Before the Mall

Before the Mall. . As with most communities throughout America, the downtown was once home to local branches of major department stores. In Cedartown, grocery stores like Kroger and A&P once had storefronts, and local merchants such as A.C. Cobb, Stubbs and Hogg, and Rives also lined the streets. Eventually national players like Western Auto, Belk Rhodes and J.C. Penney came to Main Street. Over time however, the advent of suburban malls and big box retail resulted in historic downtown locations becoming boutique stores or having more specialized services., [Captions (counterclockwise from top left)] , . Diana Shops was a national chain that was in Cedartown from the late 1960s into the early 1980s. , . By the 1970s, Belk Rhodes closed up its upper story windows to keep patrons focused on the merchandise, instead of what might be happening out on the street. By the early 1980s, Belk's left Cedartown. Today, the Belk building has been renovated to its historic character. , . J.C. Penney, a national chain, had its small town beginnings in of Kemmerer, Wyoming in 1912. , . Allen's 5 and 10 Cent Store, 1971. Allen's was a community staple into the early 1980s, when it closed. Memories of hardwood floors, candy bins, and popcorn machines still can be recalled. , . Cedartown's Western Auto store was operated by A. G. Ward from 1939 to 1985. , . (Background) South Main Street looking North in the 1950s. , Images courtesy of Polk County Historical Society