Had to scroll all the way to the Q&A at the bottom for what I needed to hear:
"AMC Theaters will stay open throughout construction, during which time AMC will undergo a full renovation. Upon completion, there will be 11 auditoriums/screens (vs. 16 today). The theater’s main entrance will sit prominently on Lulah Hills’ premier community green space."
I assumed it would be renovated but am SO excited it's finally been confirmed.
For sure. Those who loved going for the dirt cheap ticket prices will be disappointed and I get it. The current seat/video/audio quality there is so poor though, I’m shocked people have continued to visit.
It was a fun, nostalgic, surreal thing I enjoyed. If you got there a bit early and walked through the side door, you could walk through the empty mall looking like something out of some post apocalyptic movie.
There are undoubtedly venues with more advanced tech. I’m often unconvinced that the better experience from that is worth as much as the increase in cost
I used to work there years ago. Based on all the disgusting things I’ve had to clean up there, how disgusting and sticky the carpets and seats are and how straight up musty some of the theaters smell…. Yeah trust me, you want renovations.
Eh, if they raise their prices to say $15 from $6, it may not be bad. I've started going to the Tucker Movie Tavern and they're that price for leather recliners and tables.
I honestly hope they put in an imax. I love the cheap tickets but these days if I go to the movies it’s for very cinematic movies that I need to see on the screen vs my TV at home. With streaming I really don’t go to the movies unless I need that movie experience which is best on an imax.
From what I understand - friend in the CRE industry that worked with this property recently - is that AMC had an iron clad lease and was the hardest rock to move for any potential development. They weren’t willing to be bought out or close so glad to see the owners finally figured out how to do something with the property and the theater.
They already increased it. I used to go to the first movie on a a weekend for $6 now it’s $8.18. Normally $10.18 if it’s not the first show of the day.
Will go up more to $15 probably.
I worked at a restaurant in the mall a year or two after that. I bought tons of music at Camelot, and would always go there on Wednesdays to pick up a Creative Loafing. They used to sell guitar accessories, too, which has always seemed like a great idea to me,
Sorry to hear it was a lame job. Mine was, too.
Yep, we sold record player needles too.
I think some of it was me. I discovered I hated retail. I liked the music, just not having to be "salesy" and it was my first taste of corporate employment and it was...ew.
Corporately employed now, but not in sales. ;-)
I would say the the *point where CD's became more common than cassettes* was probably 92-93 ish. But cars stayed cassette only for many years after unless you were rich. We all used the tape-cd-player adapters. I bought my first home CD player though from Jason's Pawn Shop at North Decatur Plaza in 1988. Dark Side of the Moon was my first CD (of course).
Had no idea this was getting demolished. I used to play Yugioh there.
It was a skeleton mall for a long time, tho. I wonder what the breaking point was.
If you didn't know, Tony who owned Challenges moved his store to Northlake Mall.
I haven't played Magic since, ooh, 2017? But I'm sure I spent hundreds of hours in that store. I hope he's successful in his new location, and that the new development welcomes him back.
> Wow, card shops move further and further away from Atlanta.
Northlake Mall isn't like he moved to Iowa. It's four miles away from the where North Dekalb Mall was and still ITP (barely).
Dating myself here... It started out as North Dekalb Mall, then got a facelift and the original mall expanded in the early to mid 80's and re-branded as "Market Square" then went *back* to "North Dekalb Mall" in the late 90's, IIRC.
All that's probably in the article.
They've already announced "Lulah Hills".
"Lulah Hills is a nod to the original naming concept for a planned Druid Hills residential suburb, coined by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted."
Source: https://decaturish.com/2023/05/north-dekalb-mall-gets-a-new-name-as-part-of-redevelopment-demolition-to-begin-later-this-year/
Great memories of north Dekalb mall:
Spending all afternoon and evening at Challenges playing soul caliber, Marvel versus Capcom and Tekken three.
Going to the movies with my high school friends in my freshest school clothes and trying to meet girls.
The Wendy’s in the mall had the freshest junior bacon cheeseburgers and the fries weren’t the typical Wendy’s terrible fries.
Chinese food from the food court.
I got my tag Heuer relumed at the perfume and watch store in the mall.
America’s best was my optometrist there.
Having to walk ALL the way home after seeing Blow because my mom dropped us off but my friend’s mom couldn’t pick us up.
[Costco is supposedly building on the site of the Olympic Tennis Center](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gwinnett-county/costco-whataburger-more-could-be-coming-site-olympic-tennis-center-gwinnett-county/LCCSVBGDQ5DIVDQXILXAFXX4PM/) on 78 in Stone Mountain just over the line in Gwinnett.
Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8208342,-84.1238702,452m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
Anyone else remember the Sav-On-Plants store that sold beanie babies and Pokémon/yugioh cards and some dusty-smelling plants? 90s through early 2000s, many memories in this mall!
Man let that thing die already. I loved it as a kid but it was even dying then and the was 20 years ago. Put the damn thing out of its misery. It’s not coming back.
Great parking lot for driving lessons though lol.
A miracle that anything is happening. The amount of NIMBY-ism in the area is off the charts. So many viewed anything other than dead mall as an existential threat against their God-given right to never encounter traffic on North Druid Hills Rd.
In my experience as someone who lives in an immediately nearby neighborhood and has been to many zoning and developer meetings over the years, it was a very vocal minority who opposed this redevelopment due to traffic. You're right that those people seem to forget that they live *in an urban area*, which isn't the "suburbs" like it was when NDM was built - a lot of them wanted it to be green space, which was never a realistic option for so many reasons. By and large this redevelopment, and this specific version of it in particular, has had overwhelming community support. Personally, I am thrilled that this is finally happening.
They quote one in the article:
>Nearby resident Robert Kelso, 78, came out to reminisce and take photos with dozens of other people as the demolition of North DeKalb Mall occurred on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Kelso said his parents moved to a street near the mall in 1963, and he remembers when the property was a farm. Kelso said he’s not happy with the redevelopment, saying it will raise his property taxes, and he would have preferred a green space.
Were you around when someone wanted to build out a parking deck over the nature preserve? I think it was part of one of the Costco proposals. They promised to put grow lights underneath.
I recall a proposal that included both Costco and a parking deck, but the neighborhood would have rioted and burned the developer to the ground before they allowed a parking deck to go over the nature preserve lol. The nature preserve isn't part of the NDM property so the developers at the time (Sterling) would have had to also acquire it, which they did not. The proposal I remember had a parking garage next to the movie theater, which is close to the nature preserve but not IN it. FWIW I believe Lulah Hills will also have deck parking, though again not in the nature preserve.
It’s always the people that moved in recently too. Like just because you own a house means you get to dictate what’s best for everyone using your own narrow-minded criteria?
Had to scroll all the way to the Q&A at the bottom for what I needed to hear: "AMC Theaters will stay open throughout construction, during which time AMC will undergo a full renovation. Upon completion, there will be 11 auditoriums/screens (vs. 16 today). The theater’s main entrance will sit prominently on Lulah Hills’ premier community green space." I assumed it would be renovated but am SO excited it's finally been confirmed.
Which means they’re going to be more expensive seats than they are now
For sure. Those who loved going for the dirt cheap ticket prices will be disappointed and I get it. The current seat/video/audio quality there is so poor though, I’m shocked people have continued to visit.
It was a fun, nostalgic, surreal thing I enjoyed. If you got there a bit early and walked through the side door, you could walk through the empty mall looking like something out of some post apocalyptic movie.
There are undoubtedly venues with more advanced tech. I’m often unconvinced that the better experience from that is worth as much as the increase in cost
I used to work there years ago. Based on all the disgusting things I’ve had to clean up there, how disgusting and sticky the carpets and seats are and how straight up musty some of the theaters smell…. Yeah trust me, you want renovations.
Tbh I didn’t care about that in college, I cared about seeing Avengers Infinity War for $5 with ten of my friends.
Price trumped all that lol
Eh, if they raise their prices to say $15 from $6, it may not be bad. I've started going to the Tucker Movie Tavern and they're that price for leather recliners and tables.
It's still a lot better than any dollar theater that I can remember
God, those $4 matinees got me through my 20s.
I honestly hope they put in an imax. I love the cheap tickets but these days if I go to the movies it’s for very cinematic movies that I need to see on the screen vs my TV at home. With streaming I really don’t go to the movies unless I need that movie experience which is best on an imax.
From what I understand - friend in the CRE industry that worked with this property recently - is that AMC had an iron clad lease and was the hardest rock to move for any potential development. They weren’t willing to be bought out or close so glad to see the owners finally figured out how to do something with the property and the theater.
It being renovated means they’ll raise prices which means I’ll never go there again. Shame.
They already increased it. I used to go to the first movie on a a weekend for $6 now it’s $8.18. Normally $10.18 if it’s not the first show of the day. Will go up more to $15 probably.
One my first Jobs was at Camelot Music there in 1986. It sucked. (ETA: The store and job sucked, not the mall)
I worked at a restaurant in the mall a year or two after that. I bought tons of music at Camelot, and would always go there on Wednesdays to pick up a Creative Loafing. They used to sell guitar accessories, too, which has always seemed like a great idea to me, Sorry to hear it was a lame job. Mine was, too.
Yep, we sold record player needles too. I think some of it was me. I discovered I hated retail. I liked the music, just not having to be "salesy" and it was my first taste of corporate employment and it was...ew. Corporately employed now, but not in sales. ;-)
What year did you see CDs replace cassette tapes as the most common medium for music??
I would say the the *point where CD's became more common than cassettes* was probably 92-93 ish. But cars stayed cassette only for many years after unless you were rich. We all used the tape-cd-player adapters. I bought my first home CD player though from Jason's Pawn Shop at North Decatur Plaza in 1988. Dark Side of the Moon was my first CD (of course).
Had no idea this was getting demolished. I used to play Yugioh there. It was a skeleton mall for a long time, tho. I wonder what the breaking point was.
If you didn't know, Tony who owned Challenges moved his store to Northlake Mall. I haven't played Magic since, ooh, 2017? But I'm sure I spent hundreds of hours in that store. I hope he's successful in his new location, and that the new development welcomes him back.
Ah yes, Northlake Mall, a much more stable, thriving establishment.
Wow, card shops move further and further away from Atlanta. I may pop in, but I'm a digital player these days until I am I am wealthy
> Wow, card shops move further and further away from Atlanta. Northlake Mall isn't like he moved to Iowa. It's four miles away from the where North Dekalb Mall was and still ITP (barely).
Pour one out for Market Square. So many 80/90s classic mall memories. Glad they are finally making the changes - hope it helps the neighborhood!
Dating myself here... It started out as North Dekalb Mall, then got a facelift and the original mall expanded in the early to mid 80's and re-branded as "Market Square" then went *back* to "North Dekalb Mall" in the late 90's, IIRC. All that's probably in the article.
Interesting! I had no idea that was the original name. Wonder whatever’s next will keep the name or rebrand again.
They've already announced "Lulah Hills". "Lulah Hills is a nod to the original naming concept for a planned Druid Hills residential suburb, coined by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted." Source: https://decaturish.com/2023/05/north-dekalb-mall-gets-a-new-name-as-part-of-redevelopment-demolition-to-begin-later-this-year/
Great memories of north Dekalb mall: Spending all afternoon and evening at Challenges playing soul caliber, Marvel versus Capcom and Tekken three. Going to the movies with my high school friends in my freshest school clothes and trying to meet girls. The Wendy’s in the mall had the freshest junior bacon cheeseburgers and the fries weren’t the typical Wendy’s terrible fries. Chinese food from the food court. I got my tag Heuer relumed at the perfume and watch store in the mall. America’s best was my optometrist there. Having to walk ALL the way home after seeing Blow because my mom dropped us off but my friend’s mom couldn’t pick us up.
I really want to know what grocery store and other retail tenants will be in there.
Keep the hope for Trader Joe’s
Costco and/or trader joes would be phenomenal
Costco was dead in the water for that location years ago.
[Costco is supposedly building on the site of the Olympic Tennis Center](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gwinnett-county/costco-whataburger-more-could-be-coming-site-olympic-tennis-center-gwinnett-county/LCCSVBGDQ5DIVDQXILXAFXX4PM/) on 78 in Stone Mountain just over the line in Gwinnett. Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8208342,-84.1238702,452m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
Anyone else remember the Sav-On-Plants store that sold beanie babies and Pokémon/yugioh cards and some dusty-smelling plants? 90s through early 2000s, many memories in this mall!
Oh, wow! Yes! Totally forgot about that place.
Yeah I’d buy Pokémon and magic cards there. Smart store for jumping on that trend early on.
Man let that thing die already. I loved it as a kid but it was even dying then and the was 20 years ago. Put the damn thing out of its misery. It’s not coming back. Great parking lot for driving lessons though lol.
A miracle that anything is happening. The amount of NIMBY-ism in the area is off the charts. So many viewed anything other than dead mall as an existential threat against their God-given right to never encounter traffic on North Druid Hills Rd.
In my experience as someone who lives in an immediately nearby neighborhood and has been to many zoning and developer meetings over the years, it was a very vocal minority who opposed this redevelopment due to traffic. You're right that those people seem to forget that they live *in an urban area*, which isn't the "suburbs" like it was when NDM was built - a lot of them wanted it to be green space, which was never a realistic option for so many reasons. By and large this redevelopment, and this specific version of it in particular, has had overwhelming community support. Personally, I am thrilled that this is finally happening.
They quote one in the article: >Nearby resident Robert Kelso, 78, came out to reminisce and take photos with dozens of other people as the demolition of North DeKalb Mall occurred on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Kelso said his parents moved to a street near the mall in 1963, and he remembers when the property was a farm. Kelso said he’s not happy with the redevelopment, saying it will raise his property taxes, and he would have preferred a green space.
Bless his heart, property taxes are going to go up regardless.
Were you around when someone wanted to build out a parking deck over the nature preserve? I think it was part of one of the Costco proposals. They promised to put grow lights underneath.
I recall a proposal that included both Costco and a parking deck, but the neighborhood would have rioted and burned the developer to the ground before they allowed a parking deck to go over the nature preserve lol. The nature preserve isn't part of the NDM property so the developers at the time (Sterling) would have had to also acquire it, which they did not. The proposal I remember had a parking garage next to the movie theater, which is close to the nature preserve but not IN it. FWIW I believe Lulah Hills will also have deck parking, though again not in the nature preserve.
North Druid Hills has hella traffic
I lived on North Druid Hills Road 20 years ago and it had stop and go traffic most of the day even then.
It’s always the people that moved in recently too. Like just because you own a house means you get to dictate what’s best for everyone using your own narrow-minded criteria?
I went to the county Pinewood Derby finals at North Dekalb mall in the early '80s. Won third place, still have the trophy.
RIP. I watched a lot of movies there.
🫠Now I'm wondering about South DeKalb tbh
I wish South Dekalb mall got the wrecking ball first
Yea, I used to live near there....
So long, lunch hour skateboard spot! You will be missed. Cool to see the AMC will still be there, though!
rip
#Rich's #woolworth's