Northeast Plaza shopping center opens 1957
When Northeast Plaza was built in 1957, it was the largest shopping center in Atlanta. It was built on 50 acres with 2,000 parking spaces. Driving to your shopping destination was considered a luxury during this time, as compared to today’s walkability preference.
The opening of Northeast Plaza was big news. The Wednesday, November 13, 1957 Atlanta Journal included an entire section of the newspaper titled “Northeast Plaza Section.” The headline on the first page was “Gigantic new Northeast Plaza sets formal opening Thursday” and every page that followed featured stories and advertising for the tenants.
A simple map from the 1957 Atlanta Journal shows the location of Northeast Plaza.
It cost $5 million to build Northeast Plaza Shopping Center. Atlanta realty firm, Adams-Cates Company managed leasing spaces of Northeast Plaza.
It opened with 19 stores, including J. C. Penney, W. T. Grant’s, F. W. Woolworth, King Hardware, Friedman Jewelers, three shoe stores, Lerner’s-women’s wear specialty shop, Kroger and Colonial Grocery Stores, King Hardware, Western-Auto, and Lane-Rexall drug store. Plus more of course.
King Hardware was well established in Atlanta, with 18 stores before Northeast Plaza opened.
Kroger advertised its new 1957 Northeast Plaza supermarket as “designed with the customer in mind. Everything from the self-service departments to the completely new check-out stand was designed for the customer’s convenience.”
W. T. Grant’s advertised “door buster specials” like boys lined jeans for $1.57 and women’s gown and robe set for $2.97.
In his memoir, “Growing up on the edges,” Joe Greear remembers walking with his brother Sol from his home along N. Druid Hills Road, following Peachtree Creek to visit Northeast Plaza. The path was just about the same as today’s Peachtree Creek Greenway. The boys would wander through the shops, play mini golf, or go bowling. (DeKalb History Center Archives)
There were changes of course through the years. In the late 1970s and the 1980s, Northeast Plaza had a Turtle’s Records and Tapes store. Loehmann’s was another addition.
For a few years, the shopping center was known as Fashion Square at Northeast Plaza, but that name didn’t stick. The DeKalb Neighbor newspaper announced the expansion and renovation of Fashion Square Northeast Plaza in 1985. At that point, J. C. Penney was still part of the center, along with Ross, S. Y Shoes, and Drug Emporium.
DeKalb County CEO Manuel Maloof helped celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the renovated shopping center on February 22, 1987. (DeKalb History Center Archives)
A movie theater opened in 1990 with 12 screens, showing second-run films. According to cinematreasures.org the theater closed in 1999 and became a nightclub. In 2019 it was purchased by NCG Cinemas, renovated and reopened June 4, 2020.
Northeast Plaza today includes City Farmers Market and dd’s Discounts, along with other shops and restaurants.