A week from today, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, Toro Development Company cuts the ribbon in The Plaza at Medley. The $560 million, 43-acre development sits at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road. The ceremony is free, and that morning marks Medley's official opening to the public.
The ribbon cutting is not the whole opening. One anchor tenant has been ringing up groceries since June. A group of announced restaurants and shops has no opening date yet. The Plaza turns into an ice rink in late November, and the hotel is years away. The Medley you get on Oct. 29 is the first full version, and it will keep changing for months. Plan your visits around that.
The First Tenant Opened Back in June
Trader Joe's at Medley has been open since June, according to North Atlanta Star's resident guide to the opening. So for four months, anyone coming off McGinnis Ferry for groceries has driven past a finished storefront next to a construction site. Next week, the rest of Medley Boulevard catches up to that one store.
The project doesn't open in one day because of how it was planned. In its own visitor information, Medley says tenants open on a rolling basis. The grand opening is the biggest single group of openings, not the only one.
Three Nights, Three Different Crowds
The opening runs Wednesday through Friday, and each night is built for a different visitor. The official grand opening schedule breaks down like this:
- Wednesday, Oct. 28, 6 to 10 p.m.: Medley Unveiled. This preview benefits the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $175, it's a 21+ event, and tickets are limited. The ticket covers tastings from Medley's restaurants, cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks, plus a look at the retailers before the public opening. Entertainment includes a Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra string quartet, a DJ and live violinist at the Tree Bar, and dueling pianos in The Plaza. Valet is included.
- Thursday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.: Ribbon cutting in The Plaza. It's free, and the developer promises "special surprise moments." That evening, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Medley introduces the Tree Bar with acoustic live music and cocktails along the Boulevard.
- Friday, Oct. 30, 6 to 10 p.m.: Party on The Plaza. This free, family-friendly Halloween night has live music and activities for all ages. North Atlanta Star reported that costumes are encouraged, and the official page lists them as optional.
Wednesday is for adults who want a guided first look and to support the symphony. Thursday morning is for anyone who wants to be there when it officially opens. Friday night is the one built for kids, and it falls the night before Halloween.
What's Scheduled to Open Oct. 29
The developer's announcement, reported by North Atlanta Star on Sept. 29, lists the restaurants expected to open on Oct. 29: Rena's Italian Fishery & Grill, 26 Thai Kitchen, Shake Shack, STIR, Tonic House, Lily Sushi Bar, The Nest Cafe, Five Daughters Bakery, Playa Bowls, Knuckies Eatery, Summit Coffee, Minnie Olivia Pizzeria, CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro, Cookie Fix and Amorino Gelato.
The same announcement lists these shops and services: Sephora, High Country Outfitters, BODYROK, Kontour Med Spa, Moop's Boutique, Clean Your Dirty Face, The Commodore, Sugarcoat, Hollow Oak, Drybar, Burdlife and Petfolk. BODYROK is the fitness studio, and Medley's directory describes its classes as Pilates-inspired strength training.
The developer's Oct. 7 announcement, published by Metro Atlanta CEO, repeated the same plan with no tenant changes. Treat this as a schedule, not a promise, since Medley says tenants open on a rolling basis. If one specific restaurant is the reason you're going, check that it's open before you count on it for dinner on the 29th.
Most of the opening-day lineup is food, from coffee and bakery stops to sit-down dinners and dessert. The retail side mixes beauty, apparel and personal services.
The Seven Names With No Date Yet
Several tenants announced earlier won't be ready next week: 13 Hub Lane, Fadó Irish Pub, CT Taqueria, Warby Parker, Northern China Eatery, Fogón and Lions, and Tabla. The Sept. 29 announcement didn't give individual opening dates, and the Oct. 7 announcement still said only "in the coming months."
That's why a single opening-week visit won't show you all of Medley. An Irish pub, a taqueria, an optical shop and four other restaurant concepts are still coming, and each one gives a later visit a different reason to happen. Until they open, Medley will keep adding to its lineup one opening at a time.
The Calendar From Here
Here is every dated or announced step in the rollout so far:
| When | What happens at Medley |
|---|---|
| June 2026 | Trader Joe's opens |
| Wed., Oct. 28 | Medley Unveiled, ticketed 21+ preview, 6 to 10 p.m. |
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Public ribbon cutting, 10 a.m.; Tree Bar introduction, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Party on The Plaza, 6 to 10 p.m. |
| Mon., Nov. 23 | Outdoor ice rink scheduled to open on The Plaza |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Merry Medley |
| "Coming months" | The seven tenants listed above |
| 2028 | Hotel in the Encore phase |
The ice rink and Merry Medley, both announced in the developer's grand opening release on citybiz, turn The Plaza into a winter destination less than a month after it opens. If skating is the plan for houseguests over Thanksgiving week, the Nov. 23 date matters more than Oct. 29.
The longest-range item is the Encore phase. It's planned to include a 150-key hotel anchored by Chops Lobster Bar. North Atlanta Star's resident guide puts the hotel's opening in 2028.
Getting There While McGinnis Ferry Is Still Under Construction
Medley's visitor address is 2140 Medley Boulevard. According to Medley's parking page, everyday self-parking is in the deck and surface lots on the north side of the property. Valet drop-off and pickup are on Medley Boulevard near Concierge and cost $12 per car. Medley Unveiled tickets include free valet. On Oct. 29 and 30, plan on the regular parking setup.
Road work is the longer-term factor. The City of Johns Creek's public works project page showed the McGinnis Ferry Road widening still underway in its Aug. 28 update, with drainage, culvert, retaining-wall and utility work in progress. Completion is forecast for spring 2028. When the city broke ground, it said traffic would be maintained during construction but temporary lane closures might be needed. That means Medley's first year and a half overlaps with active construction on one of its two frontage roads, so build a few extra minutes into any timed arrival, like the 10 a.m. ribbon cutting.
If you live close enough to leave the car at home, there's another option. In August, the city announced that the pedestrian tunnel just north of Johns Creek Parkway is open. The city describes it as a walking and cycling link between neighborhoods, restaurants, retail, The Boardwalk and Johns Creek Town Center. The city's notice doesn't mention Medley, so check the route on a map before you plan a walk around it.
Matching the Visit to the Phase
How you plan depends on what you want from Medley. Wednesday's preview is the only way in before the public opening, and tickets are limited. The official moment is Thursday at 10 a.m. Friday's Halloween party is the free, family-friendly night. The Irish pub, Tabla, Fogón and Lions, and Warby Parker don't have dates to plan around yet. Skating starts on the Plaza rink on Monday, Nov. 23, the Monday of Thanksgiving week.
Medley will keep changing as these later openings arrive. If you want a local read on what the development means for the homes and streets around McGinnis Ferry and Johns Creek Parkway as each phase opens, the team at Occasio Collective is glad to talk it through, and you can sign up to Receive Exclusive Listings.
