I pass by Stonemont about four times a day, as I live about a half mile down the street from it on Rays Road. I’ve lived there since the very early 1970s, so I grew up watching movies at Stonemont. Oddly enough, I never even noticed that it was torn down. I was talking about it last night with a buddy and while talking and searching the web at the same time, I found this article. Today I went by Stonemont and the other theaters on Memorial Drive. Yes, Stonemont is gone, but it does not appear that any other part of the shopping center was torn down. It appears that the theater was actually a separate building and did not share a common wall with the store next to it. The outside wall of the store next to it, which is now exposed, did not look new. Where the theater once stood is now a grass field. I don’t see any signs of the lot being prepared for new construction. What shocked me most was that the lot seemed very small and I found it hard to believe that two movie theaters and a lobby once stood there.
My main interest in the subject stemmed from the Time Capsule and what happened to it. I started an investigation today. I called a friend that I haven’t spoken to in years about it. I saw Silver Streak there with him in 1977. Anyway, I remember that he had his photo in the time capsule. He said that he never heard anything about it being opened in 2000, as was the plan. Of course, by 2000 anyone involved was long gone. He said that he brought a photo from home to place in the capsule and does not remember anyone taking Polaroids of the kids. He remembers that kids were told to bring stuff from home.
I told my brother about my search and he immediately said that a friend of ours told him that the capsule was never officially opened, but that after 2000 somebody broke into it and stole everything. I put a call into this guy but have not heard back. I will ask if he knows this for sure or if it’s just something he heard. I’ll write back about what I find out.
As for the other theaters, I can’t remember which is which, but one located in the shopping center that, back then, had a Chili’s restaurant is now the Atrium, a live venue night club. Across the street is another theater. I remember it as being the one with the game room with TILT on the outside marquee. It is now the Tupac Shukar Center for the Arts, though it doesn’t look like that’s gotten off the ground. I went by there as well. The main part of the building looks to be filled with abandoned construction projects, but there was a sign of life in one small area on the right of the building. There were four cars in the lot. Down the street is the Hairston 8, which is still there, just closed with an “Available” sign out front. I wasn’t even aware that there was a fifth theater, or I don’t remember it, but my friend said there was another one further down Memorial towards Stone Mountain. I drove by where I think it was and found a shopping center with a section that looked like a “movie theater.” Part of it is now some retail store, part empty. On the empty part you can see the outline of a “Marshall’s” department store marquee that was removed, so if that’s the old theater building, it must have been a Marshall’s after the theater.
I pass by Stonemont about four times a day, as I live about a half mile down the street from it on Rays Road. I’ve lived there since the very early 1970s, so I grew up watching movies at Stonemont. Oddly enough, I never even noticed that it was torn down. I was talking about it last night with a buddy and while talking and searching the web at the same time, I found this article. Today I went by Stonemont and the other theaters on Memorial Drive. Yes, Stonemont is gone, but it does not appear that any other part of the shopping center was torn down. It appears that the theater was actually a separate building and did not share a common wall with the store next to it. The outside wall of the store next to it, which is now exposed, did not look new. Where the theater once stood is now a grass field. I don’t see any signs of the lot being prepared for new construction. What shocked me most was that the lot seemed very small and I found it hard to believe that two movie theaters and a lobby once stood there.
My main interest in the subject stemmed from the Time Capsule and what happened to it. I started an investigation today. I called a friend that I haven’t spoken to in years about it. I saw Silver Streak there with him in 1977. Anyway, I remember that he had his photo in the time capsule. He said that he never heard anything about it being opened in 2000, as was the plan. Of course, by 2000 anyone involved was long gone. He said that he brought a photo from home to place in the capsule and does not remember anyone taking Polaroids of the kids. He remembers that kids were told to bring stuff from home.
I told my brother about my search and he immediately said that a friend of ours told him that the capsule was never officially opened, but that after 2000 somebody broke into it and stole everything. I put a call into this guy but have not heard back. I will ask if he knows this for sure or if it’s just something he heard. I’ll write back about what I find out.
As for the other theaters, I can’t remember which is which, but one located in the shopping center that, back then, had a Chili’s restaurant is now the Atrium, a live venue night club. Across the street is another theater. I remember it as being the one with the game room with TILT on the outside marquee. It is now the Tupac Shukar Center for the Arts, though it doesn’t look like that’s gotten off the ground. I went by there as well. The main part of the building looks to be filled with abandoned construction projects, but there was a sign of life in one small area on the right of the building. There were four cars in the lot. Down the street is the Hairston 8, which is still there, just closed with an “Available” sign out front. I wasn’t even aware that there was a fifth theater, or I don’t remember it, but my friend said there was another one further down Memorial towards Stone Mountain. I drove by where I think it was and found a shopping center with a section that looked like a “movie theater.” Part of it is now some retail store, part empty. On the empty part you can see the outline of a “Marshall’s” department store marquee that was removed, so if that’s the old theater building, it must have been a Marshall’s after the theater.
I’ll post any other news that I get.