Atlanta’s locally grown fast-food chicken franchise is aiming to open its second new restaurant along one of the bustling commercial streets in the city’s core, hopefully within the next year. Representatives from Chick-fil-A have confirmed that the previously proposed designs for a new establishment on 777 Ponce de Leon Avenue will indeed be implemented, pending a smooth execution of the plan.

Similar to an upcoming Chick-fil-A branch on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, the Poncey-Highland location won’t include a drive-thru. However, the blueprints indicate that there will be 41 parking spaces situated behind the building facing Ponce de Leon Avenue.

In preparation for the forthcoming Chick-fil-A on Ponce, the longstanding Dugan’s restaurant and lounge, adjacent to the Hotel Clermont and its basement lounge, were recently demolished. Chick-fil-A has had its sights set on the Dugan’s location since at least 2016.

Dugan’s closed its doors last year and relocated to Northlake. However, the redevelopment of the former Dugan’s site has encountered some obstacles. A few years back, Poncey-Highland established the Poncey-Highland Historic District to preserve approximately 260 invaluable structures and set guidelines for future development in the area.

Chick-fil-A’s initial plans for the Dugan’s site clashed with the new regulations in several aspects, prompting the company to revisit and refine its designs.