☕ Meet the new owners of Hendershots

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This is the LAST WEEK to sign up for Athens Scoop Dinner Club. We’ve got a couple spots left!

How it works:

• Take a short personality quiz

• Get matched with 5 strangers who match your vibe

• We pick the restaurant, handle the details, and you leave with 5 new friends!

You just show up.

The date: April 14th at 7:00 PM
Registration closes: April 12th at 7:00 PM

If you’ve been craving conversations with substance (the kind that remind you why community matters) this is for you. Spots are limited.

“I would definitely go again and will highly recommend to my friends!” - Sydney Burd

“I’m looking forward to the next outing!! So fun!!” - Joy Hoyt

Any questions? Just reply. See you there.

🍣 The New Family-Run Sushi Spot with 4.5 Stars and 200+ Reviews

SushiOne & Bobalicious Cafe is run by Julie Nguyen and her family in Watkinsville. Julie immigrated from Vietnam, spent years as a school counselor here in Georgia, and left her career to open this place with her husband.

The menu covers a lot of ground: sushi rolls, pho, bento boxes, poke bowls, bao buns, and one of the biggest boba tea menus you'll find in the Athens area. Lunch runs $10-15 a person. They have private rooms with karaoke you can book for parties and birthdays. They offer teachers' discounts, and open 7 days a week. Mention Athens Scoop if you go!

📍 1430 Capital Ave, Watkinsville · (706) 552-0488

Thanks to our local sponsors who make this newsletter possible 🙏 

💼 Meet Zach Ellington: Our Recommended Financial Advisor

If you've ever asked us who to trust with your money in Athens, this is who we'd send you to.

Zach Ellington is a UGA grad who lives here in Athens with his wife Heather. On Saturdays you'll probably find him grilling or cheering on the Georgia game. He's active in his local church and has called Athens home since college.

He also happens to manage wealth for families here and across the country through The Burney Company, ranked #4 in the nation by CNBC.* If you've ever laid awake wondering will I have enough?, that's the exact question Zach and his partner Sherrie Campbell help people answer. They get to know you and build a financial plan around your actual life. Your first meeting and plan cost nothing.

📍 Serving Athens & nationwide · (706) 769-1539 · burneywealth.com

*The Burney Company, ranked #4 on the 2025 CNBC FA 100 list. CNBC received no compensation for placement.

Thanks to our local sponsors who make this newsletter possible 🙏 

☕ Hendershot's Gets New Owners, Launches Coffee Club

The Gist: After 15 years, Seth Hendershot is passing the torch. New owners Lexi Torres and Dave Martin officially took over Hendershot's this week following an All Day Fest farewell on March 31. Torres brings two decades in tech plus local event venue experience. Martin is a musician with roots in local advertising and retail. They're keeping the name and character intact, with plans for vintage design updates, expanded music programming, and a new Hendershot's Coffee Club subscription ($20/month or $220/year) that funds arts and music programming.

Why It Matters: Hendershot's is one of Athens' most-loved community spaces. New blood with a clear plan to protect the arts is good news for the Normaltown neighborhood.

Read more here.

✊ Thousands Turn Out for 'No Kings' Protests Across Athens

The Gist: An estimated few thousand people gathered at multiple locations around Athens on Saturday, March 28 as part of the nationwide "No Kings" protests opposing Trump administration policies. Bishop Park hosted a "Democracy Fair" with speakers, music, and sign-painting. Additional protest sites were spread across 10 locations in Georgia's 10th Congressional District. Organizers said many were first-time protesters.

Why It Matters: It was one of the largest organized political demonstrations Athens has seen in years, organized by IndivisibleGA10 and a coalition of local groups.

Read more here.

🏛️ Pamela Long Named Athens-Clarke County Elections Director

The Gist: Athens-Clarke County has appointed Pamela Long as the new elections department director. The appointment comes ahead of an active 2026 election cycle that includes the Athens mayoral race, with candidates Tim Denson, Dexter Fisher, LaKeisha Gantt, Sharon Miller, and Mara Zúñiga already announced.

Why It Matters: With a contested mayor's race and statewide elections on the calendar, getting the elections office fully staffed and running is critical for Athens voters.

Read more here.

🐣 Breakfast with the Bunny | 293 Gran Ellen Dr | Athens | 04/04 | More A sit-down biscuit breakfast, crafts, and a visit with the Easter Bunny for little ones.

🐾 UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Open House | UGA Vet School | Athens | 04/03 | More Explore teddy bear surgery, Q&A panels, and hands-on vet activities for all ages. Free.

🧱 LEGO Build & Create | Oconee County Library | Watkinsville | 04/03 | More Drop-in LEGO challenges for kids ages 5 to 12. First Thursdays, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Free.

🌿 Cofer's Spring Open House | Cofer's Home & Garden | Athens | 04/02–04/06 | More Plant sales, live music, food trucks, and door prizes all week long. Free.

🌱 UGA Plant Biology Herb & Seedling Sale | UGA Plant Biology | Athens | 04/03–04/05 | More Browse a variety of herb and plant seedlings from UGA's greenhouses.

🎸 Old Crow Medicine Show | Georgia Theatre | Athens | 04/03 | More Grammy-winning Americana and roots-driven string band energy.

🎬 Athens African American Film Festival | Morton Theatre | Athens | 04/03–04/04 | More Inaugural celebration of Black storytelling through film, music, and conversation. Friday is free.

🎤 Athens Business Rocks: Party Out Of Bounds | Downtown Athens | Athens | 04/04 | More Local businesses form bands to compete, all to benefit mental health nonprofit Nuçi's Space.

🎵 Parker Gispert (The Whigs) w/ Scott Carney (Wax Fang) | Dead Beat Club | Athens | 04/04 | More Indie rock from two beloved Southern acts in an intimate setting.

🎧 Emo Nite | Georgia Theatre | Athens | 04/03 | More All your favorite emo anthems, one dance floor, zero judgment.

If you want to read any of our previous issues, check them out HERE on our website.

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