COVINGTON, Ga. — Starbucks will open its first Covington location in the building that formerly housed Chick-fil-A on U.S. Hwy. 278.

The popular coffeehouse company is set to open a location this summer in an existing 3,857-square-foot building on an outparcel of Newton Plaza shopping center, which is anchored by Kroger supermarket.

John Brozovic, leasing director for Sandy Springs-based Halpern Enterprises, said in a press release it will be the city's first location for Starbucks. Its closest locations to Covington now include Conyers and Loganville.

“We’re excited about bringing the coffeehouse to the area and adding another popular retailer to Newton Plaza’s stellar tenant line-up,” he said.

Starbucks has signed a 10-year lease and is retrofitting the former free-standing Chick-fil-A restaurant located on one of the shopping center’s outparcels. 

Built by Halpern in 1974, Newton Plaza is anchored by Kroger and home to more than 40 restaurant, retail and service tenants, including national brands Planet Fitness, Bealls, Goodwill, Big Lots and a Starbucks competitor, Dunkin' Donuts, among others. 

Chick-fil-A moved west on U.S. Hwy. 278 to a new building near West Street in June 2019.

Halpern owns and operates more than 50 retail centers, totaling more than 3.4 million square feet, in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.