Seafood restaurant among new businesses, relocations in Decatur

May 14—A Cajun seafood restaurant is coming to Decatur, a new hospice business has opened and a restaurant, credit union and pet store are moving to new locations in the city.

Spokesman Dan Ellington said Thursday that Red Pier Seafood Restaurant is moving into the former Sam's Sports Grill at 1208 Beltline Road S.W.

The Memphis-based chain is a family of 25 restaurants that also includes the Red Hook Cajun Seafood establishments. Ellington said a timetable for the opening has not been set.

Sam's closed in February, when the Nashville company announced it was pulling out of Decatur due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lee Barran co-owns Plum Tree Shopping Center and Red Pier's new location. He said the old Aldi is closing in his center in June as it prepares to open its new store on the west side of Beltline Road.

"I won't start looking for a replacement until after Aldi leaves," Barran said.

Crystal Brown, vice president of retail and residential development for the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, said Petco is moving south on Beltline Road to a bigger location.

The pet store is moving out of Decatur Commons, the shopping center anchored by Publix, to the former Hancock Fabrics store in the Kroger-anchored Decatur Shopping Plaza, she said.

"A new prototype for Petco is the addition of a vet clinic," Brown said. "Their focus is total health and wellness for pets."

Developer Jeff Parker said the new Apple Lane Farms location plans to open in about three weeks in his retail development in the 700 block of Beltline Road that also includes Cheeseburger Bobby's and Alphonso's.

Apple Lane's former Decatur restaurant on Alabama 20 in Limestone County was demolished in March after the city used its eminent domain powers to obtain the property for a planned $18 million overpass.

AseraCare Hospice-Decatur recently opened in Parker's Beltline Road retail development. The company, part of the Amedisys group, was established in 1994.

Services provided at AseraCare include home health aides; counseling; medical, social and supply services; physician and nursing services; occupational and physical therapy; short-term inpatient care and speech pathology.

Tom Polk, of the city Building Department, said Family Security Credit Union has been issued a demolition permit to remove an old medical office on the northeast corner of Beltline Road and Carridale Street next to Parkway Medical Center, where it will build a new branch office.

Cole Sharp, vice president of Lending and Operations for Family Security, said the company is planning to open a branch office in the new location at 1852 Beltline Road S.W., and use both its current branch behind Decatur Mall and the recently purchased building next door as administrative offices.

"All of the members will be referred to the new branch office (after it is complete)," Sharp said.

Sharp said he doesn't know when the new branch office is scheduled to open.

The Planning Commission in March approved the consolidation of two parcels of property, but Sharp said the site plans for the new building are not ready for presentation.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.