Cracker Barrel is most likely not coming to Covington

The restaurant chain had reportedly reached an agreement last fall with Ewing Southeast Realty to locate at the corner of Ga. Highway 142 and Lochridge Boulevard, near the Hampton Inn, but Morris Ewing Jr., with Ewing Southeast said Wednesday that Cracker Barrel doesn't know if it can support another store so close to its existing locations in Conyers, Madison and McDonough.

Last fall Ewing said Cracker Barrel saw Exit 93 on Interstate 20 as an area poised for commercial growth that was highly visible and about midway between existing locations in Conyers and Madison. Apparently, that view has changed.

Ewing said he met with a Mellow Mushroom representative two weeks ago and is still pursuing the company for a location on Ga. 142.

Despite Cracker Barrel likely bowing out, the corridor is still seeing development and both McDonalds and Taco Bell are expected to begin construction on new stores soon.

Taco Bell is going to be located on the vacant lot between Wendy's and Wells Fargo on Ga. 142, in front of the Aldi, Covington Senior Planner Scott Gaither said. Alpharetta-based CBI General Contractors is expected to start working on site Monday. A CBI representative said no opening date has been announced.

The store will be a stand-alone Taco Bell, not a combined Taco Bell-Pizza Hut like the location on U.S. Highway 278.

McDonalds is expected to break ground any day as well at its 1-acre parcel at the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and Ga. Highway 142 next to the closed gas station, Gaither said previously.