18. Dave Mulkey: The History of Beechwood Shopping Center

The Man Who Bet His Life Savings on a 1961 Shopping Center.

From selling menswear in the late 80s to owning one of Athens' most beloved community spaces, Dave Mulkey's connection to Beechwood Shopping Center runs deeper than business—it's personal. When this former apartment developer decided to invest his life savings in reimagining a tired shopping center, he wasn't just buying real estate. He was accepting stewardship of a place where generations of Athenians had celebrated birthdays at Longhorn, studied at Zims, and created memories that define what community means.

Standing where a Kroger grocery store once operated in 1961, Dave's story reveals how Beechwood emerged from D.D. Saye's visionary development of farmland into Athens' first suburban shopping destination. Back when Baxter Street wasn't even paved to reach the "fringe" location, this revolutionary mixed-use project featured two competing grocery stores, dual drugstores, and a two-story Sears that drew crowds with Santa's workshop in the basement.

What You Can Expect from This Episode

This conversation captures the complexity of breathing new life into beloved spaces while honoring their history, revealing how one man's commitment to community over profit is reshaping what a modern town center can become.

Here are 5 key insights you'll gain from this episode:

• Discover how a failed first attempt to buy Beechwood led to a million-dollar non-refundable offer that changed everything.
• Learn why COVID revealed the difference between corporate tenants with lawyers and local businesses with heart.
• Understand the intricate dance of lease negotiations, co-tenancy clauses, and traffic engineering that shapes shopping center evolution.
• Explore how cold-calling Seattle to bring REI to Athens demonstrates the art of selling a community's story.
• Experience the vision behind transforming 60 acres into a walkable town center that honors the past while building the future.

The Stewardship Philosophy

What makes Dave's approach revolutionary isn't just his business acumen—it's his understanding that Beechwood belongs to the community, not just its owner. His three core principles reveal this philosophy: transformations over transactions, stewardship over ownership, and community over competition. When the 2020 holiday market brought stories from longtime residents about Christmas trees on rooftops and Santa's workshop in Sears' basement, these memories became blueprints for renewal.

From Kroger in the Hole to REI

The most compelling aspect of Beechwood's evolution is how each change connects to Athens' broader story. When Kroger moved from this location to "the Kroger in the Hole" on Broad Street, then eventually to Alps, it reflected shifting patterns of how Athenians lived and shopped. Dave's success in attracting REI required convincing Seattle executives that Athens represented their ideal customer base—a conversation that began with explaining why this university town differs from every other Georgia community.

His description of the challenge—"Most of these places aren't thinking about Athens, Georgia"—captures the essence of what happens when someone truly believes in their community's potential. The domino effect that followed, from REI to Sephora to future announcements, demonstrates how early adopters create momentum for transformation.

The 60-Acre Vision

Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of Dave's work extends far beyond the shopping center itself. His master planning encompasses everything from the old Omni location to the former muffler shop he transformed while preserving its original paint. This isn't about competing with downtown Athens but creating a complementary town center where people can live, work, eat and shop.