[Ulver]

This very site, hosts this picture, and lists Buford @ Clairmont as it's home.

I was wondering if it was part of the original Buford/Clairmont Mall? There was a Winn-Dixie there, that faced Buford Highway a decade ago. I was thinking maybe it was originally Colonial?

My other best guess, is that it could have been part of a strip shopping center, that also still stands at that intersection. An Advance Auto Parts store there today, pretty-much matches the size, but I am still leaning toward the mall theory.



Thanks for any help...

[krogerclerk]

I don't think this was in Buford/Clairmont Mall, the Winn-Dixie was considerably larger. Kroger was originally located in Northeast Plaza, the current Kroger store at Skye Hill between Buford Highway and Clairmont Road is the 1970's replacement. In the 1950's and 60's, Colonial was the leading Atlanta grocer and operated almost 50 stores in the Atlanta region, over 20 with an Atlanta address. It's been a while since I was in the Buford Highway area, so I'm drawing a blank on a current standing structure that could be this store. Northeast Plaza was a large strip center and it would not have been unusual for a center as large to have two grocery anchors. A mid-90's renovation obscured much of the original design and included a Publix which closed a few years ago.

[Ulver]

WOW! krogerclerk you really have an impressive knowledge of all things grocery!

I did not know Kroger was originally in Northeast Plaza. I guess in the building Publix ultimately moved out of, although I think it was a name grocery between those times.

The Skye Hill Kroger must have been built in the mid-70's, as I was already going to the Book Nook across the street. However, at that time the future Kroger location was home to a big steakhouse called Alexander's Eagle.

Maybe you can help me with a couple other questions.

When was Georgetown Kroger opened? I know it was there (I think lol!) in 1976 when I moved to the area. I want to say there was a Big Apple store in the same shopping center. Again, not all that uncommon at the time.

As for Chamblee Plaza, just a couple miles away, I recall the Winn-Dixie being there. Since that mall is much older (guessing late 50's), I am curious if there were other grocery stores in the Winn-Dixie building before it?

Lastly, do the names Tex Randall and Bob Black mean anything to you?

Thanks for all the help. Big thumbs-up~!

[krogerclerk]

The brickwork of the Colonial is typical of 1950's and some 1960's Colonial Stores which would predate Buford Clairmont Mall which is why I don't think the chain was in BC Mall. The Winn-Dixie had the typical 1970's WD facade, so it's likely original to the mall. Winn-Dixie arrived in the Atlanta area later than the dominant 4 of Colonial, Alterman's(Big Apple), A&P and Kroger, thus capitalized on building in DeKalb during its peak growth years of the 1960's, giving Winn-Dixie a stronger presence in DeKalb than the rest of the metro.

Kroger did not perform well in the region in the 1960's, losing ground to Winn-Dixie and Alterman's expansion in the region. Several stores would close in the late 60's and early 70's before Kroger built its first Superstore in the Atlanta region-Georgetown Shopping Center in 1973. Other Superstores would be built in DeKalb during the 1970's-Rainbow Drive at South DeKalb Mall still retains its 1970s exterior. Georgetown has gone through several expansions and remodels, only the shopping center retains some of the original design cues. I don't recall another supermarket in the center, but I don't recall much of the area prior to 1976.

I can't help you with the name Bob Black, but Tex Randall didn't retire until the late 90's, though I forget what his position was at retirement, it was at the division level. Tex was born in Oklahoma, moved to Chicago as a young man, earning the nickname Tex because of his thick drawl. He started with Kroger in the Chicago area in the 1950's and came to Atlanta with the closing of the Chicago division in 1971-72, a time when the Atlanta division was close to being closed. So I'm pretty sure Tex was higher ranking than a store manager when Chicago closed or Cincinnati wouldn't have given the opportunity to transfer to Atlanta. Unfortunately I never met Mr. Randall as he never visited NW GA during my tenure with Kroger.

[rich]

Could this store have been the anchor for the Skyland shopping center that is catty corner and a little N of the current Kroger? The store that looks big enough to have been a c '50s supermarket (it may be an auto parts store now) always struck me as a former Kroger from the door placement, but I didn't know that Kroger had been at Northeast Plaza.

During the 50s & early 60s, it was not uncommon for Kroger to relocate stores, even though the old ones withe 5-10 years old and the new ones weren't necessarily bigger. Alternatively, Kroger & Colonial might have been at Skyland and Kroger later moved to Noetheast. There's a center on Piedmont near Cheshire Bridge that originally had both (c. mid-50s) practically next door to one another.

[Ulver]

Could this store have been the anchor for the Skyland shopping center that is catty corner and a little N of the current Kroger? The store that looks big enough to have been a c '50s supermarket (it may be an auto parts store now) always struck me as a former Kroger from the door placement, but I didn't know that Kroger had been at Northeast Plaza.

During the 50s & early 60s, it was not uncommon for Kroger to relocate stores, even though the old ones withe 5-10 years old and the new ones weren't necessarily bigger. Alternatively, Kroger & Colonial might have been at Skyland and Kroger later moved to Noetheast. There's a center on Piedmont near Cheshire Bridge that originally had both (c. mid-50s) practically next door to one another.

The Advance Auto Parts that centers the strip mall north of the Skye Hill Kroger, was my other guess, as to where the Colonial store sat. I think it's quite possible.

As for the center at Piedmont near Cheshire Bridge, are you speaking of the old Lindbergh Plaza, that had the K-mart? I can't speak of the supermarkets that might have been there, but Lindbergh Plaza had an interesting history.

It started out as a Drive-in movie, which was known for it's great burgers. At one point they had a drive-up, just for people getting food, and not watching a movie. Where the Home Depot stands, was actually a lake, that was popular for swimming, before it got dark enough for the movie.
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/18519/

Later, Broadview Plaza was built on the land. It was home in time, to the Great Southeaster Music Hall, which in 1978 featured the American debut tour of the Sex Pistols.

http://www.alexcooley.com/ven-SEhall.html

[rich]

Wasn't thinking of Lindberg. The store next to the now departed K-Mart looked like it could have been a K-Mart Food, although I wondered what was in the K-Mart space before--the plaza predated K-Mart and the only 2-story K-Marts I've seen have been former department stores they acquired when those stores went out of business of relocated. Interesting to get a history of the now former Home Depot space. Given that neither Northlake nor Lake Claire have a lake, it's nice to hear about a real lake.

Was thinking of the plaza that's N of Rock Springs Road on Piedmont; there's a picture of the nearly next door Colonial & Kroger stores floating around the web.

Advance Auto is the store that looks like an ex-super.

[trekbear]

I took a photo of the Advance Auto Parts store in the Skyland Shopping Center on Clairmont Rd at Buford Hwy and have laid the old Colonial Stores photo on top of it. It seems to be a pretty good match. The wide brick façade on the left and the shorter brick wall on the right match up nearly perfectly; the width of the store seems identical. The front door has been moved from left of center to the far right but the architecture of the building lines up otherwise. Advance Auto photo taken on 7/24/2010.

[fakirk]

The Colonial Store, and the Advance Auto Parts store are the same building.Colonial Store had it'sGrand Opening around 1960. I started working there around 1963 until I went into the military service in 1966. It had been remodeled on my return in 1971. They had moved the fromt door from the right side to the left. The store manager there was Robert Lunsford.Next door on the left was a Allen's 5& 10 store on the left end was Skyland Pharmacy. The end on the right was a barbershop with a hair salon next door.For a short while a family cafeteria was there. Buford mall was a short distance uo Buford Highway on the left The big box grocery stores were just over the horizon in 1967. Colonial stores were called Big Star. They were soon going to be the start of the demise of the ordinary Colonial Store. I remember that for the first time those stores were going to be open on Sundat too.Big Star stores downsized , and were sold to the A&P chain, which eventually was sold to Publix.It's funny how a name so well known back in the 50s, 60s, is now totally unknown today. I live a short distance up Clairmont Road, and lived there during those eras.My house was located behind Buford-Clairmont Mall. My best friend at that time, house was razed to make way for the Mall.

[exbigapple]

[kljbquote="krogerclerk"]I can't help you with the name Bob Black, but Tex Randall didn't retire until the late 90's, though I forget what his position was at retirement, it was at the division level. Tex was born in Oklahoma, moved to Chicago as a young man, earning the nickname Tex because of his thick drawl. He started with Kroger in the Chicago area in the 1950's and came to Atlanta with the closing of the Chicago division in 1971-72, a time when the Atlanta division was close to being closed. So I'm pretty sure Tex was higher ranking than a store manager when Chicago closed or Cincinnati wouldn't have given the opportunity to transfer to Atlanta. Unfortunately I never met Mr. Randall as he never visited NW GA during my tenure with Kroger.
[/quote]

WOW! krogerclerk you really have an impressive knowledge of all things grocery!

I did not know Kroger was originally in Northeast Plaza. I guess in the building Publix ultimately moved out of, although I think it was a name grocery between those times.

The Skye Hill Kroger must have been built in the mid-70's, as I was already going to the Book Nook across the street. However, at that time the future Kroger location was home to a big steakhouse called Alexander's Eagle.

Maybe you can help me with a couple other questions.

When was Georgetown Kroger opened? I know it was there (I think lol!) in 1976 when I moved to the area. I want to say there was a Big Apple store in the same shopping center. Again, not all that uncommon at the time.

As for Chamblee Plaza, just a couple miles away, I recall the Winn-Dixie being there. Since that mall is much older (guessing late 50's), I am curious if there were other grocery stores in the Winn-Dixie building before it?

Lastly, do the names Tex Randall and Bob Black mean anything to you?

Thanks for all the help. Big thumbs-up~!

the original anchor to the Buford Clairmont Mall was Food Giant (big apple) i know because worked there for a year including grand , the Winn-Dixie opened late