A lot of the "old school" southern true BBQ joints have closed down over the years. Owners aged or passed, kids did not pick up the interest, and in some cases kids did but they aged also and the grandkids just lost interest.
Harold's BBQ used to be a great spot and you still hear people talk about it. It was near the old GM Lakewood Plant (gone) and the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta. However Harold Hembree, the original owner passed a long time ago and his kids ran the original location and another one in Jonesboro for a while. They have since sold the business to some foreigners. It's nothing like it used to be and I would cross it off the list as it is Harold's BBQ in name only.
Same for Dean's BBQ in Jonesboro. Jesse Dean passed and his kids (in their 60's and 70's themselves) have totally screwed the business up. Squabbles of ownership, lawsuits against each other back and forth and most recently a fire that took the old concrete block open pit. Fire codes grandfathered the old pit, but once it and the pit house burned, it had to be brought up to current standards so they just closed.
On the other hand..... I forgot about this old school classic!
The Fresh Air BBQ just south of Jackson, GA. It is on the old route from Atlanta to Macon and Savannah before the Interstate opened (yes I can remember when we had no interstate in Atlanta). It's still there on GA Hwy 42 & US 23 south of Jackson, and has been in business since 1929. It is classic southern BBQ "joint" and their meat comes from a decades old open pit. Nothing fancy, just the basics you expect at a place like this and most days they close around 7:30pm. Good food and great old style Brunswick stew. They were voted "All Time Best BBQ in America" by WSB-TV in 1984. Still owned by the same family for over 80 years. I may have to make a point to visit them again soon myself. Not too far out of the way from social circle and I would take the scenic route and enjoy the countryside on a summer day (ie, not the interstate)
While pulling these photos, I found that apparently they have another location now in Bogart, GA which is close to Athens. Although I would want to go to the original 1929 location if it was me, the Athens location might be a good alternative if you did not want to drive to Jackson. I have no idea if this location is a franchise or a family expansion, nor have I eaten there. Might ask the locals since you have contacts in Athens.
