Six Flags | Target T-1164 - Austell, GA

 

Sing Food Store

351 Riverside Parkway

Austell, GA 30168

Scroll Down for today's MTC post on Target T-1164

Welcome to year five of The Sing Oil Blog!  As we begin a new chapter in life, I figure now is the time to look back at the ground we have covered. Thus far in my blogging adventure, I've documented 51 former Sing stations, which leaves me with only 15 stores left (19 if you count the two Knoxville locations and the two demolished Tallahassee stores).  It's hard to believe I've written about so many convenience stores, and it's even harder to contemplate what I'll do once the remaining 15 or so have passed us by.  I suppose it is not worth fretting over scenarios which aren't at hand, and after all, I have photos from hundreds of other stores in my backlog just waiting to be shared.

Today, we get to tick off another former Sing along with an additional retail anomaly which (for the first time in a while) fulfills my original vision for MTC posts: that store is just a 15 minute drive away (unlike my last post).  You'll just have to wait to see what's special about the aforementioned discounter because we have some business to take care of first.

That business, of course, involves a Sing Food Store.

From what I can tell, the 2,700 sq ft convenience store was built sometime around 1973 on what was then referred to as Six Flags Drive.  As the name indicates, the location is situated adjacent to the Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park just across I-20.

The Atlanta Constitution (Newspapers.com) - June 16, 1967

The reason this store exists in the first place, of course, is because of the then-new Six Flags amusement park (at the time, only the second in the nation).  According to The Atlanta Constitution, "The six-flag theme sectors of the park feature attractions drawn from eras of Southeastern history – English, French, Spanish, Confederate, Georgia, and the United States."  After much anticipation, Six Flags threw open its gates to giddy visitors on June 16, 1967, and has remained open every summer since.

Historic Aerials - 1968

The Six Flags Park is found on the west bank of the Chattahoochee River at what was then the fringes of Metro Atlanta.  Heavy industry has since migrated from Fulton Industrial Boulevard to surround the theme park, but at the time, trees were the most notable neighbors.

By the mid-1970's many new residential developments began to spring up in South Cobb County (mostly to the North of the Western Expressway / I-20) and Sing jumped on the chance to open a convenience store to serve the locals' needs.

Based on my research of local city directories, this Sing opened sometime between 1972 and 1974, with a presumed date of 1973 thanks to Cobb County property records.

The Atlanta Constitution (Newspapers.com) - April 25, 1975

The earliest newspaper mention, however, is this 1975 classified ad for a male cashier to work the evening shift.  Throughout the years, I found the typical mentions of armed robberies and liquor license applications, just not much in the way of substantive information.  I'd say the most intriguing find was the following:

"Also in 1991, a man trying to rob a south Cobb convenience store was caught as he hid on the store's roof, according to officials. Police were called to the Sing Food Store on Six Flags Drive in south Cobb after the store's alarm went off about 1:50 a.m. An officer found the store's cash register lying on the floor, but police could not figure out how the thief had gotten into the store since it was still locked. On the suspicion that the thief entered from the roof, a Cobb County fire truck with a snorkel unit was called, according to Capt. Ken Bramlett. Using ladders, police climbed onto the roof, found and arrested Joseph Lewis Parker Jr. for the burglary. Bramlett stated that Parker had cut a hole into the store's roof to get inside."

 - "A look back in Austell this week" - Marietta Daily Journal - April 30, 2001

The fact that this criminal thought he would get away with a robbery by scaling in from the ceiling must have made him feel stealthy, until he realized that many businesses also employed motion sensors with their security systems.  It still must have been a big feat for the Marietta Daily Journal to reference the event in a recap article from a decade later; however, the piece most notable to me is the fact that this station was known as the Sing Food Store a year after Amoco purchased the company.

Amoco Site Survey - October 26, 1989

Based on this survey filed into Cobb County public record, the station was owned by Richard L. Singletary and John L. Parker, both former executives of the company.  I was always confused by how Sing was able to manage its books with so many individuals / shell companies owning these stores, but I suppose it must have been worthwhile considering how Tom Perry mentioned it was for tax purposes.

Anyhow, the survey was one of likely many performed by Amoco leading up to the acquisition but was seemingly only filed away in county records because it was used to resolve an encroachment by a neighbor's chain link fence.  Mergers certainly cause companies to cross every "t" and dot every "i".

Courtesy Cobb County Property Appraiser - Former Six Flags Amoco - March 10, 2003

Next up from the property appraiser's website is an extremely rare view of the former Sing with its Amoco sign, circa 2003.  This was taken right as BP was finalizing its Amoco conversions following the rollout of the British company's new branding strategy for the Twenty-First Century.  Now I just wish I had a better look at the road sign to see if the convenience store remained a Sing up until the end!

It looks like Amoco had recently added the fast food drive-thru, too, because you can still make out the old parking lot lines in the middle of the lane.  I found a 2002 article mentioning an armed robbery at the Church's restaurant (what I presume the drive-thru was built for), which doesn't shock me based on how "locked up" the convenience store appeared when I stopped by.

I hate to admit it, but this is one of the convenience stores I passed by numerous times, yet never had the courage to step inside.  It wasn't until a work trip in mid-2022 that I finally collected the gumption to pay a visit . . . until a backed out after pulling into the parking lot and seeing all of the bars on the doors. 

After realizing I had exhausted most of my Sing Oil station backlogs, I decided to give it one more try a few months ago.  I'll say, I was honestly surprised by how comfortable I felt inside of the store.  Then again, I only got two interior photos, but that is better than what I've done for Winters Chapel, Memorial Drive, or Rockbridge Road!

The first thing we'll see from my 2024 tour (since the cover photo was from 2021) is the door to the Church's Chicken restaurant.  I remember stopping by in the morning on a different work trip, which would explain why the inside is still dark.

Shifting over toward the right, I found a window that was covered over with wood paneling.  I'd imagine I initially thought this was left from Sing, but upon reflection, I think this was added by Amoco whenever Church's moved in next door.

At least we have the square terracotta tile Sing was known for during the 1970's!  This store's drink coolers now line the wall separating the store from Chruch's instead of being in the back right where I presume they were originally.

Consequently, that space in the back of the store was just used for bulk drink storage.  If you look closely, you can see a line in the ceiling which seems to be where a wall once stood.  I won't lie:  other than the tile, nothing stood out to me as obvious relics from Sing Oil.

And just like, I was gone again.  I may not have found much inside of this former Sing (and didn't take as many photos as usual), but I'm glad I gathered the courage to check it out anyhow.  Now I don't have to wonder!

Make sure to keep on scrolling to see my coverage of Target T-1164!

Street Views

Google Maps - February 2008

Google Maps - May 2012

Google Maps - March 2016

Google Maps - January 2023

Aerial Views

Historic Aerials - 1972
Future site of the Six Flags Sing

Historic Aerials - 1978
Recently constructed Six Flags Sing Store

Historic Aerials - 1981
Six Flags Sing Store

Google Earth - February 1993
Six Flags Amoco station

 

Google Earth - February 1999
Six Flags Amoco with new pump canopy

Google Earth - April 2022
Six Flags Citgo station

Additional Resources: 

Historic Aerials

Google Earth Pro

Google Maps

Parcel ID: 18059100060

Cobb County Property Records

 

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Hello, is there anything I can help you find?

Target T-1164

East-West Commons

4125 Austell Road

Austell, GA 30106

For the second part of today's post, we find ourselves 15 minutes due North of the old Sing, where Austell Road intersects the East-West Connector.  This intersection serves as the primary retail sector for the area, hosting the likes of Lowe's, Home Depot, Kohls, Walmart, Hobby Lobby (in the old Wal-Mart), Burlington (in an old Kmart), and Food Depot (in an old Winn-Dixie turned SaveRite), in addition to the Targé.

Speaking of Target, this store opened up quite the can of worms for me (or just reminded me of something I had forgot).  Take a look at this reprise from my previous post: 

"The Cobb NE Target opened on October 8, 1997 and replaced Target T-382, which happened to share the title for Georgia's first Target (opening on April 26, 1989).  Interestingly, Target came to the Peach State (and the greater Southeast) through its acquisition of 30 Gold Circle/Richway stores which the chain converted to the Target name.  I believe there is only one remaining Target housed in a former Richway; the inside of this location looks like most other P17 stores, but the outside reveals the original Richway wedge skylights. 

Although the old store isn't much to look at anymore, its replacement has achieved a shocking feat; it has not been remodeled during its entire 25-year life!  This surprises me, because the Sandy Plains region of Marietta is obviously affluent enough for Publix's taste, so I would have thought this store would have been remodeled before now.  Regardless, it hasn't been.  This also isn't Georgia's only remaining P97 Target, but we'll have to wait to explore this store's sibling.

What tipped me off to this store's age was when I noticed how old the exterior sign looked. I was in the area to check out what had happened to the adjacent GreenWise after it closed and thought it may be interesting to see what this store looked like on the inside.  I knew the store was not currently undergoing a remodel because the old exterior signage is typically one of the first things to be removed.  Maybe it would make for an interesting detour."  

The Atlanta Constitution (Newspapers.com) - April 26, 1989

And an interesting detour it was!  Anyhow, just like its sibling up in East Cobb, Targets T-1164 replaced an original Richway store purchased from Rich's department store.  Austell's original Target T-376 opened alongside 12 other stores as the discounter made its grand entrance into the Atlanta area.  Thanks to information from reschultzed, I can tell you that T-376 lasted from April 26, 1989 - March 1, 1999.  Likewise, T-1164 opened to the public as its replacement on March 3, 1999.

 

Before we dive into the store, I want to give a quick overview of some floor plans so you can get your bearings.

Courtesy Target - T-1164 Floor Plan

We'll enter the store and head straight into Yellow World while following the left actionway.  Following a brief stop to look down the center of the store, we'll continue around to Red World before skirting the edge of Green World.  We'll then cut back through the middle of Blue World until we reach the edge of children's clothing.  From there, we'll double back and finish out with the electronics, media, and cosmetics departments.  Sound like a plan?  That was much easier to explain while looking at a color-coordinated map!

Courtesy Target - T-1164 Floor Plan (2025)

Unfortunately, Target has since removed the color-coded graphics from its website while resorting to monochrome SVG's (don't ask me how long I spent trying to render this stupid image in Photoshop).  At least if this map is any indication, it looks like this store has yet to remodel away from the interior we'll see in today's post.  If it had, Electronics / Tech would have moved to the back wall where Sporting Goods is currently shown.

Of course, no description of Target's P97 would be complete without mentioning my friend Retail Retell's extensive coverage of this store's sister, T-1169.  The Horn Lake, MS, Target went on to remodel in 2023, and I'd imagine it won't be long before this store follows suit (if it hasn't done so already).

With that behind us, let's see what was in front of me back in Summer 2022.

Unsurprisingly, we find the modern CVS/pharmacy logo in place of the generic lettering which originally graced the store; this follows the 2015 deal between the two companies where the nation-wide health care conglomerate agreed to acquire all of Target's 1,672 in-store pharmacies.

This store has presumably received a coat or two of paint over the years because I'd expect the band of smooth cinder blocks running through the left-hand wall to be a different color than the rest of the edifice.  Then again, maybe the store was just originally painted tan like the CVS wall.

Courtesy Phil W. - November 6, 2011 - Target T-1073 (Carrollton, GA)

If we think back to the Carrollton, GA, Target (Thanks again, Retail Retell, for saving me from having another retail regret considering how I cluelessly shopped in this store a couple of months before the 2018 remodel began), we can see how Target previously used colors on store exteriors which directly translated to the 1990's interior packages.

You know what else is stuck in the 1990's?  That third shopping cart, of course!  I'd hate to be the one who had to undo that jam.

These older Targets always throw me off how they feature a set of automatic swinging doors on the outside, but manual doors in the middle (with a cart specific door between the exit and entry doors).  I tried to use the manual doors while pushing a cart and was quickly surprised to have it slam back into the buggy.  I was struggling!

Okay, okay, I may have just pulled that last caption from my Sandy Plains post, but I still don't understand why Target didn't just spend the money for both sets of doors to be electrified!

Interestingly enough, these stores also dropped the "Entrance To Target" text in favor of the sufficiently obvious "Entrance" description.

Would you look at that – our first vintage treat!  I knew when I saw this "Exchanges & Returns" sign that I had to get a good picture of it (and that very picture likely contributed to my destiny on that day).

Turning to the left, we find the "Guest Service" counter, complete with matching neon lettering.  It's a shame that it was burned out!

At least the neon was still there, however.  The same can't exactly be said about the old Food Avenue Express café signage.  

Courtesy Chelsea Johnston (Google Maps) - August 23, 2019

I'd have to imagine that the Corona Virus Pandemic was the death knell for the dated concept, and while I do miss the nostalgic look, obscuring the space with a generic wall likely modernized the space for the average shopper by about 10 years.

It's still so strange to see the alcove being used for online order pickup staging!

What else is strange is stepping inside to find the massive jewelry counter just sitting empty:  talk about some wasted floor space!  I have to wonder how long ago it was when Target largely got out of the jewelry business, and likewise, how long it was when those faded stock photos were installed on the shelving beyond.  At least they are able to make better use of the sunglasses displays!

The old French fry carpet may be gone, but more of those faded stock photos have still hung around.  Then again, I doubt that ink and paper was intend to sit under the constant UV exposure of florescent lights for decades on end.

I suppose 2022 was the height of Target's controversial "Take Pride" clothing sale because displays similar to the ones we saw at Sandy Plains were situated at the intersection of the left and center actionways.

Looking down the center actionway, we find women's accessories and children's clothing.  We can even see the transition between the red and green neon waves if you squint off in the distance!

I'm not sure why, but the whole time I was putting together this photoset I kept getting completely turned around with the orientation of this store.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that the last Target I stepped foot in was our old friend T-1106 at Sandy Plains (P.S. that store did lose its neon, yet it still has its P97 signage as of January 2025).

In contrast to T-1106, I was a bit surprised that T-1164 had both its perimeter neon lit and most of its clothing department / Yellow World hanging signage in place.  What a sight to behold!

I've noticed that most of the older Target stores now have gaping holes in the men's clothing department, as it seems that the chain has shrunk the space dedicated to such in modernized locations.  Why they never managed to slide some shelves around in here beats me.

Turning to my left, we find the fitting rooms (which appear to be original to the space).  I suppose another remnant of COVID is that they don't seem to be used for much more than storage these days.  I'm honestly shocked to see a lady standing behind that counter, too.

I'd say the men's knickers weren't overwhelmingly disheveled, but the heaps of clothing atop those carts did not help the ambience of this space.

Hey, at least we have some cool looking neon to warm up the vibes!  Let's head on over to the luggage aisles at the edge of Yellow World to see what we can find.

All of a sudden, I hear somebody approach me from behind and say, "Hello, is there anything I can help you find?"

I courtesy responded, "No, I think I'm good."

The man then replied, "I'm the head security manager, and I noticed you were taking pictures, do you mind telling me why?"

"Sh*t," I think to myself, "I am screwed.  What do I say?"

 

As the first actual confrontation during my blogging adventures, I couldn't just run from this situation as I had done before:  I had to face it.

Doing the only thing I could think of in the moment, I told the truth.  I continued to say, "I wanted to document the 1990's neon.  You don't see it that often anymore, and I wanted to take some pictures of it.  Would you like me to stop?"

And then, the moment of truth – would he escort me from the store, or would he let me be?

He thankfully responded, "No, no, that's fine.  We were supposed to get a remodel last year, but it ended up getting delayed.  If you look up front, you'll see where a big strip of the neon is burned out too."

Phew!  Praise the Lord!

I proceeded to ask, "Oh, okay, so you don't mind if I take some more pictures?" and he said, "No, go ahead."

I then thanked him, and we parted ways.

Spring 2023 visit - Notice how the neon on the far wall had been removed, yet the signage remained.

I've got to say, that man came out of nowhere and really surprised me with his question.  I imagine one of the security officers by the door noticed me taking pictures, as I alluded to earlier, and wanted to send somebody to check in on me and make sure I wasn't doing anything nefarious.  At least that guy seemed satisfied by my answer or had a soft spot for the P97 neon as well. 

Ever since then, I've used a similar response on two separate occasions – neither has received the same warm response as this man gave; however, none delivered the outcome I dreaded.  I'll take bewilderment over hostility any day!

Since I was already "here", I figured I might as well take advantage of my surroundings and continue the tour.  The only problem is I can neither find nor lift the answer phone for help.

Back when I wrote my post on the Sandy Plains Target, I spent time to correct the red neon color in all of my photos in order to make them appear truer to life.  I no longer have the luxury of unlimited time, so alas, you'll have to deal with the magenta hues in this post.  You can at least reference the photo from T-1106 below for a more accurate depiction.  If I recall correctly, the light was much closer in shade to the red bar atop the shelving units than anything else.

Also, just look at the vintage graphics behind those bicycles!

Target T-1106 - June 2022

Notice how the neon waves are reversed in the above photo since these two stores are mirror images of each other; both of these photos were taken as I looked toward the back right corner of the store.

Returning to the main aisle, we find the classic red tile lining the path toward the far right wall of the store.  Take note of how the closest information station to us uses the P01 "Scanner & Service" signage, while the one in the distance uses the original P97 "#11 Answer Phone" verbiage.

While I'm on the price scanner topic, I was shocked when I saw that T-1106 had retrofitted modern price scanners into these old answer phone fixtures.  I wonder if the same happened here at T-1164.

You know, I'm not entirely shocked that I got caught photographing this store.  I don't recall being coy with my photography, but I am glad that I had the burden taken off of me for the rest of my tour.

I'm not entirely sure why I took this picture:  my best guess is because the aisle marker category cards say "Printed on 3/15 Endurance" in the bottom left corner.  That must mean this store received some sort of department shuffle back in 2015 which correlated with whatever the "endurance" code name means.

I'm just glad that this neon had the endurance to keep on shining long enough for me to photograph it!

When I adjusted my phone's shutter speed, I was able to make the red neon look a bit more true-to-life (as we see above).

Taking one last look across the back of the store, I have to wonder why the sign for toys and games is green.  The maps above even show it in Red World!  My only guess is that this section was dislocated when the food selection was expanded and shifted to the left wall of the store (which we'll see in a minute).

If you couldn't tell, this shot was taken from the seasonal (back right) corner, looking toward the clothing department.

Since I mentioned the aisle markers before, I figured our first look at Blue World would be the perfect time to point out how this store didn't have any from P97 (or P01, for that matter); instead, all of them seemed to be from P04.

Hey, good lookin'.  What ya got cookin'?

Other than the dust around the air vent and a few missing placards, the center aisle of this store doesn't look half bad.

I was totally taking this shot to showcase the "Bath" sign, but based on how it is framed, I feel like I also noticed the odd-ball, extra-large P09 / P13 aisle marker above those doormats.

Do you feel at home yet?

Spring 2023 visit

I ended up making a quick return trip to this store the following spring, only to find that the neon was removed from the walls.  This "Home" sign obviously caught my attention both times since I took the effort to photograph it twice.  I'd have to imagine that it, too, dates back to P97.

Our next shot takes us to the (ironically unorganized) home organization section.  As we can see, it was taken looking toward the children's clothing department, complete with its own yellow-adorned shelving.

Spring 2023 visit

Let's take a brief intermission to return to Yellow World and look at more children's clothes.  Notice how the yellow neon is absent on the far wall in this 2023 shot.

That little pop of color really added a lot to the space!

Returning to the opposite side of the store, we find where Red World transitions to Green World for one last time.

But wait, there's more!  Rather than receiving a "P-Fresh" upgrade, this location maintained a scaled back "Market" with most of the shelf-stable groceries and limited refrigerated items typically found at a Target (you may remember that this was one sign absent from the Sandy Plains store).

In spite of the old signage, Target still spent the money to install new P17 aisle toppers and category signs above the food.

Looking just beyond the refrigerators, we can see the electronics department come into view.  It's quite odd seeing televisions where I've become accustomed to finding toilet paper!

The electronics desk was also pretty crowded in this store, so I didn't want to take any pictures of it since I had the feeling I was being intently watched.  At least I was able to get what I did.

Spring 2023 visit

My 2023 photography didn't turn out much better – on top of the counter being blocked by TVs, my shot also came out blurry.  I can only imagine the nerves I had going back to photograph this place!

It really is strange how some stores get new fixtures, while others don't.  If you'll remember, Sandy Plains had those antiquated shelving units which looked like they were configured for VHS tapes.  They were obviously from the time when vinyl records weren't trending.

Spring 2023 visit

This store, on the other hand, has plenty of T-Swift on vinyl and all of the appropriate shelving to boot!  Who is cheering for Taylor during tonight's big game?

Spring 2023 visit

This juxtaposition just seems so odd to me:  the store is considered dated in so many aspects, yet the oldest auditory medium they have on display is considered a modern enclave.  Talk about a mind bender!

In addition to records, this store still offered the typical (for the time) selection of books, DVDs, and Blu-rays.  It seems like this store's extensive collection of physical media is yet one more thing to date it nowadays, unfortunately.

Next up, we find the P13 CVS/pharmacy sign advertising the in-store pharmacy.  Interestingly enough, Target went through the effort of retrofitting P04 and P09 pharmacy signage with the new CVS logo, while instead opting to use the modern look in any P01 or older locations (like we see here).

Wouldn't it have been cool to see a P97-themed CVS sign?!  Anyhow, at least we still have the adjacent departments represented.

Does this cough & cold sign look familiar?  It dang sure should!

Just to the left, we can also see my only shot featuring the pharmacy counter.

Ah, there is the all-too-familiar sight of burnt out neon (just as the security guard had mentioned).  While it is a shame that this whole strip was out, I'm rather impressed that the rest of the store remained in such good shape.  I suppose all of that is a moot point now.

Spring 2023 visit

Cleaning supplies and paper products serve as the barrier between the pharmacy and the checkout lines:  an odd choice if you ask me.

The last department we'll see is the girls' clothing section just opposite the cash registers. 

What do you say, is it time to check out the P97 neon one last time?  If that idea makes you sad, rest assured that I have one last trick up my sleeve . . .

Spring 2023 visit

But for now, we'll say farewell to Target as we take a quick dip into a neighboring store:  PopShelf.

Spring 2023 visit

I'm typically not drawn to Dollar General; however, the company's new concept had me intrigued on this warm spring day.

Spring 2023 visit

I have to say that many of the products were quite the colorful contrast to the drab grey walls, floors, and ceilings.  The store generally seemed to be well merchandised, but it didn't take long for me to realize that I was not in the target demographic.  I'd imagine that this move made Five Below a bit nervous considering how it seems geared toward the same Gen Z or late-Millennial female audience. 

As I said before, now I don't have to wonder.

Back at the road, we find a collection of slightly-faded signs advertising the power center.  It's not often that you come across an Office Max these days!

Our parting shot is one I captured from a plane a couple of years ago (I always love taking the window seat to see what I can recognize).  From right-to-left, we have the Kohl's center, Target / PopShelf, & Lowe's, followed by the LA Fitness, Hobby Lobby, and Food Depot on the opposite side of the East-West Connector.  Way off in the distance, we find the current Walmart Supercenter.

So, what did y'all think of this vintage Target and its nearby Sing?  Drop a line in the comments below!  But before that . . .

Guess what time of year is upon us!  That's right, folks, my annual Marketplace Madness series is set to tip off in two weeks' time with a new theme, "The 1980's Called."

Will you answer?  I don't know!  What I do know is that I'll give you a quick preview of each post's Winn-Dixie related topic and we'll see if you can guess where we are headed.  Here's also to hoping I can maintain this schedule!

February 23: The O.G.

March 9: Governor of Arkansas

March 23: Simply Timeless

April 6: Alabama (the band)

To make things even more interesting, two of these posts will be MTC features.  They may involve me using some of my old tricks (is 40 minutes really that long?), but the distance to the MTC feature still won't break my current record!

Anyway, that is all for this week, but make sure to check back in two weeks to see what "The O.G." is all about!  Also, make sure to check out the latest news regarding C&S Wholesale purchasing the Winn-Dixie and Harveys brands.

Until next time,

- The Sing Oil Blogger