Milk Jug stores, a classic from the 60s

You might recall the Milk Jug store if you lived in Atlanta in the 1960s. There is still a small store with the classic shape of a Milk Jug and the Milk Jug sign in Tucker at 3988 Lawrenceville Highway. My family always had Mathis Dairy milk delivery, but occasionally when we had an emergency milk shortage in the home, Milk Jug was an easy drive through store.

**3988 Lawrenceville Highway Milk Jug store still stands. Photo by Valerie Biggerstaff 2023**

**Advertisement from the Atlanta Constitution 1966**

The stores were located in and around Atlanta, extending to Chattanooga, Tennessee. An advertisement in the 1961 Chattanooga Daily Times compares the price of milk delivered vs. milk from the Milk Jug Store. 48 cents for delivery of a half gallon and 36 cents to pick up a half gallon at Milk Jug.

Milk Jug stores were the concept of entrepreneur George Ivey of Milton, Georgia. He purchased an old ice cream factory on land where the Braves stadium was slated to be built and had it taken apart and moved to Milton. This became Little River Farms. He started in the beef cattle business and moved into dairy farming. He had previously managed Irvingdale Dairies in Chamblee. According to an article in the Milton Herald by Bob Myers, Ivey had 57 Milk Jug locations.

Ivey also provided half-pint bottles of milk to public school cafeterias in DeKalb County, Fulton County, and Atlanta city schools.

Little River Farms is a wedding venue today.

A 1967 Milk Jug ad lists the various locations around Atlanta, including 6125 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, 4945 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Chamblee, 3640 Clairmont Road Chamblee, 3925 Lavista Road Tucker, 5084 Buford Highway in Doraville, and 2607 Lawrenceville Highway Decatur. There were locations in all directions of Atlanta-Hapeville, Marietta, Douglasville, Smyrna and more.

I’m guessing the closest one for my family was the 3925 Lavista Road location or the 3988 Lawrenceville Highway location, which both have Tucker addresses. 3925 Lavista Road on Google maps today is the location of Kacey’s Restaurant at the corner of Montreal and Lavista Road. Look at the back of the restaurant! Could that be the remnants of an Milk Jug store-or just a coincidence? If you know the answer or have memories of a Milk Jug drive through store, write me at pasttensega@gmail.com.