NOSTALGIC FOR THE 1980'S

June was a nostalgic month. I don't know if it was revisiting Michael Jackson's old music videos (I'd forgotten how good he was in the 80's), or the 1980 issues of "Atlanta Magazine" my dad gave me, but I've found myself thinking a lot about how things have changed. Doesn't it seem like 1980 was just a few years ago, and do you remember the recession of the 1980's as a kinder, gentler recession?

One particular ad caught my eye and tugged at my heart a little. Remember Ellman's catalog showroom? I worked in the diamond and fine jewelry departments at the new Southlake store and the Cumberland store (adjacent to the corporate offices) from 1976 until 1985 when the company was bought by Service Merchandise. We all worked the annual tag sales at the Cheshire Bridge store, and all of us in diamond sales knew and covered for each other. Anyone who worked at Ellman's during those years will recognize this quote and remember who greeted everyone with, "Is that you?" (Actually, it sounded more like, "Izzat chew?"). There's a wonderful blog called Georgia Retail Memories that I recommend to Atlanta natives.

Other advertisements may be names you may recognize from 1980 Atlanta Magazine:

Davison's , C&S (Citizens and Southern Bank), Bailey, Banks & Biddle Jewelers (still with us!), Eastern Airlines, Rich's, WQXI AM/FM (remember "Quixie"?), Anthonys fine dining restaurant in Buckhead (still there- 200 years old!), WSB 750-AM (still going strong), Muse's menswear (filed Chapter 11 Bankrupcy in 1991 after 112 years in business).

There's an article about the B52's, and a scathing review of Richard Gere's new movie, "American Gigalo." There's also a full page ad for JVC's new video cassette recorder (I bought my first VCR that very year for almost $700!). You could buy VHS tapes at the Record Bar at Northlake or Southlake Malls.

And, in closing, here's my favorite ad from 1980: "Your $90,000 home at Horseshoe Bend comes with $4,000,000 worth of extras. And something else that's priceless. The river." Who would have guessed that almost thirty years later houses would, once again, sell for $90,000?