*Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

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Ulver
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*Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by Ulver »

Back around 1990-92, I was living off Roberts Dr. in north Fulton Co., close to the city of Roswell.

I did my shopping at an A&P, located at 1425 Market Blvd, right off Holcomb Bridge Rd. For the longest time, I swore that it was a Winn-Dixie, but thanks to Google and the internet, I now know it was an A&P.

I recall how much I liked that store!

Most all the produce that didn't need kept wet, was displayed in handsome wicker baskets, in a farmer's market "volume style", rather than the usual Kroger-mandated, hand-stacked perfection.
It gave the department a nice feel to it. Attractive as well.

I also recall, that the deli (?), featured a lot of freshly made, take-home meals. The lasagna was as good, as any Italian restaurant I had eaten at. The meatloaf was very good, also.

The location is now a Publix. Here's a look:

Image

Is that facade, typical of an certain era of A&P build? I can't say I recall the A&P being this regal with the columns and such, but it was years ago when I obviously shopped there. The huge, red brick construction is what made it think for the longest, it was a Winn-Dixie mega-store of the time.

Any history on this building, or the shopping center is of interest.

Thanks for any help. This site is a blessing for us living a retro life.
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Brian Lutz
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by Brian Lutz »

I'm not familiar with the area, but using HistoricAerials.com (something I was pointed to from this board, which I make extensive use of for historical research up in my neck of the woods) we can answer your questions:

Image

-There was nothing on this site before 1988 or so. The 1978 image available on HistoricAerials shows an empty field, and 1988 shows what would appear to be the beginning of construction on this site.

-The Publix facade does not appear to have been original to the building, and in fact appears to have been a relatively recent addition. The 1993 image (seen above) does not appear to include it, and neither do the 1999 or 2003 images. The 2007 (most recent) image does include it, however.
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krogerclerk
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by krogerclerk »

This was a Big Star Food Center which opened around 88 or 89, one of Grand Union's last new build Big Star's in the Atlanta area. The store was initially a high volume store, but by the time A&P took over the Atlanta area Big Star operations, Cub Foods was across Holcomb Bridge and volume had dropped considerably and A&P was not able to curtail the decline. I don't recall the store staying open long after becoming an A&P. Publix heavily renovated the structure, so little is original to its Big Star origins.

Due to anti-trust concerns, Winn-Dixie did take over several former Big Stars as a result of the A&P/Big Star merger. North of Roswell in Alpharetta, a store of similar vintage became a Winn-Dixie Marketplace as did the Stone Mountain Gwinnett Big Star and Cumming Big Star. None of the locations were open very long as Winn-Dixie. Winn Dixie already had a Holcomb Bridge store east of this location, near an A&P FutureStore that closed after the Harris-Teeter opened on Holcomb Bridge. On North Alpharetta Street in Roswell, Winn-Dixie had opened its first Atlanta area Marketplace in 1987 which would close briefly in the late 90's but resurrected as a Save Rite. It had replaced a Winn-Dixie at the intersection of Holcomb Bridge and Alpharetta Street across from Roswell Mall. A&P did operate a 1970's build store at the opposite intersection(Woodstock Street and Alpharetta Street) which closed around the time the Market Street Big Star opened.
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BK31
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by BK31 »

I'm fairly certain that Publix completely tore out the existing structure and built new. If you look at the birds eye view shots on live.com from the west you can see the inline retail store added between the old retail and new Publix. The short little parapet wall sticking up above the roof of the retails looks thick enough to be the original wall from the Big Star and is probably the only portion of the original store still there. There's a chance they salvaged the precast columns in front and reused them in the new. Everything on the roof and the roof material itself is Publix prototypical as well as the Pharmacy drive thru rather than reusing or refurbishing existing equipment.

I've only lived in the Roswell and East Cobb area for the last 2 years so its kind of interesting to have something so close to home for once. I actually work about 2 miles from there and will try to go by and see what I can make of the site, and see if I can determine anything more.
rich
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by rich »

This definitely looks like a rebuild. The Atlanta A&Ps they kept were either torn down and replaced or kept largely intact with renovation of the interiors. The store on Ponce near Highland (another ex-Big Star) was demolished and replaced with a Publix of the same size--which made no sense. The North Decatur/Clairmont store (an old future store and only slightly larger than Ponce) only received the new interior.
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Ulver
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by Ulver »

rich wrote:This definitely looks like a rebuild. The Atlanta A&Ps they kept were either torn down and replaced or kept largely intact with renovation of the interiors. The store on Ponce near Highland (another ex-Big Star) was demolished and replaced with a Publix of the same size--which made no sense. The North Decatur/Clairmont store (an old future store and only slightly larger than Ponce) only received the new interior.
Here's a pic I took of the North Decatur/Clairmont Publix. Obviously, very much as it once was, before Publix took it over.

And thanks for all the help! Very interesting!


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Edric Floyd
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by Edric Floyd »

When Publix took over so many former A&P stores they more than likely completely demolished and replaced the building. The store in this thred definitely looks like a rebuild.

The Publix at Ansley Mall in Atlanta was an A&P that I know was completely demolshed and rebuilt. That store closed very shortly before A&P left Georgia completely...a decade ago.
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Re: *Photo*Questions About Former A&P Location In Roswell?

Post by rich »

the Ansley Publix was a Publix in mid-98 when I moved to Atlanta. That was a about a year before A&P pulled out. I think the North Decatur Publix was a Publix by then, too. A&P had kept a small store in Downtown Decatur (later a Harris-Teeter, then Kroger) and one opposite Toco Hills (slated to become a Harris-teeter but it never happened), so the North Decatur store would have been somewhat redundant.

I wondered if the Elm Hill H-T (later Kroger) on Druid Hills or the Northeast Plaza Publix (later closed) had been A&Ps.
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