 At that time, Atlanta was still living under racial segregation; although blacks were permitted to shop alongside whites inside the market, only whites were allowed to sell from shops inside the market.The 1950s and 60s saw the advent of supermarkets, suburbs, and integration; these resulted in many black residents dispersing from the area and consequently, traffic to the Curb Market fell, leaving vendors unable to pay rent.In 1973, with the market's lease about to expire, Mayor Sam Massell asserted the market had "outlived its usefulness" and refused to negotiate another lease, as local farmers were no longer selling their wares at the market, and the city was receiving a relative pittance compared to the value of the land.