What Dad Really Wants for Father’s Day

Times change, styles go in and out, but dads stay pretty cool for the most part.  Whoever started giving dads ties, socks, and underwear for gifts should get a swift kick to the ass.  If your dad still has his nose to the grind, then those items are perfectly fine as a stocking stuffer, but please, don’t give the man who has provided for you, taught you how to play sports, and taken a few shots to give you a better life a six pack of Jockeys this year for Father’s Day.  The Southern man doesn’t need any frills and thrills to be excited about a gift, so your dad should be pretty easy to shop for in Atlanta.

These five gift ideas for your Old Man can be found in Atlanta.  Check them out for you last minute gift ideas and make sure you keep it local!

• Beer Brewing Kit:  Here’s a great idea that will help your dad find a new hobby (since paying for 18 years of your awkward adolecent life isn’t his official past time anymore!)  It’s hard to toss a stone in any direction and not hit a guy who has ever dreamed about brewing is own beer.  As craft beer becomes more and more popular in the South, it is becoming more accessible for the common man to brew a great beer of his own.  Trust me, your dad has been waiting for you to buy him a kit.  We suggest the Deluxe Homebrew kit from Hop City Craft Beer & Wine.  It will run you about $125.  The kit will have everything your dad needs to brew his first 50 12oz beers.  After he finishes brewing his first batch, he can begin brewing with other recipes from Hop City for around $25 to $45 (per 50 12oz beers.)
• The Ultimate Smoker:  For too long your dad has been restricted to propane flames and cheap charcoal that makes your food taste like lighter fluid.  The Big Green Egg captures the heart of every man that comes across it.  This piece of barbecue perfection is a great tool for the pro and novice.  If pulled pork, brisket, smoked trout, and ribs are important to you, then you and your siblings will pitch in to buy your dad the gift that keeps on giving.  You will be begging your dad to let you come and visit after you finish your first round of smoked goodness from the Big Green Egg.  Yes, they are also located in Georgia.  You can find them in Tucker, off of Lawrenceville Highway.  Hint: The building is green.
• Cookies & Gunpowder: Your dad has been knocking out his honey-do list for the past few years, so he probably wants out of the house.  He deserves a couple of hours where he can relax and feel like a man.  What’s better than treating your dad to some lane time at the only gun range inside the Atlanta perimeter?  Quickshot Shooting Range not only has a great facility, but they also serve homemade cookies!  Don’t let him go solo though.  Let your dad teach you a thing or two about shooting.  Neither of you have weapons?  No problem.  You can rent a firearm for around $10 plus whatever ammunition you plan on slaying targets with.  You can also go through a quick safety course while munching on some fresh chocolate chip cookies.
• Whisk(ey) Him Away: Traditionally, Southern gentlemen have a palate for smoked meat, tobacco, and whisk(e)y.  Okay, so maybe you shouldn’t be giving your dad a wad of tobacco for Father’s Day.   You can’t go wrong with a good bottle of whiskey.  This is a great gift for those of you who don’t have a lot of money to drop.  Hey, he’ll understand.  Wallets can be tight these days.  That shouldn’t stop you from being able to get your dad a great whiskey to celebrate him always having your back.  Bourbon is a great Southern spirit that needs no gift wrapping.  My two picks for a great, inexpensive sipping bourbon for your dad would be Bulleit Bourbon, or Buffalo Trace Bourbon.  Both bourbons you can find for around $20 to $25 at one of the local Greens Discount Beverage Stores in Atlanta.
• Style Him Up:  Sure, socks and ties can be pretty boring… Unless you find your dad a local haberdashery worth returning to.  Two men’s shops in Atlanta can help you find the perfect gift for pops.  From Sid Mashburn located by Star Provisions, to H. Stockton, there is something that will fit your budget, and your dad’s style (or the one he needs help with.)  Any Southern man can appreciate a pair of good jeans, a leather belt that only gets better with age, and a shirt or two that are not the boring white oxfords he wore underneath his suit for years.  You won’t be leaving with a humdrum pack of whitie tighties from either of these shops, kids.

Hopefully this list got the wheels turning a little bit so that you won’t be showing up empty handed (or worse, with something boring) when it comes to celebrating Father’s Day this year.  Give your dad something that he will remember for years to come.  Remember, keep it local.

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