Three Points on Little Five Points

Little Five Points is an eclectic amalgamation of thrift shops, stores, taverns, and restaurants near the Beltline in Atlanta. I learned about Little Five Points as I learned about Charis Books, a pink bookstore with some colorful authors and texts inside. I have complied a short list of recommendations inspired by my trip:

1. Company

My roommates are lucky they have me. In four quick weeks, I have exposed my stereotypically white froomies to Beyoncé, chocolate chocolate chip ice cream, and Food Network. They accuse me of being my mother, I call them uncultured. Friday after class we drove to Little Five Points, and as an English major, I had to visit Charis Books. The South’s oldest independent feminist bookstore, none of us were sure what to expect. We were welcomed by literature from Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Maya Angelou, a nice euphemism for my counterparts. The subsequent shelves were stuffed with books on feminist movements in the US and abroad, gender and sexuality, and feminism by race. I was crouched down reading the spines of books, my roommates moved to a nearby couch. When we passed a small shelf devoted to gay erotica, I’m almost positive one of roommates started googling pictures of guns. Point taken, we’ll work our way up. Come with friends who are ready to explore.

 

2. Cash

As mentioned above, Charis Books is a unique bookstore that blatantly addresses topics and issues others might typically neglect. The pink façade sets the building apart from the neighborhood, and the creaky hardwood floors and the overstuffed couches inside make the place feel homey. Across the street, there is a retro thrift shop called The Clothing Warehouse. Thrift shops are small blessings to college students, and the store is organized, eclectic, and inexpensive. Little Five Points also encompasses an American Apparel. Come prepared to shop.

 

3. Camera

Many of the buildings are painted in bright, flashy colors, and many have interesting signs and art and posters decorating the façade. However, when I first pulled into the neighborhood, I was struck by the murals that filled the walls of many buildings. One in particular was painted with countless bold colors, combined to depict part of a face with eyes adorned by glasses. They eyes appeared incredibly realistic, and the paintings would make great backgrounds (or foregrounds) for pictures.