An ultramarathon trainee already makes Town Center part of his training. He told the Johns Creek Herald that he uses The Boardwalk behind City Hall and expects to head to Medley with friends after a run there. Until now, he said, his group has gone to Avalon and Halcyon in Alpharetta when they want somewhere to walk and talk. "We've got really nice parks and nice living situations," he said, "but we need the middle ground of a place where people can walk around."
That middle ground is being built in an unusual order. The park came first. The pedestrian tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road opened in August. The shops and restaurants come last, starting with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting on Oct. 29. Medley also won't open all at once. Its tenants will keep arriving through 2027, and the hotel restaurant is set for 2028. If you're planning your first visit, it helps to know both timelines.
The walking pieces are already in place
The Boardwalk at Town Center sits on a 20-acre property next to City Hall. It's bordered by Medlock Bridge Road and runs between Johns Creek Parkway and East Johns Crossing. The park has a 15-foot-wide elevated trail, a bandshell and amphitheater, terraced seating, pond overlooks and pedestrian plazas. The Town Center site says that from the trail you can reach Medley, City Hall and a range of local businesses.
The tunnel connects the other side of Medlock Bridge Road. The city held the ribbon-cutting in August. Mayor John Bradberry and Council members Larry DiBiase and Chris Coughlin were there. The arched underpass is just north of Johns Creek Parkway, and the city says it links neighborhoods, restaurants, retail, The Boardwalk and Town Center on foot or by bike.
The park has already been drawing crowds. On Sept. 26, Arts on the Boardwalk brought hundreds of people out to see local artists, artisans and authors. On Oct. 29, those same paths will lead to 28 newly opened businesses.
What opens Oct. 29, and what comes later
Toro Development Co., which also built Avalon, is putting $560 million into Medley's 43 acres at McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway. The plan includes about 164,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space around a 25,000-square-foot plaza. Trader Joe's has been open there since June, so the grocery anchor came before the rest of the center.
Medley's own FAQ lists 34 announced tenants. As of Sept. 30, 28 of them were reported as opening on Oct. 29. Here's how the published schedule lines up:
| Timing | What's announced |
|---|---|
| Already open | Trader Joe's, since June |
| Oct. 29, 2026 | 28 retailers and restaurants. Those named so far include Rena's Italian Fishery & Grill, 26 Thai Kitchen, Shake Shack, STIR, Tonic House, Sephora, High Country Outfitters, BODYROK, Summit Coffee, CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro, Petfolk and Amorino Gelato |
| "Coming months" | 13 Hub Lane, Fadó Irish Pub, CT Taqueria, Warby Parker, Northern China Eatery, Fogón and Lions, Tabla |
| Nov. 23, 2026 | Outdoor ice rink opens |
| Nov. 27, 2026 | Merry Medley holiday celebration |
| 2027 | Encore phase |
| 2028 | 150-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel, with Chops Lobster Bar on the ground floor |
A few rows have more detail behind them. STIR announced back in June 2025 that its Georgia debut would open at Medley on Oct. 29, 2026, with Tonic House as its cocktail bar next door on the plaza. That date has held for more than a year. CT Cantina & Taqueria's owners told WhatNow they hope to open "late this year or in early 2027." Fadó Irish Pub was named in the Herald's list of Medley eateries but sits in the later group in the Sept. 30 opening report. Chops Lobster Bar, one of the restaurants residents have been watching most closely, opens with the hotel in 2028.
Several FAQ tenants, including Five Daughters Bakery, Minnie Olivia Pizzeria, Lily Sushi Bar, Playa Bowls, Cookie Fix and Drybar, aren't named in either the opening-day group or the coming-months group. The Oct. 29 list was only partly published, so some of them may open on day one. Visit Johns Creek's guide says tenants will open on a rolling basis and recommends checking each business's hours before you go.
Opening week, day by day
Opening week runs three days, and each one is set up a little differently.
- Wednesday, Oct. 28, 6 to 10 p.m. "Medley Unveiled" is a ticketed preview that benefits the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $175 and include tastings and cocktails from Medley businesses, a tour and a gift bag. Ticket holders get free valet.
- Thursday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m. The free public ribbon-cutting takes place on The Plaza, and the doors open right after.
- Friday, Oct. 30, 6 to 10 p.m. "Party on the Plaza" is a free, family-friendly Halloween block party with live music. Costumes are encouraged.
That's the second Halloween event in Town Center that month. The city's Trunk or Treat runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at City Hall, 11360 Lakefield Drive. Families can spend two late-October evenings within a short walk of each other, one at City Hall and one on Medley's plaza.
Parking details are still unsettled
Medley says it will have surface lots and parking garages, and Visit Johns Creek's guide also mentions on-site decks and valet. Here's what had been published as of late September:
- Free valet is confirmed for Oct. 28 preview ticket holders only.
- No regular visitor parking rate, free-parking policy or validation rules were published. North Atlanta Star's Sept. 22 resident guide said the main FAQ didn't cover them.
- No garage space count was published.
Rules may still come out before Oct. 29. Until then, walking in through the tunnel and along the Boardwalk is the only way to arrive with no parking questions at all. The city's Johns Creek Parkway project is also adding pedestrian connections, a roundabout at Lakefield Drive, signal upgrades and on-street parking near City Hall. Neither the city nor the developer has published a door-to-door walking distance from Medley to City Hall. If distance matters to you, a test walk on a quiet October weekend will tell you more than any estimate.
What Medley plans after opening week
Medley says it plans about 100 community events a year, starting with the ice rink on Nov. 23 and Merry Medley on Nov. 27. A resident told the Herald she has spent years traveling to Alpharetta, Buckhead and other parts of Atlanta to eat out and shop, and that she's been waiting for Medley. Two visitors, who took a sneak peek on Sept. 26, said they plan to meet their adult children and grandchildren there.
The center will look different by the end of the year than it does on Oct. 29. Coffee at Summit, gelato at Amorino and dinner at Rena's or 26 Thai are scheduled for opening day. Fadó, Tabla, Fogón and Lions and the rest of the later group follow over the coming months. Encore comes in 2027, and Chops arrives with the hotel in 2028.
If you live near the Boardwalk and want to know how a walkable Town Center affects what your home is worth, Team Rich Richardson can go through it with you. Get your instant home valuation, and we'll follow up with the local context behind the number.
