Where is it? Thirty minutes northeast of Downtown Atlanta in DeKalb County near the intersection of I-85/I-285.
What’s the history? The area that would become Tucker was settled in the 1820s, but it wasn’t until the 1880s when Seaboard Railroad built a line through north DeKalb that Tucker came into existence as an unincorporated village. The name of the town likely came from Capt. Rufus Tucker, a director and shareholder of Seaboard. The village became popular thanks to its proximity to Emory University, Centers for Disease Control, and the old General Motors plant in nearby Doraville. Tucker finally became a city in 2015 after voters approved incorporation.
What about restaurants and shopping? Tucker’s Main Street and has become a hip and lively destination with plenty of restaurants, bars, breweries, and shops. Tucker Brewing Company’s beer garden is a popular spot, and you can also grab a cold one at Blue Tarp Brewing. Hot Betty’s is a breakfast-lovers dream, and you can get a belly full of Southern goodness at Matthews Cafeteria or Ford’s BBQ. There are many small businesses to support in Tucker, but you might want to head to nearby Northlake Mall for a real spending spree.
How about events and activities? The First Friday Concert Series brings crowds to the Church Street Greenspace (A1A is performing Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m.), while the 2022 Sip-N-Stroll at Tucker Nature Preserve will have art, adult beverages, and local beekeepers on Sept. 24 from 3-5 p.m. There are also seasonal events to mark the holidays, like Haunted Trail at Henderson Park for Halloween and North Pole at Tucker for Christmas.
How much are homes in the area? A ranch-style fixer-upper can still be had for under $200,000 but expect to pay in the $300,000+ range for a move-in-ready family home. At press time there was a healthy inventory of homes available across the city.
Find out more about Tucker at tuckerga.gov and exploregeorgia.org/city/tucker.