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  Terry's humble guide to Atlanta

Retail, good and bad
Saturday, March 11, 2006

• Gim Computers , 1858D Northside Drive 404-876-6565, near Georgia Tech.  Not a mall computer, not a super-store, not pretty, like a car parts store inside, they'll build you a really nice computer for a good price.  The staff knows everything, they tell you straight and serve you fast.  No advertised brands here, but the nerds know.

• The Colonnade Restaurant ,1879 Cheshire Bridge Road, 404-874-5642.  The Colonnade is an upscale meat and 2 vegetables heaven in northeast Atlanta.  This is a lot of folks favorite restaurant.  Busy at dinner and they don't take credit cards.

• Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce De Leon Ave is an Atlanta plate lunch institution. May Mac sold out, it declined. Mac Mac bought it back but the huge crowds never returned. Right now, June, 2004, the quality is high, the interior is bright and very pleasant, and the waitresses are "southern sassy" in a friendly way.

• Dekalb Farmers Market  is just east of Decatur and is a spectacular place to shop for food.  The food is from all over the world, the staff is from all over the world, the shoppers are from all over Atlanta.  For the average supermarket shopper, the "Farmers Market" is like a touch, feel, and buy food museum.

• QuickTrip or QT Gas and convenience stores all over Atlanta.  They have everything, lots of pumps, lots of cashiers, good prices on fountain drinks, great service.  It's fast and pleasant even when it's busy.  The one on Sydney Marcus next to Home Depot is sometimes too crowded to park.

• Hubcap Daddy on 2374 Moreland Avenue.  They know their stuff.

• Intown Hardware at 845 N. Highland Avenue.  Lot's of folks ready to help you find what you want.

• Forsyth Fabrics, 1190 Foster St NW.  It's a store for interior decorators not dressmaking.  Busy, honest and ready to serve you.  It's also in an old industrial neighborhood.  Drive down Foster Street and find the goats.

• The Varsity and I'm talking about the "big" Varsity on North Avenue.  You might not enjoy the food, you might not enjoy the clamor but the "V" gets the job done.

• Alon's Bakery in North Highland may not be the best bakery, the best sandwich shop, or the best anything in Atlanta. But then again, it may be because it's a few blocks from my house.

• Midtown Music 3326 North Druid Hills Road.  Mostly used and vintage instruments (not band instruments) and supplies.  Where musicians shop.

• Maple Street Guitar Center  3199 Maple Street (near Peachtree and Piedmont).  Mostly acoustic guitars sold by folks who love them.  Good place for lessons.

• Dekalb Musician's Supply 115 Clairmont Avenue in Decatur (404-378-3110)  This is where you get your band and orchestra instrument supplies and repairs.  The staff enjoys their work.

• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts 295 Ponce De Leon.  This one is an Atlanta melting pot.  No matter who you are, how you dress, or when you arrive you get your doughnuts just like everyone else.

I wish they were better

• Home Depot, everywhere.  I'm not sure if modern life is possible without Home Depot.  I nearly always have trouble getting help there.  The one person who understands light bulbs is always on the phone.

• Rocky's Brick Oven Pizza   R.I.P This was is the link to the original Rocky's on Peachtree Street.  When Rock died, the main restraurant collapsed. The satellite Rocky's on Highland Avenue in Morningside kept the wood-fired  brick oven and the menu going but it collapsed too. First the quality control slipped. Then they removed the wood-fire. Finally it changed to Olde Town Pizza. The menu was good, the quality was good but they couldn't keep it going.

• Park Bench Cafe 1577 North Decatur Road, 404-377-8888   I don't eat there anymore.  It used to be Jaggers Pizza and the square pizzas were unique.  Jagger sold and the pizzas have strayed.  What a shame.