I came across a part of my past lol Found this picture of a Treasure Island Food Store on Jonesboro Road in Atlanta.I use to work at part time during 1974 & 75. This Store was 4 blocks from the A&P where I was the Cutting Manager, I would leave there at 3:45pm and clock in there at 4, work till 10 two evening a week, then work there on one of my off days from A&P for 8 hours. union wage in both stores of 10.55. We handle ALL hanging beef, cut all pork and cut all chicken parts. there was three shifts, day shift had, 9 cutters 4 meat wrappers, evening shift had 4 cutters & two meat wrappers, night shift had 4 cutters. Market Manager and two wrappers would knock out the lunch meat in the mornings. It was ROCK & ROLL from the time you clocked in till you left. we did 155,000 a week there. The A&P I worked at did the same style cutting but no night shift, we did 140,000 a week
Treasure Island was a concept ahead of its time. Begun in the late 1960's, this JCPenney owned discount chain was basically the first supercenter concept ever created. Combining a discount and grocery store, this chain featured uniquely designed stores that were found in major cities across the U.S., but were known as "The Treasury" on the west coast. However, they were only successful in two cities: Atlanta and Cincinnati.
Georgia had four locations of Treasure Island stores, all located immediately off of I-285 except the first mentioned here, which was over a mile from Atlanta's perimeter highway. They were also located on major state highways in high traffic areas. These locations were at the intersection of U.S. 41 (Cobb Parkway) and Terrell Mill Road in Marietta, Buford Highway (GA 13) in Doraville, Memorial Drive (GA 10) near Decatur and Jonesboro Road (GA 54) in Forest Park.
Very interesting leon- thanks for sharing, I travel a lot in my job, I go by former A&P'S, first nationals, all the time- most arent grocery stores anymore, for almost 20 years, I've gone to 100's of stores-some over 100 yrs old some much older than that-many of these stores use to be the lifeblood of the community.
I go by many stores I worked at years ago, some with a warm nostalgia of the cutters there (that are no longer with us) and some not so warm memories- I can get out of my car in two different parking lots now, look at the front of the big store (even tho it looks different now) and my stomach will tighten, remembering an egotist/ autocratic manager I use to work for, how he would bring out the worst in people. but mostly fond memories- not overly rosy, but of a highly productive atmosphere- also,when and where the crew went fishing (that was always fun-just had to watch the drinking and driving)
It's funny what you can remember (especially what someone said) 25-30 yrs ago sometimes i'll pop into a store and see an old co-worker, then blurt out a memorable quote and the year it was said- and 9 out of 10 times, they guess who said it-even if 25 years ago.
Know where you coming from there. I had some good times in this market even through it wasn't my main market, had a great bunch to work with there. the meat wrappers would make the young ones today blush like hell. an those girls could work !! While in Atlanta I did keep up with a few of them, did some partying with them to, At that time for some reason most all meat cutters went to a BIG country music club called the Sliver Saddle. We would leave it at 3:30 in the morning, go by the Waffee House, take up all the booths & stools on the end of the WH and eat. run home take a shower, pop two speed pills and hit the meat block at 6 or 6;30 AM, work all day cutting hanging. get off at 5, go home eat, crash for a few hours and back to the club. Do that almost every Thur, Fri & Sat night.
