Lenox Square shopping center opened on August 3, 1959 with a ceremony at 9:45 a.m. The Atlanta Constitution covered the grand opening that day. Vice president of Lenox Square Inc. Chess Lagomarsino called the newly constructed shopping center “the biggest in the south.”
The mall was designed by architect Joseph Amisano. He was part of the architectural firm Toombs, Amisano and Wells that formed in 1955. The firm was not only responsible for Lenox Square, but Woodruff Memorial Arts Center, Fernbank Science Center, and Peachtree Center Marta Station.
President of Rich’s, Richard Rich, and president of Davison-Paxon, Charles Ross, were part of the opening ceremonies. Stores featured in the shopping center placed large advertisements in the paper that day, including Davison’s, Claude Bennett jewelry, Zachry men’s fashion store, Muse’s, Hirsch’s and Kresge’s.
In addition to Rich’s and Davison’s, the shopping center boasted fifty additional stores on seventy-four acres. It was built on two levels and had ten escalators. Rich’s had three levels.
There were five women’s specialty stores, six shoe stores, six men’s stores, two jewelry stores, two toy shops, and more.
An aerial view of early Lenox Square Mall.
The store I remember best at open air Lenox Square is Kresge’s, which was basically a five and dime store. That’s probably why I remember it-five and dime was likely my shopping budget. The Kresge’s ad from 1959 describes the store: “Kresge’s variety extends from 5-10 cent notions to family apparel, toys, housewares, small furniture, electric appliances, etc…in price ranges up to $10-$25—even $75. Whatever the price, it is our purpose to give outstanding value.”
A 350-seat community auditorium was part of the Lenox Square shopping center. There were eight eating establishments, including cafeterias, restaurants, snack bars, and grills.
Of course, it did not start out as an enclosed mall, but was a shopping center with nine buildings. It was 1972 when Lenox Square was enclosed, and Neiman Marcus was added. North DeKalb Mall in Decatur had already enclosed in 1965. This is the mall that my family went to more often, along with Northlake Mall, because they were closer to home.
Lenox Square was built on land that was country home estate of John King Ottley, president of First National Bank. He bought the 150 acres property from W. F. Quillian on October 4, 1897 for $1,816.48.
Ottley built a small summer cottage, calling it Joyeuse. The trip from the downtown Atlanta Ottley home to Joyeuse took the whole day. He kept prize-winning horses on the property, including one named Belle of the Joyeuse.
After Ottley died in 1945, the house was a private nursery kindergarten until 1953. The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation bought the property in 1956 and construction of Lenox Square Mall began in 1958. (Wright Mitchell for The Reporter newspaper, 2010)