About Brookhaven reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 20??-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 2013)
COMMUNITY A taste of the country holds its own on Mount Paran Road BYJ.D.M00R PHOTOS BY J.D. MOOR The Mount Paran Country Store includes a “private label” gas station. You’re cruising through north Buck- head’s expansive, expensive, contempo rary neighborhoods. Up ahead is the crossroads with Sandy Springs. Sudden ly, there’s a rustic, anachronistic land mark - a lone, com mercial enterprise catches your eye. You’ve intersect ed with Northside Drive and Mount Paran Road, where this antique desti nation survives in the present. It’s the Mount Paran Coun try Store, where folks come to gas up, eat up and cheer up. One recent day, floral designer Britt Wood was filling up his SUV there. “They’re always very nice and grateful for your business. I like the charm and con venience of it,” he said. Step inside, and one sees how the 1906 facade belies a plain convenience store stocked with a smattering of food, drinks and supplies, plus one very popu lar feature - a hot grill deli. “It’s the fresh burgers, biscuits and BLTs that keep customers coming back,” said own er Pete Chevallier, who runs the place with his wife, Jan. They’ve owned the place for about 10 years. “That’s what they rave about the most. Thirty-five percent of our busi ness is lunch, and we could triple that if we just had the parking,” Pete said. A regular cus tomer, Angie Hoyt, interrupted. “Diet Coke’s out,” she said, and Pete broke away to refill the soda fountain. “I come every day for a Diet Coke and a banana,” Hoyt said. “This place is much better now that Pete’s running it.” Jan greeted another customer who was coming in. “Hey, good morning! How ya doin’?” Jan then dished out a serving of his tory on the place. “Mr. Norman had it as a farmhouse in 1906,” she said. “Folks would pick up their mail from him, but he got tired of them helping themselves to his coffee and food when they came over. So he started selling to them in stead, and he made more money than he did farming. “That’s the original farmhouse fire place over there,” she said, pointing to ward an interior wall in the store. The Buckhead Heritage Society rec ognizes the store’s uniqueness. “The Mount Paran Country Store is one of the earliest buildings that still exists in Buckhead, and is a wonderful visual re minder of our rural roots and a time when the country store was at the heart of community life,” said Executive Di rector Erica Danylchak. Pete Chevallier said business has been bouncing back lately. “2007 was our best year yet. We make a little on our ‘private label’ gas, so we’re hangin’ in there,” he said. From the cash register, Jan Chevalli er hollered to her husband, “Make sure you tell him about the movie!” Appar ently, Hollywood crews just used the store for scenes in the upcoming film, “A Friggin’ Christmas Miracle,” featur ing Robin Williams. The store plays a role in real kids’ lives too. Jan told a story about one boy who credits the store with changing his life. “Decades ago, he got caught stealing some bubble gum by Mr. Norman. He was so scared and upset, he swore nev er to get in trouble again. He became a lawyer and a judge. He’s now one of our best customers.” Some parents bring their kids in for a reward of treats and candy on Friday af ternoons. “It’s a tradition around here, and we can tell who’s gotten A’s and who hasn’t done so well in school that week,” Jan Chevallier said. Also, the store gets in the spirit ev ery Halloween and Christmas. Valerie Thompson of Sandy Springs reminisced, “Our son always loved the decorations there during the holiday season. It is very quaint.” Go to www.atlantaroofcleaners.com to see dramatic before & after photos of homes that once looked like yours! 1 - WE CLEAN ALGAE STAINED & STREAKED ROOFS SAFE LOW PRESSURE CLEANING OF: • ASPHALT SHINGLE ROOFS • CONCRETE TILE ROOFS • CLAY (BARREL/FLAT) TILE ROOFS • CEDAR SHAKE ROOFS • SLATE TILE ROOFS 2 - “SOFT WASH” CLEANING OF YOUR HOME S EXTERIOR SURFACES • CLEANS DISCOLORED STUCCO/HARDI PLANK/DRYVIT/VINYL SIDING • CLEANS DIRTY PAINTED TRIM (GUTTERS/S0FFITS/FASCIA/WIND0WS/C0LUMNS/P0RCHES) • A SOFT SPRAY GENTLY COVERS YOUR HOME’S SURFACE, DISSOLVING DIRT & GRIME WHILE KILLING MOLD, MILDEW & ALGAE! 3 - HIGH PRESSURE WASHING (HOT/COLD WATER) • CLEANS ALGAE/MILDEW COVERED CONCRETE, BRICK, NATURAL STONE STEPS, WALK & DRIVEWAYS, RETAINER WALLS, POOL AREAS Buckhead - Brookhaven - Sandy Springs - Dunwoody - Intown References available and provided upon request CALL 404-509-2913 - RODNEY SAGERS/OWNER - LICENSED & INSURED “The Mount Paran Country Store is one of the earli est buildings that still exists in Buckhead and is a wonderful visual re minder of our rural roots and a time when the country store was at the heart of community life.” - ERICA DANYLCHAK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUCKHEAD HERITAGE SOCIETY 18 | JUNE 14 —JUNE27, 2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
