Long before Aldi, Mellow Mushroom, Publix, or the Mall came to town, the area known today as Northlake was primarily pasture and trees. In 1960 less than 100 residential homes occupied what has become a thriving commercial district.
The completion of I-285 in 1969, with three exists leading drivers through Tucker, changed the community forever. The opening of Northlake Mall in 1971, including a Davidsons, JCPenney, and Sears, cemented the idea that retail was here to stay. No longer would residents be dependent on mail order, trips to department stores downtown, or even a drive to nearby North DeKalb Mall (Opened in 1965).
Much has changed, yet much remains the same. Lavista, Briarcliff, Henderson Mill, Weems, Montreal, and Randolph Roads are visible on both the photograph from 1960 and a more recent image from 2015.