SACC Launches “Talk of the Town” Monthly Speaker Series at Brawner Hall

The Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council launched its new monthly speaker series, “Talk of the Town”, last night at Brawner Hall.  Local historian and writer Jeff Clemmons spoke for 90 minutes on the history of the famed Rich’s department store.        

Mr. Clemmons traced Rich's 137-year history and educated the attendees about the true stories behind Penelope Penn, Fashionata, The Great Tree, the Pink Pig, Rich's famous coconut cake and much more, including how events at the downtown Atlanta store helped John F. Kennedy become America's thirty-fifth president. With an eye for accuracy and exacting detail, Clemmons recounted the complete history of this treasured southern institution.

Afterwards attendees participated in a book signing of Mr. Clemmons’ book “Rich’s: A Southern Institution”. 

Speaker Bio:

Jeff Clemmons has lived in the Atlanta metropolitan area for more than a quarter of a century, but his Atlanta roots run much deeper. His great-great-grandfather Archibald Clemmons fought in the Atlanta Campaign, including the Battle of Atlanta, during the American Civil War.

Clemmons has a degree in business administration from Reinhardt University and a degree in creative writing from Georgia State University. His current full-time employer is an international law firm based in Atlanta, where he works in the public relations department.

Outside of his day-to-day job, he gives walking tours that he created of the Midtown and SoNo districts of Atlanta for the Atlanta Preservation Center. He also serves on the board of the Atlanta Preservation Center’s auxiliary group, CIRCA, which offers its members private tours of some of metropolitan Atlanta’s most interesting historical structures.