Here’s yet another South Georgia landmark about to be lost to “progress”. Streamline Moderne architecture, characterized by curving forms and long horizontal lines, is akin to Art Deco and has been disappearing nearly as fast as our tobacco barns and country stores. [Thanks to Lew Oliver for correctly identifying this form for me]. Since it doesn’t have the same aesthetic, it’s harder to drum up widespread preservation support, or even interest for that matter. But it’s a highly endangered form in our area. A preservationist friend recently made me aware that the razing of this structure was imminent; even though it was a hard fought battle, the local preservation group relented and has allowed the tear-down to move forward.
Buddy Bryan, who first identified this for me in 2010, wrote: “This old market on the corner of Central Avenue and Second Street was originally owned by Buster Branch during the late ’40s and 50′s and known as Branch’s Market.” It wasn’t the first supermarket in Tifton, though, as I had originally thought. Matt Brown writes: The first super market in Tifton was the A & P Super Market… The A & P was located on 3rd Street across from Lang Printing. The building was completed and the A & P opened in the summer on 1947. Branch’s Market opened in 1948. I know these facts because my father, uncle and grandfather were the contractor’s that built the A & P food store…W P Brown & Sons. The building is still in use today and through the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s was home to the Goodyear Tire & Service Center.
This view shows the Second Street side of the building, as well as the old South Georgia Ice Company. I think the ice company took over the market building at one point, as well.
Update: Branch’s Market was razed in 2014.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 
was sad to see that leveled for the bank. Loved that glass block look.
The first super market in Tifton was the A & P Super Market, not Branch’s Market. The A & P was located on 3rd Street across from Lang Printing. The building was completed and the A & P opened in the summer on 1947. Branch’s Market opened in 1948. I know these facts because my father, uncle and grandfather were the contractor’s that built the A & P food store…W P Brown & Sons. The building is still in use today and through the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s was home to the Goodyear Tire & Service Center.
TammyLynn Kwan managed to take some pictures inside the South Georgia Ice Company two years before it finally shut. See the cranes and hydraulic handling equipment and the ice store. https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipOL5_PS5ff5bDMMSuTnuzVF0Q-KzdQF1493ZIfv/photo/AF1QipO-OAzj2nUJEIL5Fc_YnNb6SRsU7XMj27e-XZKe
I remember living on South Ridge Ave with my grandmother in the 1960’s and she would send me to this market on my bycicle. Brings back lots of memories for me. Would not like to see this building destroyed.
This style is commonly known as Streamline Moderne, inspired by forms associated with automobiles, ocean liners, and trains. Tifton is rich with this aesthetic, and should consider becoming an architectural destination.
Thanks, Lew, for the proper identification! I’ve personally seen three such structures razed in the past year. It’s very alarming.
I have several early memories of buildings in this architectural motif which some people referred as “Ocean liner” style. particularly a restaurant built in the early 50’s in the country just north of Cleveland GA in the foothills of the mountains. It had the typical curved walls, glass block, etc, but what really brought in the crowds was the “electric eye” front door which magically opened automatically when you approached! Hard to imagine why such was needed in a restaurant, but it was a modern marvel to an eight year old aspiring architect.
Brian, you might be interested to know, if you do not already know, that there is an organization called “Doconomo” which advocates for the documentation and preservation of modern architecture. I’m not sure how active they currently are, but there is a Georgia chapter. I think they recently had a tour, exhibit and series of lectures of the work of John Portman.
I’m familiar with them, Ben. I’m not sure how active they are, either, as I’ve seen many structures like this lost in the past few years. Thanks for sharing!
I remember those glass blocks and curved corners from a number of buildings in the 1950s. My father loved to travel and every summer we toured for two weeks. Although I never saw this building, I did see a few that were similar. I especially loved a motor court that could have been built by the same architect. There were curved corners and I was fascinated by the glass block wall in the room we stayed in.
Thanks for sharing those memories, Barbara! I suspect a large number of these structures were designed by a small number of architects. I hope there is more research in the near future…