement adds a detail I’m excited about. The new office includes a dedicated podcast studio, home to Dunwoody Dialogues, open to community partners and local businesses. Just reach out to Mark.

What’s New to Eat at High Street?

Rosetta Bakery is officially open. I’d been hearing about it for a year, so Mark and I had a laugh that it’s finally real.

Varuni Napoli is open for lunch and dinner too. My tip, as the pizza guy: ask for it a little more well done and crispy, and eat it there. That style of pizza is made to come straight out of the oven.

Parking at High Street confuses some people. I have good friends who go there and get turned around, because the garage sits under buildings that look like apartments. Mark had a tip, and he made me write it down. Go past the main light into High Street, take the next right, then your very first right into the garage. That puts you on the same level as the green space.

What Is School of Rock Dunwoody?

This is a big one for music in Dunwoody. School of Rock is now open in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, the center at Jett Ferry Road and Mount Vernon Road, and they have a grand opening celebration coming up.

You can learn guitar, drums, bass, keys, or vocals. They have programs for kids all the way up to adults. And then Mark dropped the stat that neither of us saw coming.

He said the average age of the students there learning instruments is over 60.

I thought it would be super young. It’s older than I thought by about 40 years! Mark’s read is that plenty of people have always said, “Gosh, I’d love to learn to play an instrument,” and now they’re actually doing it.

It hits home for me. My dad taught himself guitar in his seventies over the last five years. So yes, there’s a market for this.

My nieces, went to School of Rock in Snellville, and it was really cool. They put you in a band with people at your skill level, and you play real concerts. You learn about music, and about life and putting yourself out there. It’s a little different than the Jack Black version, but it’s a cool place.

If you’ve got a kid who’s been begging for drum lessons, or you’re 62 and finally ready, stop in.

What Is Create Dunwoody?

I’ve asked Rosemary Watts to come on the podcast many times. She keeps pushing it off. So I made Mark explain Create Dunwoody instead.

Create Dunwoody is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by Rosemary as executive director. Its job is to create what Mark calls activations. These are events and experiences that engage the community and bring people from outside Dunwoody here to spend money.

Mark summed it up in a line I love. “We say in the Perimeter that everybody’s in the office from nine to five. Let’s find a way to get them to stay from five to nine.”

It’s funded by the City of Dunwoody, the Dunwoody Development Authority, and Discover Dunwoody. Create Dunwoody existed for a while, but Mark credits Rosemary with breathing life into it. He called her “a serious workaholic” who is very good at executing.

It’s working. Mark met an official from another metro Atlanta city who heard about Create Dunwoody and said, wow, we need to do the same thing.

There’s a diversity piece too, from an Asian heritage celebration to a Latino Hispanic heritage celebration on the Ashford Lane lawn, with Black History Month programming coming in February.

Why Did the Dunwoody Comedy Festival Come Back?

One of my favorite Create Dunwoody events is the comedy festival. I can’t top the parade, but I love it.

I’ve been to two. The first was at Bar{n}, and it was really good. The other was in the back room at Vintage Pizzeria, which might be the best spot because it’s so quiet back there. Each comedian gets about 10 minutes, and it is so funny.

The latest one was Friday, September 18, at Vintage Pizzeria. Why bring it back? It was just that popular. Watch the Create Dunwoody website for the next one.

Marshall Chiles, who ran the Laughing Skull Lounge and has been on this podcast, is opening Whiplash Comedy at Ponce City Market. I think it’s going to be a hit.

Then Mark told me I should do stand-up. I’m comfortable on stage, but comedy is really putting yourself out there. He pitched an open mic night. I suggested the What’s Up Dunwoody Comedy Club, and Mark laughed that I already had the branding.

Sips Around the Village also just happened, and Mark said it was a huge success. You walk the Village and get a sample drink at a bunch of businesses. Mark and his wife went and had a great time.

What Create Dunwoody Events Are Coming Up This Fall?

Mark ran through everything Create Dunwoody has through the end of the year. Here’s the list, confirmed against the Create Dunwoody website.

• Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Explorefest at the Williamsburg Shopping Center, with a passport challenge, an open mic showcase, and a mini train
• Thursday, October 22, 6:30 p.m.: DoorWoody Scavenger Hunt with Active Dunwoody in the Dunwoody Village area
• Saturday, October 24, 7 p.m.: World of Music Concert on the High Street Green, free
• Saturday, November 7, 5:30 p.m.: Diwali in Dunwoody at the Dunwoody Nature Center
• Sunday, November 22, 3 p.m.: Dunwoody Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade

A few extra notes. The World of Music Concert is candlelit and features the James Violin Studio Group and World Music USA. The Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade is growing this year, expanding from the Village and Dunwoody Plaza to The Shops of Dunwoody. Explorefest even has a School of Rock tie-in, with showcase winners eligible for free jam sessions there.

Who Decides What Public Art Goes Up in Dunwoody?

Have you noticed the art going up all over Dunwoody the last few years? I asked Mark about who’s behind it.

The answer is the Dunwoody Art Commission. It’s a city commission charged with finding ways to put more art in and around Dunwoody. The commission reviews and approves public art, and it works closely with Rachel Waldron and the Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Department. “Anytime you see that pop up in the city,” Mark said, “the Art Commission has their hand on it.”

Mark’s favorite example is the MARTA bridge you see driving into Campus 244. It’s now covered in painted flowers and birds, with “Campus 244” written on it. In Mark’s words, it’s a great way to dress up “something that is not beautiful.” You drive in and immediately know where you are.

There’s also the huge mural on the side of the MARTA parking garage on Hammond Drive. It’s called Flora Chroma, painted by the artist DAAS, and at 2,500 square feet it’s the largest mural in Dunwoody.

How Does Public Art Get Approved in Dunwoody?

Does the city call Ashford Lane and ask them to paint their parking deck? I had to ask.

Mark says there are two sides. A business like Ashford Lane can decide it wants art and work with the Art Commission on the best installation. Mark said painting the side of that parking deck was a great idea. Another example is the huge mural at the front of Perimeter Mall, just left of P.F. Chang’s.

On the other side, the city develops art on its own and figures out what the budget allows. Either way, the Art Commission approves it. Even the traffic signal boxes are wrapped in art from Dunwoody High School students.

It wasn’t always like this. Around 2020 and 2021, when the Everything Will Be OK signs were everywhere, Dunwoody’s art felt pretty black and white to me. Almost all of this has happened in the last few years. I think it came from not being able to do anything during Covid. We started painting picnic tables and stoplight boxes and built upon that.

The newest piece is Busy Bee, an art installation at Windwood Hollow Park. Go check it out.

Who Actually Fills Dunwoody’s Hotels?

So what does Discover Dunwoody actually do all day? Their number one goal is getting people from outside Dunwoody to come here and spend money. As Mark put it, a rising tide raises all ships.

He was honest about who that is. “We are not a destination where people are sitting in Chicago and say, gee golly, I want to go to Dunwoody, Georgia on vacation. We know that.”

So they focus on business travelers, because that’s who stays in Dunwoody hotels. And it’s working. Mark said Dunwoody hotels rank behind only downtown Atlanta and Buckhead for rate and occupancy.

Why do we have hotels when Chamblee, Doraville, and most other surrounding cities mostly don’t? Mark says it all started with Perimeter Mall. Business grew up around the mall, then office towers appeared, and hotels followed. The Marriott was the first one.

Then he quizzed me. Which two U.S. cities have the most hotel rooms? I guessed New York, then Atlanta. Wrong twice. It’s Las Vegas, then Orlando. “We don’t have a Disney, right?” Mark said. Business travel will always be our demand generator.

Every Monday, his team also plans what to feature on social. Restaurants get the most engagement, but Mark was clear. “We don’t have favorites, and I really mean that.” If you run a Dunwoody business they haven’t featured, give them a call.

Who Are MJ and Treasure at Discover Dunwoody?

This is the side of Discover Dunwoody we never really talk about, but it’s a big part of what they do.

Mark said they want meetings and conventions in Dunwoody hotels, and they put a lot of focus there. Two people lead that work. Mike Jackson, who goes by MJ, is Discover Dunwoody’s Chief Sales Officer. Treasure Wilson is their Senior Sales Manager.

MJ’s background spans tourism organizations in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach. Treasure’s experience includes major hotel brands and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, so she understands both how hotels run and what meeting planners need.

Here’s what they do. MJ and Treasure go to conventions and gatherings where meeting planners are booking hotels, and they try to bring that business to Dunwoody.

And here’s the part every event planner should know. If you’re a meeting planner, you can send MJ and Treasure your RFP. That’s short for Request for Proposal. Include your dates, group size, room needs, and event priorities. They’ll send it out to the hotels, gather all the responses, and send them back to you. They can also help you explore venues and set up site visits.

“It’s a great service, totally free,” Mark said.

If you’re planning a conference, a reunion, or any group gathering, reach out to them, even if you’re still working out the details. You can find both of them on Discover Dunwoody’s team page.

What Is Built for Business on Dunwoody Dialogues?

Discover Dunwoody runs a video series called Dunwoody Dialogues. Mark said they interview people “not nearly as well as Matt”. I’ll take that compliment.

Dunwoody Dialogues has a new series called Built for Business. It features people who help businesses do things better. Mark had the list on his wall: an AI expert, financing, marketing, and workforce and talent development. The first episode features Billy Kramer of NFA Burger sharing lessons from running a business.

Why would a tourism group do this? Mark said they want businesses to learn more about Dunwoody, because they want them staying in Dunwoody hotels. It all cascades down.

You can watch live on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn, typically on Wednesdays at noon.

What Else Is Happening in Dunwoody This Fall?

Here’s the rapid fire.

The Rediscover Dunwoody Trolley Tour is free and runs the second Thursday of every month. It fills up fast. Alan Mothner of the Spruill Center for the Arts guides in October. Billy Kramer of NFA Burger has November, and City Council member Joe Seconder takes December.

My favorite trolley story: on one tour recently, the trolley stopped at NFA Burger and Waka Flocka Flame happened to be there. Billy asked if he’d help hand out burgers, and he was all in. Some of the older folks on the trolley had no idea who he was.

Dunwoody is also Atlanta’s Holiday Headquarters, and it’s gearing up again with more snowflakes and banners. Credit to Jennifer Boettcher and Kathy Florence at the City of Dunwoody for the mailer that helps spread the word.

Don’t forget Van Leeuwen Ice Cream at Park Place, or Vino Venue’s Friday night wine flights and cooking classes.

Why Should You Vote for Discover Dunwoody?

Mark had one big ask. Discover Dunwoody is up for best destination marketing organization in the South in the ConventionSouth Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting ends October 4.

Why vote if you’ve never booked a convention? More group business means more people spending money in Dunwoody.

I’d take it further. The more successful Discover Dunwoody is, the more successful the city is, and probably the lower our taxes are. Mark had read a stat that hotel taxes across Georgia save each Georgian something like $1,700.

If you’re living in Dunwoody or thinking about moving to Dunwoody, this is part of what makes it work. And it’s why we keep showing up every month. Mark knows more about what’s going on in Dunwoody than just about anybody, and that’s why I love having him on.

Connect with Discover Dunwoody

Everything Mark mentioned lives at discoverdunwoody.com. Meeting planners can reach MJ and Treasure through the team page at discoverdunwoody.com/about-us/our-team/. The Rediscover Dunwoody Trolley Tour request form is on their website too.

Vote for Discover Dunwoody at conventionsouth.com/readers-choice-award-voting-georgia/ by October 4.

For Create Dunwoody events, visit createdunwoody.org. You can also find local events any time at whatsupdunwoody.com/events.

What Is What’s Up Dunwoody?

What’s Up Dunwoody is a local media platform created by REALTOR® Matt Weber, focused on living in Dunwoody, moving to Dunwoody, and staying connected to the community. It began as a podcast and has grown into social media content, local guides, and two of the largest Dunwoody-focused Facebook groups where residents share recommendations and stay in the loop. Matt has expanded slightly outside of Dunwoody and now covers the entire top end of the Perimeter through his Top End ATL channels.

Matt is a Dunwoody REALTOR® who helps people navigate buying, selling, and moving in the area. Stay in the loop with local updates, listings, and insights by signing up here: whatsupdunwoody.com/email

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