Tupelo Honey Cafe Eyes a June 20 Opening in Sandy Springs

Asheville-based chain Tupelo Honey Cafe will open its first Georgia location next month. The Southern staple is moving into a Sandy Springs Gateway space at 4600 Roswell Rd., Building C, and it's targeting Monday, June 20, for its debut, according to an email sent to the restaurant's newsletter subscribers.

The local outpost will be Tupelo Honey's 13th in five states; the previous 12 are spread across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The chain is also making plans for its first venture outside the Southeast with restaurant in Denver. That's on track to launch sometime next year.

Tupelo Honey recently announced it's in the process of making greater investments in its employees' quality of life, promising increased base pay and an expanded benefits package. Vice president of human resources Caroline Skinner said the company is spending an additional $500,000 on pay and benefits for existing employees this year.

Sandy Springs Gateway is the same development that houses Birmingham, Ala.-based Urban Cookhouse and the relocated Taka Sushi and Passion.