Touring the past, present, and future of The Classic City

ATHENS, Ga. - It seems like just yesterday that we were in Athens, celebrating the Georgia Bulldogs at the team’s National Championship victory parade. But today, we made a return trip to the Classic City, taking a tour of some current hotspots as well as one of tomorrow’s top attractions.

This morning on Good Day Atlanta, we stopped in at three unique Athens destinations: Condor Chocolates, the Athens Music Walk of Fame outside the Georgia Theatre, and the future site of the Classic Center Arena. 

First up: Condor Chocolates. Ever seen a real-life chocolate factory at work? This place is your chance. Oh, and you can eat as much of the final product as you want, too. Created by brothers Nick and Peter Dale (natives of Athens, by the way), Condor Chocolates is place where cacao from Ecuador becomes treats like chocolates bars, bark, truffles, and other confections. The brothers first opened a cafe in the Five Points neighborhood, and later expanded to a second location downtown — and now, they’re also roasting their own coffee with beans also cultivated in Ecuador.

Next, we stopped in at the famed Georgia Theatre, the music and event venue which has hosted some of music’s biggest stars. Many of those stars got their start in Athens, which is where the Athens Music Walk of Fame comes in. The walk, which opened in 2020, honors Athens music legends including R.E.M., the B-52s, and Widespread Panic, and stretches through a two-block area of the city.

And finally, we were there for the officially groundbreaking ceremony for The Classic Center Arena, which is set to open next year. Officials say the new venue will play host to concerts, conventions, and sports events, and will have the capacity to hold up to 8,000 people and will create hundreds of jobs in the community. 

Click the video player in this article to check out our morning in Athens — and follow the links in this article for more information on each of the spots we visited during Good Day Atlanta!