Years after the property was first cleared in preparation for an upscale retail development known as The Shire at Mulberry Creek, Gwinnett County has issued a development permit (CDP2013-00006) for discount grocer ALDI. The store will be located in the 3600 block of Braselton Highway in the Hamilton Mill area of Dacula. Do you think ALDI is a good fit for the area? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments. The store, according to company spokesperson Stacy Wiley, is expected to open in October of 2013 and will employee 10-12 people. "We pride ourselves on quality food at a lower price." …

If you've been reading recently posted Dacula Patch business reviews, you've no doubt seen several mentions of Vibrant Life Fitness: There are many fitness centers out there. The big differences are the staff and their dedication and the equipment. In this case the equipment is the newest thing for getting a great workout with little pain. As far as the staff, they are extremely dedicated, starting with the owner who is a trainer and constantly in attendance at the facility. - Jack P. Great workout! After only half a dozen sessions, my pants are not as snug - which is a good thing!!!! A 40 …

A Dacula company is attempting to revolutionize the way people connect and compete in recreational sports. Sports Challenge Network (SCN), located at 1862 Auburn Road in Dacula, uses social and mobile technology to enable recreational sports participants to expand their gaming experience. According to the SCN website, "SCN is the first company to harness the power and personalization of social mobile technology through smart devices (iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Android-coming soon) to drive increased participation, new types of experiences, challenges, rewards and social connections within …

Cafe 313 on Fence Road in Dacula is currently closed. Attempts to reach someone with the restaurant have been unsuccessful, but a sign on the door indicates the cafe will reopen under new management. "We are keeping your favorites and adding new food and new extended hours in the evening," the sign stated. No information regarding the opening date was posted.      

A dispute between owners is reportedly to blame for the closure of Wok Star Asian Cuisine,. The following question was posted by a Wok Star Asian Cuisine Facebook fan on the restaurant's page: “Is it true that Wok Star has closed down due to an argument amognst [sic] the owners?” The page administrator responded simply with “Yes.” Wok Star was originally schedule to open in April of 2012. Construction delays pushed the opening back to June 25. Now, less than three months later, the restaurant is closed. Wok Star Asian Cuisine, located at 525 Dacula Road, Suite 220 in Dacula, was described by …

The new Stadium Sports Bar and Grill is much more than just a bar according to restaurant owner Robert Thomas. Thomas describes the restaurant as family-oriented. The kids’ menu features several meals under $5 and kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal on Mondays and Wednesdays. The bar area, Thomas said, is separate from the dining room to ensure a family-friendly environment. For adults, Stadium Sports Bar and Grill features a traditional menu of freshly made American food. “Everything is pretty much made from scratch,” Thomas said. The restaurant also offers adult beverages and …

The grand opening for Dacula's newest frozen treat shop is set for Saturday, Aug. 18. Ice-so-licious, located at 1152 Auburn Road, Suite 108, in Dacula, offers Italian ice, ice cream and gelato. Saturday's grand opening event will include games, music and prizes. The first 50 customers will receive a free small Italian ice. For more details about the grand opening festivities, click here. Ice-so-licious was a participant in this year's Taste of Dacula and Taste of Mill Creek events. For more information, visit the Ice-so-licious website or follow Ice-so-licious on Twitter.  Are you a local …

Waffles, Bert's Chili or a heaping platter of scattered, smothered and covered hash browns -- whatever your pleasure, you'll soon have another place to satisfy your Waffle House cravings. According to Kelly Thrasher of Waffle House Media Relations, the company has closed on property at 772 Dacula Road and plans to build a new restaurant at that location. A construction timeline is not yet available, Thrasher indicated. Joey Murphy, Dacula Director of Planning and Development, said the new restaurant will be located on the lot in front of El Jinete. Corporate officials are pursuing a "very …

Rick Tanner's is closing its doors -- at least temporarily. In an email to Dacula Patch, restaurant owner Gene Kerley explained an impasse with The Shops at Hamilton Mill landlord has forced the eatery to close its Braselton Highway location. "We have met with our staff as we have great group of people that want to continue working with us," Kerley wrote. Kerley shared the message he has posted on the restaurant's Facebook page: "We wanted to first thank everyone for their support over the last two years as well as clarify what is going on with Tanner's in Dacula. We have come to an impasse …

Dacula residents in need of guns, knives, ammunition and other home defense related supplies will soon have a new place to shop. Bug Gun Armory will open its doors this Saturday, July 14, according to store owner David Duncan. Duncan continues to put the finishing touches on the store, but already has merchandise on display including weapons, targets, ammunition, holsters, flashlights and other hunting and survival supplies. Big Gun Armory is located at 2760 Braselton Highway, Suite 102, in Dacula (the Pizza Hut shopping center). Store hours will be Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. …

The wait is finally over. The new Hamilton Mill Taco Bell will open its doors on Friday, July 6. The restaurant, located at 2583 Hamilton Mill Road, is part of the nation’s leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain and one of 5,600 Taco Bell restaurants in the United States. “Taco Bell's goal is to be a valuable member of the community in which we do business while providing consumers with great tasting, high value quick-service food,” said Rinku Patel of Taco Bell Corp. in a released statement. Patel added that Taco Bell is proud to be part of the local community. “We look forward…

Later this month, Dacula residents will have the opportunity to satify their sweet tooth at a new cafe. Heavenly Desserts and Cafe will be located at 2300 Liam Avenue, Suite 200 in the Cornerstone Village shopping center. According to the restaurant website, the store will feature gourmet treats, ice cream, coffee, hot dogs and more. A statement posted on the website asks future customers to submit their ideas for the restaurant's menu: Do you have an item or idea you would love to see at our location? Please contact us at daculaheavenlydesserts@yahoo.com and share your thoughts!! We look …

After just over a year in business, the Hamilton Mill Froyolo is now closed. Signs posted in the restaurant window stated simply, "Out of business, thank you for your patronage." Attempts to reach a store representative were unsuccessful. Froyolo opened in spring of 2011. The shop, one of two Froyolos in Dacula, carried a self-serve selection of frozen yogurts. Customers could choose one or more flavors of yogurt and then customize the dessert with an assortment of toppings. The completed treat was then weighed and priced by the ounce. Froyolo faced competition from several other frozen …

Though it offers entertainment options such as Playstation, Xbox and foosball, the 1 Up is more than just a teen hangout. "We serve everybody," said assistant manager Destiny McSall. The restaurant serves what McSall described as "bar food" -- burgers, nachos, boneless wings, hot dogs, personal pizzas, burritos and sandwiches. One of the sandwiches offered - "The Junkyard" - comes with a 2-for-1 deal for anyone who can actually eat two of them. That might be quite a challenge since the sandwich includes ham, chicken tenders, cheese, fries, onion rings, slaw, mustard and mayo on a hoagie bun. …

After months of construction, the new Wok Star restaurant is almost ready to open its doors. Restaurant owner Tony Ramirez has set the grand opening date for June 25. Wok Star Asian Cuisine, is described as a “chef owned” restaurant “created for lovers of true Asian cuisine.” The restaurant features dishes such as lettuce wraps, Kung Pao chicken, Pad Thai noodles and more (Click here for the complete menu).  "We also will be introducing our new dumpling and appetizer menu," Ramirez wrote in an email to Dacula Patch. The restaurant will begin serving beer, wine, and sake starting in July, …

Menchie’s will expand its presence in Dacula next week when the frozen yogurt company’s newest store opens in the Dacula Market shopping center. Store manager Amie Boyer said the newest Dacula Menchie’s will open Thursday, May 31 and will hold a grand opening celebration on Saturday, June 2. Customers at the grand opening celebration will receive a free 8-ounce cup of frozen yogurt from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The celebration will also include t-shirts for the first 30 guests and activities including face painting and tattoos. The celebration continues on Sunday, June 3 with more giveaways and a…

Sandy Maresca said the decision to close Nature’s 5th Season was not an easy one. “This has been my life,” she said. “I’m really numb right now.” Maresca originally opened her shop in Lilburn and later moved the store to Lawrenceville. Eight years ago, she opened a second store in the Hamilton Mill area. Maresca described that decision as a mistake. “Having two locations was too much,” she explained. She closed the Lawrenceville location four years ago, and has continued to deal with tough economic conditions ever since. “I have surrendered to the economy after 25 years with a retail store,” …

Ready for a taste of the bayou? Kim Jordan, owner of the new Fish House Seafood Bar and Grill, said that is what visitors to her restaurant will enjoy. Jordan plans to open the restaurant on May 25. Menu items include fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, New Orleans style po-boys, gumbo, clam chowder, etouffee, red beans and rice, crab cakes and more. The restaurant will be located at 2995 Old Fountain Road, Suite B. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, call 770-962-2100. Are you a Dacula business owner? Share your news by posting an announcement and be sure to …

Atlanta-based Frontera Mex-Mex Grill is coming to Dacula. The restaurant chain has more than a dozen locations in the metro area including Lawrenceville, Loganville, Suwanee and Duluth. The Hamilton Mill location will open in approximately four months according to a company spokesperson. The restaurant will be located at 2240 Hamilton Creek Parkway (in the Kohl’s shopping center). Frontera Mex-Mex Grill offers burritos, tacos, fajitas, enchiladas and other Mexican cuisine. The restaurant also serves a variety of specialty margaritas including cucumber jalapeno, pineapple, spicy mango and lime…

After doing some research, David Duncan decided Dacula would be a good location for his weapons store. "There are so many people that live in this area, I felt it would be a good location," he said. Duncan's store, Big Gun Armory, is scheduled to open in late June or early July. Duncan said the store will carry a variety of home defense products, including guns, as well as safety supplies such as first aid kits, fire extinguishers and survivalist gear. Duncan also plans to offer self-defense and handgun training classes.  Big Gun Armory will be located at 2760 Braselton Highway, Suite 102, in…