UPDATE: Macy’s announces that that the Pink Pig will not return to Lenox Square in Atlanta
Q: I stopped at Lenox recently and came across the Pink Pig in Macy’s parking deck. Can you tell me about it?
A: The Pink Pig, named "Priscilla," is an Atlanta tradition for children who can ride the train beneath a 170-foot, 1950s-themed tent.
A portion of the proceeds from each ride benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Macy’s has donated more than $800,000 to the hospital to date, the AJC reported recently.
The history of the Pink Pig spans a half-century. The ride began in 1953 as a monorail along the ceiling of Rich’s department store, according to the AJC.
Years later, the monorails (another one had been added) were relocated to the downtown store’s roof. The ride later did a brief stint at CHOA’s Egleston Hospital.
But since 2003, Priscilla has been situated at the Lenox Square Mall.
After World War II, according to AboutNorthGeorgia.com, Rich’s wanted to attract customers from the suburbs to its downtown store.
In 1948 Rich’s added a Christmas Tree (“The Great Tree’”) to the top of the store’s four-story “Crystal Bridge” across Forsyth Street.
To compete with other stores at the time, Rich’s publicity director Frank Pallota came up with the idea in 1953 of adding “Priscilla the Pig,” according to the website.
In 1955, Rich’s moved “the Pink Pig to the roof of the store, where it ran on a monorail and left the store through an opening that allowed kids an up-close view of the Great Tree, Atlanta and circled the toy department inside,” according to the website.
A second pig, Percival, was added in 1964.
The rides remained downtown until the Rich’s closed in 1991.
“After a brief stint at the Egleston Children’s Hospital’s Festival of Trees, the pigs were put out to pasture at the Atlanta History Center — only to be reborn in 2003 under a pink-and-white tent at Lenox Square Mall,” Atlanta Magazine reported in 2017.
Right outside the monorail train, Macy’s Pink Pig has a retail store with everything from Pink Pig ornaments and T-shirts to stuffed animals. Each year, there’s a new assortment of Priscilla merchandise.
The ride remains open through New Year’s Eve.
Individual rides costs $3; multi-ride tickets go for two rides for $5.50 and three rides for $7.50.
The Pink Pig is located on the Lenox Square Mall upper level parking deck at 3393 Peachtree Road NE.
For more information, please call Macy’s Pink Pig Ride at 404-231-2796 or 404-231-2959.
Actual Factual Georgia runs on Sundays. If you’re new in town or have questions about this special place we call home, ask us. E-mail your request to atlactualfact@gmail.com.
