Everyone knows Athens embraces its extensive night life: drinking, dancing, bar-hopping and letting loose is a nightly occurrence.

But what goes on downtown before power hour?

Downtown Athens possesses a plethora of shops and restaurants, music venues and boutiques. No doubt you have sampled a beverage at Starbucks, sauntered into Junkman’s for a wacky gift for a friend, been to Transmetropolitan for pizza or pasta and late-nighted at The Grill. But what else is there?

At first I was skeptical  — there is nothing interesting downtown that I don’t already know about, I thought to myself. But I was wrong. There are quirky shops and quiet cafés that are little-known to the general population, hidden behind the gingko trees lining the streets or overlooked by a quick-paced pedestrian.

A-Ok’s Café

The first clandestine café I came across was A-Ok’s Café. Located on College Avenue between Smoothie King and Starbucks, A-Ok’s Café is easy to miss, considering it is underground.

Ok Cafe. Photo by MEAGAN KELLEY

Walking down the red steps, I didn’t know what to expect. However, upon entering, I was pleasantly surprised. With its periwinkle walls and breezy fans, this place is serene and calming.

A-Ok’s is an American deli, specializing in sandwiches — most of which are named after famous newspapers around the U.S. Their most famous sandwich is “The Ultimate Club,” the king of all sandwiches, and the menu brags it has “three layers of bread with ham, turkey, bacon, sharp cheddar, Swiss cheese, mayo, honey mustard, lettuce, and tomato.”

“It’s got a cozy and cool feeling,” owner Ok Boyd said. “Every morning when I walk in here, I feel so good!”

This café is the perfect place to wind down, or retreat to when the hustle and bustle of University life takes its toll. Grab a bite to eat, work on some homework, and enjoy the peace at this hidden gem of a deli.

Wuxtry/Bizarro Wuxtry

Next on the list is a niche locale: Wuxtry Records.

Bizarro-Wuxtry. Photo by Lexi Deagan

Located further up on Clayton Street, across from City Bar and Sandbar, Wuxtry is one of the oldest record stores still operating in the United States. It opened in 1976 and became famous for links to the Athens music scene.

It boasts quite a selection of vinyl records, CDs and DVDs downstairs. Upstairs at “Bizarro Wuxtry,” you can find comics, toys, board games, modeling kits, action figures, band posters and costumes.

“Wuxtry attracts many townie hipsters, record collectors, tourists … and tall people. We have a height requirement,” said manager Robert Brown. “No, but really, we get a lot of tall people for some reason.”

Walking into the balmy store, I felt like a little kid again. Random Halloween curtains covered the dusty windows, while a mosaic of old CDs plastered to the ceiling glinted in the sunlight. Cult niche pop cultural icons and cartoons, buttons and bumper stickers lined the walls, and each room was filled with vintage and unusual items — “very mainstream.”

“We know this stuff because we’re into this stuff … users selling to other users, collectors selling to other collectors,” Brown said.

Loitering around the comic book room, I spotted many titles I recognized: Spider-Man, Aquaman, Agents of Atlas, Batman, The Green Lantern and Superman, and these are just a sample of the hundreds upon hundreds of comic books filed away in this room.

The next room was the record room. Again, what seemed like thousands of old LPs occupied boxes and boxes that were sitting on tables. The majority of these vinyls are “college rock,” world music, import titles and folk music. If you want to pick up a new hobby or listen to a new selection of music instead of the same songs you hear on 95.5 The Beat, stop by Wuxtry — you never know what you’ll discover here.

Helix

Walking down Clayton Street, I stumbled upon another store, Helix.

I wandered around the nice air-conditioned rooms trying to get a vibe for the place and immediately saw 17 items I wanted to buy then and there: a photo frame made out of recycled computer keys, a bowl made out of a real vinyl record (Jimi Hendrix, in case you were wondering), a bracelet made out of a bike chain, necklaces with a charm made out of a map of Georgia, etc. Very kitschy.

“A quirky gift shop with uncommon goods … where there is always something for everyone,” said employee Wendy Dry.

Helix appeals to all ages. I could equally see an emo pre-teen shopping alongside a suburban housewife here.

It all started 17 years ago when a married couple decided they wanted to open up a tie-dye company selling other things as well, such as African art and jewelry. Years later Helix is still alive and kicking, and they’re about to start an online store (www.helix-online.com). Helix is a huge supporter of local Athens artists and deals with these artists and small companies firsthand. Because of this, the items at the shop are unique and not something you can just find at your local Wal-Mart.

The store constantly changes its inventory, so each visit results in a brand new experience with new items to pique your interest. Not only does Helix support local artists, but they are also eco-friendly, selling recycled items turned into art, jewelry or clothing.

The store itself recycles all its boxes and papers. Helix sets a wonderful example of how cool recycling and going green can be. If any birthdays, anniversaries or holidays are coming up, Helix is a great place to shop to find something neat and unusual for that special somebody — or yourself.

As you can see, downtown Athens is definitely more than just a place to get drunk and party … it is a place with an interesting history and unique secret haunts.

These are just three places that aren’t that well known. All you pioneers out there — go explore downtown yourself. Maybe you will discover a hidden treasure … and that makes it all the more fun, doesn’t it?