Shopping in Downtown Helen

Helen was a struggling timber town until 1968, when, as the New Georgia Encyclopedia tells it, a group of local businessmen met for a lunch and decided to turn downtown into a themed village. Artist John Kollock presented watercolor designs with a Bavarian look, merchants led by Pete Hodkinson carried them out, and by 1972 the paintings had become buildings. The shops you're walking past are the result.

The strip is still compact. Most of the shopping sits along North and South Main Street, with side streets such as Chattahoochee Strasse, Edelweiss Strasse and Bruckenstrasse running toward the river. You can cover the core on foot in an afternoon.

These shops have current listings with an address and phone from the Helen CVB or the shop's own website. Hours change with the season, so call before a special trip.

A few minutes south of downtown on GA-17/75, the Nacoochee Valley has a quieter kind of shopping. Habersham Winery, established in 1983, sits in Nacoochee Village about half a mile south of Alpine Helen and bills itself as one of Georgia's oldest and largest wineries. The Old Sautee Store in Sautee Nacoochee, which calls itself Georgia's longest operating store, sells gifts, candy, home decor and imported Swedish farmer cheese, with a market counter for sandwiches and ice cream.

Nacoochee Village Antique Mall, at 7091 S Main St, is a member of the Helen CVB. The Native American mound you'll pass beside the road is a landmark worth a quick photo stop.