Cheesecake Factory to open first Forsyth County location July 21

The Cheesecake Factory’s first Forsyth County restaurant will add another major draw to The Collection at Forsyth, a move that could boost traffic, footfall and spending across the Peachtree Parkway corridor. The chain is set to open July 21 in a prime space off one of the center’s large traffic circles, putting one of the country’s best-known casual dining brands at the heart of a shopping district already pulling in families, shoppers and dinner crowds.

JLL said the restaurant has signed a lease at the 561,000-square-foot mixed-use lifestyle center at the intersection of Georgia 400 and Peachtree Parkway. The center, formerly known as The Avenue Forsyth, is 95% leased, with remaining tenants expected to open in 2026, a sign that the Cheesecake Factory is arriving as part of a broader leasing surge rather than as a stand-alone addition. The Collection at Forsyth directory already lists the restaurant as coming soon at 410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 242, in Cumming.

The opening is expected to bring about 280 jobs to the area, giving Forsyth County another sizable hospitality employer. The Cheesecake Factory careers site lists openings across host, server, cashier, busser, cook, dessert finisher-barista, management, support center and bakery operations, along with training and flexible schedules. For a county where retail and restaurants increasingly define the commercial landscape, that hiring wave matters as much as the menu.

Forsyth County’s numbers help explain why a national brand would choose the market now. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the county’s population at 280,096 on July 1, 2024, and reported a median household income of $138,000 for 2019-2023. The county also recorded $5.22 billion in total retail sales in 2022, evidence of the spending power that continues to attract major retailers and dining operators to south Forsyth.

The Collection at Forsyth has been steadily building that momentum. JLL said recent lease activity at the center includes Sephora, Kilwins, BodyROK, The PICKLR, J. Crew Factory, Pandora, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Rocket Fizz, Giggle Town, Dermani Medspa, Bahama Buck’s, True Rest Float Spa, Le Macaron, Spavia, F45 Training, Woof Gang Bakery and Master Jewelers. With retail, restaurants, entertainment, office, hotel and service uses already in place, the center has become one of the most visible commercial hubs in the county.

For south Forsyth, the Cheesecake Factory is more than another dinner option. It is a signal that the county’s retail core has matured enough to support a destination brand with a strong national following, while nearby businesses stand to benefit from the added traffic that comes with a marquee opening.