Brookhaven's vacant Publix space at Oglethorpe Crossing may have a new tenant: Trader Joe's.

ToNeTo Atlanta first reported Wednesday, Sept. 23, that "incredibly well-placed sources" pointed to the specialty grocer taking over the left portion of the former Publix space. Leasing materials for the shopping center describe a new "anchor" tenant for that section, with the remaining square footage potentially going to a small retailer or restaurant.

No one has confirmed the deal on the record.

Trader Joe's is known for requiring strict confidentiality from landlords and leasing agents. ToNeTo Atlanta reported it could not obtain official confirmation despite being "very confident a deal is done or nearly done."

The planned store would be about 18,000 square feet, according to ToNeTo Atlanta. That is on the large side for the chain, which typically builds locations between 8,000 and 15,000 square feet.

Publix closed its roughly 38,000-square-foot store there on July 22, 2025, after nearly 30 years in business, simultaneously opening a new store in nearby Cambridge Square. Coro, the firm that purchased Oglethorpe Crossing in 2011, has a track record with the grocer. The company previously owned Chastain Market in Sandy Springs and backfilled a former Sprouts space there with a Trader Joe's and a Books A Million.

A Brookhaven location would put a Trader Joe's within a few miles of three existing stores. The Chastain Park location at 4600 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs sits about four miles away. The Buckhead store at 3183 Peachtree Road and the Sandy Springs location at 6277 Roswell Road are each roughly five miles out.

Trader Joe's went nearly two decades without opening new metro Atlanta stores after debuting six locations between 2006 and 2008. A burst of expansion starting in late 2024 brought new stores to Alpharetta, Peachtree City, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.

No opening timeline, building permits or zoning applications have surfaced for the Brookhaven store.