Johns Creek is getting a new barbecue spot. Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que opens Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 10710 State Bridge Road, Suite 150, in State Bridge Crossing, bringing the chain back to Georgia for the first time in nearly 18 years.

The address carries an Alpharetta mailing address, but the shopping center sits squarely within Johns Creek city limits, according to the North Atlanta Star. It's the chain's only current Georgia location.

At roughly 2,800 square feet with about 30 seats, the restaurant is a compact, counter-service format built around takeout, family meals and catering rather than a large dining room. The menu includes ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, burgers and family-style platters.

The franchise is led by Dr. Derek S. Scott, operations developer Vetra Stephens and Lord B. Degraffinreid, operating under the entity name The Georgia Partnership. The three have described themselves as longtime Famous Dave's fans from their years living in the Midwest, and they plan to use the State Bridge Road location as a launchpad for broader Georgia expansion, Appen Media reported in July.

Famous Dave's previously operated three metro Atlanta restaurants, including one near North Point in Alpharetta, before closing all three in November 2008. The closures affected 135 workers. Then-CEO Christopher O'Donnell said in the 2008 announcement that the company needed "to preserve cash and respond appropriately to the current slowdown in market conditions."

The counter-service model arriving on State Bridge Road is far smaller than the full-service restaurants that once dotted metro Atlanta, with lower overhead and a focus on convenience. When the chain closed its Atlanta locations, it said it was developing a smaller, more cost-effective prototype.

The opening adds to a wave of new dining options in Johns Creek. The 43-acre Medley mixed-use development at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road is set to open Thursday, Oct. 29, bringing more than 30 restaurants and retailers, including Shake Shack, Fado Irish Pub and Sephora, according to The Johns Creek Magazine.

State Bridge Crossing already houses Tim Hortons and other neighborhood businesses along one of the city's busiest east-west corridors.

Founded in 1994 in Hayward, Wisconsin, Famous Dave's now operates 111 locations in 30 states under parent company MTY Food Group. The franchise team has not announced hours of operation or a grand opening event.