If it's been a while since your last trip to Social Circle, you might be surprised how much things have changed. For starters, you can’t just come straight into town anymore. Whether youre southbound or northbound to get here, you have to turn to stay onto Highway 11 to continue into town. If that totally confused you, then you're really gonna be scratching your head when you see the new roundabout. I'm not sure who decided and why a little bitty town like Social Circle needed a roundabout but it's almost finished and like it or not, we're gonna have to figure out how this thing works.

Even with changes, theres something about your hometown that keeps you coming back and you never want to leave. And since they reconstructed the only road into town, there are some folks that can’t figure out how to get out of town. So they live, shop and work here but that’s how it should be, especially if it’s a charming little town like Social Circle.

I'm gonna take a minute to brag here because this might still be a small town, but, it's a great little town with a lot going for it – good schools, good neighborhoods, good industry and good folks too. Take a minute to check out the awesome school system and the place to be on fall Friday nights is watching the Redskins football games and basketball.

We've had our share of fame with several movies and television shows filmed here like “The Dukes of Hazard” and “In the Heat of The Night” and there’s a great little theatre that puts on great shows with local talent and on occasion some well known guests and you definitley definitely don't want to miss the fair sponsored by the Rotary Club and the Annual Friendship Festival held in October.

We also have a great little grocery store with the best meats around and if dining out is your thing, you don't even need to go out of town. You can choose from a variety of foods and even enjoy a drink and live entertainment, too. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, head over to Hot Rods or the new Social Grocery and deli for ice cream and other treats.

There's plenty of work to be found with all the new businesses cropping up and others growing. The old saying about one door closing and another opening is certainly true. Claude T. Wileys General Store is now Sacred Grounds coffee and sandwich shop, the former Georgia Power office is now The White Rabbit gift shop, theres a new salon in town called The Southern Way and Goodfellas is rumored to open soon in the former Sycamores Restuarant. Even the library is getting ready to remodel in order to better serve its patrons.

For those of you who aren't familiar with our town history, let me fill you in a little. The Blue Willow Inn was formerly a social building known as The Bertha Upshaw Clubhouse. The Blue Willow Inn Gift Shop was a public swimming pool open to residents. City Hall sat where the police station is and the volunteer fire department was housed on one side and Tom Barnes Garage and Wrecker Service was next door. For many years, the post office was located in the former Georgia Power office now occupied by The White Rabbit gift shop. Our library started out in a charming two room house located behind Fords Restaurant. Many years ago, Fords Restaurant was a small diner called Welcome Inn Restaurant adjacent to the Welcome Inn Motel, which was torn down and made into additional parking area. In town many businesses have come and gone, but, many remember the picture show, dance hall, Wayside Flower Shop, Morrows 5 and 10 cent store, The Dress Shop, Social Drug Store, Dr. Howard Barton, M.D and Dr. Denny Malcom. D.D.S.

Castleberrys Grocery later became Red & White, The Country Store changed over to Kilgores and even the mill village grocery stayed quite busy. Who could forget the best hamburgers cooked by Granny Harp at The Grill or the brunswick stew and BBQ at O’Kellys BBQ and the best biscuits served any way you liked at Corrine's Country Biscuits?

The Cotton Mill is fell victim to fire, Venus Textiles, Ronthor Plastics and Nepco are all gone but new faces and businesses have established roots and are breathing life back into this little town. It's been a long time since this town was bustling and it's a welcome change so come check it out.