Crate and Barrel Is- Gasp!- Leaving Lenox Square Mall for a Strip Center

After What Now Atlanta broke the story last week, the owners of the Shops Around Lenox and Crate and Barrel made it official- the home furnishings retailer will leave its spot at the front door of Lenox Square and move into new digs about 150 yards south. Entities controlled by Healey Weatherholz Properties and Alex Brown Realty acquired the Shops Around Lenox two years ago and set about upgrading the appearance and tenants right away, snagging Bill Hallman, lululemon athletica, Deka and Cosabella, among others. But Crate and Barrel is the whopper, taking over 24,000 square feet. The build-out on the new Atlanta flagship store will come in at around $7 million dollars, and allow C and B to deploy some of its signature architectural details, like the cedar facade. Anyone care to predict what Lenox will put in the old Crate and Barrel space? We're hoping for the return of another very large calendar store.