688 Club

The 688 Club was an alternative music venue located in a building at 688 Spring Street in Atlanta with a main performance area and office spaces. The structure contained multiple rooms designed for various uses and sat at the intersection of Spring and 3rd Streets.

The venue operated from May 1980 to November 1986 as a central location for punk rock and new wave performances in the southeastern United States. During these years, it became an important platform for the development of these music genres in the region.

The venue created its own record label, 688 Records, which released albums from local musicians and shaped the city's music scene. These releases helped connect emerging artists with audiences throughout the region.

The original building has been extensively modified and now houses a Concentra urgent care medical facility. The site is no longer accessible to visitors, but its historic address remains easy to locate.

Music director Cathy Hendrix curated performances by early-career bands including R.E.M., 10,000 Maniacs, and Iggy Pop between 1980 and 1986. These early shows helped launch the careers of several artists who later achieved widespread recognition.