The Atlanta 100 | 100 word stories & 100 second videos on topics of intrigue

Starting Fifth Year of Publishing Leadership

Map of 100 companies expansion across the United States

The 100 Companies network now reaches from Denali to Dubai. Next to launch is The Pittsburgh 100.

For three centuries, journalists and advertisers decided what you’d read in the media. The explosion of cable, satellite radio, websites, blogs, podcasts and social media ended that duopoly.

For the past four years, The Atlanta 100 has offered you a weekly alternative blend of history, events, business and stories of intrigue about our community. Today, communications firms in 14 markets – with many more launching in the next few months – are meeting the informational needs of today’s fast-paced reader with The 100 format.

We appreciate your support and encouragement as we start our fifth year. Stay tuned for more innovation.

— Chris Schroder, SPR Atlanta

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Real Estate

More Excitement Brewing at HALCYON

Cherry Street's second location at HALCYON will feature a beer garden in the middle of the restaurant village. (Rendering courtesy of RocaPoint Partners, JLL Atlanta and Wakefield Beasley Associates)

This week, HALCYON announced its latest tenant – Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative. The brewing cooperative is opening a nearly 8,000-square-foot brewpub and beer garden in the center of the mixed-use community’s restaurant village.

Cherry Street, which recently won the title of Grand National Champion at the 2017 U.S. Open Beer Championship, will have 16 on-site beers on tap, including a new HALCYON-specific brew. Siblings Nick and Alisa Tanner will own and operate the brewpub and will offer an upscale pub food menu, with seasonal, chef-inspired options.

HALCYON is under construction, opening in 2018.

— Sarah Weston, SPR Atlanta

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restaurants

Thanksgiving Dinner by Murphy’s

Thanksgiving Dinner prepared by Murphy's

Chef Ian Winslade created a to-go Thanksgiving dinner at Murphy's. Order yours before they sell out!

Soon we’ll be overindulging in our favorite holiday dishes as we celebrate Thanksgiving. What could be better? What about not having to cook?

Murphy’s, the Virginia-Highland classic, is once again offering a four-course Thanksgiving Day meal to go. Pick a meal with or without a roasted boneless brined turkey breast that includes Thanksgiving Day favorites maple glazed sweet potatoes, green beans and herbed cornbread stuffing, and your choice of an apple, pumpkin, pecan or Tollhouse pie.

The meal for four comes with heating instructions and is available for pick up Wednesday, Nov. 22. Order your holiday meal here.

– Haley Haas, SPR Atlanta

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Real Estate

Newly Built Office Projects on the Market

The Atlanta office market is full of activity, and two high-profile projects are up for sale. (Rendering courtesy of Third & Urban)

Two of Atlanta’s new office projects have been put on the market. Tishman Speyer’s Buckhead office tower Three Alliance is currently being marketed by CBRE. The 30-story tower was 80 percent leased as of this summer, with tenants such as CBRE and Global Payments.

Third & Urban has also put its creative loft-office project near Sweetwater Brewery, Armour Yards, on the market. The 300,000-square-foot industrial redevelopment is being marketed by Eastdil Secured and is home to Coyote Logistics and retail tenant East Pole Coffee.

Three Alliance could sell for $500/foot; Armour Yards for $350/foot.

— Sarah Weston, SPR Atlanta

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travel

Southwest to Fly to Hawaii

Southwest flyer announcing new flights to Hawaii

While details haven't been announced, Southwest has confirmed it will begin flights to Hawaii in 2018.

I’m a fan of Southwest Airlines – cheap airfares, no baggage fees, and best of all – none of those rip-off change fees. You don’t have to feel second class as you walk past the lucky first-class passengers, as there is no first-class section.

They often have a hospitality desk open in the Atlanta airport so you can grab a cup of coffee and a few bags of peanuts on your way to the gate.

This week, my favorite airline has announced plans to start flying to one of my favorite states – Hawaii. The flights will start in 2018.

— Jan Schroder, Girl on the Go

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Events

Weekend Watch: Parade, Pints and Pumpkins

The Little Five Points Halloween Festival & Parade lineup includes live music, food vendors, an artist market and, of course, the parade. (Photo courtesy of Rent Cafe Blog)

Sip on a brew or glass of wine while listening to live music, sample the city’s best bites, or go behind the scenes of some of Atlanta’s most beautiful buildings. Check out the best Halloween parade in town or take your tiny goblins for train rides, crafts and stories. Here’s what to do this weekend.

Explore the City: Open House Atlanta, Saturday & Sunday

Food: Taste of Atlanta, Saturday & Sunday

Drinks: Hallowine at City Winery, Saturday

More Drinks: Decatur Craft Beer Festival, Saturday

Parade: 17^th Annual Little Five Points Halloween Festival & Parade, Saturday

Family Fun: Goblins in the Garden, Sunday

–Mackenzie Welsh, SPR Atlanta

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Food & Drink

Best Buzz of the Week: Spicy, Sweet Red Sonja from Bartaco

Reward yourself with the incredible Red Sonja handcrafted cocktail from Bartaco.

For this week’s best buzz of the week, look no further than the fiery Red Sonja from Bartaco.

This handcrafted cocktail, named after the heroine in the 1980’s fantasy/thriller movie by the same name, is the perfect blend of spicy and sweet, mixing Olmeca Altos Reposado with jalapeño and ginger and balanced out with lemon juice and Byrrh Quinquina.

Try it at any Bartaco location or recreate it at home.

3 “coin size” slices of ginger
¾ ounce simple syrup
1 jalapeno slice
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce Byrrh Quinquina
1 ounce Olmeca Altos Reposado
2 dashes Peychaud’s

Click here to read last week’s Best Buzz.

– Nathan Best, SPR Atlanta

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Events

Skate Your Way Into Winter

Admission to Ponce City Market's new ice skating rink is $15 for 50 minutes and includes rentals. (Photo courtesy of Booking.com)

Being from Florida, anything related to winter is foreign to me. Not that Atlanta is exactly the North, but seasons actually exist here. That’s why I was excited to hear an ice skating rink is coming to Ponce City Market next month.

From November 20 to February 14, Ponce City Market’s rooftop space will be transformed into “Skate the Sky,” a 3,500-square-foot rink featuring seasonal decor and food and beverages, such as hot toddies.

Other places to get your ice skating fix this winter include Centennial Olympic Park, Park Tavern at Piedmont Park, Atlantic Station and Avalon.

–Mackenzie Welsh, SPR Atlanta

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restaurants

Get Your Fried Chicken Fix at FEED

Chef Marc Taft says his mission is to treat fried chicken with respect because "In the South, fried chicken is practically a religion." (Photo by Chris Schroder)

I’m loving all the options for dining at The Battery, the mixed-use development at SunTrust Park. Satisfy that hankering for fried chicken at the new FEED Fried Chicken + Such, serving the South’s favorite bird with three heat levels: Southern Fried (no heat), Atlanta Hot (mild or medium) and Cluck’n Inferno (very hot).

Purchase chicken by the piece, the plate or the bucket. Tenders, livers and wings are also available. The “+ such” refers to sides that include mac and cheese, green beans, crinkle fries and potato salad.

Beverages include beer (draft and bottle), wines on tap, adult slushies and cocktails.

— Jan Schroder, Girl on the Go

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Business News

Student Loan Pay-Offs the Newest Benefit?

Colleagues in the office of Honeywell Atlanta

By the year 2020, Honeywell Software and Technology Center will employ an estimated 830 tech-driven people.

A new recruiting draw for Atlanta-based Honeywell is attracting recent graduates. VP of staffing, Jim Schwab, called the incentive a “contemporary benefit.”

The new program allows employees across all departments to receive a student loan payoff up to $10,000. Honeywell will measure its effectiveness in the Atlanta office before implementing nationwide.

A LinkedIn study revealed that the millennial generation changes jobs at least four times after graduation. Honeywell believes this benefit program could help curb job-hopping and retain talent, and with an average debt of $25,000 per college graduate, it’s sure to tempt some job-seekers.

– Isamar Vega, SPR Atlanta

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Design

Architectural Gem Will Be Futuristic Hub

Neil Reid's Southern School Book Depository

A 1910 design by architects Hentz & Reid will be retrofitted with a podcast production studio in downtown Atlanta.

Next spring, you’ll be able to brainstorm business ideas of the future in a collaborative building designed by beloved Atlanta architect Neel Reid.

Developer Gene Kansas and an investment team will soon renovate Reid’s former Southern School Book Depository Building at 135 Auburn Ave., built in 1910, into Constellations. This innovative shared workspace will include a podcast studio, coffee bar, collaborative spaces, small/large private offices and several university offices.

Designed to spur interaction and spark inspiration, the concept will provide conference rooms, classrooms, Skype booths – even an old-fashioned library. Reserve your membership now for expected April occupancy.

— Chris Schroder, SPR Atlant a

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history

The Tabernacle: Small Theater With Deep Roots

The architectural rendering of the final design of The Tabernacle in 1909. Now a popular music venue, it hosts music concerts and comedy acts.

The 2,600-seat Tabernacle is one of Atlanta’s greatest venues, but its initial purpose had little to do with entertainment.

Reverend Len G. Broughton opened the Tabernacle Baptist Church in September 1911. The coveted real estate sat on an area now dominated by Centennial Olympic Park. The Atlanta Constitution called it “one of the most important real estate and church transactions ever made in Atlanta.”

Initial estimates put construction costs around $250,000, the equivalent of around $6.5 million today. The church property was sold in 1994 and operated briefly as House of Blues during the 1996 Olympics.

– Preston Thompson, SPR Atlanta

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sports

Atlanta Star on the World’s Radar

Miguel Almirón could have nearly doubled his value in one year. (Photo courtesy of Major League Soccer)

When Miguel Almirón signed with Atlanta United in early 2017, the coveted star seemed happy to get playing time in front of a big audience. But now some of Europe’s top teams are showing interest.

At only 23 years old, Almirón has led Atlanta to a secured playoff spot while leading the team in assists. Arsenal FC in London, England, and Inter Milan in Milan, Italy, have both expressed interest in the youngster, who could be transferred for as much as $20 million.

That’s a lot of money for a team that is wrapping up its inaugural season.

– Preston Thompson, SPR Atlanta

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Community

Planting Healthy Food For Healthy Communities

Volunteer at Atlanta's first Food Forest October 28. Refreshments and tools will be provided.

We all know eating healthy foods leads to healthier bodies, but what about the impact on the greater community?

Find out Thursday, October 26, at the Corporate Sustainability Forum hosted by Cox Enterprises. Speakers include Nathaniel Smith, Partnership for Southern Equity, Mario Cambardella, Atlanta’s Urban Agriculture Director and Dee Ann Turner of Chick-fil-A. Register here.

EarthShare of Georgia, a Forum sponsor, suggests putting your enthusiasm into action two days later by teaming up to stain tables, complete garden beds, harvest plants and mulch pathways at Atlanta’s Food Forest at Browns Mill. Register your team and compete for prizes.

— Chris Schroder, SPR Atlanta

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The Millennial Motorist

2017 Mazda CX-5: Crossover Perfection?

The crossover market is hyper-competitive; how does underdog Mazda's entry fare?

Shopping for a crossover? Who isn’t? The sedan/SUV hybrid is by miles the best-selling body style in America, so manufacturers pour R&D resources into making their crossover the most appealing.

Who would’ve thought, then, that automotive underdog Mazda, who clings to just 1.7% of the market share, currently makes the best one? Both inside and out, the CX-5 looks much more expensive than it is. Plus, it’s just as fun to drive as Mazda’s sedans while getting 30+ MPG.

Though slightly trailing the competition in cargo space, The CX-5 is well worth $24k starting.

– Chris Butsch, The Millennial Motorist

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The 100 Guy

What Amazon Will Do for Atlanta

map highlighting top contenders for Amazon's next headquarters

Brookings analyzed HQ2 contenders it highlighted in the map above while the New York Times suggested Denver will win.

Atlanta has joined dozens of other U.S. cities dreamily competing for Amazon’s second headquarters. If Atlanta is selected, the impact will prove as historically significant as the growth of Coca-Cola, Delta’s 1941 headquarters relocation here or the unfolding development of the BeltLine.

A UGA professor cautions in Forbes that the math won’t work in favor of whichever city wins.

In the more likely scenario that Atlanta doesn’t win, our weaknesses will be exposed again – lack of transit and cultural and economic disparities with the state that surrounds us – hopefully prompting our leaders to do something to correct them.

– Chris Schroder, SPR Atlanta

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Events

Help Make the Inaugural OHATL a Success

Volunteering with OHATL is a fun way to be a tourist in your own city, and help others in the process!

Exploring the hidden gems of your city while serving your community. Sounds like a win-win, right? That’s exactly the combination you’ll get through volunteering with Open House Atlanta.

OHATL is a weekend-long tour of some of Atlanta’s historic and architecturally intriguing sites, but volunteers are needed to ensure that everything runs smoothly. As a volunteer, you would oversee a site and help guide participants through the building – easy, interesting and fun!

Interested? Check out ohatl.org/volunteer to sign up or find details. You can also connect with OHATL on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to ask questions.

– Mackenzie Welsh, SPR Atlanta

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Real Estate

Downtown Investments Continue

New renderings of "The Hub" show an active outdoor center. (Photo courtesy of The Beck Group)

Two of Downtown’s well-known buildings are getting a facelift. The Grant Building and the retail portion of Peachtree Center will soon look a little more modern with both of the owners of the buildings recently announcing renovation plans.

Banyan Street Capital will rename Peachtree Center’s retail center “The Hub” and plans to “bring it into the 21st century.” The Beck Group is working on the redesign, while Amy Fingerhut and Sara Pepper of CBRE are handling leasing.

The Grant Building, which sits near the renovated Flatiron Building, is working with JLL and planning to invest millions in the upgrade.

– Sarah Weston, SPR Atlanta

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Technology

SuperNova South Discusses the Future of Mobile Search

Fun Fact: Did you know 72% of all search engine results deal with the Food and Beverage industry?

What if your smartphone didn’t grant you access to a recipe for guacamole, or steps for changing a flat tire? Lucky for us, the capabilities of mobile search are getting even stronger.

At SuperNova South’s “Searching Out Loud” session, Scott Nickels went through some of the finer details of mobile search. Here are two takeaways that had us thinking:

• The most commonly searched word? How.

• Twenty percent of Google searches each day have never been searched before.

Next time you ask Google to look up a movie time or find the nearest restaurant, take a second to admire its response.

– Isamar Vega, SPR Atlanta

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Events

Weekend Watch: Oct. 13-15

A craft beer festival is among the many events coming up this weekend. (Photo courtesy of Quentin Dr on Unsplash)

Another weekend, another event-filled 48 hours. As Halloween approaches, people are getting into the fall spirit and finding plenty of reasons to celebrate the season. Here’s a rundown of some events this weekend, from family fun to food frenzies:

Music & food: Silent Party at ATL Food Truck Village, Friday

Drinks: Marietta Craft Beer Festival, Saturday

Fitness: 21^st Annual Historic Roswell 5K, Saturday

Music: Suwanee Jazz Fest, Saturday

Family fun: 7^th Annual Fall Festival on Ponce, Saturday & Sunday

Family fun & food: 6^thannual Harvest on the Hooch, Sunday

Festival: 47^th Annual Atlanta Pride Festival, Friday – Sunday

– Mackenzie Welsh, SPR Atlanta

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music

Garth Brooks Will Make History Again Tonight

Garth Brooks on his on-going world tour

Tonight, Garth Brooks, the number one selling solo artist of all time, will take the stage for the inaugural concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Brooks, along with wife Trisha Yearwood, has been on a record-breaking tour the last two years and it seems everyone in Atlanta is eager to see the country legend one more time before it ends. It took only 67 minutes to sell out all 73,000 tickets.

The stadium is packed with new state-of-the-art technology and everyone is anxiously awaiting to see what surprises Brooks has in store for this historic event!

– Nathan Best, SPR Atlanta

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restaurants

Best Buzz of the Week (Oct. 12-19)

The refreshing Spice Trader cocktail from Gypsy Kitchen, located in Buckhead

Atlanta is beginning to feel fall this week and a scenic rooftop bar is the best way to enjoy it and get your best buzz of the week.

This week’s featured cocktail is the Spice Trader from Gypsy Kitchen. This bourbon-based cocktail features a unique blend of flavors by incorporating ginger beer, lime, apricot and a dash of honey. It’s a great drink to get you in the fall spirit and the restaurant’s wide variety of tapas to pair it with makes it all the better.

Go out and treat yourself to this amazing cocktail – you deserve it!

Click here to read last week’s Best Buzz.

– Nathan Best, SPR Atlanta

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history

The Georgia School of Technology

Georgia Tech's modest campus around the year 1900. (Photo Courtesy of the Georgia Tech Library System)

October 13 is the 129th birthday of one of Atlanta’s greatest treasures.

When Georgia Tech first opened in 1888, it offered only a Mechanical Engineering degree. Mechanical Engineering is still one of its strongest programs today, drawing students from across the globe. Originally called Georgia School of Technology, the school received $65,000 as part of an effort to bring the industrial revolution to Georgia. Eighty-four lucky students were the first ones to pursue degrees from the now prestigious university.

In 1948, the school was rebranded as the Georgia Institute of Technology to better reflect its diversity of programs.

– Preston Thompson, SPR Atlanta

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travel

Best Balcony on South Beach

balcony view at the Marriott Stanton South Beach

Our balcony at the Marriott Stanton South Beach was a perfect spot to sip rosé during our mother-daughter weekend in Miami.

A must-have for me from now on with a beachfront room is a balcony. There’s nothing better than sipping coffee in the morning or an adult beverage in the afternoon while lounging on a balcony with a view of the water.

We could see all kinds of action on Miami Beach from our balcony at Marriott Stanton South Beach during our recent mother-daughter weekend: bikers on the boardwalk, parasailers, swimmers, lifeguards and others at the pool or on the beach in chill mode like us. We especially loved watching the cruise ships leisurely depart for their ocean voyages.

– Jan Schroder, Girl on the Go

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sports

Rebuilding a Franchise

Dennis Schröder averaged almost 18 points a game last season. (Photo courtesy of ESPN)

The Paul Millsap era of the Atlanta Hawks is officially over. After a blockbuster move for Dwight Howard in 2016 resulted in yet another first-round playoff defeat, the storied franchise took on a rebuilding mentality.

The new faces of the team may take some getting used to, but one player currently with the team is in the top 50 of all-time scoring for the Hawks: Dennis Schröder.

Schröder is already pushing an up-tempo offense this year. Our pace of possession in the first preseason game would have put us 1st in the NBA last year.

– Preston Thompson, SPR Atlanta

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cars

Best Car I’ve Ever Driven: 2017 Mazda MX-5

Available in either hard-top or soft-top form, the MX-5 is breathtakingly good.

In June I showered praise on the MX-5, calling it “a motorist’s dream come true.” But I’d only spent a few hours with it, top-down, in perfect California weather.

Now that the honeymoon’s over and we’ve gone to Costco together in the pouring rain, am I still in love with the MX-5? Fiercely. Mazda’s peppy two-seater proved surprisingly comfortable in traffic, with good highway manners, trunk space for two suitcases, and excellent safety and audio.

Combining supercar-levels of driving bliss with daily livability for <$30k, the MX-5 is the best car I’ve ever driven.

– Chris Butsch, The Millennial Motorist

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health

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The iconic pink ribbon is seen all over as our country unites to raise funds and awareness to fight breast cancer.

According to breastcancer.org, one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Because of this alarming statistic, October turns pink each year as it becomes dedicated to breast cancer awareness.

This international health campaign takes center stage to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research and developments. Some of the ways to help make a difference include: fundraise at work or in your community, make a personal donation to a local or national organization, volunteer at a fundraising event, wear pink to spread awareness, and post positivity on social media.

– Josh Sarnowitz, The Boston 100

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Business

3 SEO Tips to Grow Your Business in 2017

Is your website optimized? Check out these tips to make sure you're poised for success online.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is integral to having a strong online presence. In our hypercompetitive marketplace, building a website alone will not attract new customers.

Here are three SEO tips to grow your small business:

1. Content is still king – With the proliferation of bad content in 2016, quality blogs, videos and podcasts are very relevant.

2. Mobile first – Make sure your site is responsive and optimized for mobile users.

3. Site speed — 74 percent of visitors will leave a website if load time exceeds five seconds. Speed it up!

For more information on the future of SEO, click here.

– Joel Willson, Search Influence

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Politics

Politics in the Workplace

Politics can spill into the office in a bad way. If everyone thinks before they speak and keeps their conversation free of insults, positive conversations can result.

No one is immune to the firestorm of political controversies sweeping the country of late – opinions surrounding race, patriotism and more, resulting in many water cooler debates.

So, how do you keep peace in the workplace?

• Managers — set the tone by showcasing respect for opposing views.

• Encourage in-person interaction – talking face-to-face can help avoid misinterpretations that arise behind the keyboard.

• Establish a civil culture where everyone understands company policy. Promote rules of engagement for internal non-workplace discussions.

Bottom line: be tactful, stay calm, ask questions and encourage open dialogue. Freedom of speech is the American way!

– Margrette Mondillo, The Boston 100

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