StickFigure Distribution

Wow. There isn’t much I could say that Rebecca didn’t already say, but I will say this: The Gavman rules!

I used to live here (true dat), so let me break it down real quick:
Gavin is a big nerd, but he is a cool guy who knows his stuff about records. I’ve known him for 10+ years, and his passion for the indie/​local music scene is still as strong as ever. Ask him for a recommendation — he’s usually great at finding something you’d like. And he still has a lot of old stuff from the older Atlanta groups that kids these days have no idea about.
Minus one star for two things:
1. in the hood (ask gavin or me — we gots proof)
2. gavin rarely sells his stuff at shows anymore

If you think you are cool and you’ve never been to StickFigure to buy records, you are sorely mistaken. StickFigure is run by Gavin Frederick, an adorably dorky one-​time electrical engineering major at Georgia Tech who loves independent and underground music so much that he forsook what would have been a six-​figure career to live in a warehouse and build a tiny local rock ‘n’ roll empire.
Most of StickFigure’s business is done over mail-​order, but he opens the distro most Saturday afternoons from noon to 6pm. It’s worth going even if you don’t intend to buy any records (though, you will end up taking something home with you, so if your bank account is hurting, you probably shouldn’t go.)
Gavin and the other folks who hang around there are musical geniuses, a little like going to the grungy, punk rock version of the record store in Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity. I’ve gone in on a wing and a prayer, given him a few ideas of the sort of stuff I like and said «I want two records that will make me feel happy.» And what did I end up with that day? Winterbrief and the Capricorns, two bands I had never even heard of (and I’ve heard of a lot of bands), and now, almost five years later, those two records are still constantly on my play list. And they do make me happy. Very very happy.
So, yeah, going to StickFigure isn’t just worth it to support an awesome local business (which also, incidentally, brings a lot of really great bands to play shows in Atlanta, the kinds of bands that frequently skip straight from Washington, DC to Austin, TX), if you’re into independent rock ‘n’ roll music, it’s by far the best record store in Atlanta. Not because of the selection (which is never huge), but because of the sheer knowledge, dedication, love and skill that Gavin puts into what he does.
The clientele tends toward the attractive, skinny, tragically hip. I try not to go on days when I’m feeling old, fat or uncool — bad for the self esteem, though on the flip side, there’s usually great eye candy when I’m feeling good about myself. It’s also in the ‘hood (West End), and I think that everyone who lives in Atlanta should come over to the west side as often as possible. :D
Though, if you like uncool music like Dave Mathews or something, don’t tell him. He’ll probably make fun of you. Yet another reason to love StickFigure Distro. I’d give this place 6 stars if I could.