20 replies to this topic

[Saginaw]

A recent topic here has sparked my memory about a store that my Mom and I used to frequent back in the late '60s and early '70s, and it was called Atlantic Mills. Would anyone know where it was located, how long it existed here in Fort Worth, what present store would be a best comparison to it, and any memories of their own to share?

I remember it as a store where I would always ask my Mom for a quarter to get a Pez dispenser complete with candy refills from a vending machine that was inside the entryway. Kids.


--Saginaw

[cajunmike]

I don't remember Atlantic Mills but there was the Spartan-Atlantic store in the 5300 block of East Lancaster in the 60's which later was became a K-Mart
in 1966 I stood out in front of the parking lot selling Christmas trees for $1.00 per foot. The tree guy stayed in his travel trailer while us teenagers froze outside. We also had a few Clarks Department stores around town. I remember one on Miller Ave. and one in Haltom City. We also had a Treasure City in Haltom City and my mother bought us a lot of clothes and gifts there.

[Saginaw]

cajunmike, I certainly remember Clarks, and I also remember it as Cooks. The one my family and I used to go to was the one where Billy Bob's is today, and I remember a fairly tall rotating pole sign next to the building, which was painted a dark blue with pinkish neon outlining the lettering, and the pole was white.

I also remember Treasure City, too. There was one where a Sack 'n Save is now located on the South Freeway and E. Berry St., and I became familiar with the one in Haltom City as well. It's now a non-denominational church.

I'm wondering if Atlantic Mills was the same as Spartan-Atlantic, or owned by the same company?


--Saginaw

[Dismuke]

I'm wondering if Atlantic Mills was the same as Spartan-Atlantic, or owned by the same company?

According to this 1960s discount stores website (scroll down to the section for Spartan Discount Stores), the answer is yes. Spartan Discount Stores merged with the Atlantic Mills chain and became Spartan-Atlantic.

[Saginaw]

Dismuke, you've shaken my cerebral cobwebs loose with the link you've provided! I definitely remember the Spartan sign illustrated on the website. As a kid, I wondered why it was called "Atlantic Mills" when the sign said otherwise.

Thanks, Dismuke!


--Saginaw

[Birdland in Handley]

I'm wondering if Atlantic Mills was the same as Spartan-Atlantic, or owned by the same company?

According to this 1960s discount stores website (scroll down to the section for Spartan Discount Stores), the answer is yes. Spartan Discount Stores merged with the Atlantic Mills chain and became Spartan-Atlantic.

WOW Whatta fun link. thank mil, i will surf it.
Murpheys in Seminary South is where I made my parents buy me hamsters.

[Dismuke]

WOW Whatta fun link. thank mil, i will surf it.
Murpheys in Seminary South is where I made my parents buy me hamsters.

Here's another fun website that I discovered around the same time I did the other. Instead of discount stores, this one is dedicated to the history of supermarkets. Look for the "Stores" section on the left side for various chains.

They have almost next to nothing up about Kroger. But they have a very extensive section on the history of Safeway and links to photos showing the different architectural styles associated with the chain over the years. Safeway very much used the architecture of its stores as a way of branding itself throughout most of its history. Here in the Metroplex, it is not at all uncommon to come across a building long since converted to other uses that immediately stands out as being a former Safeway store. The chain was here from the 1930s through the late 1980s so there are quite a few of them.

The A&P section is also interesting. The history of that chain is one that I have always found fascinating. At one time, A&P was every bit as dominant - and as feared - in the grocery business as Wal-mart is today. They were one of the very first chains to offer in-house branded products at a significant discount over name brand products. The major food manufacturing companies absolutely freaked out and lobbied to outlaw the practice. At one time, A&P had so many stores and had such a large market share that there was political pressure to break the company up under anti-trust laws. Ultimately, it was the same market forces that helped the company become successful that led to its destruction - suddenly its competitors were the ones who were more nimble and innovative and instead of being an advantage, its size worked to amplify the company's problems and A&P became increasingly clunky, bureaucratic and outdated. Today, the company is down to less than 450 stores on the east coast with only about 100 of them operating under the A&P name. If the execs at Wal-mart are smart and have not done so already, they need to study in great detail the history of A&P (and Woolworth and Kmart) if they wish to eventually avoid the same fate. This particular website does not go into all of what I mentioned - but it does provide a good overview of the company's rise and fall. I know that A&P had stores in Dallas county for a number of decades before it pulled out in the 1970s. I am not sure if they ever operated in Fort Worth. You can see a somewhat intact example of the early 1960s "cupola" style stores mentioned on the site on Rochelle Rd in Irving that is now in use as a Dollar General.

The "More Stores" link goes to histories and interesting photo galleries for a number of other chains.

[cbellomy]

A&P had a store at the northeast corner of Camp Bowie and Byers, in the western part of that shopping center. It was still there when I was a kid in the 70's.

[bailey]

There was also an A&P on W. Berry across the street from Cox's department store. That shopping center included Skillern's drug store, A&P, and a shoe store that was there for many years. I can't recall the name, seems like Kehl's or something like that. It seems the A&P closed around 1970 or thereabout. As a kid in the late 50's, they would take us back into the cooler where they kept a few cold watermelons for sale.

[John T Roberts]

The shoe store was Mehl's Shoeland. The building was demolished to build the current CVS Pharmacy on Berry. Skillern's went through several gyrations to become CVS.

[cajunmike]

There was an A&P store located at the top of the hill on East Lancaster in the same old shopping center that once housed Savvy's Nightclub. Also along East Lancaster was the Robert Hall mens clothing store (said to say I bought some Leisure Suits there) also in most cities at that time it always seemed to be a Kinney shoes near the Robert Hall. There was one located at E. Lancaster and Tireney.

[Saginaw]

I don't remember Atlantic Mills but there was the Spartan-Atlantic store in the 5300 block of East Lancaster in the 60's

Maybe that's the same one I'm remembering, as for some reason, I remember it not too far away from the Montgomery Ward store on S. Riverside and E. Berry. Kids.


--Saginaw

[txrdside]

"If" I remember right there was a Alantic Mills in Poly at Beach and Mitchell St. but that was a long time ago sometime in the 60's. Shopped there when we had some money.

[AndyN]

Man, if I hit the lottery, I would buy the Piggly Wiggly trademark/brand or A&P and reintroduce the store with a modern concept.

[travelbear]

There was an Atlantic Mills store where E. Maddox crossed S. Beach and Mitchell. It was on east side of street. As Spartan Atlantic the store at that location was open until early 70's. Store aisles were very narrow and shelves were never in any kind of order. Tennis shoes could be had for $2 and shirts for $1. Keds look alikes. My father was pretty thrifty so we drove from Paschal area to east side fairly often.

[cajunmike]

Someone mentioned Piggly Wiggly. I am in Memphis this week on business and have seen some P.W. grocery stores here. May have been Elvis at the sack boy.

[since63]

I worked at the Poly Spartans for a short time either in between high school years or right after graduation.I think the building is still there.

[lcbrownz]

Atlantic Mills was originally on the corner of Avenue J and S. Beach St. In Poly. During the time it was open, the management tried many ways to bring it customers. They tried having bands and singing groups  (i.e.,Paul and Paula), grilled hot dogs raffles, but nothing really worked. After a few years they merged with Spartan's. After Kmart opened down the street from their East Lancaster location, it was too much competition for them and finally closed. 

[801hme]

"If" I remember right there was a Alantic Mills in Poly at Beach and Mitchell St. but that was a long time ago sometime in the 60's. Shopped there when we had some money.

 

This store had a big covered "porch" in front with all kinds of kids coin operated rides. I remember that well. Had a helicopter ride I thought was so cool (lol). I think about that everytime I drive by there (which isnt so often anymore). The building became TI for a while & I think it's a school now. The Lancaster Kmart was a Spartans too (as was pointed out earlier in this thread).

[FW Kid]

I remember a Spartan - Atlanta Mills at about the 5300 block of East Lancaster during the 60's. I lived on Dallas Avenue, about a block west of the store. Before the store was built the area was wooded. There was a big fire in the area prior to the building of the store.

[lcbrownz]

The original Atlantic Mills Discount Store was located at Ave J and Mitchell Blvd. The building has long been repurposed into a church.