Information: stonemountaincity.org
Whenever I tell people I live in Stone Mountain, naturally the first thing that comes to mind is that huge hunk of granite that can be seen from most points in metro Atlanta. While the mountain itself is quite impressive, it’s not the only thing going on in the area.
OK, I don’t live in the actual village, but in unincorporated DeKalb County with a Stone Mountain ZIP code. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the proximity to the town and appreciate the efforts of the city officials to maintain a great quality of life for local residents.
I drive through the village just about every day. When I first moved there, I kind of groused about the slow-moving traffic through the few blocks of store fronts, cobblestone walkways and a what looked like a rail station.
But one Tuesday afternoon, I actually stopped to check out the small farmers’ market and was quite pleasantly surprised. Although not all the vendors were from Stone Mountain or even DeKalb County, all were from metro Atlanta and opened my eyes to something good that I could get just down the road.
The freshness and diversity of the products and knowledge of the salespeople made the experience engaging and informative. The market is open 4-7 p.m. Tuesday and runs through Nov. 22 and like many similar programs across the state, SNAP cardholders get twice the bang for their dollar.
Since then I’ve frequented the bike shop, an accountant, a dessert bar, a health foods store and the local performing arts venue. All the while I thought, “This small place really packs in a lot to do and see!”
Friday evenings through the end of the month bring Tunes by the Tracks, local musicians of various genres who perform live. Although the city doesn’t have an amphitheater or band shell, the makeshift stage provides an intimate setting for grooving to jambands, rock, blues, etc. Guests can bring tables, chairs, picnic dinners, kids, well-behaved and leashed dogs — the whole family is welcome. Beer and wine are available for purchase.
Now that I’m completely hooked, I’m trying to spread the word. I hear complaints all the time that South DeKalb doesn’t have much to offer in cultural entertainment and great dinning, so this hidden gem needs to be exposed.
I spoke to Mechel McKinley, the executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, when I was looking for information about the village. She agreed that too many people use Main Street just as a pass-through.
“Once you stop and find out what we’ve got going on, you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” she said adding that lots more is on the horizon.
“We realize that everyone who calls Stone Mountain home doesn’t necessarily live in the village,” she said. “But we want them to think of it as their town, too.”
