Chamblee Plaza at Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Peachtree Boulevard first opened November 16, 1960. According to a special Chamblee Plaza section in the Atlanta Constitution that same day, a celebration was scheduled beginning with music from the Chamblee High School band. Mayor Woodie Malone was present for the grand opening.
The new shopping plaza included a Woolworth’s, Colonial Groceries, W. T. Grant, Jacob’s Drug Store, Kroger, Bellman Jewelers, Elliot’s Barber Shop, Corn Cabin, Economy Auto, and Excelsior Laundry.
This 1960 advertisement from the North DeKalb Record was provided by Leah Carden Jennings.
In early 2022, several alumni of Chamblee High School shared their memories of Chamblee Plaza. Bob Berbenich recalls standing in line outside Jacob’s Drugstore one Saturday morning in the mid-1960s to get a smallpox vaccine. Jacob’s Drugstore had been in Atlanta for 81 years in 1960.
Brian Smith was allowed to walk to Woolworth’s at the age of seven, where he enjoyed delicious French fries. David McCarthy remembers the banana splits and that sometimes the store had balloons to pop for a special price of 25 cents on a banana split. In 1963, the Atlanta Crackers held an autograph session at Woolworth’s, recalls John Drake.
Some Chamblee alumni had their first jobs at Chamblee Plaza, including Sue Ragan Griffith who worked at Jacob’s Drugstore, Janfra Ross Alexander who worked at Plaza Sportswear and Kate Quinn whose first job was at Hancock Fabrics. Others worked at Chamblee Plaza grocery stores.
There are memories of favorite music, such as James Fisher Lavender who shares, “I remember how excited I was to run down there after classes to buy the first Beatles album!” Some recall Turtle’s Records at Chamblee Plaza in later years.
Clark Brown remembers Leland Ball Music, where he got his first electric guitar. Carol Coy’s dad was one of the owners and the General Manager of Firestone/Texaco which opened at Chamblee Plaza in 1967.
As the 1970s arrived, businesses in the plaza changed. Tom Plamann remembers Winn Dixie, Big Star, Revco Drugs, and Hallmark Gifts. Chamblee Library was in Chamblee Plaza for a while. Masonic Lodge has been located at the north end of the plaza since around 1983, however the Chamblee Masons date back to 1903. At the other end is Bank of America, which began as C & S Bank.
There was also a Department of Motor Vehicle office where some of the students got their first driver’s license. Some students drove without a parent to take their driver’s license test-a situation that seems to have been accepted at the time. Kent Bright says, “I don’t recall being asked about a parent.”
Chamblee Plaza has gone through many evolutions since 1960 and some difficult days of empty space, but it is going strong today. Stores at the shopping center include Publix, T J Maxx, HomeGoods, Crunch Fitness, Ace Hardware, and restaurants including Chick Fil A and Dunkin Donuts.