In a world of demogorgons, Eggos, and synth-heavy soundtracks, Stranger Things managed to do the impossible: make the 1980s cool again without neon legwarmers making a comeback. The Netflix sensation sparked a global wave of nostalgia so strong, Kate Bush found herself trending four decades late, and every teen suddenly owned a walkman they could not operate. With themes of friendship, loyalty, and bravely fighting faceless evil, the show dug deep, and not just under Hawkins Lab. That influence spilled well beyond the screen.

Even the real-life town of Jackson, Georgia, the filming stand-in for Hawkins, is now reaping rewards as an unlikely pop culture pilgrimage site.

Once a quiet town with boarded-up shops and minimal foot traffic, Jackson, Georgia, now thrives as a bustling fan destination, thanks to Netflix’s Stranger Things. Located just south of Atlanta, the town was handpicked by location manager Tony Holley and transformed by the Duffer Brothers into the hauntingly nostalgic setting of Hawkins. Now, tourists from as far as Brazil and Germany walk its streets, snapping photos at storefronts made famous by the supernatural series.

The local economy has seen an undeniable upswing. Small businesses have reported record sales, new tourism jobs have emerged, and themed experiences like escape rooms have flourished. Local diners boast “Eleven’s Waffles” while shop windows feature Hawkins High memorabilia. For Jackson residents, the sudden fame is more than novelty; it is a livelihood. What began as a filming location has evolved into a global touchpoint where fantasy fuels commerce and community interaction.

Fans of Stranger Things have turned filming sites across Georgia into unofficial shrines of sci-fi devotion. In Palmetto, Georgia, tourists regularly flock to Piggly Wiggly, formerly Bradley’s Big Buy, where Millie Bobby Brown filmed the now-iconic Eggo waffles scene. Store manager David Johnston welcomes dozens of visitors each weekend, many dressed as Eleven, complete with faux nosebleeds. Sales of Eggo waffles have tripled, and employees even keep a fan notebook filled with messages from enthusiastic travelers from across the country.

Elsewhere, in Jackson and Duluth, Georgia, the pilgrimage continues. Starcourt Mall in Duluth still draws crowds despite access restrictions, while downtown Jackson, the stand-in for Hawkins, has seen a tourism boom. Lucy Lu’s Coffee Cafe created a “Stranger Drinks” menu, featuring themed beverages like the Demogorgon and Sheriff Hopper. Barista Jayci Fitzmayer reported record-breaking sales after Season 3, affirming that Stranger Things turned Georgia’s small towns into global fan attractions and pop culture landmarks.

When Stranger Things Season 4 rolled into Georgia, it did not just bring Demogorgons, it brought a staggering $190 million in economic activity. From wardrobe warehouses to rental vans, and coffee for 2,080 local hires who suddenly found themselves wrangling monsters instead of Mondays, every corner of the state felt the Upside Down’s fiscal blessing. For many small businesses, the only thing stranger than the plot was how quickly their registers started singing.

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In Jackson, Georgia, commerce now comes with a side of psychic chaos and a latte named after a fictional sheriff. Stranger Things did not just resurrect 1980s pop ballads, it jumpstarted entire business corridors. Shops like Hawkins Headquarters thrive on selling Hellfire Club T-shirts, escape rooms offer Upside Down challenges, and even local barbers now joke about giving “Steve Harrington hair.” From themed candles to murals of Joyce Byers cradling Christmas lights, the town has turned nostalgia into a full-time business strategy.

As for commerce, it now arrives with a Stranger Drinks menu and a commemorative T-shirt. Cameron Thompson, merchant of the madness, swears that the Duffer Brothers have given the town pride, purpose, and enough foot traffic to bankrupt a cobblestone. Jackson is no longer whispering through time, it is roaring through hashtags, souvenir magnets, and boutique candle scents with names like “Upside Down Breeze.” 

With Stranger Things, television ceased to be a passive experience and became a passport. What once was couch-bound entertainment has turned into a global travel trend, where fans chase scenes with the urgency of a Hawkins lab evacuation. Locations like Bradley’s Big Buy in Palmetto or Starcourt Mall in Duluth are now major attractions. Just as visitors once hunted down Superman’s filming locations, travelers today recreate Eleven’s Eggo run with reverence, and a camera roll full of selfies.

Jackson, Georgia, has become the Midwest that never was, offering tourists themed drinks, retro storefronts, and the chance to reimagine themselves in the Upside Down. Visitors do not merely arrive; they perform, dress the part, and relive scenes like religious rites. Television tourism, fueled by the Duffer Brothers’ world-building, has flipped expectations. Now, every iconic shot has a street address, and every plot twist marks the next stop on an increasingly cinematic itinerary.

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Are you planning to visit Jackson, Georgia, anytime soon? Let us know in the comments down below!