I visited the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, at 209 Edgewood Avenue South East, which is just a few minutes walk down the road from the Georgia State University Lofts and Patton Hall. From a far distance, the market does not look like much, just an old building, but then upon closer inspection, you will discover something new. The Sweet Auburn Curb Market is in fact housed in a historical building, which I find beautiful and intriguing because of its history. Now, once you enter the market, it is much different than the old brick that is on the outside.
First, what catches the eye upon entering will depend on which door one chooses to go through, one going closer to the area where the fresh food is, and the other taking one closer to the “food court” area. Sweet Auburn has a surprising charm and quality about it, something you would not find in most places. This is because it is a strange and unique mix
of old and new, traditional and modern. I will do my best to explain this concept, but I do recommend taking a few minutes to explore Sweet Auburn if time permits.
To begin, the mix of old and new that is present in Sweet Auburn is first in the simple fact that the market is in a historical building. In continuation of the old and new concept, the area with all of the different options for food comes next. It makes me think of a food court you would find in a mall, metal chairs with shiny tables, surrounded by a surplus of different types of eateries. These eateries vary culturally as well as from traditional food to something as modern as a juice bar. I think of the food court as being modern because it is so much more in there here and now to grab a quick bite to eat while shopping whereas it people used to shop and then go out to eat at an actual restaurant. The food court area, therefore, strikes me as a modern area of the market.
Next, the area with the fresh food such as veggies, meats, fish, as well as others, is something you would not find in a modern mall. On the other hand, it makes me think of a farmers market, which was much more popular and widely spread in the past, though they can still be found is some places. Now the new part of this would be simply that it is indoor, whereas farmers markets were traditionally outside. The fresh food area as a whole strikes me as something more traditional because it reminds me of the small town farmer markets where I grew up, they often lacked modernity but brimmed full of tradition.
In addition, there are a few different shops on the perimeter of the inside of the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, each representing tradition and modern times in their own unique ways. I felt compelled to explore the entirety of the market because around each corner it continued to charm me. There is a book store with a wonderful selection, a small pharmacy that I did not expect to find, and a tea shop with a variety of choices.
Walking around, I could not help but notice how well the new and old interact, creating a uniquely comfortable, relaxed, and happy atmosphere. Being there was a wonderful experience as it is such a compelling and interesting site that makes one want to enjoy its many amenities all day long while walking around and exploring.
All Photos by author.
