Due to expansion of the Trion mill, the Trion Department Store was closed when a new shopping center was opened in November 1961 at the intersection of Highway 27 and Central Avenue (Old U.S. Highway 27). The photograph above shows grading of the site prior to construction.
Opening day was greeted by huge crowds.
This photograph shows, from left to right, Chattooga County Commissioner John Jones; Dr. Harold Clements; Burrell Simmons, business manager of Trion Hospital; Tip McCollum; Ross Abney; and in back, Joe Sam Ray.
The ribbon cutting was performed by Dr. Harold Clements. Hurley's Food Center can be seen to the right.
A high resolution panoramic view of opening day can be seen here.
Photographs by T. Emmett Nunn. Courtesy of Charles Logan and the Chattooga County Library.