Shopping in the North Georgia Mountains
There are lots of great activities in the Georgia mountains, including the opportunity to shop and support local businesses as well as find great deals on national brands!
Each of the communities in the Georgia mountains has its own distinct identity, but one thing they all have in common is a variety of unique local places to shop. There are even a few Georgia mountain towns that are great for people who enjoy walking around to shop (visit the main downtown areas of Alpine Helen, Blue Ridge, and Dahlonega for great examples).
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Big Annual Shopping Days
Each year the holiday shopping season has 3 big shopping promotion days to help shoppers to cross a few names off of their lists. While Black Friday and Small Business Saturday lean more towards brick-and-mortar promotions, it is not uncommon for these offers to also be available online.
In order to best take advantage of these offers, you may want to browse the Thanksgiving edition of your local newspaper to see promotional ads for local deals. If your favorite nearby stores have an email marketing list (or loyalty program), make sure to sign up in advance for email notification of offers, as often the best deals are only sent to these customers.
Black Friday
Black Friday is the original crazy-shopping holiday. The name refers to the phenomenon that many businesses would finally push their annual results into the “black” on the first Friday after Thanksgiving when holiday gift shopping started.
Many retailers have doorbuster specials to draw people into the store to shop, and because they are designed to bring customers into their stores, these deeply discounted offers are more commonly seen in brick-and-mortar stores. This has been the busiest shopping day of the year for many consecutive years, so expect to encounter large crowds when shopping on Black Friday.
Small Business Saturday
The youngest of the shopping holidays is Small Business Saturday, which falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
This movement towards local economic participation and the hashtags #SmallBusinessSaturday #SmallBizSaturday #ShopSmall encourage people to do shopping with small and local merchants to help support their own local economy. Plus, not only is shopping with small, local merchants a great way to boost your local economy, it’s also a great way to find unique gifts from local artisans.
Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday was a shopping holiday that somewhat took retailers by surprise. Starting in 2005, analysts noticed that online sales had a large uptick in sales on the Monday following Thanksgiving. The reason behind the original increased sales on these first Cyber Mondays remains a thing of debate, but retailers definitely decided to run with the trend.
Online retailers soon began pushing Cyber Monday promotions as it’s own sales holiday. As customers realized they could still get a great deal and avoid Black Friday crowds, it quickly grew to also become one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Shopping in the North Georgia Mountains
From high-end fashion boutiques to stores that specialize in types of jerky, there are lots of fun places to shop in North Georgia. Whether you are looking for a specific gift or item for your home, or just browsing to see what novelties are newly available, shopping is a fun way to spend an afternoon and to get to know a town.
North Georgia Premium Outlets (Dawsonville)
One of the biggest shopping centers in the area is the North Georgia Premium Outlets. This Dawson County outlet shopping center has a food court plus more than 140 outlet designer and name-brand stores including Armani, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach, Gap, and Lululemon. The location is easy to find on Highway 400 and the sizable location has a wide variety of items that sell everything from underwear and shoes to fragrance and vitamins!
Find Converse All Star Shoes at North Ga Premium Outlets
See the online outlet mall map for the location of the EV charging station and Children’s Courtyard that allows the kids to enjoy the weather outside on a nice day.
The outlets are open daily with extended hours during the peak holiday shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas (check hours online). Be sure to browse for current deals & coupons in advance of your trip and find even bigger discounts!
Shop the North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville where you’ll find the factory outlet version of these stores and score fantastic deals. See the full list of Dawsonville outlet mall stores here or learn more about some of the hottest brands you’ll find at the North Georgia Outlets below:
- 7 for All Mankind
- Adidas Factory Store
- Ann Taylor Factory Store
- Banana Republic Factory Store
- Burberry
- Calvin Klein
- Coach
- Columbia Sportswear
- Converse
- Crocs
- Disney Store
- Eddie Bauer
- FOSSIL
- GameStop
- GNC / Value Nutrition
- Guess Factory Store
- J.Crew Factory
- Lucky Brand
- Lululemon
- Merrell Outlet
- Nike
- rag & bone
- Skechers
- The North Face
- Timberland
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Z Gallerie
NOTE: the above is only a partial list of stores at North Georgia Premium Outlets – visit the website for the full, current listing of 140+ stores!
North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville – Military Discount
North Georgia Premium Outlets proudly supports those that serve, their families, and our veterans. There are four premium reserved parking spaces located near Flag Court next to the Food Pavilion, plus many of the Dawsonville outlet stores offer a military discount! Check within the following stores to learn more about how to receive your military discount:
Armani, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Bass Factory Outlet, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Calvin Klein, Claires, Clarks, Coach, Cole Haan, Columbia Sportswear, Converse, Crocs, Disney Store, Eddie Bauer, francesca’s, Giggle Monkey Toys, Guess Factory Store, Haggar Clothing Company, HanesBrands, J.Crew Factory, Johnston & Murphy, Journey’s, Lucky Brand, Mattress Bliss, Nautica, North Georgia Hearing Aid Factory Outlet, Old Navy Outlet, Papaya, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Pottery Barn Kids, Samsonite, Skechers, Merrell Outlet, The North Face, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, True Religion, U.S. Polo Assn., VAN HEUSEN, Vera Bradley, Vitamin World, Wilsons Leather, Yankee Candle Outlets
Antiquing in the Georgia Mountains
Boxed Old Photos at an Antique Shop
If you enjoy a fun stroll for treasures through an antique shop, you will certainly enjoy the jam-packed antique shops in the town squares and main streets of North Georgia’s mountain towns. This is simply a small sample of some of the stores you’ll find as you walk around town or drive from place to place.
- Appalachian Trader in Dillard
- High Country Art in Blue Ridge
- Mountain Laurel Antique Mall in Cleveland
- Mountain Antiques in Lakemont
Novelty Shops in the Georgia Mountains
These shops may not necessarily have anything that you need to purchase, but they sure are a lot of fun to browse around anyway!
- Dahlonega General Store has cups of coffee for only 5¢, Dahlonega souvenirs, and mountain/gold mining themed products
- The quirky Goats on the Roof gift shop has ice cream, boiled peanuts, gem mining, and goats on their roof!
- The Bigfoot Expedition gift shop is located on-site at the Bigfoot Expedition The Sasquatch Museum and has something for believers and non-believers alike!
Specialty Shops in the Georgia Mountains
The diverse nature of all there is to do in the North Georgia mountains has translated into a wide variety of specialty shops in the area.
Food & Drink
- Outlaw Jerky in Dahlonega, GA specializes in beef, wild game, and exotic jerky (alligator, kangaroo, pork, python, etc). Also stocks other unusual food items including edible insects, vegetarian jerky, and treats for pets!
- Active / Retired Military and First Responders show your military id or badge to receive 10% off your entire order (excludes sale items)
- Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen in Helen, GA makes hand-crafted gourmet chocolates and candies. Try the delicious chocolates, fresh peanut and pecan brittle, and more than 100 other candies!
- Try some of the wines, beers, spirits, or local meads from the farms and growers in the North Georgia mountains. Spend time on a tour of the facilities or skip right to a tasting flight to find your favorite new drink(s).
- Learn more about your food on an agritourism farm visit using the online farm finder tool
Toys
Cabbage Patch Hospital Cleveland GA
Back in the day, the Cabbage Patch Kids were all the rage and were the hot item on wish lists for kids and collectors. You can still relive the original hype with a family fun trip to Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland to visit the “kids” waiting to be adopted.
Admission to Babyland General Hospital is FREE for the entire family.
- Phone: +1 (706) 865-2171
- Address: 300 N.O.K. Drive, Cleveland, GA
- TripAdvisor: Babyland General Hospital is rated 4.5 with 600+ reviews
Locally Crafted
Stop at a store or business specializing in products and art locally produced in North Georgia. Here are a couple of ideas to enjoy the area’s beautiful wares and delicious foods and drinks!
- All Things Currahee in Toccoa has a nice collection of locally made art and other wares
- Folk Apothic in Blue Ridge claims to be a pure Appalachian experience rather than just a store. These purveyors of all local organic or wild-harvested herbs, mountain medicinals, salves, local produce, teas, mountain knowledge, and all things folk
Outdoor Outfitters
Trailful Outdoor Co Free may offer Pourover Coffee on Sundays in the Georgia Mountains
Take advantage of the expertise of local outfitters who know the areas better than anyone. Stop in for gear or recommendations for a perfect place to spend the day outside! Trailful Outdoor Co. sometimes hosts a Free Coffee Sunday – follow their Facebook Events page for more details and schedule.
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Bookmark the Free Stuff in the Georgia Mountains page for more free offers in North GA.
Tips for a Great North Georgia Shopping Trip
Shopping in the North Georgia mountains should be a fun way to spend some time and some money. Follow these tips to have a memorable day with friends and family.
Dress comfortably and be suitable for the environment. The Georgia mountains are not Rodeo Drive — there is no need to get out the high-heeled shoes and designer handbags for most of your shopping trips. Wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in and if you are going to be on a farm or somewhere outdoors, then make sure to wear clothing that can get dirty. Take along items that can be layered as needed.
Stay energized. Take a large travel mug of your favorite coffee or tea and let the caffeine help to propel you throughout the aisles! Refill with water (or another latte) as needed throughout the day.
Take reusable shopping bags & accessories. These are not only easy on the environment, but they can also be easier to manage when you are hauling a big load of loot.
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What places look most interesting to you? What types of local things do you want to try?
Hello!
Reading your article how beautiful it would be to visit the mountains of Northern Georgia.
I think my wife would love it because of the large number of stores we could visit. She really likes old photos like the one shown in a store.
From what I see there is something for everyone, I will talk to her if there could be a visit for the end of the year.
Thank you!
Wonderful Claudio, I hope that you two can squeeze in all of the exciting things on your list during your visit to the North Georgia mountains!
I’ve only been to Georgia once, and that was way back when I was a kid. The north Georgia mountains sound like a really beautiful place to visit and shop. You explained what the “black” in Black Friday means! I never knew. lol! I just thought it had a negative impact because of greedy sellers and buyers. Your explanation makes perfect sense! Some of the things you can buy in that area are more like what you’d find in upscale New York. I like the homier and more relaxing pace of the average Georgian visit. Thank you for posting this!
Hi Cathy, I’m sure there are lots of people who haven’t heard about the origins of Black Friday, but even decades later it’s still one of the most profitable days of the shopping year.
There are some very impressive places where one can easily go to to have a good couple of things in the northern Georgian mountain. I will be very happy to give the black Friday sale a try this coming Friday. I feel like the Georgian mountains has so much to offer and is am very eager to try it out. Thank you very much for sharing this. Cheers!
Enjoy the hunt for great deals!
This is a very good post with very relevant tips to shop in the north georgia area. thanks for putting up this afternoon cuz you are of help to us all our family down in North Georgia (my sister’s family) can think about where we’d like to shop this year to have an easy holiday season. thanks anyway my English is no that good thanks alot
I am happy that this has helped you to plan your shopping trips in North Georgia!
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful content, it’s interesting how shops brings together people from different are as everyone who is willing to shop has to come shopping at the same time for the best deals. I am also looking out especially on the black Friday, this round I won’t be left behind, I will have to catch up something too.
Thank you for sharing such a great article.
There are some great deals to find on Black Friday but it’s almost certain to be busy no matter where you shop!
This post gets me really excited since 2 of the major shopping days are coming up here within the next couple of weeks. I got a new job a few months back that has changed the game for me financially pretty drastically and this is the first year in MANY that I will be able to do some black Friday and cyber Monday shopping without the extreme guilt to follow!
Shopping in the North Georgia Mountains sounds lovely, I only hope one day I am able to visit and experience it myself!
Hi Kara, I’m glad to hear about how much you are looking forward to the holidays this year and that you’re ready to start the shopping! Happy holidays to you and yours!
Hello, I must say that this article is very helpful and informative. I have been in North Georgia with my wife last year and we were very satisfied with shopping, well, mostly her lol. I need to go there because of job and you give me some new stores to visit, I would like to buy shoes for winter.
There are some fantastic shoes and shoe stores at the North Georgia Premium Outlets. Hopefully you and your wife both have a productive trip back to the outlets! 🙂
I have family that lives up in the north Georgia mountains, I will need to share this website with them! With all of the big shopping days coming up I’m sure this will be helpful for them to get a bulk of their holiday shopping done. Thank you so much for the information, it is very helpful!
Thanks so much for sharing this list of North Georgia shopping resources with your family!