The Decatur Theatre circa 1968

Work has started on outside of Leon's Full Service Pub.

The renovation of the old Rue de Leon antique store into what will be Leon's Full Service Pub has started, here workers are enlarging the windows facing Church St.

Rain Drops Keep Falling on my Head

Decatur Bulldogs vs Druid Hills Red Devils this Friday

The game will be played at Avondale Stadium .
Game Time: 7:30

Decatur-Dekalb Library

Decatur City Planners had a vision ahead of their time.

The top picture was Decatur in 1960
The city planners vision for Decatur for 1980 is photo on bottom.
Note how they had planned for N. McDonough to curve around the left side of court house, that would have been a great, but one think city planners did plan on was MARTA.
This could still be done today if it was made a one way street.
I think the vision they had was a good one. They did see where E. Court Sq.
would be closed off, and some sort of plaza would be in that place.
Their 1980 vision could be a vision for 2028.

Update: The Decatur High School Stadium

Decatur, GA.

Decatur Book Festival Banner

Funtown Friday Entertainment Video Presents Video No. 13. He's a real Wild Child

Jerry Lee Lewis

This is a great box-set of his music.
I bought this and I enjoy it.

A Great Hang Out Spot... Twain's Billards and Tap

TWAIN'S
Billards and Tap
211 east trinty pl.
Decatur, GA.
404-373-0063
Just a block from the Square!

TheDecatur Book Festival is Labor Day week-end

Beat the Street for Little Feet

The 2nd Annual 5K Fun Run Children's Festival
For registration click here.

Jumble sale @ McDonough St. Market. Aug. 23

Come eat, shop and play at our Jumble Sale this Saturday, August 23rd,
from 10 am - 3 pm, at McDonough Street Market.

We’ve marked down our end-of-season items, and we’re opening our Events Room for more great deals on regular inventory, as well as our personal stock.

Enjoy great deals on accessories, antiques, art, books, clothing, flowers, food, gifts, household items, Kenyan handmade baskets and jewelry, pet portraits, vintage treasures & more.
Super back-to-school stuff, gifts & personal picks!

McDonough Street Market
515 N McDonough Street
Decatur, GA 30030
[Below Eddie’s Attic,
across from the new Courthouse in Downtown Decatur]
Atlanta Intown/In the Loop

h/t inDECATUR

Future home of "Leon's Full Service"

This old service station looks like it use to be a early Sinclair Gas Station.
I wonder how they plan to have outside tables and chairs.
I don't see them putting a fence around it, but I could see them using large planters(low ones) to block off part of street. and I hope they use neon lights to make it look like and old gas station.
For more details go here.



sinclair map from: suzysputnik's flickr site.


h/t to: Decatur Metro

The New Decatur High School Stadium.....So Far So Good.

Looking Good Decatur.

GO DECATUR !

McDonough Street Market UpTown Girl

Would someone please give this girl some more outfits for her wardrobe.
Now Remember Football season will be here soon so I think someone should donate a Decatur High Bulldog T- shirt or sweat shirt to her to wear for Football season. What a great way to Welcome the The New Decatur High School Stadium.

Let me know if this happens and I will feature it here.

McDonough Street Market
527 N. McDonough St.
Decatur, GA.

Wordsmiths Books, in Decatur, GA, to remain open, meets operating cost needs and looks to the future

For Immediate Release

Wordsmiths Books, in Decatur, GA, to remain open, meets operating cost needs and looks to the future

On the heels of their two-week-long “Save OurBookstore” campaign, having culminated this past weekend in a flurry ofin-store activity and events featuring authors, bands, poetry and a silentauction, Wordsmiths Books has announced it has met operating cost goals and islooking to the future. In a letter to customers and donors posted early thismorning in the store blog, Wordsmiths Books owner Zachary Steele writes“We asked for your help. We asked for the chance to take thisbusiness and turn it forward, to get out from under the weight of immediatecosts that were threatening to close our doors forever and begin the task ofpaying down debts that were accrued in our original location. And youresponded…thanks to you all, we are still here. We have raised enoughcapital to cover necessary operating expenses and give us a clear sight intothe Fall.” In regards to exactly where the bookstore stands nowfinancially, Steele writes “There is still much for us yet to do. We have operating expenses caught up and have made some traction into tomorrow,but we will still be working on paying down our debts for the foreseeablefuture. I would be remiss to state that all is well and that we arecompletely in the clear, though we are at least now in a position to addressour concerns. I am still working to secure the long-term future of thebookstore and will be open to investment of any level up to that of apartnership in the business.” Steele is encouraging anypotential investors to call Wordsmiths or to email him directly, and statesthat any and all investment opportunities to secure the solvency of the storewill be discussed and entertained.

Steele continues on to say that those still wishing tosupport the store have several options available, from the “Friends ofWordsmiths” loyalty plan to the “events” box which will beavailable for those wishing to continue to donate when at author events tosimply shopping and supporting the store, and promises he will continue todocument Wordsmiths’ financial situation on the store blog.

Further looking into the future, the store is focusing onits’ continued array of large, in-store author signings and events,including fantasy legend R.A. Salvatore on Sept 10th, “HowStarbucks Saved My Life” author Michael Gates Gill on September 22 and Food Network star SandraLee on October 15th, as well as the labor day weekend Decatur BookFestival, for which Wordsmiths will be handling event sales at the CooksWarehouse stage.

Wordsmiths Books’ owner Zachary Steele’s entireletter to customers is available on-line at blog.wordsmithsbooks.com

For further information on Wordsmiths Books and upcomingevents, visit wordsmithsbooks.com
-----------
Russ Marshalek
Marketing/Publicity Director
Wordsmiths Books
545 N McDonough
Decatur, GA 30030
(404)378-7166

russ@wordsmithsbooks.com

Next Stop Decatur's Time Machine "Pot O' Gold "at North Decatur Plaza

Today it just looks average, they should have kept the Pot O' Gold sign.


In 1950 Pot O' Gold opened at The North Decatur Plaza. I remember as a kid in the 1960's my Cub Scout Troop use to stop by the Pot O' Gold for Ice Cream treats .

The Decatur Fire Dept. Having Fun.

The Decatur Fire Dept was giving free rides on the Mini Fire Truck this week-end next door to Chick-fil-A.

Five Reasons for Drinking at The Brick Store Pub.

Brick Store Pub
125 E. Court Square
Decatur, GA.
404-687-0990

Update on the New Decatur High School Stadium

Today is Decatur's 8th Annual BBQ-BLUES & BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Click on logo for more info.
DIRECTIONS & PARKING

Location:
Harmony Park is at the intersection of East Lake Drive and Oakview Road, in beautiful downtown Oakhurst.

Directions:
From the East Lake MARTA station: Exit the south (College Ave.) side of the station and cross the parking lot to the southeast corner, which is the intersection of East Lake Dr. and Park Place. Follow East Lake south into Oakhurst, until you hear music and smell barbeque. (approx ½ mi)

From the Decatur MARTA station: Exit toward the Decatur Square and follow McDonough St. south. Cross Howard Ave., the railroad tracks, and College Ave. Turn right on Ansley St. and continue until it runs into Oakview Road. You should hear music and smell barbeque. (approx 1 mi)

From Atlanta, driving east on Ponce de Leon Ave.: Veer right on East Lake Drive, follow it to the fun.

From Atlanta, driving east on Dekalb Ave.: Turn left on Paden Circle, right on East Lake Drive, and follow it to the fun.

From Atlanta, driving east on Memorial Dr.: Turn left on Second Ave., turn right on Oakview Drive, and follow it to the fun.

Parking:
Parking is available on the street in surrounding neighborhoods. Please do not block driveways
2008 ScheDULE
4:00pm - Flat Rock Bluegrass Band
5:00pm - Well Strung (bluegrass)
6:00pm - Porch Bottom Boys (bluegrass)
7:00pm - Stonehouse Posse (blues)
8:00pm - Albert White and Beverly “Guitar” Watkins (blues)

2008 Logo for The Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival . Buy Tickets on line now, No Tickets Sold at Gate

The Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival 2008
On the square in downtown Decatur
Saturday, October 18 • Noon-5 pm
Tickets $35, for sale online now.
Limited to 4,000 attendees • No tickets sold at gate.


Click on logo to learn more.

Funtown Friday Entertainment Video Presents Video No. 12

Decatur blogger's ASIAN CAJUNS in the AJC

See their story and photos in the AJC- MY STYLE
See rest of pictures here.


Comment from Asian Cajuns:
Thank you for the mention! We love Next Stop...Decatur!

August 17, 2008 10:14 AM

EAST LAKE HARDWARE & APPLIANCES INC.

Grand Opening for Decatur Stadium September 19th!

Dear Decatur Alums,

Decatur High School's new stadium is on schedule to open with the first home
football game September 19, 2008! We are all very excited and are making preparations
for a festive grand opening event.

We'd like to invite any and all former football players to join us on that evening
and help build a bridge from the past to the present. Former players from any of
Decatur's schools (Decatur High, Trinity, Herring Street, or Decatur Boys High)
will form a corrider on the new field through which the current football team will
run on to the field for the first game.

If you are a former football player and are interested in participating in this
special event, please let us know. You can email Sherri Breunig at sbreunig@csdecatur.org
or call 404-370-4400 ext. 928.

We look forward to sharing this fun evening all of Decatur's alums!

“Saving Bookstores is Awesome!!!

Wordsmiths Books in Decatur, GA announces partial list of contributors to Silent Auction of Robots as part of their“Saving Bookstores is Awesome!!! Night of Awesome!!!!”, FridayAugust 15



For the first night of their “Save OurBookstore” fundraising weekend, August 15, Wordsmiths Books in Decatur,GA has an evening of robot-themed activity planned. In addition to local authorJack Pendarvis reading from his new robot-themed novel Awesome and beloved indie-rock bandSealions performing music, the bookstore will be holding a silent auction ofvarious hand-crafted robot-themed goods.



Some notable contributors of items for the silent robotauction include:



---Local folk-pop musician Wayne Fishell(http://ofishell.com/), who, with his band The Wayne Fishell experiment, hasperformed at Wordsmiths Books many times (most recently for their Black And RedProm)

---Decatur artists Mark Frey (www.flickr.com/marcofrey),who predominantly works in acrylic painting brightly colored works. Thisrobot painting is a departure from his usual human figures and landscapes,though all have this same type of fun atmosphere. “Who isn’t a fanof Rosie from the Jetson’s?” he asks, “Robots are justso cool!”

---Minneapolis-based fashion designer, poet and essayistBarrett Johanneson, who has contributed “pocket poems” which havebeen decorated with robot designs.

---Atlanta art collective CHRIS HAMER (www.myspace.com/urbnpop), ANDREWBELLURY (www.myspace.com/samuraisuprise)and TED MURPHY ( www.myspace.com/spookytoons).Chris, Andrew and Ted will be on hand “drawing robots in style with somesort of sex appeal or dorkiness”.


--- 11 year old Noah Smith, who has contributed the“i-Bot”, which comes complete with accessories.

All robots will be available to bid on all evening on August15.

Anyone wishing to contribute a robot of any media or in anyform or fashion still has time to do so, and should contact Russ Marshalek atWordsmiths Books (russ@wordsmithsbooks.comor 404-378-7166).

For further information on Wordsmiths Books Fundraiserweekend, August 15-17, or on their “Save Our Bookstore” campaign,visit wordsmithsbooks.com


-----------

Russ Marshalek
Marketing/Publicity Director
Wordsmiths Books
545 N McDonough
Decatur, GA 30030
(404)378-7166

Ty chooses Oprah over Decatur fest

By Richard L. Eldredge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/14/08

Oh, Tygert Burton Pennington, how could you? That's the reaction at the Decatur Book Festival when news broke that one of their big draws, Ty Pennington —- host of TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and hammer-swinger-made-good —- is going back on his agreement to appear at the festival.

Pennington's people have informed festival organizers via e-mail that Pennington has made another commitment for the same weekend —- Aug. 29-31 —- and is pulling out of the book bash. That other commitment is Oprah Winfrey, who wants Pennington to tape a segment for her TV show.

So just like that, Pennington dropped the Decatur Book Fest like a high school boy who scored a hotter prom date at the last moment. And this from an Atlanta native and Sprayberry High School grad in Cobb County, no less.

The last-minute snub is an unwelcome surprise for the festival, as organizers already had printed thousands of posters and programs with Pennington's name on them. He had committed to promote his upcoming book "Good Design Can Change Your Life."

"This is obviously very disappointing for us and for his fans here in Atlanta," Daren Wang, the festival's executive director wrote in an e-mail. "The publisher understands the hardship this places on a young festival, even one as successful as ours. We are working with them to bring somebody even bigger and better."

Alexis Welby, Pennington's publicist at Simon & Schuster told us in an e-mail: "Due to a change in a TV project Ty is involved in, he regrettably had to cancel his appearance at the Decatur Book Festival. But he hopes to be able to reschedule sometime in the future."

h/t inDECATUR

New Web site for the The Decatur Theatre

The Decatur Theatre was my favorite theatre, growing up, I spent alot of time there. Every Saturday morning I was there, most of the time I was first in line and watched them load the cash register and load the roll of tickets.
Anyway I am constructing a site just to Showcase The Decatur Theatre so I am looking for any pictures that I can find to include on this site.
The link can be found here.
Now remember it's still under construction.
Any stories I can find I will post and anything concerning 'The Decatur' as it was once called I will post, I still have alot to load.

This site will just be a site to showcase The Decatur Theatre.
So don't expect daily entries.
I just want a place to put all that I have on the theatre.
But you can still make comments or share your stories or pictures,
Pictures are very rare hard to find.
I would love to have a ticket stub. I know some of you save stuff like that from your childhood. or a special date you had at the Decatur Theatre.
I thought this might help find more pictures.

The 8th Annual Decatur Barbeque Blues & Bluegrass Festival this Saturday,

Don’t miss the 8th Annual Decatur Barbeque Blues & Bluegrass Festival this Saturday, Aug 16th at Harmony Park in Decatur. The gates open at 4:00pm and there will be live music until 10:00pm. Tickets are $5 per person with kids 10 and under admitted free. Please note that no outside coolers will be permitted on the site.

Decatur takes questions today for town hall

Staff reports
Published on: 08/13/08

Decatur Square is part of the Democrats' town hall.

From 3-7 p.m. today, people can come to 599 McDonough St. in Decatur to submit questions to the "America's Town Hall" event.

That event will be held Aug. 26 during the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

At the convention, elected officials will respond to videotaped questions that are preselected by party officials.

Decatur was one of eight cities chosen by the party for "open call" events, at which people can record their questions in person.

THE CANDLER HOTEL

The Candler Hotel was located at the corner of E. Ponce de Leon Ave & Church St.
Photo circa 1950

Bird's eye view of Old Decatur Court House circa 1917

In this photo (circa 1917) shows the Decatur Court House after it was remodeled in 1917 after the fire of 1916. Left and right wings were added on each side. also notice that the Confederate monument was moved at some point in time, now it is about half way up the walkway. see arrows on photo.
Look at how clean the grounds looked then. Now it looks so crowded.
the bandstand should have been built over to the left where it is now(in the grass area), it would make a better flow for the area.I would love to see west court square opened back up to connect to sycamore.

Comments are welcome.

Mid-century furnishings perfect fit for 1960's Decatur ranch

By H.M. CAULEY
For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
photo: Louie Favorite / lfavorite@ajc.com
Published on: 08/11/08

Mention collectibles, antiques and historically significant structures and many people conjure up images of vintage dishware, 100-year old sideboards and Victorian homes. But some don't go back quite so far to find an appealing style: They find the look they love in furnishings, accessories and houses of the 1950s and '60s.

The living room in J. Gladney and Bo Kersey's Decatur home features art, a low metal and glass coffee table and a deep pink area rug. The couple like Midcentury modern furnishings. more picture here.

Yes, baby boomers, those metal-framed Naugahyde chairs you lolled in and the Formica tables you dined on are making a splash with many younger buyers who find the retro look ideal for their lofts and condos. And some are even going gaga over the houses that older buyers would tear down in a heartbeat.
The mid-century modern look is very hot," said Jim Deadwyler, owner of Deadwyler Antiques in Buckhead, who recently opened a new section dedicated to goods from the Cold War Era and beyond. "People now consider things from the 1970s to be part of this retro look, but to me, it's really all about the 1950s and '60s," he said.

Over in Inman Park, Jennifer Sams, owner of City Issue, has a hard time keeping up with the demand for molded plastic chairs, low-backed sofas and stackable side tables. And sleek buffets or dressers fly out the door as buyers snap them up for their flat-panel TVs.

"We have lots of people who say they grew up with this style and now they like it again," said Sams. "More people are mixing styles; they're nostalgic and don't want to get rid of their grandparents' stuff."

For Bo Kersey and his partner J. Gladney, the mid-century modern look starts at the frosted-glass front door of their 1960s split level and continues throughout. For those driving down their street in Decatur's Leafmore Hills community, the look begins with the soaring two-story triangular window that gives passersby a view straight through to the kitchen. ("People love walking by and staring in," said Kersey with a laugh.)

The 1,940-square-foot house could have been a teardown, making way for a more contemporary, two-story style that Atlantans love. But four years ago, the pair opted to restore and enhance the three-bedroom house, a project that involved refinishing oak floors, replacing windows and doors and having new electric lines run.

"The kitchen was outdated, but the house had great bones," said Gladney. "It had wrought-iron railings up the stairs and everything was painted puce, but it was in livable shape. Hopefully, we've done it with a sense of humor." That sense of fun guided the couple in their choice of furnishings. "It's a unique house," said Kersey. "It just seemed right to put furnishings in it that fit here."

Wow factors

What wowed the two was that wall of glass in the living room and the extensive brick surround of the fireplace, where brick ledges form ideal display shelves for a collection of white pottery. The old fire grate was replaced with dark rocks, and red seat cushions add a dash of color to the hearth ledge.

Ceiling beams were painted white. A coat of pale gray toned down the wall and provided a soft backdrop to the room's collection of retro furniture: a low metal and glass coffee table, found on eBay; a deep pink area rug; a white oblong fabric lamp hanging from the slanted ceiling; two white metal-framed chairs; a yellow vase lamp; a red chair with metal legs; and a low-slung chair with a curved back.

Beyond the living area is a dining area with a view to the kitchen, opened up by taking out a pass-through and creating a breakfast bar. But the laminate counters and the original tongue-and-groove paneling on the walls remain. The old floor was so horrid the pair covered it up with a red carpet. A cabinet was wired for electricity to hide the coffee maker and toaster oven.

Rec room redone

"This is our homage to House Beautiful 1959," said Kersey with a laugh.

The home's lower level, a classic '60s "rec room" a few steps down from the kitchen, is outfitted with a sofa in a hip green, blue and gray pattern, an orange table with black legs, an ashtray stand and two black chairs. A triple window over the sofa and a set of French doors to the deck and backyard provide natural light. A framed poster advertising cigarettes flanks one side of the flat-panel TV that sits in a metal cabinet Gladney built. The paneling was repainted in shades of blue drawn from the sofa. "I like the paneling — it gives the wall textures," said Gladney.

The lower level includes a third bedroom, now a home gym, and tiled bath.

Going up

One of the first things the couple removed were the railings that ran up the stairs and along the length of a gallery between the upstairs bedrooms. They replaced them with white, open-backed bookcases that provide a visual and physical barrier and show off a collection of books. In the hall bath, they tore out the original pink and green color scheme and replaced it with gray and white tiles that climb to the ceiling around the porcelain tub. A black counter holds a rectangular white sink and behind the door, open shelves are lined with linens and towels.

At one end of the gallery is Kersey's home office, where he built cabinetry and shelves into a closet. The other end is the master bedroom, painted a soothing sea foam green around a blond platform bed. Gladney built night stands into the wall and topped them with white fabric lamps. On one wall, a narrow cabinet with a mirrored sliding door was transformed into a hiding place for another flat-panel TV. A fourth bedroom was turned into the master bath.

Outside

The home's spacious backyard is graced with a pool and a raised cabana swathed in white drapes. The side-entrance front door is accented by a stone garden with potted plants and water bubbling up out of a ceramic vase.

The exterior, covered in stone and siding, was once dark brown, but a fresh coat of paint turned the stones pale gray and the wood a contrasting shade of taupe. The window panes were outlined in white.

"I think we turned the house into what it should have been," said Kersey. "It's the Jetsons meet Doris Day and Rock Hudson."

Comment from Alan:
more photos of this house here.

The Scott Drive In Theatre . Decatur, GA.

First Drive-In Theatre in Decatur, GA. opened in Sept. 1951
The below picture of the entrance of the Scott Drive-In was located at the corner of Scott Blvd. & the Lawrenceville Hwy.
This is a newspaper article about the Grand opening of The Scott-Drive-In Theatre.
A new asset to Decatur's impressive list of modern business establishments has been added in the Scott Drive Theatre at the intersection of Scott Blvd and the Lawrenceville Hwy.
Set in a natural amphitheatre and partially enclosed by a cresent-shaped backdrop of trees, the new drive-in is one of the most beautiful anywhere in the south. It opened Monday.
With 550 automobile positions, the new outdoor movie has 12 parking ramps. Elevated and tilted to give the viewer just the right view of the screen, the ramps are close enough so that customers at the rear can get a clear picture.
Community Theatres Corporation who built the new drive-in have secured the very latest of equipment and designs for their movies.
Frederick G. Story, president of Community Pictures, says that the Scott's big concession stand is probably the best designed in this area.
We studied many oother drive-in concession stands and elimated all of their mistakes in ours he said.
Features of the concession house are the comfortable rest rooms, public telephones,cigarette machines and cafeteria style service.
The sound equipment the speakers which the drive-in customer hangs from his auto window is R C A which Mr. Story says is the best of it's kind. And he adds that the Scott's movie screen is the largest in the Metropolitan area.

The opening night had some 550 cars which is a full house.
1000 cars were turned away that first night.










click on youtube below.

THE DEKALB THEATRE

This is The Dekalb Theatre
it was located at:

130 East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA


photo circa 1940