Atlanta Retailers on the Move: Friedman’s Finds a New Home, Macy’s Closes Shops + More

Ahead of the February 2025 Atlanta Shoe Market, FN rounds up some of the notable happenings in the city’s retail market, from openings and closings to a historic relocation.

Friedman’s on the Move

Friedman’s Shoes, the legendary Atlanta retailer known for catering to pro athletes, is set to relocate in the next year. The historic South Downtown building that has housed Friedman’s since 1929 was purchased last year by a group of developers hoping to revitalize the business district. But Friedman’s isn’t going far. Co-owner Brett Teilhaber said the store is moving two blocks away to a 4,700-square-foot space near the corner of Mitchell and Peachtree streets. He noted that Friedman’s will continue to offer the extended sizing it’s known for — up to size 22 for men and 14 for women — but the new location brings important advantages, including a designated parking lot (it previously relied on street parking). And its salesfloor will now be on the main level, with storage in the basement. (In its current location, customers must climb the stairs to the showroom.) Teilhaber also said the architecture firm handling the buildout will create special ways to highlight Friedman’s extensive collection of sports memorabilia gifted by clients.

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Welcoming the Webster

Luxury retailer The Webster debuted its first Atlanta boutique in October, taking space in the upscale Lenox Square mall in Buckhead. The intimate, living room-inspired space was brought to life by French interior designer Stéphane Parmentier, who also worked on its Toronto and Palm Springs, Calif., locations. While seeking to evolve and elevate The Webster’s aesthetic, Parmentier still maintained core elements of the store’s design sensibility, utilizing art deco themes, vintage wallpapers and a discerning art collection. Last year, The Webster also opened new doors in Hackensack, N.J., and Austin, Texas, bringing its total store count to 12. “When I opened The Webster 15 years ago, I never imagined a day where I would be saying we have 12 stores,” said founder and CEO Laure Hériard Dubreuil in a statement. “What started as a vision to bring a highly curated luxury retail experience to Miami to expanding rapidly on both coasts and even internationally is beyond my wildest dreams.”

TAF’s New HQ

The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) opened its new corporate headquarters and flagship store in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood in September. In addition to housing the sneaker retailer’s corporate functions, the new two-story building — at 931 Monroe Dr. next to the popular Beltline trail — includes a community center on the main floor where the retailer plans to host events to further embed itself with local consumers. The new location will also house the franchise’s first corporate-owned retail store, which will serve as a testing and training ground for new franchise operators.

Macy’s Exiting Local Mall

As part of Macy’s ongoing initiative to shed underperforming stores, the retail giant sold two stores in the troubled Gwinnett Place mall in September, for $16.5 million. The buildings, which housed a Macy’s department store and a furniture store, were purchased by Gwinnett County’s Urban Redevelopment Agency with the goal of revitalizing the dead mall to serve its growing community. The county’s current concept envisions housing, an international community cultural center and retail and office space oriented around a central park. As part of the sale, Macy’s signed a lease-back deal that allows it to continue operating the stores until March.