Third Places for the Win: Main Street Cities in Georgia

They’re tossing axes while chatting about the latest Georgia Southern football game in Statesboro at Boro the Hatchet. Some are setting new speed records on the F1 racing simulators in the heart of Forsyth at Driven, where it’s OK to drink and drive. And others are catching up on the latest Ultimate Spiderman comic book or practicing their pinball wizardry while enjoying a dark brew at My Parents’ Basement in Avondale Estates.

Humans are social animals and these “third places” – a term created by sociologist Ray Oldenburg – are distinct from home (first place) and work (second), satisfying our natural inclination to put aside our cares for a while and enjoy the company and conversation happening naturally around us in a social setting.

“We were driven by a sense of just wanting our place to be fun and welcoming.” – Lawson Wright, co-owner, My Parents’ Basement

“Third spaces are such an important part of Georgia’s downtowns because they are where everyday community life happens,” says Cherie Bennett, director of the office of downtown development for Georgia Main Street.

Georgia was one of the first states to adopt the Main Street program in 1980, investing energy and resources to revitalize downtown districts through commercial growth, historic preservation and economic development in communities across the state.

There are now more than 100 Georgia Main Street cities, each with different stories to tell, and a diverse range of gathering spaces in which to share them.

“They are the coffee shops, bookstores, restaurants, breweries and markets where people meet up, run into neighbors, welcome visitors and build a real connection to place,” says Bennett. In Main Street communities, these businesses do more than fill storefronts. They bring energy to downtown, support other local businesses and help make our historic commercial districts feel active, welcoming and truly lived in.”

These welcoming gathering spots are becoming a hallmark of Georgia Main Street cities, fostering community and civic engagement, inspiring economic vitality and bringing a vibrant, inclusive spirit to downtowns across the state.

Where Comics and Craft Beer Collide

This summer, My Parents’ Basement celebrates its 11th anniversary, a milestone that reflects entrepreneurial chutzpah and commitment to a dream.

To hear co-owner Lawson Wright describe it, his business partner Tim Ensor shared the details of his oddly specific dream.

Fun and Welcoming: My Parents’ Basement features arcade games and pinball machines, above, and a collection of thousands of comic books, below. Photo credits: Contributed

“He was like, ‘Oh, man, we had this comic book store, and it had a bar, and it was called My Parents’ Basement,” Wright says, adding incredulously, “He literally had the name of the place in his head when he woke up.”

Then everything just fell into place as reality took an unreal turn. About a month after Ensor shared his revelation, a former roommate contacted him with news that a closed comic book store’s remaining inventory of 30,000 comic books was sitting in his parents’ basement.

“His parents’ basement!” Wright says. “That was crazy. The timing of it and everything.”

Wright and his store cofounders, Ensor and Dave Defeo, launched an eBay store to sell comics. They hosted pop-up events at breweries and bookstores and spent about three years building the business before opening a brick-and-mortar location.

Today, My Parents’ Basement features craft beer, arcade games, pinball machines and an atmosphere that draws customers of all ages. Wright credits the business’s success to a simple philosophy.

“We were driven by a sense of just wanting our place to be fun and welcoming,” Wright says, describing an approach that has helped the business become a consistently favorite community gathering spot, even as Avondale Estates continues to grow and evolve.

Many staff members have been in the Basement since its earliest days. During the years following the pandemic, longtime general manager Kelley Turner became an ownership partner, further strengthening the close-knit team.

And unlike most other gathering places with a bar, My Parents’ Basement has never installed televisions. Wright and his partners prefer that customers engage with each other, the games and the space itself.

“We don’t have TVs and we don’t need them,” he says. “This place is full of all this other fun stuff to engage people, and they seem really happy with that.”

Hitting the Mark in Downtown Statesboro

When Michael “B.J.” McKellar first saw a mobile axe-throwing trailer, he had no idea it would lead him from a career in law enforcement into the realm of entrepreneurship.

At the time, McKellar was a sergeant with the Georgia Southern University Police Department, a position he held for more than 10 years. A friend texted a photo of a mobile axe-throwing setup.

“He said, ‘Hey, I bet you could make one of these,’ because he knew I was handy at making things,” McKellar says. “It was interesting and really piqued my interest. I went down some rabbit holes and started doing research. I thought maybe I could turn it into a little side hustle.”

Distinctive Addition: Michael “BJ” McKellar, above, founded Boro the Hatchet Axe Throwing and Pub as a place where people could come and hang out, below. Photo credit: Frank Fortune

So, McKellar started developing a plan. Rather than build a trailer himself, he purchased a custom mobile axe-throwing unit from a Texas manufacturer and launched a traveling entertainment business.

The mobile business gained traction, but customers kept asking the same question: Where’s your permanent location?

McKellar recalls, “Some of these folks asking the question were business-minded enough to open a place and made comments like, ‘I was thinking of opening a place like this.’”

Realizing the market likely had room for only one dedicated axe-throwing destination, he accelerated his plans for a brick-and-mortar location.

Nearly two years later, Boro the Hatchet has become a distinctive addition to downtown Statesboro’s entertainment scene.

McKellar intentionally designed the business to be more than an axe-throwing venue. While many facilities focus solely on throwing lanes and a bar, he envisioned a place where people could gather, relax and spend time together.

“I wanted to create a little spot where people could just come and hang out,” he says.

The concept filled a niche in a downtown district with busy restaurants, coffee shops and bars but lacking activity-based entertainment. From the start, McKellar wanted to be part of downtown Statesboro’s momentum.

“I really liked the environment,” he says. “I liked the collaboration I saw happening here. Downtown is growing and I wanted to fill an entertainment void.”

Boro the Hatchet combines the basic, ancient art of throwing an axe with enhanced technology. Guests throw real hatchets at real wood targets, but digital projection systems transform the lanes into interactive games. Consequently, players can compete against zombies, or play duck-hunting challenges, or choose from roughly 20 different games.

“It’s a lot more interactive than just trying to hit the bullseye every time,” McKellar says.

In addition to the thud of axes hitting wood, the venue features a relaxed lounge atmosphere and a curated selection of beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails. In recent months, McKellar has noticed a growing number of regulars who stop by just to socialize.

“I have people that come in just because I’ve got a bar and a nice place to relax,” he says. “They never even pick up an axe.”

Building Community One Chapter at a Time

Taylor Thompson’s family nicknamed her “Myrtle the turtle” because she was a relaxed and easygoing kind of kid. After a while, Myrtle stuck.

So, when Thompson began developing the concept for her business, she already had a name in mind. She added “Plot Twist” to reflect her store’s broader mission.

“I wanted to be more than a traditional bookstore,” she says.

That tracks – when she opened Myrtle’s Plot Twist in downtown Griffin four years ago, Thompson didn’t follow a traditional entrepreneurial path. She was an elementary school teacher who graduated during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and had no experience in retail or business ownership.

“But I had a vision for a place where people could connect or celebrate, or simply slow down and be present,” she says.

All of that is happening and today Myrtle’s Plot Twist is one of Griffin’s more distinctive community hubs. Beyond bookshelves, the business includes a wine bar, café offerings, gifts and an event space, creating an intentionally novel experience.

Literary Hub: Taylor Thompson, the owner of Myrtle’s Plot Twist, above, hosts multiple book clubs at the store; Thompson with author Deborah Goodrich Royce (seated), below. Photo credits: Ryan Johnson and Annie May Design Co.

Myrtle’s hosts multiple book clubs, author signings, chef-led wine dinners and literary events in partnership with organizations such as the Griffin-Spalding County Library and the University of Georgia’s Griffin campus. Local readers gather regularly to discuss everything from bestselling fiction to romance novels, creating new friendships through shared interests and conversations.

Thompson, who grew up in Griffin, credits the community’s enthusiastic support for the business’s success. Since opening, she has watched downtown continue a resurgence, with new businesses opening and community events drawing larger crowds.

“People want to be involved,” she says. “If you give them something to do and a place to meet, they’ll show up.”

Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Myrtle’s Plot Twist hosts chef-led wine dinners, including one by Chef Elizabeth Doss Orr, owner of The Bell by EDO Kitchen. Photo credit: Tob Carter

The store also serves as a reminder of the enduring value of independent brick-and-mortar bookstores in an era dominated by online shopping. Digital convenience may be transforming consumer habits, but Thompson believes people crave authentic, personal experiences.

“They want connection and there’s something special about walking into a bookstore, discovering something unexpected and talking with other people,” she says.

“I had a vision for a place where people could connect or celebrate, or simply slow down and be present.” – Taylor Thompson, owner, Myrtle’s Plot Twist

For her, the busiest evenings often evoke the most meaningful moments. It might be an author event or a book club or a community get-together, and she’ll pause, step back, observe.

“You see people laughing, talking, enjoying themselves,” she says. “Those are the moments I never want to forget.”

Bringing Competition and Connection to Forsyth

Casey McCrea knew he wanted to create a business that would bring people together when he purchased a century-old former cotton mill building in Forsyth. He just wasn’t sure what it would be or how it would look.

For the past 11 years, McCrea has owned and operated Detroit Rebuilt Specialist in McDonough, where he and his team perform engine overhauls and general services for truck drivers operating Freightliner trucks equipped with Detroit Diesel engines. It’s a very specific kind of business.

“A diesel repair shop is not really a community-based business,” he says. “My customers come from all over the United States. I wanted a business that I could market at football games and schools, something fun.”

After moving to Forsyth three years ago, he began searching for an investment property and discovered an aging downtown building with potential. His first idea was a speakeasy-style bar. Then he considered opening a teen club. Neither felt right.

Family-Friendly Environment: Casey McCrea, above, is the founder of Driven Interactive Sports Lounge, which draws people of all ages, bottom. Photo credit: Matt Odom

“The breakthrough came during a family vacation to Hilton Head,” he says. “We found a place with golf simulators, sports simulators, food, drinks in South Carolina. I thought, ‘This is what Forsyth needs!’”

That realization evolved to become Driven Interactive Sports Lounge, a venue that combines racing simulators, golf simulators, other sports simulators, plus pool tables, food, drinks and live entertainment in a building that McCrea has transformed into a family-friendly environment designed for all ages, depending on the time of day.

Before 10 p.m., families play together. After that, the place “where luxury meets adrenaline” is strictly for grownups – with cocktails and beer and plush leather seating. But transforming the old mill into that vision was no small undertaking.

Built more than 100 years ago, the structure featured floor slopes of nearly five and a half feet from front to back – a design that allowed workers to roll heavy cotton bales through the building before forklifts existed.

Place to Play: Driven Interactive Sports Lounge has golf simulators and other sports simulators. Photo credit: Contributed

To make the space functional, local builder Mike Allen spent nearly a year helping McCrea renovate the property. Every room was individually leveled. Electrical systems were upgraded, sprinkler systems replaced, fire-safety requirements were modernized, and a commercial kitchen was added.

“There were a lot of hurdles, but we overcame every single one of them,” McCrea says.

Driven opened in late 2025 and has quickly become a busy gathering place for Monroe County – hosting children’s birthday parties, retirement celebrations, corporate events and casual nights out.

For McCrea, the greatest reward has been watching the community embrace a third place that once existed only in his imagination.

“When I brought people in during construction, nobody could see the vision,” he says. “Now I can sit back and watch people laugh, have parties and make memories. It makes me so happy that it all came together. Taking something from nothing and seeing people enjoy it, that’s the part that means the most.”

Pups and Pints in Suwanee

It didn’t take StillFire Brewing very long to feel less like a business and more like a neighborhood ritual.

Co-owner and general manager Aaron Bisges remembers one customer in particular, a member of the brewery’s FireStarters Social Club named Matt, who quietly set a record for consistency that would have made Cal Ripken stand up and take notice.

“He actually came 400 days in a row,” Bisges says. “We’d celebrate every 100 days, throw a little something for him. He finally stopped on purpose after 400 days, just to break the streak. Then he came back the next day.”

Dogs Allowed: StillFire Brewing Company co-owners Angela and Randall Veugler with brewmaster Phil Farrell, and Quinn, the dog, above. The brewery has long, communal tables and award-winning beer, below.

The StillFire team engraved a special glass with his name and “400” on it and mounted it on the wall.

“That’s when you realize this is different,” Bisges says. “When people become friends and feel like family instead of just customers.”

It helps that the beer gives lots of good reasons for Matt and other visitors to keep showing up. Brewmaster Phil Farrell, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, runs an operation with the same precision he once brought to a cockpit.

Under his leadership, StillFire has collected more than 80 industry awards since opening in Suwanee in 2019. In 2025, StillFire led all Georgia breweries with three gold medals in the U.S. Open Beer Championship.

But the brewery’s pull has as much to do with atmosphere as awards. There’s no host stand, no rigid seating chart. Guests drift from bar to beer garden to patio, dropping into a roving conversation at long communal tables. It feels intentional because it is.

“That kind of friendly, informal feeling is what we’ve been after before we even opened,” says Bisges.

That friendly informality includes an open invitation to man’s best friend. With no kitchen on the premises – but an assortment of food partners and food trucks on hand – this is a dog-friendly haven.

“We are all dog owners and dog lovers,” says co-owner Angela Veugeler, who launched StillFire with her husband, Randall, Farrell and Bisges. “We’d visited lots of breweries over the years that were dog friendly, and we always loved the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that created.”

That vibe is also present at StillFire’s new location in Smyrna, where the company worked with the city to shape an adjacent playground.

“From the beginning it was important to us that StillFire feel approachable and community-focused, a place where people could gather casually, connect with friends and neighbors and feel comfortable bringing along their ‘best friends’ too,” Veugeler says. “Dogs naturally help create that laid-back, social environment and have honestly become a big part of the community culture at both locations.”

Beer and Bowling in Bainbridge

Dream Business: Drew Kelly is one of the four owners of Smooth Brewing. Photo credit: Contributed

Before opening Smooth Brewing in Bainbridge, Drew Kelley found his entrepreneurial inspiration in a glass of beer at another brewery on the town square. He mentioned to his wife that he’d like to try brewing and a month later, a homebrew kit landed on his doorstep, “and the fire was lit,” says Kelley.

The early batches, “weren’t great, but it was beer, and it kept getting better.”

The hobby outgrew the house and before long Mrs. Kelley was insisting her husband take the hobby somewhere else.

He began talking with his friend Keenan Adams, then in a graduate business program. Adams and his fellow students turned the idea into a brewery business model, and Smooth Brewing opened its doors last November.

Now a foursome of owners – Kelley, Adams, Scott Ewing, and Lance Godwin – are turning the business into a community hub, “a good, family-friendly spot for folks to come and relax and enjoy,” according to Kelley.

In addition to a taproom up front, there are four lanes of duckpin bowling in the back, a sprawling patio and live music most weekends. Kelley calls it a dream business.

“I think any home brewer would agree that it’s a dream to open your own place and sell your product,” he says. “And we’ve become more than a brewery.”

Relax and Enjoy: Smooth Brewing has duckpin bowling in the back, above, and a taproom up front, below. Photo credits: Contributed