Think Global, Buy Local
Imagine a shopping experience devoid of big box stores. You don’t even have to “hit the mall” if you don’t want to. From classic to quirky, necessity to nicety – you can buy it all from independent vendors, farmers and professionals who also happen to be your neighbors. Shop independent!
The 100-Mile Diet Made Easy
The crown jewel of Athens County independent commerce is our farmers’ market. Open Saturdays year-round and Wednesdays during the warmer months, the Athens Farmers Market is the place to see and be seen. No wonder it was named one of the nation’s best markets by Audubon Magazine.
Of course fresh, locally grown, organic produce is the heart of the market, but there’s so much more to this bustling Athens scene. Listen to live music while dining alfresco on an Athens’ Own burger – that’s right, locally raised beef grilled before your very eyes and dressed up with all the locally produced fixins’.
Marketed regionally under the umbrella term “Foods We Love,” locally produced sauces, baked goods, pasta, teas, fair trade coffees and so much more are available at the market – and increasingly nationwide, as you’ll read in our overview of the Athens County Specialty Foods industry.
Uptown Athens
This always-funky district just north of the Ohio University campus can provide hours of window-shopping entertainment. Go inside to browse and you’ll wonder what happened to the day, but you certainly won’t regret it.
Uptown is where students and locals meet to mingle, eat and shop. It’s a vibrant landscape that shifts seamlessly from storefront to storefront.
Nelsonville’s Historic Square Arts District
You’ll be amazed that they fit this many galleries into such an easily stroll-able area. Visit the square to shop for home furnishings and you may wind up shopping for a bigger home to furnish.
If “power shopping” depletes your energy reserves, don’t worry; there are several cafes for refueling. And it is an historic district, so don’t forget to stop, look around and enjoy the architecture.
