Atlanta has no shortage of things to do, places to be, and community personalities to uncover. But what if you want your business to be the place to be? Where in Atlanta is the best place for your business? Let’s find out.
What is your business’s brand?
First off, you’ll need to know your business’s brand inside and out. What are your business goals? What message do you want your company to add to the city? Who are the groups of people you want to cater to? These are all important factors in not only starting your business, but developing a company voice and marketing it. Once you’ve got an idea of your brand, you can start thinking about choosing an Atlanta neighborhood.
What Atlanta neighborhood is right for my business?
Now that you’ve determined your business’s brand, which Atlanta neighborhood shares the personality of that brand? These are some of the most popular locales for new businesses and their distinct vibes.
Doraville
Doraville is located just on the northeast outskirts of I-285. When you cross the city limits, you can immediately tell that it’s a cultural hub to the melting pot that is Atlanta. There are a good handful of chain restaurants and establishments, but there are plenty of local businesses with Hispanic, Eastern Asian, and even Greek roots. The most well-known place to find these businesses is Buford Highway, which also offers a host of international food and farmers markets. If you have a company with international flair or a restaurant with regional or fusion tastes, you’ll definitely want to consider Doraville as your location.
Decatur/Little 5 Points
This area is where little-known, cozy, offbeat businesses thrive. The Decatur/Little 5 Points area is still within Atlanta’s perimeter, so there’s no shortage of traffic. The difference is, you’ll find more foot traffic than cars. The area is entirely walkable and home to one of Atlanta’s most famous eateries, The Vortex Bar & Grill. However, as well known as it is, The Vortex only has two locations, which reflects the personalities of the small businesses surrounding the burger bar – even if the location itself is huge. Even larger chains like Starbucks have modeled their Decatur/Little 5 locations after the feeling of the locale. If you’re a specialty shop in things like records or jewelry or a business with a local coffeehouse feel, you’d probably do well in Decatur or Little 5 Points.
West Midtown
West Midtown is an up-and-coming industrial part of the Atlanta area. Shops and businesses have either a minimalistic feel or an old-style brick exterior. In parts of West Midtown, you may actually miss a restaurant, shop, or café entirely by mistaking it for a warehouse. The area also hosts the Georgia Tech and GCSU campuses closer to the center of Midtown. So, when moving toward and past the universities, the area is, again, very walkable. In fact, with all the foot traffic of college students and the winding, confusing roads of Atlanta, it’s probably best if you walk or bike around. If your business has an industrial feel with elegant undertones, West Midtown is probably the Atlanta neighborhood for you.
Downtown Marietta
Downtown Marietta is very much the small-town version of Little 5. Since the area is in the suburbs of Atlanta, shops are a bit more spread out and a little quieter, with just enough hustle and bustle to keep things interesting. You’ll find a ton of cool specialty shops and restaurants around the historic squares while still being able to find a place to park. There are also regular events that draw people to picnic, bike, play, and generally enjoy the green space among tons of things to do. If your business would be a cute place to happen upon on a beautiful day, you might enjoy the customers that downtown Marietta will bring.
Alpharetta/Roswell
Alpharetta and Roswell may be one of the best examples of high-class suburbia (along with Vinings, but more on that in a minute). The area is full of large department stores, as well as two huge malls/shopping centers, North Point Mall and Avalon. Nonetheless, this neighborhood hosts tons of suburban gems for shops. As much as people are drawn to large shops for their knee-jerk shopping needs, they’re also willing to check out any new specialty shops that come around. If you’re willing to cater to the occasional shop adventurer looking for items and foods a little off the beaten path, Alpharetta and Roswell might be for your company.
Vinings/Cumberland
Vinings and the Cumberland area may seem like an upscale option for chain stores, but rest assured, there are tons of hidden treasures to be found. A lot of businesses in the area gather their customer base through word-of-mouth. Don’t worry if you don’t have a loyal fan base built up. People in this area love to explore new companies that seem to pop up overnight. There are also numerous national and regional chains around to draw customers closer to your location. If you don’t mind doing a bit more advertising and want a quiet, but busy place to draw customers in, the Vinings/Cumberland area could be the best to start or grow your business.
Buckhead
Buckhead is known as one of the ritziest neighborhoods in the area. You’ll notice tons of skyscrapers full of big-name financial companies and headquarters of well-known brands. Even big-name stores like Target and CVS have supersized locations to match the feel. But there are also a handful of elegant spaces to get away from the suit-and-tie atmosphere. The bars, lounges, and small shop spaces are undeniably high-class and high-fashion. Nonetheless, Buckhead is a skip, hop, and a jump away from Brookhaven and Atlantic Station, where just as many big and small shops light up the Atlanta skyline. If your shop or restaurant is going for a low-key, after-work refuge kind of vibe, this area might be for you.
We could go on and on about the different neighborhoods of Atlanta, from the elegant, indie feel of Ponce City Market to the hustle and bustle of a city outside the city, John’s Creek. The only way to truly get an idea of the best vibe for your business may just be to visit. In any case, it’s always a good idea to explore! But hopefully, this list will give you a good idea of what the city has to offer and which Atlanta neighborhood could be a good fit for your business.
Wherever you choose to start or spread your business, make sure you have the right business insurance by contacting our agents. We’ll get to know your company to determine what you need and give you free, customized quotes on the right coverage. To start getting affordable rates on business insurance, just give us a call, fill out our online form, or LiveChat with an agent today.