Touring Downtown

By Kendall R. Rumsey

Every morning as I drive through downtown Clayton, on my way to work, I am reminded that no matter how much things change, they really do stay the same. We are fortunate to have a thriving downtown that brings in tourists and residents alike for some of the most amazing restaurants and shopping of any small town in America; however, it hasn’t always been that way.

When I was a kid, downtown Clayton looked much like it does today, but the merchants were very different, more geared to services and the needs of residents, so this month I thought I would give you a tour of old Clayton, the Clayton many of us remember from childhood. (I’m going to admit before I begin, I’m OLD and my memory may not be perfect, but I’ll try.)

Starting on the far north end of downtown, today one of the best restaurants in our community sits, Hush. Back in the day, this was where Mize Mortuary and Florist sat, one of the two mortuaries that served our community, the other being Hunter Funeral Home still located today, where it was over 50 years ago.

As you moved south on Main Street, none of the buildings that are there today stood, a small motel with maybe 10 rooms stood where today we find the Spotted Pig and Dallas Taylor’s Insurance office. The old rock house that houses Cheryl Dillard’s Law firm was a home and the Post Office has been where it is for as long as I can remember. Across the street, occupying the spaces where Ghost

Apothecary, Crawford Galleries, Outdoor 76, FAITH and Farmhouse Donuts are today, were Marchman’s Cable Company, Edwards Photo Studios, Kenny’s Pool Hall and some others I can’t remember.

On the west side of the street, where the U-Joint now stands, yep, that really was a gas station. Bobby Ramey operated there for years until he moved to 441. The next block was Dickerson Hardware, Eleanor Law’s Pharmacy, Dryman’s Men Shop, Cannon’s Department Store, Belk’s, Kermit’s and Clayton Pharmacy. Across the street, the Clayton Café has been in its location as long as I can remember, other than that, I don’t have much memory.

On south Main, Reeves has always held the block, at one time Fran’s Gift Shop centered the Reeves spaces and the Bank of Clayton, with a drive thru window, stood between Reeves and the Old Clayton Motor Inn.

Across the street, Georgia Power, Burnell’s Barber Shop and Harper’s 10 Cent Store, then a tiny Clayton Police Station booth. Turning the corner onto East Savannah Street, Janie Lampros had a needlepoint shop, the Clayton Flower Bed has always stood where it does today, and April Lee’s Boutique was housed in the space where Grapes and Beans now serves delicious dishes daily.

The Trailways Bus Station was once located where you can get a tattoo at Black Wolf Tattoos today. Region’s Bank was once the Bank of Clayton, across the street the Dairy Queen has always stood, but when I was a kid, you walked up to a window to order from Sheryl Jackson. There was no inside dining. Warren and Dorothy Beck ran Sears and then you moved east to Von Watts Photo Studio, Marvin’s Restaurant and others where today Of These Mountains and the future Nina’s Milkshake Bar and Pizzeria will be located.

West Savannah Street featured Jowers Appliance and a grocery store that had many names over the years stood where the Dollar Tree is now located. Keller Furniture was across the street along with small mom and pop shops that served the community, of which now I can’t remember the names.

Over the years, Clayton has changed a lot, but the bones of our downtown are pretty much what they have always been. For those of us who grew up here, the memories of Main Street are rich, born from a more innocent time, when a thriving downtown was centered around the needs of a community, much like our Downtown corridor is today. Like I said, the more things change, the more they stay the same.