Allen's (est. 1955) was a hamburger joint and nightclub originally in the Normaltown neighborhood of Athens, Georgia, later located at the corner of Hawthorne and Oglethorpe Avenues. It closed in November 2011.
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History
Allen's was opened by Allen Saine. Saine later sold the business to Athens businessman Billy Slaughter. Slaughter hired Danny Self to run the business and eventually sold it to Self while keeping the real estate.
Allen's got its "World Famous" nickname because of its proximity to the Navy Supply School. The student officers frequented Allen's. They wear Allen's T-shirts in ports all over the world.
In 2002, Self died and Slaughter ended up with the business eventually closing it in 2004 and later demolishing the building. In 2007, two University of Georgia alumni (Mark Hammond and Hilt Moree, III) acquired the rights to Allen's from Slaughter and re-opened it in a new location with much of the original memorabilia, recipes, and live music. It is across the street from the Athens YMCA location but still on the edge of Normaltown. There are various framed memorabilia on the walls.
Notable patrons and employees
Zell Miller worked there while attending the University of Georgia before going on to become a Governor and later a U.S. Senator.
Notable patrons of Allen's include the late writer Lewis Grizzard, professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, lead guitarist/singer John Bell of Athens band Widespread Panic, R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe, residents of the world-famous "Annex" including Doug Callas, Britt Murrill (who also dominated the Cyclone pinball machine), Scott Poole, Chip Zimmerman, and Chris Lee, and The B-52's who namecheck Allen's in their 1990 single "Deadbeat Club".