New Chick-fil-A Opens Oct. 1 as Southard Exchange Begins Its West Forsyth Rollout

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A new Chick-fil-A will open Thursday, Oct. 1, becoming the first major restaurant to begin serving customers at Southard Exchange, the developing commercial center at Bethelview and Castleberry roads in west Forsyth.

The Chick-fil-A Bethelview & Castleberry location will open at 6 a.m. at 5580 Wren St. and operate Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant will offer dine-in service, a drive-thru, mobile pickup and delivery.

The opening gives residents their first look at a project that will eventually bring several new food and drink options to the intersection.

Southard Exchange covers nearly 17 acres and is planned with eight outparcel buildings. Maepole, Shake Shack, 7 Brew Coffee and Fifth Third Bank are among the businesses tied to the development.

Maepole is still targeting a fall 2026 opening. The Athens-born restaurant will make the Forsyth location its first with a drive-thru pickup lane, alongside a dining room and outdoor patio. Its menu centers on customizable plates combining bases, seasonal sides, proteins and sauces.

Shake Shack is also planned for Southard Exchange, giving Forsyth County its first location of the burger chain. An opening date has not yet been announced.

For Chick-fil-A, the Oct. 1 opening comes with about 110 new jobs. Local owner-operator Kristie Bergstrom, a Marietta native who returned to Georgia in 2024 after operating restaurants in Southern California, will oversee the new location.

The company is also marking the opening with a $25,000 donation to support local hunger-relief work through the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Customers who arrive in cow-themed clothing on opening day can receive one free entrée or children’s meal while supplies last.

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Southard Exchange sits in a fast-growing part of west Forsyth, between established Publix- and Kroger-anchored shopping areas and within a short drive of Ga. 400. With Chick-fil-A opening first and several additional restaurants following, the long-developing corner is now shifting from construction site to active commercial center.