There were many things and locations that residents returned to on a daily, weekly and seasonal basis.
Inevitably, the march of time and the need for progress has led to their demise or disappearance altogether.
Here are some things that have disappeared from Ballymena – and are very much missed.
5. Things Missed
An art deco gem built in the 1930s, the State Cinema was a fixture in the town for decades before it was replaced in 1998 by the IMC multiplex. The Ballymoney Road building was later demolished in 2006. Photo: Old Photos of Ballymena
6. Things Missed
Montgomery's restaurant was a popular spot for lunch or a coffee, with many customers saddened by its closure in early 2019. One resident wrote: "I always used to call in at Montgomery's for my lunch when in the town - it had great food and a little play area for children." Photo: Google
7. Things Missed
Who didn't love a Pick n' Mix from Woolies? The younger generation in town may remember the shop at its ‘newer’ home within Ballymena’s Tower Centre, while others will fondly look back at the store in its heyday on Bridge Street. From chocolate bars, novelty candies, boiled sweets, biscuits and chocolates in one section to buttons, needles, threads and pins in another, the variety for which Woolworths was famed was rolled out from the front to the back of a store which could keep a shopper, of any age, busy for hours. Photo: Old Photos of Ballymena
8. Things Missed
In an era where we can stream any movie with the click of a button, the idea of renting out a VHS cassette for the night seems decidedly quaint. However, many loved the tangible treat of going to a video rental store to pick up the latest release. One resident said: "I loved going to Xtravision on a Friday evening with my friends to pick out what we'd watch that evening. Usually got a bag of microwaveable popcorn too!" Photo: Google