We get it, hipsters and hipsterettes. You only live in the 'burbs — Gwinnett County, specifically — because you have to.
Gwinnett really isn't that bad, but it ain't exactly your speed, either — if you had your druthers, you'd totally be living the full-on hipster life in EAV or O4W. That said, your freelance barista job ain't exactly making it rain, and you've got V-neck T-shirts and Pabst Blue Ribbon to buy. Plus, moms would be totally bummed if you flew the coop. You can't let her down like that.
So how're you gonna be your trendy self in Gwinnett? Like this.
Downtown Lawrenceville. I know what you're thinking, but hear me out. There's this rad spot called The Local Republic that's totally non-chain, has craft beer aplenty and locally sources its eats, so you can feel totally good about yourself while getting your grub on.
You can also mozie on over to Universal Joint, which admittedly has several locations but started over in Oakhurst, which is where the hipster families that are too hip for Decatur live.
Non-chains abound elsewhere in Gwinnett, too. Try Three Blind Mice in Lilburn, Graft in Grayson and Noble Fin in Peachtree Corners.
Buford Highway. Speaking of food... The bulk of this ethnic eating utopia isn't technically in Gwinnett County, but it ain't that far away either.
And if you're not up for a drive, Gwinnett is a super diverse place (obvi), so there are plenty of other spots to find food that will show your friends just how dang worldly you are — squid rolls in Duluth, samosas chole chaat in Lilburn (see below) and cevapcici in Lawrenceville, for instance.
Eddie Owen. Wait ... you mean the guy behind Eddie's Attic, the super hip, folk music-type venue in Decatur? Precisely.
A few years back, Owen opened "Eddie Owen Presents at Red Clay Music Foundry" in the heart of downtown Duluth (yup, the 'burbs!). The 260-seat venue hosts primarily independent musicians and songwriters, and therefore is a veritable bastion of cool.
Goodwill. Oh yeah — there are six (count 'em, six!) Goodwill stores in Gwinnett. You can stock up on used T-shirts, weird sportscoats and tacky grandma dresses in Lawrenceville (two stores!), Buford (two stores!), Snellville and Duluth.
Fancy grocery stores. Listen up — Gwinnett has plenty of grocery stores for crunchy, organic types like you.
In fact, the county has: four Sprouts locations, including a brand new one in Duluth; a Whole Foods just across county lines in Johns Creek; and a Trader Joe's in Peachtree Corners.
Old Fashioneds. Yeah, I know. You're strapped for cash, but sometimes you gotta lay off the PBR — and show those suburban boozehounds you know what you're doing.
There are more than a few Gwinnett spots to get your high-end cocktail on. "Souped-up version of the brandy Old Fashioned with bourbon, brandy-based orange liqueur Torres, bitters and sugars," anyone?
Coolray Field. Stick with me here. Going to a minor league baseball game is totally ironic. Plus, the Gwinnett Braves are right there in Buford, it's relatively cheap and they have beer. And how funny would a John Schuerholz bobblehead doll look on your mantel?
One bit of bad news, though: Vaping is restricted to designated smoking areas. Then again, that actually isn't that big of a deal — because you weren't actually going to watch the game, were you?
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