Reply to What did Northern Virginia look like back in the day (60s, 70s, 80s)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]In the 80’s, Arlington was mostly lower level government workers. The houses were small and unrenovated. Clarendon was a dump and deserted at night. I remember returning my cable box to the cable office there and thinking what a deserted creepy place it was. There was nothing upscale ant all until Bread & Circus (the predecessor to Whole Foods) moved in in the mid-90’s.  There was a dirt field across the street that is now the Apple Store & Crate & Barrel where you could park if the grocery store lot was full.

This is why it’s ridiculous when people compare real estate prices in Arlington in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s to now. It was not even close to being the same neighborhood. [/quote]

Clarendon in the late 70s and 80s was known as 'Little Saigon'.  There were Viet owned businesses there and yes it was dumpy and deserted at night.  I do remember Falls Camera had a shop there - back when home darkroom labs were a thing.  The Viet refugees were pushed out to Eden Center once development happened.
I remember my mom taking us shopping at Parkington Mall, the predecessor to Ballston Mall, back when I was an elementary school kid.  It was your basic suburban strip mall with a JC Penny, Danneman's Fabric Store, Park Lane hosiery shop.

But even during that sleepy suburban time the wheels were working to develop the neighborhoods along the Orange Line.  Once the subway stations opened up, the neighborhoods were destined for change. [/quote]

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