I visited HomeGrown today to look for a comfort gift for a friend whose husband passed away. I was…read morebrowsing the candles and toiletries area, taking my time with smelling the scents and deliberating over my choice. The person working the register said hello when I came in and went back to looking at their computer screen. But once I was no longer in view, the person came to do a circle around the area where I was standing and said, "I'm doing inventory." GIRL, BYE. I'm an auditor by profession and I know what conducting an inventory looks like. Also, people just doing their job do their jobs without explanation required. There were some other things this person did and overall, it was an ugly experience. I haven't been profiled in a long time and it still feels gross and reminds me how awful people can be. I found something special for my friend, and I bought it. I also bought it for myself because after this experience I needed something soothing too. I won't let one person change my mind about a place I shopped at for years but if I see this person when I walk in, I'm turning around and leaving. HomeGrown has great gifts if you want something locally-made that feels special. And in all these years, this is the only time I've experienced anything like this so I'll likely be back. Just some of the shine is gone.

This store is full of locally made goodies and I recently found 18k gold plated stainless steel…read morejewelry for $20 a piece??? That means waterproof, rust resistant jewelry for only 20 a piece!! I recently bought jewelry made of the same materials for $80 a piece, but you can find the same quality here for so much less!! Idk how more people don't know about this!!!

The glass art is good, just good. As a neighbor & human working within the same space, StudioPlex,…read morehe is extremely rude. Every day, early, until often running late into the evening, he is blasting music! Sound that penetrates thick antique brick walls with closed windows. Often, also, he runs very loud power tools. I can see running such things occasionally but 12-16 hours a day into the night? Rude. Have we asked him to bring it down, of course. We all get a mean, do nothing stance. So, NO, he's a self centered jerk & we will not be referring his business to anyone.

Janke Glass was amazing helping me recreate a duplicate lower glass piece to fit my Andre Arbus…read moreCrystal light from Italy. It cracked on the bottom and I thought it could never be recreated and look new again. Matt's positive attitude and desire to bring it together was what made this a great experience. Truly an artist and I highly recommend contacting Matt, if you have any custom glass needs!

Such a cool venue! And even cooler that it serves as a free coworking space when it's not booked…read moreout. It also includes a little cafe and a shop featuring different artists' works so I would definitely recommend checking it out!

This is such a special event venue! Very well run. There are several rooms/stages to choose from…read more I chose the Black Box stage for my story-telling event. The vibe is artsy boho, which was perfect for my branding.

Room213 is an immersive, visually stunning post-structuralist art gallery. It was an experience…read morethat caused me to question the very meaning of postmodern art. Critics would describe the gallery as "vernacular," but the attention to detail is exquisite, and the space is filled with a kind of strident energy, acerbic wit, anti-bourgeois protest, and political edginess that forms a composite reality in response to the historical moment. The work should not be characterized by "superflatness," despite the obvious influences of Haruki Murakami's take on surrealism. In these commanding works, forms associated with the austerity and rigor of the avant-garde meet the ornamentation of urban life. Room213 is part galleria, part improv performance, and part parody. In other words, Room213 is the closest approximation I've seen to a true original.

I am truly a fan of Civil Rights Museums, having visited museums in Memphis, Jackson, and…read moreBirmingham, I had high hopes. This museum is much smaller, however I truly enjoyed my visit. There's an abundance of history here, from an intimate exhibit on Martin Luther King Jr. to powerful videos of his speeches, and exhibits that highlight the history of 16th Street Baptist Church that really drum up your emotions. I appreciated the film about the Freedom Riders, activists who rode buses through the South to challenge transportation segregation laws. This museum dues an excellent job of honoring history while bringing exhibits to life and being engaging. I've visited the Center for Civil and Human Rights several times, but for the first time I experienced the interactive lunch counter exhibit. You hear people shouting racist slurs, threatening you, and telling you to leave, along with police sirens and guard dogs barking. The seats even vibrate for an immersive experience. It felt very real. It was intensely emotional and a bit overwhelming, however I am glad that I got to experience it. Overall, I truly enjoyed my visit. The content is powerful and challenging, but everyone should experience it, especially given todays social and political climate.

As a non-US visitor, I was uncertain whether I would be interested in going here. But as one of…read morethe most recommended places to visit in Atlanta, I figured it was worth at least a short visit. I ended up staying for at least 2 hours. This galleries and the information are incredibly well presented and engaging. There are heart-breaking stories, unimaginable images, and video recordings that are just bewildering to listen to. The Lunch Counter experience is incredibly sobering. Despite all the difficult things to read, to see and to listen to, I came out thinking about how life have changed for the better, and yet there is so much more to do. I can understand why this place is so well regarded. It's worth a visit.

Beautiful African American art displaying family, love and the struggle of growing up in New York…read more I was amazed to see the great details and time Mr Hill put into his work. These pictures are created with little bitty pieces of paper from various sources brought together to make larger images. This work should be showcased out front, instead his small gallery is upstairs in an office-like setting. Truly a hidden gem in the heart of Marietta Square. If you have time to listen to the stories and inspiration behind the work, you'll want them all. This is worth calling to schedule an appointment to meet. He also has many affordable reprints.

I'm ashamed that it is taking me this long to write a review. The piece that they recently did for…read moreme is the sixth or seventh thing that they have done and I've been incredibly satisfied every time. I tend to go with standard black frames, which I know was a little unimaginative, but it works... Except this time I listened when the gentleman suggested a frame with the distressed finish to match the look of the fishing boats in the piece that I had framed. It is stunning! I could not be more pleased with the work that they've done for me, and other family members over the years. My only regret is that I am running out of wall space. We are going to have to start rotating things to be able to display them.

A friend of mine recommended that I visit the framing review for my first official framing of a…read morelovely picture I've been wanting to display in my home. For some reason, I had always been intimidated by the shop from the outside, because it seemed so *professional* and *fancy.* But once I stepped inside and was greeted by a heckin border collie, I felt at ease and like I'd come to right place. Meaning, not only was I about to work with people who knew their craft inside and out, but I also didn't have to feel bashful or insecure about knowing nothing about professional framing. A young man - the son of the founder/owner - helped me. He really impressed me with his knowledge but also with his efficiency. He started putting some options for a matte and frame together and then he said "tell me what you hate." Dear reader, this was the perfect thing to hear as a first-timer. I'd been worried I wouldn't be able to pick what I liked, but starting with removing what I hated helped get the ball rolling and helped tone down any worries I had about getting things right. Moving quickly, but still keeping a relaxed atmosphere, we worked together to find the magic that worked for my piece. (I played fetch with Forrest the collie in between chatting and deciding, of course.) Once the ornate frame and lovely matte had been decided, the framer tallied up the cost. I was a bit surprised, but I had come prepared, and the framer agreed that "yeah, sticker shock is a real thing for first-time framing." And it makes sense. If you're used to buying picture frames at Goodwill like me, a $270-ish price tag will take you aback for a moment But! you're given the option to either pay in full or pay in halves (half up front then half at pickup). I split the cost into two payments and felt good about it. Bonus: this was one of my husband's Christmas presents to me, so the splurging made sense for our modest budget. (At pickup, another man helped me checkout (possibly he was the owner?). ) Throughout my time with the Framing Review, I felt like I was in excellent hands. I appreciated getting to do business with an old, independently-owned Atlanta company. I'd highly recommend the folks here.

My non-profit has been hosting events at the Big House Gallery (and the attached Granite Room) for…read moreabout 5 years now. It's a great place to host events - particularly art events on art stroll nights, but of course others, too. We keep coming back because of the size and layout of the space, great lighting, the ease of working with the owner and the art stroll itself. One unique feature I think is cool is that there's a kitchen just to the side of the gallery space, which is great for serving refreshments. The space itself is unique too. The building has worn many hats over its long history. We always have guests asking about it!