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"Atlantic Beach Circle in Day's Gone By"

"'By Gone Era' that holds wonderful memories for millions of people such as myself who will always hold the 'Circle' in our hearts forever."- Gena

"ATLANTIC BEACH "CIRCLE AUCTION"

Abe Morton of Abe’s Allstate Aucton in Bogue stood atop a platform and rattled off sale after sale, simultaneously ringing out the past and paving the way for the future of the easternmost town on Bogue Banks where Fred Bunn will build his multimillion-dollar redevelopment project.
		Joe Stroud, who was the town’s mayor for seven years until he moved to Morehead City this past winter, echoed those comments. "It’s a historic day, a historic event," he said. "There are so many people here. I’m not sure how many are here to buy and how many are here to just watch and bid farewell, but it’s a big day for Atlantic Beach."

But for the several hundred potential buyers and watchers Saturday, this was both the beginning and the end.
	"I’m probably not going to buy anything," Atlantic Beach Councilman Harry Archer said, "although I wouldn’t mind the bridge (that crossed the Fun ‘n’ Wheels go-cart track) if I could figure out how to move it. But I wanted to come out to reflect on the history and the future of Atlantic Beach."

That project will transform the aging oceanfront circle into a combination of high-rise residential buildings, shops, public space and landscaped greenery, including countless palm trees.

Construction of "The Grove," as it is to be called, will not begin for awhile. The official kickoff will come with a "glass-breaking" ceremony, not a ground-breaking ceremony, on June 2.

Mr. Bunn, whose company, FMB of Atlantic Beach, is buying four town-owned tracts on the circle for more than $1 million and has bought or taken out options to buy most of the other property on the circle, made the day even bigger by announcing, through Abe Morton, that he would not keep a penny from the auction.

"I hadn’t really planned on doing that," he said in a brief interview as he wandered through the crowd, shaking hands and chatting. "But about three weeks ago I began to think it would be something good to do. Hopefully it will help the auction and help the town."

And Mr. Bunn says preservation is important to him. He has promised that his project, while ushering in a new era, will take pains to preserve, and in some cases, revive, the look and feel of old Atlantic Beach.

The auction elicited mixed reactions. Some felt the past died Saturday. Others in the crowd said there was no way anyone could hope to bring back the old-time "family atmosphere."