Online Anti-Mall "Where the Strange & Unusual Outshine the Ordinary"

"305 South is an absolute treasure. For those of you who haven't been, it's a self-styled "anti-mall," a warehouse-garage-type complex with club space, a comics store and vintage clothing shop run by the original owner of the Untidy Museum. The garage doors in the club space open up, and they have no neighbors to complain, so there's even a little outdoor seating area. Anyway, they also serve delicious and dirt-cheap empanadas and tamales, both meat and vegetarian.
305 South reminds me of some of the best clubs I've ever been in: It has the industrial feel and homegrown DIY spirit of the original Miracle House in Greensboro; it has the same kinds of funky shops that used to line the alley to Clawson's, the club I went to in Beaufort back in high school, and it has the laid-back, almost squatter-like feel of one of my favorite Berlin rock clubs. I found out that Midtown Dickens is going to have an all-day event there on May 12, so I will definitely check it out again. My only real complaint is that the lighting wasn't good for taking photos. " - Karen Mann

The Electric Blender - 5000sqft of Vintage Clothing Fun

You can go check out a band or an art show at any one of hundreds of venues in the Triangle, but you can be assured that none of them are quite like 305 South. Brought to you from the folks who gave you Ooh La Latte and the Untidy Museum, this Durham artist's space actually looks more like a garage turned funky antique shop. After passing through one of two raised garage doors that serve as the entrance, you're in a 5,000 sq. ft. open space where concrete floors meet colorful walls showcasing modern art. A stage at the far end tends to host more rock and indie rock bands than anything else, but on Saturday afternoons the scene turns harder with their free Metal Matinee. A film festival also occasionally pops up on the entertainment schedule. While you're there, be sure to head next door to The Electric Blender. At this vintage shop, owned by the same folks as 305, browse among clothing, jewelry and accessories in a retro space full of mannequins, modern furniture and unusual knick-knacks. -- Erica Hinton