Ponce City Market is one of the most-visited spots on the Atlanta BeltLine, and for good reason. A century-old former Sears building now holds a food hall, dozens of shops, offices, apartments, and a rooftop amusement park with skyline views. Here’s what’s actually inside, and how to plan a visit.
Where Ponce City Market Is and What It Used to Be
Address: 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
The building dates to 1926, when Sears, Roebuck and Co. built it as a regional retail and catalog distribution center, one of the largest buildings in the Southeast at the time. Atlanta bought the building in 1990 and used it as City Hall East for city government offices. It sat mostly vacant for years before developer Jamestown reopened it in 2014 as Ponce City Market, a 2.1-million-square-foot mixed-use building combining retail, a food hall, offices, and apartments. The building’s industrial bones, exposed brick, timber beams, and rows of factory windows, are original.
It sits directly on the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, which is how most visitors arrive on foot or by bike rather than by car.
The Central Food Hall
The ground floor’s Central Food Hall is the main draw for most first-time visitors: a single open room lined with counter-service stalls covering everything from seafood and burgers to house-made pasta, several run by James Beard Award-winning or nominated chefs. It’s built for grazing: order from two or three stalls and share a table with your group rather than picking one restaurant.
Food Hall hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Skyline Park: The Rooftop
Skyline Park at Ponce City Market sits on top of the building and is the part most first-time visitors don’t expect: an 18-hole mini golf course, boardwalk-style carnival games, and skyline views over Midtown and downtown Atlanta. It’s a paid attraction separate from the free food hall and shops below, and it’s popular enough on weekend evenings that arriving earlier in the day means a shorter wait.
Shopping and Offices
Retail anchors include Anthropologie, J.Crew, West Elm, and Williams Sonoma, alongside smaller independent shops, most concentrated on the ground floor around the food hall. The upper floors hold office space (Mailchimp is headquartered here) and apartments, so the building functions as a genuine mixed-use neighborhood rather than a pure shopping destination.
Retail hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Individual shop and restaurant hours can vary, so it’s worth checking a specific spot before a special trip.
Nearby on the BeltLine
Ponce City Market sits at the edge of Old Fourth Ward, and the Eastside Trail makes it an easy walk or bike ride to more of the neighborhood. Close by: Venkman’s for live music, Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium for a dive-bar detour, Moonlight for cocktails, and Atrium and Kitty Dare for a sit-down meal off the food hall crowds. Staying overnight nearby, FORTH Hotel Atlanta is a short walk away.
Getting There
Most visitors reach Ponce City Market on foot or bike via the BeltLine Eastside Trail. There’s a parking deck on site for anyone driving, though it fills up on weekends and during events. The nearest MARTA rail station is a longer walk, so a rideshare or the BeltLine itself is usually more practical than transit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What used to be in the Ponce City Market building?
The building was constructed in 1926 as a Sears, Roebuck and Co. retail and catalog distribution center. The City of Atlanta bought it in 1990 and used it as City Hall East before it was redeveloped and reopened as Ponce City Market in 2014.
Is Skyline Park included with a visit to Ponce City Market?
No. The Central Food Hall and shops are free to browse, but Skyline Park on the roof, including mini golf and the carnival games, is a separate paid attraction.
What are the Central Food Hall’s hours?
Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Individual vendors inside can vary, so it’s worth checking ahead for a specific stall.
Can you walk to Ponce City Market from the BeltLine?
Yes. Ponce City Market sits directly on the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, and most visitors arrive on foot or by bike rather than by car.
Final Thoughts
Ponce City Market works whether you have thirty minutes or a full afternoon: grab a bite in the food hall, browse the shops, and if you have time, head up to Skyline Park before the sun sets over the skyline.
Exploring more of the BeltLine? Check out our guides to BeltLine neighborhoods and Virginia-Highland dining.