Hey neighbor, it’s Gus!
I had a moment this week I can't stop thinking about.
I was pulling into a gas station off Sugarloaf — nothing special — and a guy in the next lane rolled down his window and said, "Hey, you're the Gwinnett Best guy, right?" I laughed, said yes, and he told me his wife reads the newsletter to him on Wednesday mornings while they drink coffee on the porch. He said, "That's our little ritual now."
I sat in my van for a second after he drove off and just smiled and laughed.
Because here's the thing — I never set out to build a "brand." I just wanted to love this county out loud. And somehow that's turned into porch rituals and Saturday hellos at car shows and people I've never met feeling like old friends.
That's Gwinnett. That's you. And this week is stacked — so let's get into it. 👇
— Gus
P.S. Trying a new format today with personalized picks (share your thoughts)
Would you be interested in GwinnettBest DINNER CLUB?
In Today's Post!
THIS WEEK(END) IN GWINNETT
⛳ 🙌 Mitsubishi Electric Classic — PGA TOUR Champions at TPC Sugarloaf
Friday–Sunday, April 24–26 | TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth
This is BIG. The PGA TOUR Champions roll into Duluth this weekend with names like Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Stewart Cink, Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer, Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh, and Jim Furyk all playing for a $2 million purse. Even if you're not a golf person — this tournament has raised over $5 million for local charities since 2013. Go for the atmosphere. Go for the community. Go for the fact that world-class golf is happening 15 minutes from your house.
🏷️ Great for: Date Night | Seniors | Family Outings
🎉 🌅 40th Annual Grayson Day
Saturday, April 27 | Grayson Community Park, Grayson
Grayson is one of those Gwinnett gems that doesn't shout — it just keeps quietly being a beautiful place to live. And Grayson Day is the proof. This is their 40th year pulling the community together for a full day of small-town magic — vendors, food, activities, live entertainment, and that rare kind of togetherness that reminds you why we chose this county. If you've never been, this is your year.
🏷️ Great for: Family Outings | Kids | Seniors
🎡 🌅 Lawrenceville Spring Fair
Daily through Sunday, April 26 | Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Lawrenceville
If you've got kids — or you just want to feel like one again — this is the week. Midway rides, carnival games, fair food you'll regret and love at the same time, the Goat Island Petting Zoo, Banana Derby Monkeys (yes, really), and live entertainment every night. $5 general admission, FREE parking. Go early on Saturday to beat the crowd or late on Sunday to close out the run.
🏷️ Great for: Family Outings | Kids | Free / Under $20
🎭 🎵 Xu Xia Solo Concert at Lawrenceville Arts Center
Friday, April 24 | Lawrenceville Arts Center, 125 N Clayton St
An intimate evening of classical music inside one of Gwinnett's most gorgeous venues. If you want a date night that feels different from dinner-and-a-movie — this is it. Dress up. Show up early. Sit close.
🏷️ Great for: Date Night | Seniors
💃 🙌 Blue Revue Cotillion
Saturday, April 25 | 3:00–6:30 PM | Lawrenceville Arts Center
A gorgeous debutante cotillion presentation at the Arts Center — community, tradition, and celebration all wrapped into one beautiful Saturday afternoon. If you've got young women in your life, this is the kind of event that inspires them.
🏷️ Great for: Family Outings | Community
🎤 🍸 Karaoke Night at Slow Pour Brewing
Friday, April 24 | 8:00–11:00 PM | Slow Pour Brewing Co., Lawrenceville | FREE | 21+
The easiest, most fun Friday night you can have on a budget. Grab the crew, grab a beer, grab the mic. No excuses.
🏷️ Great for: 21+ Night Out | Free / Under $20
→ See the full list at https://slowpourbrewing.com/calendar/
GUS' HIDDEN GEM
Every week I find one place in Gwinnett that deserves more love. This week it's…
☕ Brightside Cafe — Buford
554 W Main St, Building G, Buford, GA 30518 | (678) 765-0198
Listen — Brightside isn't just a coffee shop. It's a mission.
Tucked on West Main in Buford, this cafe employs adults with special abilities and gives them a place in our community to build confidence, purpose, and belonging. Every latte you order, every pastry you grab, every smoothie you take back to the car — it's fueling something bigger than caffeine.
The coffee's really good. The pastries are warm. The staff will remember your name. But what you'll remember is the feeling you walk out with — like you just did something small that matters.
Go on a Saturday morning (8 AM–2 PM). Order a smoothie, meet the team, and sit for a minute. I promise you'll leave different than you walked in.
Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Sat 8 AM – 2 PM | Closed Sundays
ONE PERSON. ONE STORY.
The Couple Who Reads GwinnettBest Together on the Porch
I mentioned this at the top, but it deserves its own section.
This week a man rolled down his window at a gas station and told me his wife reads this newsletter out loud to him every Wednesday morning, coffee in hand, on their back porch. He said it's become their thing.
I didn't catch his name. I wish I had. But it made me realize something — I always thought this newsletter was about Gwinnett. Events, restaurants, coffee, weekend plans. But for a lot of you, it's become something else too. A rhythm. A ritual. A quiet 10 minutes on a Tuesday, or Wednesday where you sit with someone you love and read about the place you live together and decide where you will go this week.
That's the real story. That's what I'm actually building. Not a media brand — a porch-coffee-Wednesday kind of thing. Something that makes you feel a little more connected to where you are and who you're with.
If that's you — if this newsletter has become part of your week in any way — hit reply and tell me. I read every single one. And I'll probably cry a little over my morning coffee. 💛
DATE NIGHT IN GWINNETT
Ready to make a real evening of it? Two fresh picks this week.
📍 NORCROSS
🥩 The Crossing Steakhouse
40 South Peachtree St, Norcross, GA 30071 | (770) 746-7999
This is the kind of date night story you tell your friends about. The Crossing is housed in an old train depot — the original burned down in 1908 and was rebuilt in 1909 on the east side of the tracks, where it's been quietly feeding Historic Norcross ever since. Trains still pass by while you eat. Family-owned. Fine-steakhouse food, casual setting, and the most unique atmosphere in the county.
Reservations through exploretock.com — ask for the covered patio if the weather's nice.
Hours: Mon–Thu 11 AM – 9 PM (check their site for Fri/Sat evening hours)
🏷️ $$$ | Great for: Date Night | Anniversaries | Unique Experiences
📍 NORCROSS
🔥 Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
Peachtree Industrial Blvd area, Peachtree Corners
If The Crossing is the "let's tell a story" date night, Firebirds is the "let's just have a really great meal" date night. Wood-fired grill, craft cocktails, warm lighting, and an atmosphere that's dressy-enough-but-not-stuffy. The wood-grilled filet, the seared ahi, and the hand-crafted cocktails are the reasons regulars keep coming back. Inviting without being over-the-top — which is sometimes exactly what a Tuesday-night date calls for.
Reservations strongly recommended on weekends.
🏷️ $$ | Great for: Date Night | Casual Elegant
COFFEE SPOTLIGHT
Two shops you probably haven't tried yet — both worth the drive.
📍 DACULA
TradeWind Coffee Co.
2300 Liam Ave NE #200, Dacula, GA 30019 | (770) 864-1171
With a 4.6-star rating and over 840 reviews, TradeWind is easily one of Dacula's most beloved spots. Fresh locally-roasted coffee, specialty drinks with names like Campfire Mocha Latte and Caramel Apple Butter Latte, a full light breakfast + lunch menu, and a space that hosts everything from open mic nights to trivia. They even give a military/LEO/EMS discount. The kind of shop that actually feels like the neighborhood's living room.
Hours: Mon–Sat 7 AM – 8 PM | Sun 8 AM – 7 PM
📍 SUWANEE
Arte (Arte 3 Cafe)
1291 Old Peachtree Rd NW #210, Suwanee, GA 30024
If you've never had bingsu (Korean shaved snow), Arte is where you start. This Korean-inspired cafe has become a low-key Suwanee obsession — mango bingsu that's meant to be shared, fish-shaped pastries (filled with sweet cream, not actual fish — trust me), specialty lattes, and two big open rooms with fast Wi-Fi that make it perfect for a work session or a sweet-treat stop after dinner. It's unlike anything else in Gwinnett.
QUICK HITS
🌿 Suwanee Farmers Market opens May 9 — Saturday mornings are about to get a whole lot better. Mark it now.
🎨 Duluth Chalk Art Festival + Derby Day May 1–2 in Downtown Duluth — 10+ chalk artists transforming the pavement. Free.
🎬 Forum Flicks at The Forum Peachtree Corners — outdoor movies at dusk. Bring a blanket. Check theforumpeachtree.com for the next showing.
🛍️ Trader Joe's at The Forum is still the only Trader Joe's in Gwinnett. If you haven't made the run yet this month, consider this your nudge.
😂 Fun fact of the week: Gwinnett has more Korean cafes per square mile than most of metro Atlanta — and I'm not complaining. If you have a favorite, hit reply and tell me. I'm building a list.
BONUS RESOURCE: FIND YOUR NEXT HIKE IN GWINNETT
Here's something I've been wanting to share for a while — Gwinnett County has an interactive Park Locator that makes it super easy to find hiking trails, parks, and outdoor spots near you. Perfect for planning a family weekend adventure, a morning hike, or just discovering a park you didn't know existed down the road.
Save that link. You'll use it more than you think.
WE'RE ON INSTAGRAM!
Okay, big news to share — Gwinnett Best just officially launched on Instagram. 🎉
I've been sitting on this for a few weeks, and it's finally live. Behind-the-scenes footage from the This Is Gwinnett Show, quick reels from events, coffee shop spotlights, date night ideas, and the kind of content that doesn't fit inside an email.
If you've ever wanted MORE Gwinnett Best between Wednesdays — this is where to find it.
👉 Follow us at @gwinnettbest on Instagram
Hit that follow button. Say hi in the DMs. Send me your favorite Gwinnett spot. Let's make it feel like a community over there too.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Gwinnett isn't perfect. Neither are we. But we keep showing up for each other — in gas station parking lots, in train-depot restaurants, in coffee shops that remember your name, at 40-year-old community festivals that still feel like home.
That's the thing worth celebrating. That's the thing worth showing up for.
Thanks for being here. Gwinnett is better because you're in it.
See you next week,
P.S. — Don't forget to follow @gwinnettbest on Instagram. New posts start this week and I'd love to see you over there.
