The ‘other’ Decatur
A friend of mine needed a ride to Decatur late one Friday night and I told him I was going to go straight down Ponce, and he said “No, No, this club is in the other Decatur, best take I-20″
I had occasion to go back into the same area today and now I get it. There really are two Decaturs. Like many people, I tend to think of Decatur as one of the most successful small cities in Atlanta. I think of it primarily as the County Seat with great restaurants, galleries, and music.
However, if you take Candler rd. south from Agnes Scott, you go into another Decatur. It’s primarily African American, less diverse in race and orientation, and less wealthy. However, it’s a lot of fun and there are some great businesses worthy of support. It’s a distinct community, separate from the rest of Decatur.
Primarily made of strip malls, there are no chains (okay, there’s a Wayfield Foods, but that’s cool). Instead there are local merchants who sell great stuff. From Reggae music stores, to Caribbean Bakeries, to real soul food, this neighborhood has a lot to offer!
It’s also suffered from a lot of neglect. Back in 2002, plans were underway to help make improvements in the area. The next Dekalb CEO needs to work with other officials to continue to make the area friendlier. Better signs, improved traffic tools, and some emphasis on upkeep and civic improvement will make a huge difference.
The Dekalb CVB and South Dekalb Business Association can also help. The Candler road corridor needs to be recognized as a distinct retail corridor worth visiting. To do that, merchants have to be induced to work together on common marketing and to increase their media and web presence. What fascinates me is that the disconnect exists. Lots of people visit Decatur every day, but I doubt that even 5% venture South of Agnes Scott. It took me too long. The question is why?
In the meantime, I’ll be going back to Tropical Delite, a bakery at 2136 Candler Rd.
August 7th, 2004 at 6:57 pm
Well, several things:
1) Most of that area is not inside the actual City of Decatur, and therefore doesn’t benefit from the city taxes. Decatur city taxes go to the marketing and public relations, the recreational facilities and programs (which is a pretty big portion of the budget), public safety, and economic development, not to mention the City of Decatur Schools. Instead it’s part of Unincorporated DeKalb County, and a mostly-ignored part at that.
2) No MARTA stations, combined with lack of road upkeep and signs, makes it an unfriendly area for travelling in if you don’t know exactly where you’re going, and it has the reputation for being the sort of area you don’t want to get lost in.
Just my two cents. I think you’re right, though, there’s a lot of unrecognized potential there. (This is Elizabeth from brunch, by the way)