A l l - N i g h t 's All-Night Street

Whether they be residents, workers or transients, the people who congregate on Ponce de Leon Avenue can find company 24 hours a day. 'People talk about , but Ponce de Leon — that's Atlanta.'

This is the first of a tiro-pari series on Ponce de Leon Avenue The second part mil ap- pear next Thursday \ By Gayle White CammuHow T'S MIDNIGHT at the Plaza Pharmacy on Ponce de Leon Avenue. I In a booth sits a young man with soot- black hair. He's brought his own eight-track tape system with him, and while he waits for a cup of coffee, he sings along . . "now you're gone " A skinny gray-haired man, his face corrugated from years of hard living, stumbles from booth to booth, "Excuse me, can I sit down?" A man of similar age and superior dress answers without hesitation: "No " At the counter a young medical laboratory technician, still in his white jacket, eats cheese- and-eggs next to an older businessman in suit and tie. Down the counter, a woman in an expelisive-looking black dress and carefully applied makeup mulls over a hamburger Some of them live in the neighborhood; Lee Ray, Right. Behind The BarwtsnmlkiheaWA With His Night Manager Birdie Edson some work here, some are just passing through They find company here. 24 hours a day. because Ponce de Leon is ao all-night street. One can eat, drink, wash clothes or fill a prescription any hour of the day or night As one observer said, "People talk about Peachtree Street, but Ponce de Leon — that's Ponce's Jumping Atlanta." Cutting through the bottom of Atlanta's northeast quadrant. Ponce de Leon Avenue is a As Suburbs Sleep main traffic artery Unking DeKalb and Gwinnett , counties to . But Ponce de Leon is more than a street HEN SUBURBANITES are comfortably settled on It's at least two neighborhoods - one the grand their coo temporary settees watching "Threes old houses and churches between More land Ave- WCompany" on their J1-inch color TVs, when they're nue and the city of Decatur, the other the eclec- tacked snugly into their Danish modern beds, when the down- tic mass of shops, businesses and apartment town office buildings where they work loom dark and buildings between Moreland and downtown Stonehenge-Uke over near-empty streets. Ponce de Leon is Atlanta. It's these businesses and institutions that awake give Ponce de Leon its flavor Here, by house The old Atlanta street, named for a spnng that in turn numbers, are some of them: was named for the explorer who came to America searching 224 Ponce — Mary Mac's Tea Room. "We for the fountain of youth, has lost the fresh and innocent coun- have the most cosmopolitan clientele in the tenance of its earlier days In its old age, it has become crusty whole city," brags Margaret Lupo, proprietress. and ornery, an old codger to be reckoned with "We have Mack, white, red, yellow, rich, poor, It also has become tolerant "You see from the very top old and young." They come to Mary Mac's for a to the very worst in people." said Bob Todd, a middle-aged fa- choice of meat and four side dishes, bread and ther of nine who owns a Gulf station at ISO Ponce de Leon beverage at 14 per diner "The mayor and his wife stop here to fill op their bicycle ures "Six or seven years ago, some of our older sometimes when they're out riding." On the other hand. "I was customers kept saying, 'Those hippies are going held up for the first time sii weeks ago," he said. "They only to ruin you,' " Mrs. Lupo said, "but some of got $73. and nobody was hurt" those flower children were the grandchildren of An elderly woman in a black-and-white print dress and our customers " orthopedic shoes, an advertising executive taking out-of-town Mary Mac's was founded "at least 50 years customers oat for happy hour, a young couple shopping for an ago." in the tea room tradition, she said. Selling old house to restore, a drunkard or a runaway wife - all are meals or taking in boarders was the only re- accepted on Ponce de Leon. spectable means of making a living for widows, The street grew from a trolley-car line built to carry city so the "tea rooms" sprang up all over Atlanta dwellers to a spnng, believed to have medic m«] powers, on after the Civil War and became a tradition. The the property of John M. Armistead. In 1171, Arrmstead began difference between a tea room and a restaurant, delivering the water to private houses in Atlanta Mrs. Lupo said, is that a tea room offers an en- Some Atlantam preferred to fetch their own water, how-/ tire meal at one price, instead of items a la ever, and the Georgia Railway and Electric Co extended its carte. lines to serve the little resort. In 1907, the trolley company The term tea room might imply an intimate deeded the center strip of its right of way to the city for little establishment, but since Mrs. Lupo and her Ponce de Leon Avenue. Sears. Roebuck's office and retail husband bought it 17 years ago, Mary Mac's has building now sit on the spring ate. grown to seat 350 people at a time Today, Ponce de Leon is crowded in the rash hours by "I'd estimate that we have 100.000 custom- commuters from DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, who come on ers," Mrs. Lupo said. "Between 400 and 500 peo- US. Highway 78 past Stone Mountain to Scott , ple eat here every day — rain, cold, sleet, which runs into the old street in Decatur whatever." See NEIGHBORHOOD, Page »-B People Converge Oul.side Plaza Pharmacy On Ponce de Leon Avenue See PONCE DE LEON, Page S-B Neighborhood

Continued From Page I B house was built in 1885 for Methodist Founded 100 year^ on by when cars drive by. but Directors of the facilities Edward C Peters, to preside ago to setve people on the ' • when nobody's looking, they say their residents have been Many of those passers-by over a 400-acre tract of land outskirts of Atlanta. Grace eprne running on in." accepted freely by the com- stop occasionally to sample Peters father bought for J5 has found itself with some of - Indeed, for every beer-gut- munity the streets rich flavors. an acre The land was used the problems and missions of ted. tattooed man, there's a "Community people par- Others spend their entire trips for timber, which provided a downtown church middle-America couple buy- ticipate in our programs, and looking through their wind- fuel for the family's steam- Less than 13 percent of ing tickets we participate in theirs," said shields at the back of "the car powered flour mill Grace's 3,200 members live "Everybodys worried .Joyce Dorsey, director of in front of them, never realiz- - The elegant Victorian within two miles of the about adult theaters, ' said New Horizons ing that it would be possible house was sold at auction church, said the Rev Jerry Romeo What they ought to Antonio Rivera moved into to live an entire lifetime on when the last Peters heiress Phillips, associate minister worry about is getting young the building next door to New Ponce de Leon died in 1970, and was used for education and administra- fydsof off the streets. Thats Horizons four montHs ago The residences on Ponce de briefly to bouse a drug reha- tion what people ought to be con- from an apartment near the Leon between Piedmont and bilitation program It was " For a period 6f time, the cerned about" ajrport Moreland avenues are mostly sold again in 1973 to become area was probably deteriorat- For victims of the street Rivera, who has a degree apartments or old hotels a restaurant. Today, The ing,'" Phillips said "The dete- lifestyle, Ponce de Leon also in sociology, works as a house whose rooms are now rented Mansion offers diners a rioration started in the 1950s offers promise Three facili- painter between jobs in that by the month or week The choice of entrees ranging in Then, in the 1980s, a lot of ties of the Georgia Depart- field, but he's considering re- largest of the hotels, the price from 17 50 to $15 95 On single dwellings were cut up ment of Offender Rehabilita turning to his home, Puerto . is empty, but the the rock fireplace in the en into apartments with absentee tion serve as passageways to RK», to get into politics medieval signet border over trance hallway remains this landlords" society lor prisoners The He has found what other the top floor still is bright, carving, reminiscent of an The resurgence of the inner Atlanta Advancement Center, residents of the community and new aluminum windows era when sentiment was ap- city has given the community a "transitional center for enjoy — "a nice mixture of have replaced the old wooden preciated The Ornaments of a boost he said, and Grace is male offenders" in a former people - elderly people, guys ones With the promise of U S. a Home Are the Friends Who benefitting from some of the motel at 310 Ponce de Leon, who go to school, working Department of Housing and Frequent It " young professionals who are gives 90 jsooo-to-be-released people - and convenience " Urban Development rent But the Victonana of The moving into nearby neighbor- men a place to, live and a "I enjoy Ponce de Leon," subsidies, the development Mansion is a mere sampling hoods such as Midtown and home base from which to look said Bdb-Tadd service station firm of Sanders and Assoct of the flavors of Ponce de Virginia-Highlands for jobs owner "L'hope they keep ales will begin work this sum Leon The avenue has an Luring the not-so-rehgious- Andromeda| House, m the boosting up downtown I'm mer to convert the old hotel array of eateries that range minded to Ponce de Leon are same building, serves male not one of those who can see a photographic studio,- an into an apartment building from the sublime to the ! prisoners whose crime haj^ downtown dying I think for the elderly barely basic adult bookstore or t wo and been linked to alcohol or drug Atlanta ts still Georgia, and if A D Snow a- developer Diners can satisfy their the Plaza Theater which addiction Up the street at Atlanta dies, you can take with Sanders, says the 400- palates on steak Oscar at The shows tripie-X-rated movies 3*4, in a classic apartment Gwinnett County and all those room hotel should be con Abbey, formerly Ponce de like the current feature, building. New Horizons offers others and put them back into verted into 200 bousing units, Leon Metfcodtst-Epiaeopal Swinging Sorority ' about the same.kind of counseling cotton like they were years ready to open in early sum Church, where they'll be willing young coeds eager to and opportunities to women ago" mer of 1980 greeted by attractive young do anything to get ahead." with the same problems -Gayle White Some of Ponce de Leon's women in red monks robes Behind the ticket counter at old buildings haven t been so They can eat hamburgers and the Plaza is a calendar pic- fortunate A string of fires apple pie at The Majestic an turing Jesus in the Garden of over the last few years has all night diner in the Ponce Gethsemane destroyed some Vandals have de Leon Plaza shopping cen- The theater manager a left others as bare as old ter Franchise fare is avail- lanky rugged man who'll give bones Some, however have able from such outlets as the his name only as Romeo, esu been kept up so well over the Krystal and Krispy Kreme mates that the theater draws years that they retain the ele- Donuts a couple thousand people a gance of earlier days, tem For- those who need food night The theater has been pered with the charm of age for the soul there's 3 similar there 10 or 12 years, he said, The one remaining exam- variety of places of worship, and will be here 10 or 12 ple of the elegant old houses including the national head- more that once flanked the street is quarters for the Presbyterian We don t drag people in," the Peters Hause now The Church in the U S said the ticket agent, who Mansion restaurant Origi- One of the oldest churches wooldnt reveal her name nally called Ivy Hall the on Ponce is Grace United We get businessmen who go ill* PTX>>»—Owryl I>H Mary Mac's Restaurant Usually Serves A Full House - Ponce De Leon— ^CuotiBued From Page I B How many"* Ray Lee stops to count on his fin- What they eat every day is country fned gers, naming names as he goes. 'About five, I steak (40® orders a day), chicken and dressing tia*» reckon" <300 orders a day), green beans (45 bushels), lit Ponce - The Atlanta I'BMB Mission, corn (306 earsi, turnip greens and squash (five Women's Division. A young womai^ released bushels each > They consume 1,000 biscuits, from a Tennessee mental institution, an old 2,000 com muffins, 2.000 bran muffins and woman evicted from her apartment in Atlanta, 1.000 sweet roils a day. washed down with 7S an alcoholic divorcee - they find solace, or at gallons of iced tea and JO gallons of coffee least shelter, in the old apartments at 910 Everything is prepared fresh. One woman does Ponce de Leon The mission was founded by nothing but wash, tear and cook turnip greens. Elsie Hock 10 years ago, in a building that had Two other people shuck, cut and cook com. served as Churches Home for Business Girls. "Everybody snaps beans, Mrs Lupo said. Fifty women can find beds there, Mrs Hack Of all 100,000 customers, Mrs. Lupo said said, but 16 or 17 of those beds are reserved she can count on her fingers the troubtemak for transients. ers. "We're a muddle-class family restaurant,' The women who live there for weeks, she said "We don't get ugly customers They months, or, in a few cases, years can entertain go somewhere else." themselves with art poetry and religious serv- 7(4 Peace - Ray Lee s Bine Lantern ices. They're obligated to wort with counselors Lrnuge. Ray Lee hitchhiked into town in 1954, and to do chores around the house. IS years old and right oat of the cotton patch, "It's tightly structured." said Mrs Buck, hungry and barefoot, he said "but that's what these women need.' After working for another man for 21 The population of the mission has varied years, he was able U) open a succession of bars over the years, she said. and grills of his own. Now. Ray Lee owns both "The commitment of a mission is to the the White Dot and the Blue Lantern on Pooce least the last and the tort," she said "Who de Leon. those are depends on what the government is Lee worts out of the Blue Lanterns doing" round comer booth with his bookkeeper of 20 People neglected by government pro- years, Margie Dupree, the 'only bookkeeper in grams find help at the mission. "We're very town that can write with one hand and empty protective of our women," Mrs Huck said. "A beer bottles with the other " tot of these women are very frightened or very " "Country Bumpkin* ts the Blue Lantern vulnerable We feel if they didn't need protec- theme song." he said. "1 told em if they ever tion. they wouldn't need us." take that off. they might as well roll the juke- WfK Pence — Plata Pharmacy. Sye boi on out the door "Country Bumpkia, cause Pressley. whose personality resembles a Clea- that's what I am." von Little character, has just finished up the 4 Ray Lee "don't like that old rock stuff." to midnight shift Piwsley is the grill and soda so the musical menu at the Blue Lantern is fountain attendant at the Plaza Pharmacy, for strictly country, played by live bands at night many years Atlanta's only 24-hour drugstore. and the jukebo* in the daytime. The store a to Ponce de Leon Plaza, felled as The Blue Lantern opens at # a.m. for the first Atlanta shopping center built with breakfast and stays open until 4 am the nest cars in mind. day, serving mostly, "middle-aged, middle- During his eight-hour shift Pressley as class, had of settled people," Ray Lee said. cooked innumerable scrambled eggs, poured The preseut building is actually the sec- dozens of cups of coffee and evicted one ond Blue Lantern The first burned to the drunk It's been an average night ground in IMS. but Ray Lee wouldn't close "From 4 to 8 a m., you have the coffee down He brought m wo "job johnnies," as he crowd, people getting ready to go to wort," calls them, and opened up the storage building. said Pressley. who's worked various shifts at The Blue Lantern operated at full speed, the Plaza. "In the evening, you get the dinner making do for entertainment with what was crowd getting off wort Then, midnight 'til 4, available you get people who ve been out. Once in a What was available in the storage room while you get a drunk or two, but other than was a large supply of cockroaches. "We'd trap that not much t a cockroach under an ashtray and line up fowtain, the Plaza is a quarters in a circle around if he said. Then supermarket from Vermmaid — we'd lift up the ashtray, and whoever* quarter to iti in round worms" — to the roach ran over would get to keep all the sewing options quarter," and toys. The woman behind the man in Ray-Lee's At any • of the morning or night in case is Mildred, his wife of 34 years whom be front of toe - near the magazine stand met when she was singing and he was tending beside the door inside, people are meeting, bar at Jennings Rose Room across from taifctrig or just killing time. Grady Stadium But Ray Lee hires a lot of "We get a complete cross-section of the other women. When he likes a waitress, be nty here," said Wendell Rogers, who bought nicknames her Lee. Ray Lee now has some the Plaza a few months ago "We get travelers women who ve worked for him for as long as from all over the world, students from Emory, 20 years, all of them "named'' Lee He also people from the suburbs. The Plaza is more takes in girls "in trouble," and has helped than a neighborhood store. It's a unique situa- raise 50 children, he estimates. tion. I look at it as kind of like the Grady "I think 17 babies is the most I've ever Hospital of drugstores." had at one time," he said Ray Lee and Mildred have one soc —. NEXT THURSDAY: Thoee Grand Old "but I've got some adopted ooes, too," he sail Hornet.