Winn-Dixie, 3830 East Independence Boulevard, Charlotte. Photo courtesy Pat Richardson.
The Winn-Dixie at Charlotte’s Amity Gardens Shopping Center opened in November of 1958, right in the middle of the most thriving retail strip in the city. The center also included Woolworth’s and a Barclay Cafeteria. By 1961, it also included Charlotte’s first (and only) branch of Clark’s, an early “supercenter” with both general merchandise and groceries.
Amity Gardens Shopping Center, 2007.
By the 1980s, the center was already in significant decline, and the conversion of Independence Boulevard into a freeway sealed the fate not only of Amity Gardens, but of the entire retail strip from downtown to Albemarle Road. The old center is still standing today, more or less completely abandoned. Plans to demolish it and construct a Wal-Mart Supercenter are on hold. The years have not been kind to this once booming area.
Sorry for the slow pace of updates and email responses of late. It should improve soon, I hope. And the rest of the Winston-Salem section should be coming soon as well.
I grew up in the neighboorhood that most supported the shopping center. Really hate to see it go & all the traffic from a Wal-mart start. The area has been subjected to so much change, as has the rest of the city. Charlotte is notirious for destroying its history. Maybe someday Charlotte will see how important its history was and have many regrets.
Many homeowners in the neighborhood are original owners, its still a good neighborhood, lets hope Wal-Mart doesn’t destroy another section.
I am a home owner in the neighborhood directly beind the old shopping center, and unlike “CC” still live there. Yes it has been a shame to see it decline to nothing over the years but I am excited to hear talks of a super Wal-Mart to move in and revitalize the neighborhood. We need this tremendously. People things change, Charlotte is growing into a city. Yes Wal-Mart will bring traffic (something southerners dispise) but it will also bring jobs, shopping, millions in tax dollars, and advertisement for a forgotten neighborhood. This will help property values. I hope that they due tear down the awful eye soar and breath life into an almost dead area. Please Wal-Mart come and help my community.
Note: Groceteria is a site about supermarket HISTORY. Further comments that do not relate specifically to the HISTORY of this store or center will not be approved. Thanks.