CL
n NEWS & NOTEWORTHY n
‘Stranger Things’ in
Marietta: Local business
the set for Season 4 finale
While watching the latest batch of
episodes, local “Stranger Things” fans
might have caught a glimpse of a familiar
Marietta merchant that’s been in business for
more than 50 years.
During the summer, the popular Netflix
show debuted Season 4: Volume 2 to the
anticipation of viewers around the world. The
drop contained two feature-long episodes
that serve as the season’s finale. The show,
which has been filmed in several spots
around Georgia, has been a popular staple
for horror, ’80s-era nostalgia and Dungeons
and Dragons fans alike.
Gay Earls, owner of Hodge Army Navy, said
the show filmed at her shop’s old location in
May 2021 before the store’s move to a new
location. Hodge Army Navy was at 507 Cobb
Parkway for 51 years, even longer than the
Big Chicken has been around, she said. The
store has since relocated just a mile away at
1477 Roswell Road, Suite 300, Earls said.
This is not the first time a show has filmed
at the store, Earls said; the store was also the
set for an episode of “We Got Love Teyana
& Iman,” a reality TV show, a few years
prior. Earls, who watches “Stranger Things,”
said filming at her business was an exciting
experience.
“Even though (the store) was shut down,
we could go in and see some of the changes
they had made and it was really cool to see
their take on it,” she said. “Especially since
we had been there for 51 years, and this was
kind of like the last hurrah in the building.”
Though Earls and her husband didn’t get
to meet any stars from “Stranger Things,”
they were able to see their shop transformed
into an 80s relic for the show’s set. The
production’s art department would take items
in the store and make replica boxes and even
brought in a vintage Jeep.
Originally, the show’s producers wanted to
come to Hodge Army Navy for about a week
to set up the scene and film, Earls said. But
when two “Stranger Things” cast members
came down with COVID-19, the project
extended for nearly a month, she said.
“They used a lot of the stu that we
already had in there, and then they brought
some stu of their own in there as well,” she
said.
Earls said observable witnesses last year
would have noticed the signage change at
the old location to read “Warzone” instead
of Hodge Army Navy, with a reference to
Hawkins, Indiana. She said Shawn Levy
liked the business’ sign so much with its
rocket emblems, he had his set designers
incorporate it into the set’s design.
The show even included signs that Earls
had throughout the store. She said set
designers thought their price tags from the
80s were a special touch to include. To see
some of these same elements that appeared
in the show, a fan would only have to stop by
Hodge Army Navy’s new location.
To celebrate their appearance in “Stranger
Things,” Hodge Army Navy launched its grand
reopening at the new Roswell location in July.
New gamer restaurant
and bar Battle & Brew
to open in the Battery
Atlanta
Frequenters of the Battery Atlanta will
soon have a new dining and gaming spot
with the addition of Battle & Brew in Spring
2023. Located next to PH’EAST, B&B will oer
guests of all ages an opportunity to play a
plethora of games while receiving food and
beverage service.
From video games to board games and
more, Battle & Brew will have a wide variety
of games, according to managing partner Ben
Izaguirre. The arcade will oer games from
Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, PC and tabletop,
according to a news release.
“The whole premise of B&B is oering
a space for gamers and non gamers alike
to gather and play,” said managing partner
48 COBB LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2022