Mixing It Up

Innovox Connectivity Lounge, located at 699 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, in Midtown, in Atlanta, GA, USA, is fast developing a reputation for being, well, weird. Atlanta likes to think of itself as a multiracial, diverse city, and it is, but the groups just plain don't mix much. In a city which has a lot of little ghettos of gays, club people, yuppies, blacks, techies, hippies, pagans, military people, etc., Innovox is fast becoming the place where you can meet almost anyone and wind up talking with them for hours, if certain regulars don't drag you into a game of Scrabble.

Innovox is a little hard to find, because it doesn't have a lit sign; it's literally underground - down the stairs in front of Camelli's Pizza in the Ford Factory at 699 Ponce (Kroger Plaza). This Researcher needs to leave driving directions up to someone else, but can tell MARTA riders that it's on the #2 bus, which leaves from North Avenue and Avondale Stations (North is closer). It is open on weekdays from 7am until 1am, and 24 hours on weekends (Including Sunday, which means it opens at 7am Friday, and is open until 1am Tuesday morning. Good thing there's a lotta caffeine there).

About the Space

Jeff Ford, the owner and visionary of the space, is in almost every day, and has created a giant space that has 5 different types of seating areas; the bar at the counter, 6 'living room' style areas with sofas, chairs and coffee tables, a more traditional cafe style area in the middle, a conference room, and the LAN room in the back. The LAN room houses 6 computers (there are 4 computers in the main area), where you can log on and check email, surf the web, etc. Additionally, you can have LAN parties there. Unlike home LAN Parties, the LAN there is connected, fast, and ready to let you bash the hell out of your opponents, Computer rental is $7 per hour at this writing (May 2001), and is unrestricted, use-wise, though you're still in Georgia and shouldn't be hitting the child porn sites, anyways.

And of course, the drinks

The drinks are fabulous, and range from simple fountain sodas ($1.25) to a thick, frozen chai (basically a chai milkshake, and very addictive if chai is your thing) or frozen mocha, both of which are $5.25. Innovox also carries a selection of pastries, and some munchables like potato chips and nachos (with cheese sauce or salsa).

What to do there?

Additionally, Innovox is a great place to play. Mondays are Acoustic Mondays, with a different acoustic musician playing weekly. Wednesdays are games night, and additionally they have a dj in late night from 10pm onwards. The last Friday of the month the Let's Try This! Players, an improv group from Georgia Tech perform, starting at 9pm. the second and fourth Saturdays every month, starting at midnight, there is a drum circle. There's an ever changing Calendar.

There are occasional pick-up games of hacky sack, board and card games off all sorts, and there used to be games of 'light' jai-alai, except that someone lost the wiffle ball in the rafters, and hasn't bought a new one yet. If you need space, there's a conference room in the back, where you can spread out books, or reserve for private meetings (rates depend upon whether you are a person, non-profit or commercial enterprise; contact Innovox for info).

Or just come by, get a plain cup of coffee, cream, a bit of sugar, sit down, and read for a bit. What a neat thing to do in a cafe.