Looking back at McConnell's Five & Dime

"This is a 1941 view looking north from the courthouse square in Decatur. In it you will see the site of a McConnell’s 5 & 10 in the Watkins Building on East Ponce de Leon. To the right of it, just off camera, was the J. W. Woolworth Bldg. The DeKalb Theatre was next, followed by the Western Auto store and the Candler Hotel, at the corner of East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Church Street [as can be seen in this 40s photo owned by the DeKalb Historical Society].  These buildings were demolished and replaced by new construction in the ‘80’s. [The two buildings pictured, the Masonic Building on the corner and the Watkins Building to its right, are still there.] This paragraph edited to make corrections based on photos.

The building that housed the theater was renovated in the ‘50’s and became a J.C. Penny store. It was probably large enough to hold 800 seats when it was a theater, but that’s just speculation. My educated guess is that the DeKalb Theatre ceased operations sometime in the early 1950’s.

Ken Roe, Cinema Treasures

Here's a more recent photo of the Watkins Building:

Here's a GSU image of the other downtown Decatur movie theater, the Decatur Theater, on N. McDonough, back in the 40s (judging from the car). Dennis Whitefield "colorized it." It lasted longer than the DeKalb Theater, but was razed decades ago, and will soon be the site of the Decatur House, a condo development.

The Georgia State library of images are a treasure. See Atlanta Time Machine for many then vs. now shots (some in the Decatur-DeKalb area). This blog will feature others from time to time (infrequently, so as not to unduly bore any younger people reading this).

more vague memories from the 50s and 60s in the continuation

Some photos used in this post are from Dennis Whitefield's collection.

- - - - - -

There were three places with lunch/soda bars on or near the square in the 50s and 60s, of which McConnell's was one. Tatem's Pharmacy on E. Court Square was another. Different high schools groups favored different ones. It had a large, old-fashioned wood bar. Cherry cokes (with the cherry flavoring added in) were popular.

There were no bars or nightlife in Decatur (beyond dinner functions) way back then. That came a couple of deca(tur)des later

Those born after 1945 (and well before it was shut down) will better remember The Decatur Theatre on N. McDonough (where the "Decatur House" condos will be built soon). "Yo Yo" experts would put on shows on stage before the movies.

In the early 60s, there was a hobby shop west of the hotel, with a race track for small cars.  The other hobby shop in town was on Church, a block from the high school. (Boys remember hobby shops.)

There was a barber shop between the hotel and the hobby shop in the 60s. This writer's dentist was upstairs in the Watkins Building. Walking up those stairs to an appointment was not a pleasant experience.

Note the tracks in the street, which were for one of two trolley tracks which came through Decatur. They were replaced by tired electric buses, and eventually by gas and now propane-powered buses.

Comments

[Lain]

Don't stop posting old photos on account of us whippersnappers! These are great. It's hard to believe that you could drive on McDonough through downtown Decatur.

[David]

Glad you enjoyed it, Lain. Some younger people [probably reincarnated souls who have lived before, if you believe in that concept] do. Some [probably "new souls"] just consider it old people being nostalgic.

You couldn't exactly drive straight through downtown Decatur on McDonough. You could drive until McDonough deadended at Church at the Old Court House, take a right, then circle around the square (one way).

Coming south on Clairemont (It's spelled with an e in some places, and without in others), you could turn to the right, back to the left, then back to the left again (circling the Old Courthouse, going by Candler Ford on the right), then turn right on McDonough.

I had '65 Mustang back then. I mastered the art (when there were no other cars around) of swinging wide to toss a paper iced tea cup in a trash container in front of the Old Court House as I turned to the right. Never missed! Never got caught doing it by the Decatur police.

Of course, MARTA changed all that.

In many ways, the current Square, with less traffic, is better. Perhaps it would be even better if the streets closed off for special events were closed off permanently (allowing only necessary delivery vehicles which can't approach buildings from the other sides). It would force people just passing through to take the Commerce bypass instead of driving through on Ponce.

Thanks for visiting "In Decatur" and more commenting, so I know somebody is actually reading these posts.

[Nick]

I second Lain's comment! These are excellent postings, and though I've been using GA State's library of images for years, your context is invaluable.

[Ted]

Just found your blog. I grew up in Decatur, DHS class of 74, now live in the DC area. But I used to race slot cars at the Hobby Shop and entered model cars in their little contests.
My favorite place to take my best girl was Pizza by Candlelight. Any news or update on that?

(BTW, am I the only one who sees Department of Homeland Security's abbreviation and does a double take every time?)

[David]

Googling for Decatur news, I ran into another fond remembrance of the Decatur hobby shop, which mentioned the slot car races.

The corner which was occupied by Pizza By Candlelight is now occupied by Victory Vintage Home, which sells predominantly furniture:

http://www.victoryvintage.com/

I suspect everyone who ever attended Decatur High thinks of it when they see the DHS acronym for the Department of Homeland Security.

Thanks for reading, and commenting!

[whitefield]

Hi David,
Glad to see your new site, I just found it. Looks good.
Please feel free to use any of the pictures that The Whitefield Bros.
sent you for your old DHS site to use on this new site.

Dennis Whitefield

[David]

Hi Dennis,

Your contributions to the old Indecatur site were invaluable. Unfortunately, it was hosted at a company which went out of business. Many of the images are probably on an old computer. One day I may find time to recover them. In the meantime, thanks for authorizing the use of your images. I'll give you credit and link to your gallery when I do, of course.

David

[whitefield]

Hi David,
I have put two links here of the Watkins building and the Woolworth building.
F.W. Woolworth was to the right of the Watkins building, it was never in the Watkins building itself.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24391992@N00/1593662674/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24391992@N00/1592244141/

Dennis

[David]

Thanks for clarifying that, Dennis.

That entire post needs a rewrite, as it's turned into a tarbaby as new photos clarify what was on Ponce at the square over time, and I've spent too much time trying to patch it up.

With the exception of people like us who are fascinated with history; most probably see looking back as a waste of time by nostalgic old men. But, we know better. ;-)

BTW, thanks for posting the photo of the buildings across from the Depot back in the 70s. My brother worked at Watson's Pharmacy, and I've been looking for a photo of it for some time.

I'll add a post about that strip in future, and would appreciate any more info you have about it. You can post it as a comment or e-mail it to goldtimer@mail.com, as you prefer.

What's the story on the building to the far left? It doesn't seem to be all there anymore. I'll have to look again next time I'm on that side of town.